Slender Being

I always had a feeling of eyes in every direction, yet I can never catch it. A feeling of being watched just struck and stuck within me. I thought it was normal...

He was pale with no face, and he was skinnier and taller than most humans. His height consisted of his long legs, arms reaching down to his knees and a thin torso that's clothed with a black suit and crimson tie.

This fashion wasn't unusual, it was just his presence, and appearance that seemed to intimidate me, and further my curiosity.

At some point, I saw him near me once. His skin looked rubbery, even had a resemblance near to a white fabric. His hands look gentle, but with the tips turning sharp and normal. He was creepy and unnerving with his presence, cold as dead yet some force tells me he was warm.

The kind of warmth that makes you feel safe and acknowledged, the one that understands you. But he was also the one who lures children at night, to be fed or fed on as some folk stories tell.

It was what I encountered, but I felt something different; I don't know what it was and didn’t sorely see how it would affect me, it was nothing but a feeling of nostalgia and longing.

Day 1

Michelle and I were playing outside with my elder brother while eating biscuits and tea when I got a sudden chill - which I found odd since it was around the time of summer. It made me feel uncomfortable at some time; as if someone was watching me, it couldn't be my brother nor my sister since they were playing on their own.

I looked around but found nothing and whisked it off to continue playing then everything was normal again until I felt something touches behind my ear. I was in a nearby tree, watching the two now play hopscotch. Her giggling was the only thing that's heard.

The hair on my body was rising for a reason I have yet to discover. It was always like that when I felt it. But what?

I never knew what made me feel uneasy, just every time I look around and find nothing, the feeling goes away, but also comes back after a while as if to taunt me, and I was finding it unnerving. I wasn't minding it since the feeling of being watched wasn't something to be bothered about, until eventually after a week, I started seeing things.

It has been constantly happening for a week now; the feeling of being watched. A blurry figure casually grazed my sight before disappearing, along with sudden static and whispering nonsensical things filling my ears.

Day 7

I’m recording this to a recorder, one of those newly invented tapes - brother gave it to me. I have to use it since my body kept shaking, sensing the things my mind can’t comprehend. No one would believe me if I try to tell someone, or even if they did, they would have been too scared, and just leave me to not be part of it.

And as for the tall man, I don't know why he chose me to be his victim, or maybe I was just another simple child for him to haunt. I have a nagging feeling this will only be the beginning.

Day 8

I was at the kindergarten looking around the playground full of other kids around Michelle's age and some of mine, playing around, goofing and laughing but I was just on the forgotten swing at the back, near an old tree behind school.

I've always loved trees and nature, but this one was old and always at the back with the swing too, old, but still strong as I sway my legs up and down to swing.

I felt the odd vibes again, it was coming off random now and the feeling was more, clear and as a sign of it coming closer.

I looked around, everything was normal again, I am swaying normally, the trees are normal. But the sounds stopped like my ears felt numb. Even the creaks the swing was making wasn't registering in my ears anymore.

Something rustles at the bushes that caught my sight, and my heartbeat sped up, my hold on the ropes of the swing slipping off, the old creaks the swing makes - now noticeable.

There was a faint ringing in my ears, the deafening silence was there. My breathing was ragged or I had stopped.

I focused on the bush that kept rustling then someone called me and I swore I almost screamed but stifled and gasped lowly.

Out came a small rabbit, I slowly stepped up from my sitting position on the swing and walked towards the soft creature.

I crouched down when neared and patted it, but then it looked up at me and stared weirdly, differently. we stared at each other for a while until it blinked, and I blinked. It's as if it was moving abnormally and cracks started to be heard.

As it evolves into something or shapeshifts, as what was called in books, I had my eyes strained on it, I couldn't look away even if wanted to. And instead of screaming, I stepped forward, hesitant nor confident.

There stood a tall faceless skinny man, a mint condition suit as daddy ways wear but this was longer by the arms and leg. I had stood and had to look up to meet its intense gaze. It watched me.

We just stared at each other as if communicating in a way that no one would have to talk, something just in between us, the air wasn't gloomy anymore, it was now warm but faint coldness.

'Ellie!' someone called. The man now stood stiff, alerted. It looked toward the direction of someone who called me then as I finally blink, I looked at the direction also. 'Coming!' I responded, fearing it might come here and find out what I was doing.

The footsteps that were nearing, stopped and went back.

I looked back also but then he was gone.

Day 13

I hadn't seen it since, and I thought that was the end. A small sounding chuckle of a child could be heard along with a mumble. I've got the feels again. Maybe it got scared? or not. Maybe it felt I was in danger now. Haha, this is too amusing.

Taking a deep breath, the speaker continued, I was at Erwin's, a friend of mine's place. We met at the park where our brother had taken me and Michelle to play.

Erwin also had a little brother Ernie. Michelle and Ernie had gotten along while we watched them roll around the timid grass and play around.

Now we're just on the couch, sitting and eating his mother's biscuits. It was quite lovely but it felt odd somehow.

Something feels off but I can't get my tongue quite on what it was. Must be from my paranoia on�" wait what was that?

I blinked as I directed my gaze again on the window in front as I sat opposites of Darwin.

No. No. I must be hallucinating. That was it.

I gulped down the last liquid from the tea and put the cup down, carefully glancing in the direction.

To be continued. . .

Author's Note

A draft from September 9, 2019

https://www.wattpad.com/780455523-slenderbrothers-short-stories-01-slenderman

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is excellent writing & a novel concept that you have executed with imagination & interesting suspense. It's not the kind of suspense one might expect from a spooky story, but more told in a lackadaisical way, relaxed, meandering. In no hurry to get anywhere. Whereas most spooky stories are told with raging suspense, tearing along at a breakneck pace. I love your meandering style, but I think it only works (that is, it is compelling) becuz of your top-notch storytelling & how this is organized so well (((HUGS)))

[Adeline E. Weathers]

Thank you!! I never really like horror movies because of the excessive screaming and obvious reasons, it's too loud for me. I like a little psychological trauma instead eheh, only for writing tho.

[barleygirl]

You know? I never thought about that! I also do not like to be tense for 2 hours since I have fibromyalgia & tension makes the pain worse. But I love to read it, cuz I don't get tense & it doesn't last so long anyway! Love it!