Trenton

I’m stepping out the door as Serena races by into the next room and slams the door shut. I had just finished putting my stuff away. I was going to check out the balcony, but seeing how Serena just came racing away from there, I decide it’s not the best idea. I climb down the stairs and into the kitchen. I get a cup of hot chocolate. This place has everything. Kathryn must’ve paid a fortune. I hear everyone shuffling about, minding their own business. I hear faint sobs coming from the girls’ room and I decide to go into the guest room. I sit in the bed and start a fire in the fireplace. Harder to do, now that Nathaniel wasn’t around. I lie down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. A fan spins lazily above me and my eyelids grow heavy. I drift off to sleep.

“Trenton, you can’t do this,” Kylie says. My eyes snap open. Once again, I’m in a forest, but this one is densely packed with fir trees. I’m in a small clearing.

“But I have to,” I say. Not again, I think. I have no control over what I’m doing. I hug Kylie and feel tears tugging at my eyes. Kylie falls to the ground weeping, and I run away, not able to control my limbs. I race through the trees, dodging low hanging limbs and avoiding stumps. Impelled by an outside force, I sprint my hardest. It all seems way too real. I finally see something in front of me. Serena, walking lazily towards the Slenderman, and his arm extends into a point.

“Even you are too weak to stop me,” a cold, cruel voice says. I can’t stop running. “You are powerless. I am unstoppable.” I burst through the last trees and jump in front of Serena. “Time to sleep.” A cold feeling spreads through my abdomen, and I jerk awake, breathing sharply. I felt my abdomen. Nothing. I lie back down and stare at the ceiling. I’m covered in sweat, and my heart is beating incredibly fast. I sit up and see Kyle standing in the door way.

“Are you alright?” she asked worriedly. “You were thrashing around on your bed and yelling.” I take a deep breath and roll off the bed onto my feet. I check the clock. Only five minutes since I fell asleep. I rubbed my eyes and walked to the bathroom. I washed my face and looked into the mirror. The Slenderman stood right behind me. I shouted and turned, fists raised. I see Kylie standing there, terrified.

“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping forward to hug her. She stepped back and pushed me away with her hand.

“You scare me,” she whispered, and then turned and ran out the room. I turned and looked in the mirror. A fire was in my eyes, one that I had never seen before. I blinked and saw Slender. Rage pounded in my eyes, and I slammed my fist into the mirror, shattering it completely. I stood over the sink, blood dripping off my knuckles. I finally got enough sense to wash my hands and cleaned up the mess. I wrapped my hands again in bandages and walked to the kitchen to clean up my cup. I open the door and almost run into Kathryn, who’s carrying a tray with cups of tea on it. She stumbles backwards, but recovers and doesn’t spill the drinks.

“Sorry…” I start.

“No, no, it’s fine,” she says. She looks down at my knuckles and sighs. “Trenton…”

“Yeah, I know. I should really just stay away from mirrors.”

“Well, I got to go get this to Serena,” she said hurriedly.

“Is she okay?” I asked quickly. She hesitates and looks me in the eyes.

“Yeah…” she says slowly and suspiciously. She pushes her way through the door and up the stairs. I clean my mug and walk back to the table in the main room. An ornate chandelier hung over the table. I looked into one of the crystals and saw my reflection. I quickly step away from it, and look at the table. Circular, large, but not to big. A couple deck of cards sat on the table and I reached down and grabbed one. I opened it and slid the cards onto my hand. I pulled two cards and set them up in an upside-down V- shape. After repeating this four more times, I started laying one card to connect two V’s. My hand shook and it collapsed. I slammed my fist on the table. I get up and decide to take a walk. I step outside, and I hear Aly call my name.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” she called.

“Just on a walk,” I called back.

“Out there? What, are you crazy?”

“Yeah, I don’t see why not.”

“I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Since when do you tell me what to do?” She had started walking closer to me, and now she was close by.

