Well, this is awkward.

We all groaned when Sonic Heroes brought back Shadow the Hedgehog (at least, I HOPE we all did) and none of us believed it the second and third times Zero (the MMX character, not the man) died, either.  Coming back from the dead basically leaves a person with no credibility whatsoever, and it's always a bad idea.

So you can kind of understand how this is a little bit of a confusing situation for me.  Let me first confirm- I didn't die.  I don't have any secret ritual that can bring me back to life, I didn't have part of my soul squat in an abandoned cigarette holder just in case some whiny British kid killed me, and I am absolutely not an elf. (thank god)  I was shot by Rhodes, in the center of my chest.  I'd compliment him on his aim if I weren't a little more cross about it.  Then according to Rise (I certainly don't remember, I was kind of in a lot of pain) I was buried under huge chunks of debris as the warehouse came down around us.

I guess the secret technique is "don't actually die."  Cause I didn't.  I lived long enough for the police to dig me out.  The next thing I knew, I was waking up on a hospital bed, with the scars from the surgery starting to heal.  They told me it'd been a week.  Guess I don't do naps by half-measure.

I could barely MOVE, let alone get to a computer, so, you can understand why I was unable to inform you all of the good news.  This time, I was well aware that I could die without the aid, and thus I was less eager to burst out of the hospital.  Oddly enough, they didn't even mention anything about the last time I was hospitalized...  Come to think of it, I never got charged for that.  I guess it was Slender fucking around with shit, again.

Eighteen more days in the hospital, and then I was out.  And ever since then, I've been on the move, hunting down Rhodes.  I kept radio silence for a very specific reason- I wanted to surprise him.  Seriously, posting your intent on your blog happens so much that I was almost overjoyed for the opportunity for some good old fashioned sneaking around.

It didn't give me any pleasure to let those who care about me suffer.  But I was going after Rhodes, a man who kills for fun, and Writer, who he has formed some sort of business pact with (never trust assholes in suits), a guy who can bend reality.  My "death" gave me the perfect opportunity to surprise them, and maybe even fuck up whatever they were planning.  But it was risky.  I didn't want to raise people's hopes, just to let them be dashed all over again.

Another unfortunate side effect was a lonely Christmas.  But...we all make sacrifices.  And that's a relatively small one.

At any rate, last week, I'd tracked Rhodes to Montreal, which is apparently Writer's love nest or something.  I was stalking them down a riverside path, when I spotted a man who'd appeared out of nowhere.  I knew who it was.  And quite suddenly, the three of them vanished.  One of Writer's special little labyrinths, called a Loop.

The last time we broke into a loop, it had...mixed results.  I have a feeling we only got in cause Writer wanted us to.  This time, I was gonna have to get clever.

Or not.  I knew I wasn't likely to be able to exploit the Loop in any way in order to gain entry.  It probably involves bullshit quantum science or something like that.  Writer's a lot more clever than I am.  But he's not nearly as dumb, or single minded.  That was something I could use.

I walked up to the spot where Spencer had been, stuck my hand forward.  Nothing.  Guess it wouldn't be easy, either.  Instead, I took a deep breath and visualized the riverside as it was before the three vanished.  Their positions, and it particularly, Spencer's face.

Throwing my hand forward again, it felt...sluggish.  Like I was moving it through water.  A curious ripple appeared in midair in front of me.  Having seen some pretty weird shit in my time (giant murderous trees come to mind), it was actually kind of tame.  At least the visual effect was.  Mentally, less so.  It felt like someone had applied a pair of psychic pliers or something to my brain.  Crushing, oppressive weight.  I wanted to back out...But I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I kept pushing.  In my experience, the harder it is to push something, the more satisfying the result is when it comes crashing down.

So I kept going.  And what happened next was surprisingly simplistic.  I broke through the wall of the Loop.  Literally, I could hear a noise like glass shattering, almost.  Maybe it's just cause that was the visual of it I had in my mind.  I could see the three of them, through a weird sort of haze.  As I pushed, the haze started to vanish.  I felt...a bit giddy.  Like, more so than usual.  I attribute it to my brain being squeezed like a lemon.  Hence why the only thing on my mind was what 1950s catchphrase to yell out.  I decided there wasn't enough appreciation for the classics, and made my choice accordingly.

"LUCY, I'M HOOOOOOOOOOME!"

