19: The Slender Man
(Creepypasta)

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

HUMINGI KAMI NG tulong kay Raegan upang mapanagot sa batas ang may-ari ng peryahan na pumatay sa binatang naka-costume ng payaso na nagngangalang Elijah. Tinulungan din nila akong ilibing ito nang maayos at asikasuhin ang mga papeles nito.

I don't know where his soul could be now, but I am still praying that God will grant him mercy, salvation, and eternal happiness. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay ang laki ng utang ng mundo sa kanya, lalo na ng isang magandang buhay.

That week, Papa took charge of sealing the Urban Legends so that we could all rest after our intense battle with the demon. Ang dami ko ring napagtanto mula sa labang iyon.

There is a type of monster far scarier than anything found in books, lurking under the bed, or even in the fiery depths of hell. These monsters are not of supernatural origin but are found among humans. The capacity for cruelty, malice, and evil that some humans possess can be more terrifying than any fictional creature.

It's truly baffling how I failed to recognize the truth. Humans are inevitably the root cause and driving force behind all forms of evil. The existence of Urban Legends serves as a reflection of society and its darkest aspects. Infamous characters such as Jeff the Killer, Hookman, Bunny Man, and others were inspired by real-life serial killers who terrorized people beyond the pages of literary fiction. Demons aren't also just figments of our imagination. They are the dark and sinister parts of our psyche that sometimes overpower us.

Bago pa man bumuhos ang ulan ay umalis na ako sa sementeryo kung saan ko binisita at nilinisan ang puntod ni Elijah. Iyon nga lang ay bumuhos na ang pagkalakas-lakas na ulan nang makarating ako sa café ni Griffin.

Mula sa labas ay tanaw kong punuan ng mga tao iyon na natitiyak kong ang karamihan ay naabutan na ng pagbuhos ng ulan habang nasa loob at kasalukuyang nagpapasilong na lamang. Given the overwhelming number of customers, I chose to stay outside and not enter to allow everyone to focus on their work. Ayaw ko na ring dumagdag pa sa mga alalahanin nila.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at hinanda ang tote bag ko sa may ibabaw ng ulo ko upang gawing payong iyon. Malayo-layo pa bago ako makarating sa amin pero kung tatakbuhin ko nang mabihis ay tingin ko hindi naman ako mababasa ng ulan nang ganoon katindi.

Umalis na ako mula sa pagpapasilong sa awning ng café at tatakbo na sana habang nakatalukbong ng tote bag ko nang may biglang humawak sa kamay ko at pinigilan ako. The opened umbrella shifted to the side and revealed Griffin standing next to me. My heart skipped a beat when his tender hand found mine and gently guided it to grasp the umbrella's handle.

"Keep this with you," he said, his gentle smile offering warmth in the midst of rain and this cold weather.

"Thank you," I replied, almost inaudibly.

Nagpaalam siyang babalik na sa loob upang tulungan ang mga empleyado niya pagkatapos no'n. Isinuot ko nang maayos ang tote bag sa balikat ko at tinalikuran na ang café saka nagsimulang maglakad pauwi sa amin. Napakapit ako nang mahigpit sa hawakan ng payong dahil sa paglakas ng ulan ay siyang paglakas din ng tambol ng puso ko.

Mamita had warned me about this because of that cursed book, yet her warning came too late.

I was just too ashamed to admit, even to myself, that when I first met him, I saw stars when I wasn't even looking at the night skies.

LUMABAS AKO NG bahay upang magbantay sa Library dahil nagpaalam si Papa na pupuntahan muna si Raegan para sa panibagong kasong may kaugnayan daw sa Urban Legend. Pagdating ko roon ay naabutan ko si Griffin na isa sa mga nagbabasa roon.

Anong romance book naman kaya ang binabasa nito?

Lumapit ako at sinilip ang pabalat ng nobelang hawak niya. Nang mapansin niya ang ginagawa ko ay inangat niya iyon at ipinakita sa akin ang pamagat no'ng Villains in Love.

"Aside from unrequited love, I think I'm loving this troupe - enemies to lovers," ang nakangiting saad niya. "I've learned from here the stark contrast between heroes and villains in love. A hero would sacrifice you to save the world, but a villain would sacrifice the world to save you. Now, make your bet."

"Saan mo na naman nakuha 'yan?" tanong ko sa halip. Kinakabahan akong baka may sumpa na naman 'yan.