“Well then, I’m coming with you.”

“Nope. No, you’re not.”

“Well you’re not going alone. And besides, Kathryn said we’re about to purge the anger from your brain. Maybe not those exact words, but you get the idea.” I huffed and turned back to the cabin. The stars shone brightly, and I couldn’t help but think of Kylie. What she had said, about how I scared her, it crushed me. I never wanted to hurt her.

Back at the cabin, I climbed the stairs to the girls’ room. Everyone was already crowded in there, and Dawson was sitting on one of the top bunks. Kylie was standing off to the side, and Serena was pleading with her about something. Kylie kept shaking her head. Serena heard me come in and turned to me. She walked towards me and started explaining.

“Kylie said she’s not going.”

“Why not?!” I reacted sharply.

“I don’t know, but she’s stalwart about it.”

“Fine, we’ll go without her.” Serena seemed shocked, but her face remained somewhat emotionless.

“Okay. Well we should probably get this over with sooner rather than later,” she suggests. We both go lie down on the beds, and Eric walks over to Serena’s bed and talks to her. I see him give her a quick peck, then he leaves. Nobody comes to my bed. I lay and close my eyes, and my consciousness spreads to Dawson and Serena. I feel a sensation like I’m falling backwards, and when I open my eyes, I’m no longer in bed. I’m at home. Home. Such a foreign word in my mouth. Sunlight streams through a window, and the clock reads nine in the morning. My favorite time of the day. Everything is still and peaceful. Nothing is wrong. Everything seems like the way it was. I heard Serena and Dawson behind me, and I turned to look at them. I had tears in my eyes that I hadn’t noticed, and Serena pulled me into a hug. Dawson patted me on the back, and the tears rolled down my cheeks. I pulled away and looked around. No one seemed to be home. I looked at Serena and Dawson. They were dressed differently like they used to before all of this started. Completely normal.

“So where would the anger be?” I said, before more tears could come.

“I don’t know,” Dawson said. “It’s your mind.” Before I could answer, I heard a door creak open. I looked down the hallway and saw someone step out of the doorway. It was my older brother.

“Is that… your older brother?” Serena asked. I nodded silently. He had walked into the bathroom and hadn’t noticed us. “But isn’t… isn’t he dead?” I nodded again. I heard the toilet flush, then the door opened again. He looked down the hall and saw us.

“Trenton? How long have you been there?”

“We just got back from disc golfing.” Disc golfing was something we would do a lot. “I believe you know Serena and Dawson?”

“Not Serena. I’m Wesley. Nice to meet you.” They shook hands and he looked at me. It must’ve been summer because he was home from college.

“Where are Mom and Dad?” I asked.

“At Nolan’s football game.” Nolan was my little brother.

“Oh okay. We’re gonna go to school to hang out. Wanna come?” I asked.

“Hmmm sure I guess so. Let me go get ready.” He walked back into his room.

“School?” Serena asked.

“Obviously,” I said. “The place where I’m most angry.” The door reopened and Wesley came back out.

“Ready to go?” he asked. I nodded and we headed out. I lived really close to school, and it only took us ten minutes to walk there. We arrived and climbed the fence. There was a big grass field that we walked to. Wesley had brought a Frisbee and we started passing it around. We started throwing trick shots when Serena came over to me.

“Shouldn’t we be trying to find the anger?” she asked me.

“What? What do you mean?” I asked.

“The anger! The very reason we’re here.”

“No…? We’re here to hang out.”

“Trenton. This is all fake. It’s in your mind.”

“What are you talking about? This is real.”

“Trenton. We are in your mind. You’re family is dead. None of this is actually happening.” Something clicked in my mind. This was fake. My brother was dead.

“Right…” I said quietly.

“Trenton, I’m really sorry, but right now we really just need to focus on getting rid of the anger. C’mon. We need to go find it. Afterwards we can hang out with your family.”