If ONLY I had a camera.  Their faces.  Fucking priceless.  Rhodes in particular was speechless.  I would've liked to have given them a fight, but...Dunno if I could've taken em.  Not with Spencer puking his guts over the pavement.

Speaking of Spencer, he grabbed me and we took the Path out.  As unpleasant an experience as ever.  Luckily, Spence knows what he's doing, whereas when I use it it's akin to a drunken parrot attempting to navigate an alleyway full of used medical syringes and broken bits of glass.

I spent about a day in that House of theirs.  Didn't...really notice anything.  I'd heard stories about how it's a Loop, but it seemed pretty normal to me.  ...Does that make me the crazy one?  Perfect.

But...the good news that I was back was tempered with bad news.  Lia's father died to save her while I was "dead".  So...that's where I've been the past few days.  At her side, where I should've been earlier.  She's...holding up.  I think my flipping death the bird gave her a little bit of hope to stand on.  At least it did some good.

So.  Here I am again.  Not entirely sure what I'm going to do now, to be honest...But to be fair, Lia needs me.  I don't need any other objective than that for now.

But once I've given this wafflegirl all the hugs she needs, I'll probably go find Rise.  Sounds like she needs my help too...

And after that, well, it's a big world, and there's all sorts of trouble I can stir up for our masked friends.  Let's just hope my luck improves a little.

Show's back on the road, people.

twobytwobytwobytwobytwo

it's so cold

He captures all in His gaze.  no matter where i turn the eye is on me

two

by

two

by

icanticanticanticant

you think you know fear?  every single moment He draws close i remember the years i spent with His hands holding My strings.  every whisper of breath would give me away, if He couldn't find me by my thoughts

its useless

we are all His whether we know it or not

every move you make is one He allows you to

every thought you think is one He permits you to have

defiance and bravado exist so long as He desires it

and when that moment arrives, theyre gone

snrgherah killme

please

killme

somehow, alive.

i made it out.

rhodes has held me for the past...

12 days

it was not as bad as you might think.  he tortured me with a knife and some machine that gave off a lot of heat...i think it was a rice cooker.  but only for the first two days.  afterwards all he did was try to get in my head.  try to convince me to go back to Him.  told me He was all I had left.

i wont.  ever.  i wont insult june's memory like that.  surprisingly, after the third day, rhodes was gone for the rest of my captivity.  i was too injured to escape, though.  until earlier today.  his large minion was too slow to catch me.  now here i am.

i have to stop rhodes.  i know he's planning something.  he spoke on the phone to someone...i heard him mention montreal.  what does that mean?  could be where he's gone.

also, im trying to stop talking with...how did he put it?  "cryptic bullshit."  it's hard.  doing anything "ordinary" is hard.  it's still almost impossible for me to talk to anyone face to face.  i lost most of my identity to Him.  now all i have are a few shattered memories to cling to.

but cling to them i will.  i wont be a doll anymore.  im human.  i will fight him.

cant

eyeswilllie

dont believthem

the serpent isnot

he

Hush now, darling little Rae.  You and I have a LOT to catch up on...

what should i do now?

june is dead.  and...i have no one else left.

i cannot go to his brother, who is innocently unaware of monsters in this world.

im just...alone.

again.

every person i try to protect dies

should i just end my own life?

...something tells me june would have harsh words for me on the other side if i did.

for his sake at least, ill...try to do as he asked.  "live for yourself."

ill try.

Automated message: If I don't make it back...

Hey.  I set this up to respond if I wasn't around, a day and a few hours after Rhodes' big stupid jerk deadline.  If I make it out, I'll just take it down, if I don't...well, you're readin' it, so...Guess I'm dead.

Oh man.  I'm like a ghost now.  WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  Oooohhhhooo summon me with the essence of bad smelll, Niiiickkk~ whooooo~oooo~

Okay enough of that.  There was a reason for this.  I have a story to tell you all.  It's about Valkyrie.  And Rhodes.  And...my Dad.

My childhood wasn't Slender-free after all, it seems, and that's what I remembered the moment I saw Valkyrie's eyes.


Eight years ago...I was ten years old.  Living a happy, carefree life with my parents, my older brother Lawrence...and my older sister, Vivian.  Lawrence and I got along fine...but it was Vivian I was really close to.  She doted on me, really.  Thing is...Vivian was always a little strange.