"Sa Fiction Section. Levi checked it for me at the counter," paliwanag niyang tinanguan ko naman dahil nakahinga ako nang maluwang. "By the way, you look beautiful today."

Biglang uminit ang magkabilang pisngi ko nang marinig ang sinabi niya kahit na napaka-random no'n. Pasimple akong nagkamot ng ulo upang umiwas ng tingin sa kanya at ngumuso habang sinusuring maigi kung anong nagpaganda sa akin nang araw na iyon nang maaraw-araw ko na. Gusto ko sana siyang tanungin kung alin pero nahihiya ako. Baka makahalata.

"Eh 'di, thank you," I said and caught him trying to hide his smile, but eventually, it appeared on his handsome face.

──✧❁ 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 ❁✧──

𓆩◇𓆪꧁ 𓆩◇𓆪 ꧂ 𓆩◇𓆪

KAAGAD NA SINAGOT ni Alohi ang tumutunog nilang telepono sa Library. "Mabuhay! Thank you for calling the Sagrado Library. How may I help you?"

"Alohi, this is Mamita. Nahanap ko na ang Book Thief." Natigilan ang dalaga sa narinig. "Hihintayin kita sa Bucari Forest. Tulungan mo akong hulihin ito."

"Sige po, Mamita. Pupunta na ako r'yan ngayon."

Pagkababa ng tawag ay dali-daling binilin ni Alohi ang Library kay Tavleen na maagap namang tumalima. Agad niyang tinungo ang Bucari Forest na sinabi ng kanyang Mamita Carmen sa tawag kanina. Pagdating niya roon ay tahimik ang buong lugar at wala siyang nakikitang sinuman. Kinuha niya ang cellphone sa loob ng sling bag niya at tinawagang muli si Carmen.

"Hello, Mamita? Nandito na ako. Nasaan na po kayo?"

"Hello, Alohi. Nasa meeting pa ako kasama ang Elders ng clan."

"Huh? 'Di ba sabi niyo po kitain ko kayo rito kasi nahanap niyo na ang Book Thief?"

Namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan nila hanggang sa nagsalita si Carmen. "Alohi, nasaan ka? Umalis ka na r'yan. Hindi kita tinawagan kanina."

"Pero boses niyo po 'yong tumawag sa telepono kanina," ang naguguluhang saad naman ni Alohi.

"Alohi, umalis ka na r'yan! Hindi maganda ang kutob ko. Nasaan ka ba?"

"Nasa may Buc-" Biglang may kung anong malakas na puwersa ang humila kay Alohi mula sa likuran niya.

Napapikit siya sa sobrang bilis at lakas no'n. Napasalampak na lamang siya nang upo sa lupa nang bitawan siya nito.

Alohi found herself in a dark forest shrouded in thick fog, an odd contrast to the daylight and sunshine surrounding her at the entrance just moments ago. She scrambled to her feet and attempted to call her Mamita, but her phone refused to power up.

"What's going on?" she wondered aloud while struggling with her unresponsive device.

"That won't work here," declared the mysterious woman, her long black hair flowing.

Alohi squinted to discern the figure emerging from the mist. The beautiful woman, clad in a purple satin maxi dress with a black ascot and black gloves, moved slowly toward her.

"Who are you?" Alohi inquired. "And where the hell are we? Nasaan si Mamita?"

"I didn't expect you to fall for a simple voice manipulation trick," the woman replied coldly. "Welcome to the original Monsters Playbook."

Napahigpit ang hawak ni Alohi sa cellphone niya nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa misteryosong babae. Nagtutugma ang sinasabi nito sa naaalala niyang sinabi ng kanyang Mamita nang tawagan niya ito at bago siya mapunta sa misteryosong lugar na iyon. Ngunit may isang bagay pa siyang kailangan linawin...

"Anong ibig mong sabihin na nasa loob tayo ng Monsters Playbook?" she asked. "Are you the one unsealing the Urban Legends from the Monsters Playbook?"

The woman replied with her cold gaze, "Indeed, we're releasing them from the book and imprisoning you on the page where one of its most notorious monsters resides."

Alohi furrowed her forehead. The woman spoke in riddles, which made it difficult for her to understand things fully. However, if this person was indeed responsible for the release of those Urban Legends, it was not impossible to consider that she might have been transported into the Monsters Playbook. After all, manipulating books was one of the prized abilities of Bibliokinetics.