“Okay. Well maybe if we go look around, we could find something.” I called to Wesley and told him we were going to get water.

“Okay, I’ll come with.”

“No, no you can stay here.” He looked suspicious, but let us go. We ran to the drinking fountains. Our school is divided into buildings with letters. A Building, B Building, and so on. Each building has about ten classrooms. Then there’s the central quad and office. We ran in between buildings, looking for anything out of the ordinary. We ran back and forth multiple times and found nothing.

“What is wrong here?! Maybe I was wrong. This is going to take forever!” I got angrier and angrier. The wind started picking up, and the trees started shaking. Clouds started gathering, and thunder rumbled. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky, and one bolt of lightning struck the flagpole. Streaks of lightning ran down the post onto the ground. Dark pools of a black, gooey substance appeared on the ground. These pools took shape as creatures. As big as tigers, these things were thin and spindly, but well muscled. Arms with clawed feet a long, whip-like tail came from its body. It was on all fours, and it had tendrils coming out of its back. The eyes were glowing yellow, like lightning contained inside. When it moved, a trail of lightning followed from its eyes, almost like a trail or a tail. It was constantly shifting and moving, like a shadow, and it faded in and out of visibility. It was surrounded by a faint aura of shifting colors, like it was on fire. More puddles of these appeared out of the ground and more and more of these rose up out of those puddles. Some were deep violet, others a dark navy blue. More and more appeared until about twenty were by us. Some of their eyes were yellows, others white, and still others red. They ranged in sizes, the biggest being the size of an elephant, the smallest the size of a hyena. The air felt charged with electricity, and then they roared. The roar was in unison, as though they were all one creature, just split into many different entities. It shattered the windows on all the buildings. It sounded like a tornado, thunder, and crumbling buildings. Rain fell even harder, and the wind howled. Nothing was more terrifying then the entity of anger itself. And we were defenseless.

“Trenton!” Serena shouted over the wind. “A little defense would be helpful right about now!”

“How?” I yelled back.

“It’s your mind! Think of something!” I closed my eyes and tried concentrating on something, anything that could help us. When I opened my eyes, I had a sword in my hand. I turned to Serena and Dawson.

“What do you guys want?” I yelled.

“Crossbow!” Serena yelled.

“My power!” yelled Dawson. I concentrated and saw that they got what they asked for.

“Let’s go!” I shouted, and we charged. The first wave came to us in a group of five. I slashed at the first one, but it was too quick. It faded and reappeared at my side. It spun and the tail hit me. I flew into the building closest to us. I imagined my sword on fire, and tongues of fire leapt to life. I charged back to the main fight and saw Dawson swatting some away, then fazing through others. He seemed in control. Serena on the other hand needed help.

“Trenton!” she shouted. “Give me Kathryn’s power!” I gave it to her, and she sprung up, unleashing a volley of bolts into the creatures. I ran to the nearest one and cut its back. I vanished and reappeared behind me once again, but this time, I ducked and it missed with its tail. I came up and stabbed it in the face. An eruption of flames consumed the beast and it vanished. Dawson had taken care of three, and Serena had gotten two. I needed to step up my game. I gave myself fire abilities and Kylie and Eric’s powers. Seven more came at us and I blasted through one of them. Serena shot her crossbow rapidly, taking down another one. Dawson charged one and slammed into it, and they went down wrestling. I charged another one and it sprinted towards me too. I saw it jump to the side, then did the same when it actually did it. I jumped onto its back and grabbed two of the tendrils. I drove my mind into its mind, and assumed control of it. I commanded it forward and ran into the fray of battle. It leapt on top of another one and they started fighting each other. The one I controlled quickly finished off the other one, then I dismissed it, and it disappeared too. It took a lot of energy to do that, so I decided not to do it again. Six remained, and they seemed to be getting bigger. Serena, Dawson, and I regrouped.