As a kid I didn't really notice.  But...my folks kept setting her up appointments with a "therapist", and when I went for walks out in the woods...I'd find dead animals, nailed to trees.  It was years before I saw Vivian torturing a squirrel to death with an iron spike and hammer.  She nailed it to the tree, still alive, and watched it squirm until it died.

From that day on, I was scared of her.  But...her attitude towards me never changed.  She was the same, smiling, caring Vivian.  But once I hit ten years old...Things changed.  She started to get violent with more than just animals.  I saw her break a kid's arm in a fight...And she threatened his friends never to tell, with a knife.  I was watching from the forest nearby- I'd followed her when I saw her wander off the path back from school.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me, I turned, and saw a tall man...With a pale face, red hair, dressed in a black fedora and suit.  He gave me a smile.

"Hey now, don't be afraid.  I'm here to help you!"

I stepped back.  "Who are you?" I asked.

"You can call me Rhodes, little June.  I know your name, so it's only fair you know mine!"

I nodded slowly.  My mistrust was fading...he seemed so genuinely cheerful and sincere about wanting to help me.  and he did help me.  Over the next few weeks I stole out into the forest to talk to him.  I told him how worried I was about Vivian, how I was afraid she'd hurt my parents, or Lawrence, or me...How I wanted my sister back.  He began to tell me why he thought she was acting the way she was.

It was because of the "Slender Man."

Apparently, Vivian was seeing him in her dreams.  Being little, I never questioned HOW Rhodes knew this.  Stupid.  It was all part of the plan for them.

Slender Man was telling her to do things, Rhodes told me.  She was fighting it.  It made her angry...It made her WANT to do these horrible things, to kill those animals and to hurt those kids.  Finally, I asked Rhodes how I could help her.

He said to come back later that night.  So I did.  He led me to a clearing in the forest, and together we spied on Vivian from the bushes.  She was meeting someone.  A tall man, broad chested, with pale skin and hair.  And at his side?  A little girl, with gray hair, who hid her face behind a white mask.

Sound familiar?  The story you told me didn't really make sense until I remembered this, Rise.

The man told Vivian that Slender Man expected something of her.  To burn down our home, and kill our parents.  She swore and attacked him.  He grabbed Rise...and used her as a shield.  The bastard used his ten year old daughter as a shield.

He knocked Vivian to the ground and...then the Boss himself appeared.  Rhodes held his hand over my mouth to stop my scream.  How could I help it?  It was a real monster.  And if you think he's scary as an adult, well, he's fucking terrifying as shit as a kid, let me just say that.

He walked up to the Vivian...she finally submitted.  Rhodes led me back away, and told me to tell my Dad about what I saw.  Not my Mom.

I ran to where my father was...Back home.  I babbled out what I saw.  When I said "tall man with no face" he about flipped his shit and told me to hide in my room, before running outside.  I was about to, when I saw Rhodes through the back window, who beckoned me.  I went out to talk to him and he hit me on the back of my neck.

I woke up tied to a chair.  We were in  Rhodes was sitting there with Vivian and the broad-chested man, and Rise, who was cowering in the corner.  I cried out to Vivian to save me.  She didn't listen.

Rise spoke up then.  "If you're really his sister, don't you love him?"

Vivian responded.  "...Of course I do."

"Then why don't you help him?"

It was a brave but dumb thing to say, and her father hit her, sending her to the ground.  She started to cry softly in the corner.

I whispered to her.  "It's okay...my daddy will save us."

She looked up at me...The adults were distracted, talking about something I can't remember.  She removed her mask and looked at me with yellow eyes, wet with tears.  "That's what other kids have said...it never happens.  Anyone He wants, He takes."

I shook my head.  "My Dad's awesome.  He'll save us."

She looked at me funny.  "How do you know?"

I grinned.  "Cause I'm awesome too."

She stared, then the slightest little smile appeared on her face.

"I'm...Rae.  Rachel, but I like Rae better...but Father always says to go by Rise, so, maybe I should call myself that..?"  She looked confused.

"Geez, three names?  Pick one already and quit screwing around."  I was pretty foulmouthed as a kid, too, just so you know.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.  Rhodes grinned.  "Reynolds is here.  Come on."

Rise's father grabbed the chair I was tied to and carried me downstairs.  As it turned out, we were in an abandoned machine shop over looking a junkyard.  My father was outside, some feet away from the entrance.  The proxies all went outside, bringing me with them.  We stopped about twenty feet away from my father.

