Chapter Twenty-Two: Best Reader

My palms are red and scarred.

I've got many, many splinters, everywhere on my body, not just my hands.

My nose is bleeding and I've got a headache like Abraham Lincoln must've had that day.

There are marks and blood on some of the trees outside.

What...happened last night?

Let's see...I was on the computer...Then I called Astrid's phone and asked them to come here. They...arrived, then they left...and now, Janus is back, and he's got a gun, and who knows what else.

It hurts to type. It really does.

Which is a pity. I wanted to finish that story.

*Joce

Chapter Twenty: Steward Trolley

Who are you, who would have us so readily believe you?

Who are you, who would have us so quickly fall?

Who are you, who would have us so easily be liars?

I'll tell you who.

You are nothing.

You are not even nobody.

You are simply nothing.

Fuck you.

Note: By the way, is it a coincidence that PAX East is in Boston too?

*Joce

Chapter Nineteen: Wittier Show

I'm not even going to talk about the riddles, because I don't like riddles that don't make sense, and also I want to talk about something else.

And before that, Janus still isn't back.

They say history is written by the victors. Who hears the losers' story?

And who will write ours?

But...I had an idea for a story. I'd try writing a full-blown book, but I've already got the one, and school, and evil monsters, so yeah! I guess...huh, you can't indent paragraphs. So, uh, - means new paragraph! Here.

WRITTEN BY A VICTOR

-It is a strange feeling, thought Kurtis Herman, being welcomed to your homeland as a hero. It was not something he felt every day. In fact, he hadn't felt it before this day, before the day he returned to Berlin from the war. He wasn't some kind of war survivor - his entire unit was still alive. But nonetheless, he supposed they had indeed accomplished some pretty great things, so for the moment Kurtis just basked in the glow of the people's faces.
-"Herr Herman! Herr Herman! What are you going to do now?"
-Kurtis slowly turned his head. His neck still ached a bit from the flight, but as he saw the journalist waving, he smiled gleefully. "I think I'll take a trip to Japan!" he yelled back. The woman nodded and began scribbling something down, as his fellow soldiers in the motorcade glanced at him uneasily.
-"Why do you look at me with such doubt?" he asked of his companion in the car, Jonas Veicht. Jonas was a tall man, with rippling muscles and a bristle mustache. He had dark skin from long hours under the sun, and his left arm was wrapped in bandages and in a sling. "Come! We have won, have we not? Why not live a little?"
-"Ah...Japan still is much war-torn, Feldwebel. I do not think it would be a good idea," replied Veicht.
-"But...oh. I see your point, friend."
-"You have seen the images, yes? Have you forgotten so quickly?"
-"No! I just...Well, alright. Maybe a little."
-"Why not get drunk instead? Perhaps find a wife to take, no? Like my Rosie! Oh, her rhabarbergrütze is to die for, Herman. And how wonderful we have not! You simply must come over for dinner sometime."
-"Yeah...yeah, okay." Kurtis understood exactly what Veicht meant. He could perfectly recall the vivid images of burning homes they were shown. Who knows what would have happened if the bomb had detonated as planned by the Americans? There probably wouldn't even be a Japan any more.
-The line traipsed on. Eventually, the cars arrived near the center of the city. The rows and rows of the crowd began screaming and screaming, although in excitement, not pain. "IT'S HIM!" "Der Führer!" "What will he say?!"
-Kurtis craned his neck around, but he couldn't see anyone at all. He leaned towards Jonas and whispered, "Do you see who they're talking about?"
-Veicht did not respond with words. He only lifted his hand and pointed towards a nearby balcony. There were a few elite soldiers there, as well as a stocky man in military uniform. Out from the open door came another man, of average height and rather thin, with a short mustache and exquisitely groomed hair. He lifted his right arm out in front of him in a flat salute.
-The procession halted in its tracks. Adolf Hitler, for of course it was he, stared down at the cars, and Kurtis had the strangest feeling the Führer was looking at him. Suddenly, Hitler turned and spoke quickly to his guards, then called out to the streets. Over the roars of the people, Kurtis could not hear what was said, but in a minute he was being led inside the mansion by more bodyguards. More yells came from outside, shouts of passion. He heard Hitler's voice screaming, "ACHTUNG!"
-"You must be very important, Feldwebel, to be asked to speak to the Führer like this," muttered one of them.
-"I promise, I have no idea what I have done..."
-"Well, we shall see, then, shan't we?" cackled the same man, and the others began to snicker.
-Upstairs, in the room of the balcony, were both Hitler and Himmler, the stocky man from before. Hitler gestured to one of the chairs, and Kurtis sat with a sigh. Hitler waved the guards out of the room, and they left, albeit reluctantly.
-"Will you not sit?" asked Kurtis.
-"We will be leaving soon," said Himmler.
-"Yes, but first, we wish to speak with you, Kurtis Arnold Herman," said Hitler.
-"Yes, Führer. Anything."
-"You, my friend, you..." Himmler did not finish. He just shook his head and mumbled something into the other man's ear. Hitler nodded, and his second-in-command left the room.
-"Is there something I have done wrong?" asked Kurtis.
-"Maybe. You tell me."
-"What...what do you...?"
-"You were found assisting American soldiers escape an ambush."
-"What?! No!"
-"Do you mean to say I am wrong?" The mass-murderer's eyes were cold, an icy glare straight from the bottom of the world.
-"Of course not! I only...I just...I would never do such a thing!"
-"Is that so?"
-"Yes!"
-For a while, Hitler only watched Kurtis stew. Then he reached behind the chair and pulled out a small gun.
-"Do you know what this is, Feldwebel?"
-Kurtis swallowed guiltily. "A pistol?"
-"It is a special kind of pistol. It will not kill you, only knock you unconscious for a time."
-"Ah. I, ah, I see."
-"Yes. How old are you, Feldwebel?"
-"I am, ah, thirty-eight."
-"Then the effects should not take long to kick in." Hitler leveled the tranquilizer gun against Kurtis' shoulder.
-"What?! No-"
---
-"Ach, mein Gott. Was...was..."
-The lights hurt his eyes as he groggily opened them. Kurtis did not know where he was. His last memory was being carried inside a large house after returning home.
-"It's okay. You're okay." A new voice, was this. One he had never heard before.
-"Ach...Entschuldigen Sie bitte. Ich weiß nicht, Sie...bist du...Rosie?"
-"What?"
-Kurtis shook his head. AH! Bad, bad, bad...
-"Was Sprache...?"
-"I'm sorry, sir. I don't understand you."
-"Ach...English, then?"
---
UGH. That's way enough for today. I'll finish this up later.

