Serena

I will never work with Dawson again.

It all started alright, considering that we were in a full blown battle with Slender, but it nothing ever ends well. We worked together fine, sharing powers and communicating with silent screams and inhuman agility. We slashed through shades, but more replaced the fallen. The adrenaline pumping through my veins was the only thing that kept me fighting. We worked back-to-back and frustrating radiated around us.

Then the scream.

I remembered this scream from long ago. This scream still haunts me. It's not a fearful scream, it's defiance.

The scream belonged to Kathryn.

"Watch my back," I hissed at Dawson before risking a look. I immediately regretted it. She was gone. My heart felt as if it sank to my toes and I felt lightheaded. The battle raged around me, but it all seemed like a blur. She was gone. A voice broke through my haze.

"Help me!" Dawson cried desperately. I whipped around to find the shades had disarmed him and had him pinned up against a tree. Aly sent bush warriors to fight off the shades but they withered them instantly. She glanced at me and made quick, swift movements with her hands. I shook my head then she repeated them. Something clicked in my mind.

She was doing sign language.

Aly repeated them once more and I understood.

"Make Slender go to the big tree."

So that's what I did.

"Hey!" I yelled across the clearing. Slender stopped his fight with Trenton and faced me. I swallowed and casually walked to him. I stood shoulder to shoulder with Trenton.

"I'll take over from here," I announced as calmly as I could. Trenton's eyes grew wide with fear, then narrowed with anger.

"No. You are not getting hurt. Not today," he whispered furiously and grabbed my wrist. I removed his Han gently.

"I can do it." I waved my sword I had stolen from a fallen shade. "See?" I quickly explained what I was going to do in my mind and transferred it to him. He nodded slightly and backed to Aly. Slender laughed his evil laugh.

"This is a real treat! Two kills in one hour!" He sounds like a giddy child on Christmas.

"I'm not dead."

"After this fight, you will be."  Slender laughed again and a tentacle tripped me. I slammed into the dust with a sickening crack. Pain shot up my legs and down my side. Fierce boils erupted on my skin where the tentacle met.

"That's not fair!" I yelled at him. "You didn't have the poison before!"

More tentacles sprang from him. "It's our last fight, darling. Poison is your punishment. Oh, and you might have a cracked rib."

I pushed myself to my feet and charged. I deflected his attacks and he blocked mine. We slashed at each other wildly, while I slowly led him backwards to the ginormous tree where Aly stood, forming a beautiful trap within the trunk. Whenever his tentacles hit their mark on my skin, more boils popped up immediately and spread slowly across my entire body. The edges of my vision slowly faded, but I kept fighting. When my sword hit it's mark, the dust below our feet was stained a deep maroon. Behind me I could hear the others fighting off shades, having little luck. My vision went completely red when a tentacle slapped me across the face.

That's when I knew I was done for. My scream seemed severed from myself. It seemed much farther off. I held my blistering cheek as I collapsed into the dust, tears and blood mixing together. I screamed and sobbed in agony as Slender loomed over me, laughing his horrible laugh. I heard Eric screaming behind me, but I knew someone was restraining him.

"Foolish girl," Slender laughed icily. "Did you really think you stood a chance?"

I tried to respond but blisters had made their way into my throat, closing it up, silencing my screams and cries.

"SERENA!!" Eric was screaming and I wanted to reach him so badly. I wanted to hold him, feel his lips on mine, feel safe in his arms, but I never will again.

Slender raised my own sword above my body and I could almost feel his smile.

"I... dare... you," I spat at him. My throat felt on fire but I didn't care.

"Say goodbye."

"SHE WILL NOT!" I heard Eric yelling. He must’ve broken free, but he was too far away. Slender sent more shades towards him. He lifted his sword, about to strike, when a vine shot forth and wrapped around his wrist.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" he howled, trying to break the leafy bond, but it would not break.

Aly stepped right up to him. "Now, get into the tree trunk and you might live for a few more minutes."

"Oh look," Slender said in mock surprise. "It's the puny plant girl."

"I prefer plant specialist."

"I don’t care. Release me. Now." There was an icy edge in his voice.

"Ummm... no." Aly smiled and the trunk trap wrapped more vines around Slender, slowing pulling him into the trap. He howled and thrashed, but with no luck. The trunk started growing around him, trapping him inside.

"YOU WILL PAY, PLANT GIRL!" Slender threatened and the trunk lit up into deep purple flames.

Everyone cried out at once.

Aly collapsed next to me, her face as white as a sheet. She shook violently and tears poured down her cheeks.

"Aly..." I croaked and pushed myself to her side. She reached out for my hand. I held it tightly, tears forming in my eyes.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. She laughed and her beautiful blue eyes sparkled.

"This was my last fight. I was too weak. Don't be sorry for an adventure. Make sure you win this fight. Win it for us." She gripped my hand tighter.

"Please don't leave me." My voice catches at the end.

"I'll always be with you," she said softly. A small line of light transferred from her hand to mine, and wrapped around me. The sores went away, and I felt rejuvenated. She let go of my hand. Her eyes closed gently and breathing slowed, finally coming to a stop. I buried my face into my hands and cried out in anger.

"WHAT IS THAT?!" Kylie's voice screamed. I looked up to see the tree lathered in purple flames but a black mist, not smoke, was headed straight towards Dawson. I forced myself to my knees. Dawson backed away from the mist but it reached for him.

"I CAN NOT BE DEFEATED!" The voice of Slender rumbled through the forest, followed by the horrible laugh.

Then, the mist launched itself into Dawson's chest. He screamed in agony as his body slowly formed into the Slenderman.