"Dad...He's calling for you.  You owe him.  You never told me." Vivian sounded resentful.  "You can't just leave.  He wants us all to join him."

My Dad shook his head.  "Vivian, he's a monster.  Please.  Come back to us."

"Thaaat won't be happening, Mr. Reynolds.  What's gonna go down here is real simple.  You walk back over that line and get back to serving the Tall Man, or...Well, your youngest here doesn't have a lot of blood to spare.  Shall we see how fast he can lose it all?" No prizes for guessing who said that.

Rise's father spoke.  "Stefan Reynolds.  Return to the Master.  How you could have fled from such glory is beyond me.  He is the future of our species.  I gladly presented my daughter to his service the moment she was born."

My Dad's eyes...they narrowed.  Dangerously, though the other didn't seem to notice.  "Even your own daughter?"

Rise's father nodded.  "And she takes to the life well, despite her conscious.  We will see how well we can stamp that out once she makes her first kill."

Rise couldn't contain a sob any longer.  Her father glared and hit her again. And my Dad...went berserk.  He ran straight at this man, this guy who made him look like a contortionist next to a bodybuilder, and starting hammering him with his fists.  Rhodes was kind of speechless, as was I.  I'd never seen my Dad do anything violent, never seen him even get into a fight.

But he was beating the hell out of this man.  I even saw Dad grab him by the scruff of his neck and HEADBUTT him.  For a finale, he lifted and bodily through him into a pile of junk.  The man was unconscious.  I can't really blame him.

Dad went over to Rise and helped her to her feet.  "Listen.  I want you to run, okay?  He's not your father.  He doesn't deserve it.  Run."  He gave her a kindly smile.  "I'll be drawing the bad men's attention, so just run!"  Rise was silent for a few moments, before she nodded.  With one last look at me, she ran off.

Rhodes was just watching, oddly enough.  He seemed amused.  "Great sense of dramatics there, Mr. Reynolds.  But there's still, erm, the matter of your son here.."

Dad was ignoring him.  And looking at Vivian.  She was shaking.  Whispering.."I don't want to.." Over and over.  Rhodes frowned and walked over to her.  "Come on, little Valkyrie.  Buck up."  He nudged her, roughly.

My Dad grabbed his outstretched arm suddenly.  His eyes were alight with anger.  It was scary, even for me.  Rhodes of all people tried to take a step back.  "Never touch my children again." Dad said softly.  And, hoisting Rhodes forward, he broke his arm and kicked him over.

Dad held out his hand to Vivian.  Slowly, but surely...She reached for it.

and that was when HE showed.  Tentacles and all.

Vivian screamed.  I heard Rhodes' pained laughter in the background.  I was crying with fear.  He went straight for her...And my Dad ran towards him, grappled with him.  It was so loud...I could hear a sort of deafening ring in my ears.  But the one thing I remember hearing was my Dad, screaming.  "You WON'T TAKE THEM!"

...and that's all I remember.  Next thing I knew, we were at home.  Life was normal.

Except Vivian was gone.  From our home...and our memories.  Even Dad forgot about her.  And we forgot about Rise and her father too.  Not to mention Rhodes...

And I didn't remember any of this until I saw Vivian's eyes again.

I know she's there now, with Rhodes.  It'll be time to finish things.  The only way I can escape from that memory...that nightmare, is to confront it head on.  So I will.  And...well, I dunno what's happened.  But if you're getting this message, I probably wasn't around to cancel it, huh?

Sooo...I already kinda gave my parting shots off in the last post I made.  But I have a few more.

Yo Spence!  Listen up.  You may be your team's leader, but they're adults.  They're competent.  They're smart.  And they know what they're doing.  You aren't responsible for them.  In the end, you're all only responsible for yourselves.  I don't want to see you going all IT IS MAH FAAAAULT if one of em bites it, okay?  We all know the risks.  And you've got nothing to atone for.  Just be yourself.  And take good care of your girlfriend.

Shaun.  Kinda unreasonable of me to ask this, but...Consider forgiving Elaine, okay, bro?  You know as well as I do that she sold those other people out to protect us.  Now, I'm as pissed about it as you are, but...You should also take that as a sign of just what you mean to her.  Just...have one of those "boyfriend/girlfriend" talks.  "Hey hun, do you mind not lying to me and sending others to their doom to ensure my safety?"  That's what ordinary couples sound like, right?

