I need to give credit to Matthew for taking so much of the situation in stride. It wasn’t until 330 said, “… and they’re planning to perform some kind of summoning ritual to put Slender Man under their control for a vague and not fully explained evil plan,” that he looked surprised.
“… You’re joking, right?”
“Fraid not.”
We’d reached Matthew's house when that conversation took place. It… was a dump. Couldn’t tell when it had least been cleaned. Tiny, too.
“What did you expect? A mansion? This isn’t a job you take if you’re looking for money.”
With the CIA being established as sufficiently evil, we had to think of a plan.
“A plan? That’s easy. Head into town and shoot anyone employed by a government agency we don’t like.” Was 330’s response.
“No, we need a real plan.” Matthew said. “We need to figure out why they’re so determined to get hold of Chicago that they’re willing to bomb public buildings, and why none of the higher ups are trying to stop them. Once we know that, we-”
A phone’s ringing cut him off.
“Someone know you’re here?” 330 asked.
“They shouldn’t. And I don’t think I’ve paid the phone bill on this place in years….”
Matthew picked up the phone. “Yeah?”
He listened for a moment, then hung up. “Seems we’ve got a fellow agent who says he escaped attack. He wants us to meet him.”
“So... a trap?” 330 said.
“Yeah. It’s a trap.”
“Awesome. Lisa, you read to get going?”
“What? To the meeting you’ve just said was a trap?”
“Yup. What else are we supposed to do with a trap that’s been so politely given to us?”
As 330 and I had this discussion, Matthew began ruffling through a closet, muttering, “God damn idiots, there’s always someone who thinks they can toy with the powers of darkness….”
He pulled aside the back wall of the closet, revealing a lot of guns. 330 whistled, and began to go through the selection.
“No way in hell am I giving up my town to some psycho CIA conspiracy.” Matthew said.
The two vets decked themselves out with enough guns to equip a small country; Lucy and I just got pistols and flak jackets. Well at least half of us are going to be prepared for whatever comes….
The place where the meeting was supposed to happen was inside the city, and early in the evening, which seemed counterproductive to launching an ambush. But when we got near, the liveliness of the city died out. There were only a dozen cars along us… then three… then none. The sun started to go down, earlier than it should have. Street lights steadily flicked on and off, illuminating empty sidewalks.
The plan wasn’t very complicated. Me, 330, and Lucy would be in one of the conspicuously empty buildings overlooking the meeting spot. Matthew, wearing a radio we could hear him through, would go out and meet whoever had called us.
We were on the third story of the building, by an open window. 330 had a scoped rifle which she was looking through; even without one, we were close enough that I could see the figure of a man standing directly in the center of the street intersection. We watched Matthew approach him, but the man didn’t move.
“Alright, I’m here.” Heard Matthew speaking through the radio. “Now whaddya want?”
No reply. Saw a light from Matthew lighting a cigarette.
“Sniper!” 330 shouted, aiming at a window across the street. She tightened her finger on the trigger-
Before she could fire, the assassin was thrown out the window and fell screaming to his death at Matthew’s feet. The previously immobile man suddenly grabbed Matthew from behind, pinning his arms.
“No, no no, that won’t do!” I heard a voice without a source. Sounded like a girls. Looked around, couldn’t see who was speaking. Sounded like it was being projected into my head. “I can’t have people trying to break my precious toys!”
Back down at the intersection, I saw someone skipping towards Matthew. A girl…. 330 let me look through the scope so I could see her clearer. Teenager? Preteen? I don’t know. Her face looked weird…. At first I couldn’t tell, but as she got closer, it became obvious. The face was painted on, painted over wood.
“The Wooden Girl….” Lucy said. Guess that’s its name.
“It’s been so long, Matty!” The Wooden Girl’s voice went through my mind. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
Matthew struggled against his captor as the Girl moved closer. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Aw, why so mean? I came all this way just so I could see you again….” She was close enough to put a hand on his cheek.
He tried flinching away from her touch. “Get away from me you bitch!” Kicked his legs out, knocking her onto the ground.
She laughed as she was pulled up by some force. Moved even closer to Matthew this time, so her face was nearly touching his, and with a hand on his chest. “I think someone needs a little punishment as a reminder of their place, don’t you Matty?”
Everything moved fast after that. 330 fired a shot which went through the head of the man holding Matthew. The man went down instantly, and Matthew used his new freedom to pull a gun on the Girl. She flicked a finger, and his gun arm was cleanly cut off. The Girl faced the window we were by, while Matthew screamed through the radio for us to run. She flicker both her hands at us, just as 330 was shoving Lucy and I to the floor. The window, part of the wall, everything behind us, was torn to pieces; torn to pieces by strings, barely visible except when the light caught them. More strings ripped through the walls, striking all around me as we ran out of the building. Left the radio behind, letting the sound of Matthew’s screams fade. We made it out okay, although I did get a bit of a haircut at one point….
Ran straight to the car. When we reached it, Lucy asked, “How are we going to save Mr. Larsen?”
“We aren’t.” 330 said.
“What do you mean we aren’t?”
“You can’t save people from the Wooden Girl. Especially if she likes them as much as she seems to like your boss.”
“But… you’re…. You’re I-330! There’s nothing you can’t do!”
Didn’t reply. She got into the car and started the engine. Lucy began to cry. I put my arm around her and led her into the car, and we drove away.
-Lisa
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