I'd barely left the apartment the past few weeks and mostly focused on packing. Tim would come over from time to time to work on our 'plans' and settle on what hotel we'd be booking. Music began playing from my phone as I finished another box and I paused to stare at the caller ID in shock, letting the ringtone play out and go to voicemail. Landon- nor any of my other friends- had called me for the past month and now out of the blue... I almost didn't want to listen to his voicemail when the notification showed up.

I glanced around as if I'd find an explanation before playing the message. "Ash, this is Landon. I have no idea what's going on. Dillan and I- we can't remember the past month. We would've gotten back to you sooner but then we found out Mallory was in the hospital- things got busy... We should've told you so you could've come see her."

There was a pause and I heard him shift and adjust the phone as he gave a sniff. "Mallory died yesterday. We don't know what her family's plans are for the funeral but I'll let you know when we find out."

There was another muffled sound of him crying and Dillan in the background whispering to him. I wasn't sure how much more was on the message but I felt too sickened by the reminder of what I'd done to keep listening and deleted the message. Silence rang in my ears as I fell back onto the couch and took several deep breaths to calm down.

"Dammit... look what I've done..." I tossed my phone next to me and put my head in my hands, letting my fingers tangle into my hair as the guilt returned at full force. "I can't go to the funeral. I can't call them back. I sure as hell can't see them... I need to get out of the house- take a walk and think. Now."

I jumped to my feet and grabbed a jacket and my keys before snatching my phone off the couch as I walked out the door. Tim was walking up the sidewalk from his car as I was locking the door and I nearly ran into him as I turned around.

"...Sorry." I took a step back, twitching slightly from the anxiety coursing through me waiting to be burned off. "Um, here's the key. I'll be back later."

"Where are you going?" He looked down at the apartment key and took it from me apprehensively as I held it out to him.

"I need a walk. I'll be back later- before it gets dark." I moved around him and continued going to my car. "I'll get some stuff from the grocery for us too while I'm out."

"Do you want me to come with you or anything...?" I could tell he was trying not to ask what was bothering me.

"No, I'll be fine. I'll um, I'll message you if something comes up and I need your help." I got into the car and began pulling out of the parking lot, leaving Tim standing there trying to process what just happened and figure out what to do.

I drove to the outskirts of town and parked near a mall that had long since been abandoned before getting out to walk around the area. When I first moved here for college and met my friends we always told each other that we'd come here and explore the area like the videos people posted of themselves exploring abandoned places... but that never happened. Freshman year had kept us busy getting used to college life and other distractions came up- the idea was put aside and turned into more of a fantasy.

"Then everything went to hell again." I sighed and kicked a rock absentmindedly as I circled the building. "Ethan died... I couldn't keep up with classes..."

What ifs popped up in my head. How different would things have been if I'd done one thing or another? Ethan had wanted me to go to his college so he could help- even said that he'd found something that could've worked before his life ended. Would it have happened if I had just gone there instead? Would Mallory still be alive if I hadn't stayed here? Would Landon and Dillan be living normal lives?

"No matter where I ended up someone would have their life ruined." I paused as I heard something coming from inside the building and stared through the dirty, cracked window. Of course, there was nothing to be seen.

Not wanting to find out if there was anyone watching me or if it was just an old building slowly falling apart, I hurriedly made my way back to the car and took my leave. It was already starting to get late anyway and I had told Tim I'd be back before dark; no need to worry him further by being late. It didn't take long to get to the grocery and I sat in the car a few minutes to think about what I'd need to get before getting out and going inside.

Most of the stuff was food we could easily take with us and I began going up and down the aisles with a cart, grabbing items as I went. I couldn't help an amused smirk from crossing my face as I realized how mundane and normal this was compared to everything going on at the moment. Shaking my head, I finished up in the food section and headed toward the aisle with the first aid supplies. Hopefully we wouldn't need them but it was better to have a well stocked first aid kit than to risk the consequences of having nothing.

"This is kind of a lot to carry in... hmmm, maybe I can get Tim to help." It was times like this I wished I could just take the whole cart home.

"Ash!" The shout made me jump and I whirled around to see Zac making his way over. "Ash, what's going on? Where have you been!? You haven't called since-"

"I've just been busy- getting things back to normal, you know?" I took a step away from him. "Besides, I got back to you saying I was fine. You never responded so I assumed you were busy too."

Zac definitely didn't believe me as he stared at the supplies in the cart and his next words were more cautious. "I uh, heard about Mallory..."

"You barely knew her, so what's it to you?"

"I didn't say- Look, I don't want to fight. I just saw you and wanted to catch up- to help."

I turned away to grab a box of painkillers, half curious as to how he'd found out Mallory had died. Suspicion went through me and I decided to see how he'd react to a colder response. "Yeah well, things happen. People die all the time right? Not my fault."

"Okay, okay... I get it forbidden topic." He smiled and gave an odd laugh to my terse reply. "How about I help you get these to your car? I'd offer to help you put them away too but I'm meeting someone here soon."

"Oh, did someone manage to make a new friend?" I tried to sound more relaxed, though his presence was starting to make me feel uneasy.

"He's just a guy from work. I wouldn't even call him a friend."

"You're hanging out with him outside work, aren't you?" I got in line to check out.

"I guess..." Zac shifted in front of me and pulled out a card and the guy began scanning things. "Here, I've got it- my treat."

I swore there was a foreboding undertone to his offer and glanced at him once more, tensing at the navy colored jacket he was wearing; it was unusual he was wearing a jacket that wasn't dark gray or black. It couldn't just be a coincidence he was here and suddenly had a jacket in the same color as that proxy. I stared past him and looked outside, judging the distance between here and the car.

"Too far to run... Surely he wouldn't do something in front of witnesses, right? Maybe, maybe I'm overreacting. Navy jackets are common, he could've needed a new one." I reached into my pocket for the keys, wondering if I should call Tim just in case.

"Ready?" I shivered as Zac nudged me, his head bent down so he was talking right into my ear.

"O-of course." I began following him out to the car. "So, what's up with meeting your coworker at a grocery store?"

"Huh? Oh, well, it was just half way between our places. Plus he had something he had to do for work so I came here to pass the time."

The urge to call Tim and warn him rose. I continued to scan the parking lot for anyone hiding between the cars to ambush me, especially now that it was getting dark enough out for the lights scattered around the area to come on. We got to my car without incident and began loading bags into the trunk and backseat. I was about to get in and quickly dismiss Zac before something happened. However, I felt him stop me as his hand lightly grabbed my shoulder.

"Ash, I have something to ask you." A strange smile came across his face as he shifted closer and looked down at me.

I shrugged his hand off and backed up to my door. "What...?"

"Did you really think everything was just going to return to normal?" A crazed laugh escaped him and I flinched as he pulled out a small folding knife. "We'll always be watching. Biding our time while you and your friend break."

He was nothing more than a puppet for Slenderman to use, any doubt I'd had before was gone. I only had my keys to defend myself with but I doubted they'd do anything against him. I quickly turned with my hand on the door handle ready to open it and escape, but Toby slipped out from his hiding spot behind the car next to mine and slammed it shut again.

"To-took you l-long eno-ough." Toby growled.

"I had to make it believable." Zac snapped back.

I looked back and forth between them before making a lunge past Zac. If I could get in sight of other people maybe they'd back off. A knife stopped inches from my chest as Zac sidestepped to block me.

"We don't have all night, Ash." He tisked and shoved me back.

I stumbled away before feeling Toby grab my head and roughly shove it against the side of my car. Dots of color broke up my vision and Zac gave me a grim look before punching me in the temple.