"Any other questions before we bring this to an end?" the woman asked coldly, and Alohi's eyes widened in shock as she spotted a familiar tall figure standing in the distance.

Was this the notorious monster this mysterious woman was referring to? Alohi wondered.

Veiled within the dense fog and amidst towering trees that mirrored its lofty stature, the tall figure concealed its presence. Alohi's heart raced as she realized who it was - the infamous Urban Legend, dressed in a sleek suit that seemed to blend with the shadows. The figure's pale face was devoid of any features - no eyes, no nose, no mouth, no ears, and no hair.

The Slender Man had revealed himself.

A widely debated topic in online lore is the Slender Man. Its notoriety grew steadily through Creepypasta, a dynamic and occasionally collaborative horror fiction genre that takes its name from the combination of the words 'creepy' and 'copypasta,' which refers to viral copy-and-pasted text blurbs.

The emergence of Slender Man can be traced back to 2009 when a user named Victor Surge posted two seemingly harmless photos of children on the Something Awful forum during a horror-themed Photoshop competition. The photos featured a peculiar faceless man dressed in a suit and tie who ominously lurked in the background.

Slender Man, a humanoid creature endowed with numerous supernatural powers and abilities, is notorious for his penchant for kidnapping children and manipulating innocent individuals into becoming his proxies. His widespread recognition has elevated him to the status of one of the internet's most famous urban legends and horror icons. A titular film was also produced in 2018.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay tuluyan nang naging kumbinsido si Alohi na nasa loob nga siya nang orihinal na Monsters Playbook at sa pahinang patungkol sa Slender Man. Naniniwala na rin siyang ang babaeng Bibliokinetic na nasa harapan niya ang nagpakawala ng mga Urban Legend na nakaharap ng pamilya niya nitong mga nagdaang buwan.

Matapang na tinitigan ni Alohi ang babae. "Bakit niyo ginagawa 'to? Sino kayo?"

The enigmatic woman, emanating an ice queen aura, flashed Alohi a sinister smile. "What kind of fool will reveal their plans and identity to the enemy?"

"Hindi ko kayo hahayaang magpatuloy sa kung anumang binabalak niyo."

Alohi was about to grab the woman when the Slender Man suddenly stretched its tentacles from its back to prevent her from harming the woman. It dawned on her that the woman was controlling the Urban Legend and that its strength and intellect were all under her manipulation.

Alohi used her brute force to tear away from the Slender Man's tentacles that held her captive and asked the woman again, "Who are you? Sino ka ba ha?!"

Slender Man lunged at Alohi once more. She gripped its tentacles firmly and yanked each one from its back, which caused the monstrous entity to howl in agony. Nevertheless, the Urban Legend persisted in regenerating its tentacles even as the middle child Sagrado relentlessly pulled them out.

Sierra, who transported their enemy inside the Monsters Playbook, secretly retrieved a gleaming dagger from her concealed holster. The tiny purple diamond adorning the tip of the dagger caught the dim light of the moon. It glinted ominously as she plunged it into Alohi's back without a moment's hesitation.

"Argh!" Alohi winced in pain and glanced at the woman warningly. "Huwag kang masyadong atat kasi babalikan kita mamayang bruha ka!"

While Alohi wrestled with the Urban Legend, the pain from the stab wound in her back worsened. The more she exerted force, the more it throbbed. Despite the passing minutes, the pain lingered and intensified as if her wounds were not healing.

"What the hell... is happening..." she whispered in disbelief when she finally realized she was not regenerating.

Sierra signaled the Slender Man to release Alohi, and it promptly complied and stood obediently by her side while waiting for her next command. Without hesitation, the woman stabbed Alohi once more. But it targeted her stomach this time.

The struggling Sagrado gazed at Sierra in disbelief. Wearing a smile common to cold-hearted killers, Sierra drove the dagger deeper into the wound and did not stop until its tip emerged from Alohi's back, accompanied by a gush of blood from her mouth.

Knowing that Alohi's strength had dwindled to the point where she could barely lift a finger, given the combination of blood loss and immense pain, Sierra embraced her with one arm and lightly tapped her shoulder while taunting her.

"It's okay. Soon, you'll be with your mother. Who would have thought you'd meet your end with the same weapon that took her life?" Sierra revealed coldly.