“They’re getting harder to beat. We need to concentrate all our power on one at a time.” They nodded and we charged after one. I flung my sword at it, impaling its shoulder, and then sent a fireball after it. It jumped out of the way, and sped towards us. Serena sped towards it as well and shot her crossbow at it, then shouted at Dawson. He concentrated and I saw Serena slam into the beast. She shot straight though it, and it vanished. Five remained. We did the same thing for two, and each one took longer and longer to kill. The last three were massive, each the size of a large elephant. We were all panting, and I was feeling light-headed. We needed help. We were never going to make it. Just as one of approaching, a giant icicle came hurtling from above us and impaled the monster. It let out and ear-shattering shriek, then disappeared. We stepped back in shock and looked to the sky. We saw a figure descending on a staircase made of ice. The wind had settled as the creatures died, and the rain had slowed to a stop. The clouds were breaking, and the figure was bathed in sunlight. The sky was aglow, and water dripped from rooftops around us. Two creatures circled the flagpole, and constantly snarled at us. Serena jumped up to the figure on the staircase, then seemed to talk to the figure for a moment, then came down with the person. It was Wesley.

“How did you…?” Dawson asked incredulously.

“I don’t know,” he responded. “I just had this urge…” He trailed off and looked at the anger. “We can do this guys. We just need to concentrate on one at a time. Let’s do this.” We all nodded, then Serena pulled me aside.

“You did that, didn’t you? Called him here?”

“So what if I did?” I responded.

“You realize if he dies here, he’ll be wiped from your memory forever. It will be like he never existed in your life.”

“We’ll be careful. We always are.” She gave me a sad nod of her head and we turned back to the others. We face down the monsters and one of them leaps forward. This one reared back on its hind legs and let out a screech that makes us cover our ears. It’s eyes burned with fury and two arms sprouted out from under its two other arms. They didn’t seem to have mouths, which made the roar that much more unnerving. It charged forward and knocked Dawson aside, who was unable to faze through it. Wesley shot smaller icicles, about a foot long, and Serena shot bolts at it. I had kept replenishing Serena’s crossbow supplies. I lit my hands on fire and charged the beast. As I approached, I ducked down and slid under the monster. I unleashed an eruption of flames that licked up the belly of the beast. It vanished. I stood up and looked around. I heard a crash, and then the sound of a building collapsing. One of the buildings down the hallway way was completely demolished. We ran to it, Dawson struggling to keep up.

“Wesley,” I said as we were running. “Make the biggest icicle you can.” He nodded and an icicle seven feet long appeared over his head.

“This good?” he asked.

“Perfect. Now Serena, give it a lot of kinetic energy when I say to.” She said nothing, and when we got to the building, the monster was just emerging from the ruins. “Serena! NOW!” I yelled. She pushed the icicle and it shot forward like a bullet. Straight into the chest. Purple flames spread out from the wound, and then the monster was gone. We raced back to the flagpole, but the last one was gone. We searched the whole quad, but there was nothing. We looked at each other in confusion.

“Where is it?” Dawson asked.

“I don’t know,” Serena answered. “Trenton?”

“Wait, why would Trenton know?” Wesley asked. We all shared a look and then back at him.

“It’s complicated. Basically, we just need to beat those things before they spread,” I explained.

“Okay, but once we’re done, you’re going to explain everything to me,” he said. I nodded, then Serena shook my arm nervously.

“What Serena?” I asked, turning to her. She had a look of terror on her face, and she pointed down

“What are we standing in?” she asked, her voice shaking. I looked down. Black sludge.

“Scatter!” I yelled. We all ran away, and the monster burst out of the puddle with a monstrous bellow that shook the ground.