*Joce

Chapter Eighteen: Snappier Flax

I talked to Frap about some things. He helped me get them straight. He's here now, but he's chatting with Shelby and ruminating about Zero. It wasn't a very long conversation, but it made me feel better. Here it is!

J: FRAP!
F: Huh?
J: I know you're busy a lot. And you're hungry. But please, put DOWN the cheese stick and talk to me!
F: Oh. Ok.
J: Listen. EXPLAIN to me all this. EXPLAIN to me why you were being carried through my forest by two strange Hispanics. EXPLAIN to me why you feel a need to cut up my backyard every once in a while. EXPLAIN to me why you can't post your own messages. EXPLAIN to me why you can just appear here. EXPLAIN to me why the DYS you can make lava seep out of solid stone, and EXPLAIN to me why Arclich here -
A: Astrid!
J: Sorry, why Astrid here can make your dog fly! And explain why this dog is so huge!
F: Alright...Look here, [NAME WITHHELD]. You're a believer. You've got your own religion. You hail Komodos as descendants of dragons. You stay up every night waiting for a pixie to pop out of the ground and grant you a boon. But you don't think about the hurtful side of all this. Religions only end in holy wars. Dragons are predators, Joce, they are destructive in their own right. They might not always be so, but that's what they are. And the fairies? They'd probably try and steal your nose at the first opportunity. This is something like that.
J: This guy is gonna steal my nose.
F: No. But if It wants to, It will hurt you, or force you into mind-slavery, or maybe just gut you and hang you from that tree over there by your large intestine.
J: But...I don't want him to kill me.
F: I used to be one of his mind-slaves. At least, that's what they tell me. That's why I can do these things. Astrid still is. Partly. That's why she can do these things. And, well, I don't know about Sharpie. But Joce, you're tough. And you're smart. And you've got a long life ahead of you. And I need your help to do what needs to be done.
J: To kill him?
F: Maybe. If that's the only option.
J: ...Alright.
A: Say, Joce, you got a girlfriend?
J: I have the right to remain silent!

---

That's that, really. I really feel plenty better about things. Although I'm a bit confused still. Also, Janus is still gone - it is him - but Sharpie seems to have scared Maze into hiding. I know she's still there.

Janus' mask is half fox, and half bird.

Freaky.

*Joce

Chapter Seventeen: Now, One Dork

So, most days I come home, walk downstairs to the area you've seen a few times, and there'll be a piece of paper slipped into the sliding doors. This paper I will read, type up, think of a title for that starts with F, and then shred. And then take the pieces of it and shred them.