The weakened Alohi fisted on the back of Sierra's dress as she darted her mother's killer a glare. Her eyes also glistened with unshed tears of hatred and anger as she uttered, "You... "

"Yes," she whispered back. "It was us who killed her, and the dainty purple diamond at the tip of this dagger is all that remains of the weapon your mother destroyed to ensure we couldn't use it on you again. Fortunately, I kept it. This was the last of its kind here on Earth, and I've saved it for this moment."

Sierra withdrew the dagger from Alohi's stomach and let her to crumple to the ground. Alohi gasped for breath while still bleeding profusely.

"That's how it feels not being able to heal your wounds, darling. You and your mother only understood that in the moment of your death," Sierra taunted, a cold satisfaction very evident in her voice.

"Unlike your mother, they will never find your corpse here inside the Monsters Playbook. But don't worry because we'll come for your family after you. Would you prefer it one by one, or perhaps a massacre? All of them dying together in one place and at the same time," Sierra teased.

Summoning her last reserves of courage, Alohi clutched Sierra's leg to resist and stop her plan. In response, Sierra ruthlessly stabbed her hand, which earned a scream from Alohi and forced her to release her grip. Sierra then forcefully kicked her head to render her unconscious.

A man then emerged from the mist. Sierra smiled upon seeing him approach and stand beside her while watching another Sagrado nearing the end of life.

"Should we serve her a slow, painful death or a quick, painless death, Kuya?" she asked.

Her older brother kept his eyes fixed on the unconscious Sagrado. He was keenly aware of the contradiction in his sister's nature. Although Sierra may seem cold, she harbored the strongest lust for blood and violence among the four of them. Once her desire surfaced, no one could halt her until she was satiated with her victim's death.

"Finish her," he instructed.

Sierra grinned and prepared the dagger to deliver a fatal blow to Alohi's heart. To her dismay, the dagger only met the empty ground. Frustrated and annoyed by the failed attempt, she scanned the surroundings to find Alohi. To her surprise, a mysterious man stood at a distance while carrying and looking at the unconscious Alohi.

"Who are you, and how come you got in here?" she asked, while her big brother just observed with casual interest and curiosity.

The man remained silent, his focus unwavering on the young woman in his arms. Sierra motioned the Slender Man to attack them. The Urban Legend extended its tentacles toward them but halted just inches from the man's face. He then lifted his gaze and smiled.

"Since we're inside the book, and out of respect for this entity's territory, I will not banish its existence," he stated. Despite his gentle smile, his words carried the weight of a stern and clear-cut warning.

Suddenly, he materialized behind the startled Sierra while Alohi's still unconscious body now rested in one of the giant Gumiho's fluffy tails. The mysterious man gently took hold of Sierra's hand, which gripped the dagger. The sudden move caused her to freeze in a mix of fear, shock, and something else.

"Didn't you say this was the last of its kind here on Earth?" he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.

Sierra's hand that clutched the dagger moved involuntarily toward her neck. It felt like the mysterious man controlled it, yet he exerted no physical force. She could only sense his hand merely holding hers but not physically guiding it. Who the hell is this man?!

"K-Kuya... I can't control my hand," she said helplessly, but the brother remained watching them.

Sierra sensed the dagger's tip on her neck, but just before it could pierce her skin, the tiny diamond at its tip shattered into pieces, which caught her off guard. The unseen force effortlessly dismantled the weapon and cherished ace she had kept against the Sagrados.

The mysterious man's lips curled into an amused and satisfied smile. "You see, I need that woman over there to remain strong, so everything that makes her vulnerable must be eliminated."

"Who are you?"

"Why do mortals forget so easily? Oh, it's actually my fault. I'm sorry," he teased before disappearing without a trace.

Nanghihinang napaluhod sa lupa si Sierra, hawak pa rin ang pinakaiingatan niyang dagger na ngayon ay wala nang kwenta dahil wasak na ang diyamanteng may kakayahang pahinain at patayin ang mga katulad ni Alohi at nanay nito.

"Who was that man, Kuya? Why was he..."

"I had a hunch that he might be the Book Thief we couldn't remember." Nagpamulsa ang nakatatandang kapatid ni Sierra at tinalikuran siya. "Let's go, Sierra. Entities like him wouldn't dare to interfere with human affairs."

「 ✦ 𝓛𝓸𝔀𝓵𝓪 𝓟𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓸 ✦ 」

Your votes and comments are highly appreciated! Thank you! ♥︎

So... I wanna hear your theories hehe