“EVERYONE,” Wesley yelled. “CONCENTRATE ALL ATTACKS ON IT RIGHT NOW!” I unleashed a few large fireballs and then shot thin streaks of white-hot fire. Serena launched bolts that broke the sounds barrier. Dawson must’ve been helping Serena with her arrows because they hit with a huge impact, tearing apart flesh, or whatever this thing was made out of. Wesley launched spears of ice in volleys of three and each one hit its mark. It rapidly deteriorated, growing smaller and smaller, unable to attack, until all that remained was a puddle no bigger than my fist. I wiped the sweat off my brow and turned to Serena. We hugged, and Dawson and Wesley high-fived.

“Thank you so much,” I whispered.

“Yes. Now time to go.”

“What?” I cried. I turned to look at Wesley, but Dawson was right behind me. “Wait, WAIT!” I yelled. Serena and Dawson nodded at each other, and everything started to get white. “LET GO OF ME!” I yelled at them. They had started to restrain me. “LET ME GO RIGHT NOW! PLEASE!” Wesley stood in shock, unable to comprehend what was going on. Behind him, the puddle shifted suddenly. A large black spike came shooting out of it and straight through Wesley. A look of shock came over his face and he fell to the ground. I let loose a yell, a cry unlike I had ever done before.

“LET GO OF ME! HE’S DYING! WE NEED TO HELP! HURRY! WESLEY! WESLEY!!!” Everything got brighter and brighter. Tears streamed down my face. “Wesley…” Everything went white.

A chill ran down my spine. Alone. Alone in the world. No one. No one by my side. I look up. A tree towers over me. Multiple trees surround me. Not me, us. Dawson and Serena are still passed out on the ground. We’re in the middle of a forest. Not again, I think. Not with them around. They sit up and blink until they get used to the light. I stand up.

“We need to go now,” I said. My memories of Wesley were getting faint. Christmases are now gone, birthdays out the window. I shake my head. They stand to their feet and look around.

“What is this?” Serena asks.

“I don’t know,” I lie. “Let’s go.”

“No, let’s go explore.” She had a light in her eyes. Excitement. As though she has no idea what she just did. Already his name was slipping from my memory. It was… Wesley. She started running into the trees, with Dawson in close pursuit.

“Serena!” I shouted, but chased after her. After about five minutes of running, I see them stop. We stand in a clearing.

“Do you hear that?” Dawson asks. “It sounds like…”

“Kylie,” I finished.

“How?” Serena asks incredulously.

“Just… watch…” They stare into the trees, fascinated. I see the other me come into the clearing.

“But…” Serena started, but Dawson shushed her.

“You can’t do this,” Kylie says, coming into the scene.

         “But I have to,” I hear myself reply. The other me turns to her and hugs her tightly and when he pulls away, she falls to the ground crying. I look at the other me and see him sprint away into the trees. Kylie vanishes, replaced by Serena facing down the Slenderman.

“Wait,” Serena says.

“Shhh,” Dawson replies. Slender starts reaching towards her. I shut my eyes for what’s next. I hear the pounding of feet, a sickening sound, and both Serenas gasping. Dawson’s holding his breath, and when I look, Serena’s looking at me with worry in her eyes. The scene has vanished. She stands and flings herself at me. She hugs me tightly. Tears form in my eyes, but I wipe them away. She steps back, tears in her eyes.

“I won’t let that happen,” she says. I look back into the clearing, and something catches my eye. I push aside Serena and walk to the middle, where a small stone has appeared. I pick it up and look at it. Small writing is on one side, and it’s smooth on the other. I read the writing, then turn and throw it. I fall to the ground and the tears pour out of my eyes. Serena and Dawson crash out of the shrubbery and run to me.

“Trenton, I know that face. What’s wrong? What’s wrong?!” she asks me, panic in her voice.

“No, no, no, NO, NO!!!” I shout. I feel them grab my arms, and then I feel the comfort of the soft bed, but it does nothing. I hear the others talking, then someone points out my crying, and I feel a hand on my face.

“What did you see?” Serena demands. I shake my head, the words on the stone running through my head:

                                                                    Here lies Kylie Pond