HEY WRITER, YOU'RE FAT.  OOOOOOOOOOOH SNAP!  Damn son you gonna need some ALOE for that BURN!

Elaine...I've told you how I felt, already.  Just remember to trust us more, okay?  Well, I say "us" but it's more "them" now....But, you were like...A sister to me.  Dammit why do all my sisters kill people.  Is it something about me?  Is that it?  THE POINT IS...I firmly believe that if you guys off the Slenderwhatsit you'll be able to cope in normal society fine.  You're not some maniac bitch.  You're a woman who wants to live and wants her loved ones to live too.  There's nothing wrong with that.

Nick.  It's up to you, dawg.

Rachel.  Fuck Maurice straight up the ass with a Giga Drill Break.  You're you.  It's your damn body so tell the fucking squatters to piss off or start paying rent.  They don't know what they're dealing with.  Show em.

Rise...I'm sorry.  I know what must have driven you to do what you did.  You're...not right.  It's to be expected after that childhood.  But I'm glad that you did escape him.  And I'm glad...that I got to meet you again before the end.

...Lia.  I love you.  Thanks for everything...thanks for being that light to me.  I'm sorry I've failed you.  I wanted so much more time... Heh, but no matter how much we could've gotten, it wouldn't've been enough, would it?

You keep your head upright, missy!  You better not drag yourself around moping over me the rest of your life!  Stay strong and stay safe.  You're the Lily, the light that monsters flock to, but the one they can never devour.  It's too bright, and too pure.

Hey old man.  Yeah, Lia's crazy proxy Dad.  You kinda remind me of my Dad, so I'll be easy on you.  Just...keep her safe, okay?  We cool.  You too, Dy!  Suplex them bears something fierce.

Is that it?  Think that's it.  Okay.  Time to go settle this.  If I make it back...yeah you won't be seeing this.  Way too sappy.

But if I don't...and this post appears.  Just...

All of you.  Everyone.  Even the people I've never met or talked to.  Never.  Give.  Up.  Not for a second.  Don't let him win.  Defy him to the last.

It's only impossible if you say it is.

Right.  I got some folks to save.  Let's see just what Fate's got in mind for me.

...bring it on.

the warehouse

it is over

i followed him to the warehouse

it was thirty three minutes to the deadline

saw him sneak in through the ducts

he had something, i believe it was the blueprints for the warehouse

he must have aquired them somehow

thanks to that, he knew where to look for the ducts

his pack was bulging, and about ten minutes later, i knew why

fireworks

he set off fireworks inside the warehouse at three points

i entered through the back door, and saw the white haired girl

bashing her head against the wall, i lifted her up and prepared to slit her throat

when june arrived behind me and told me to drop her

i complied

his eyes were full of rage

but he relented, and told me to follow him

the servants were in a panic, as we climbed onto the catwalk above

the massive one did not even notice us approaching from where he guarded a crank

june struck him with the hilt of the sword, i grabbed onto one of his arms and kicked the back of his head

together we forced him over the railing, to a hardy fall onto the crates below

after seeing that he was not dead, june threw the switch, lowered the hostages, and told me to cut them loose

he ran towards the back room

i hesitated, but did as he wished

they were conscious, i directed them back outside

a boy my age appeared out of the wall in front of me and threatened me with a gun

i slapped it out of his hand and incapacitated him easily

after the hostages were safely outside, i headed for the back room

and saw through the window

the woman had stabbed him in the shoulder, rhodes pointed a gun at him

the door was looked, i could not break the window

i began to pick the lock

rhodes told june that he would let him go free if he shot the woman

Valkyrie

and lowered his gun, allowing june to take his out

there was silence

anxiously, i checked the time- only nine minutes left

june had pointed the gun directly at valkyrie's head

said she was not the sister he'd loved

she only smiled and said that this was who she really was

she wanted her brother to introduce her to the "wonder" of death

june dropped his gun, lowered his head

the police burst into the front of the warehouse

perhaps the fireworks caught their attention

rhodes shot june straight in the chest

dead center

i finally got the lock open

ran for them, stabbed valkyrie in the arm

rhodes hit a switch

and the rest was a daze

i awoke amongst the ruins of the warehouse

there were many injured officers

remarkably, no fatalities

except one

the only one that mattered to me

i could not find him

i dug desperately through the rubble

i could not find him

i found valkyrie's body

but not his

there was more rubble i had no strength to search

but it hardly matters

it is over

i have nothing left