But recently, that's been happening less and less.

The bird stories, for example. I didn't post those for Frap.

...

I'm going to TALK to him.

About some things.

And get some answers.

Well, anyway. Nothing new happening. Oh, no. Either Janus or Maze has left for now. I don't know which one or what they're doing, but I can definitely see one of them still here, hiding in the bushes.

I might take some video tomorrow. If they do something interesting.

*Joce

Chapter Sixteen: Smog's Cassette

Took FOREVER, but...well, original link to original:
http://slendermanmustdie.blogspot.com/2011/03/oh-god.html

---

Title: THE CLOCK STRIKES ELEVEN

AWWW LOOK AT THE CUTE BABY!

ITS SUCH A SHAME THAT YOUR MOTHER NEVER SAW YOU BEING BORN I.

BUT WORRY NOT MY CHILD I SAW YOU DQ.

YOUR MOTHER SCREAMED WHEN SHE SAW ME BUT THE DOCTORS ASSUMED THE SCREAM CAME FROM THE ACT OF BRINGING FORTH YOUR MISERABLE SPECIES.

BUT I DIGRESS U.

MICHAEL GREEN TOLD ONE TRUTH ABOUT ME I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WITH YOU.

DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY YOU CANNOT REMEMBER MUCH FROM YOUR PAST?

IT IS BECAUSE YOUR MIND ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK OUT ALL MEMORIES OF ME PS.

BUT NOW IT IS NOT WORKING IS IT

YOU ARE BEGINNING TO REMEMBER ARENT YOU?

DO YOU KNOW WHY I HAVE FOLLOWED YOU ALL OF THESE EIGHTEEN YEARS?

IT IS BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS HATE YOU AND I COULD BE A BETTER MASTER THAN THEM GB.

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING YOU HAVE FAILED THEM PP.

THEY COULD NEVER TAKE YOU ANYWHERE BECAUSE YOU WOULD SCREAM AND SCREAM ARROGANTLY DEMANDING THEIR ATTENTION T.

IT ONLY GOT WORSE

YOU WOULD UNCEASINGLY COMPLAIN TO THEM

IT DROVE THEM INSANE BECAUSE THEY COULDNT DEAL WITH THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE BA.

THEN YOU CAME TO HIGH SCHOOL

YOU TRIED YOUR BEST BUT IT WAS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM.

OH SURE THEY PRETENDED TO SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU BUT INWARDLY THEY HATED YOU AND IT INFURIATED THEM THAT YOU COULDNT DO ANY BETTER.

FOR YEARS THEY HAD RELUCTANTLY SAVED UP FOR YOUR COLLEGE EDUCATION Q.

BUT NOW?

THEY REALIZED THAT IT IS USELESS.

THEY HAVE REALIZED THAT YOU ARE SO UNTALENTED THAT IT WOULDNT BE WORTH THE MONEY.

BUT I DO NOT THINK THIS WAY.

YOU COULD BECOME ONE OF THE GREATEST OF MY CHILDREN.

COME TO ME I WILL TAKE YOUR PAIN AWAY IN MY LONG ARMS W.

COME TO ME I.

COME INTO MY EVERLASTING EMBRACE BM.

FEEL YOUR MASTERS LOVE MY CHILD.

---

SCOTT! You're strong. Don't give in, alright? Or else I'll...bitchslap you. Through my computer.

*Joce

Chapter Fifteen: Rev. Scar Won

I feel so aloooone.

Okay, so I still haven't seen the Slender Man himself, but I think he was in the last video. SUPER TALL. Holy shebang.

Nothing's happening right now. I think I'm going to play some more Black though.

Oh, but yay! I showed the backstory and pictures to the Dungeon Mistress and now I'm level twoooo.

I, being the rogue with 19 Dex, have more AC than the fighter. He's got 14, I think, and I've got...17. I also have 8 HP.

Dys yes.

Edit: Also, I'm going to England this summer! And maybe Ireland.

*Joce

Chapter Fourteen: Draining Eight

The guidebook recommends level seventeen for the first gym. Dys no. I blasted through those noobs with a level eleven Snivy and a level ten Panpour (Jacqued and Delukey, respectively). I've also got a female Patrat (Patch), male Lillipup (Sage), and a female...the cat thing. Purrloin. AKA Evera. Also, I've got a picture of Frap's mask, which they briefly stopped off for (and to raid my fridge), and a video of a nice little note left for me in the strategy guide.