Ashley, and Becky and I lived in my house together for a year. The first month was spent in a panic. Waiting and wondering what was going to happen. When Slendy was going to show up again, why he had waited to come back.

After a few months Ashley moved away to college and if you can believe it, is engaged to the ambulance hottie!!! It's adorably sweet how much those two live in their own world of nerdness. Becky found love, believe it or not, with my own father!! I was a little hurt, but seeing them together now is natural and they are amazingly happy. Too happy. It's actually hard to be around two people who live like a romcom. They're about to move to Greenville where dad hopes all the bad times will disappear.

The town was sort of limping along for a bit. No one saying anything ever happened at all. Ten people died, and no explanation offered.

My YouTube channel blew up a bit when I started calling it slendy girl. One day I went from a couple hundred followers to my current 1 million. Most of them are 12 year olds who juts love the idea of me and a tree man. I've been honest, and it's left quite a dent in my social life. Too many people think I'm just some crazy conspiracy theorist who had a bad acid trip.

Tonight I'm walking home from the library where I spent the last two hours researching the yetis of the Arctic Circle. Not for any reason at all, except if Slendy's true, what else is possible out there?

The town itself looked brighter, hopeful even. Maybe it was my perception. It survived against all odds, and lived to tell its tale. Even Chester was currently sporting a new track suit and had a part time job at the quick stop.

As I crossed the woods on my way home from the library I did what I had done almost every day for the past year. I walked to the spot in the woods where it all went down that night night. My injury, my friends deaths, Ashley and I getting out of there together running for our lives.

It's a ritual now. Just for me. Just to remember I suppose, but maybe to just connect where it began. Where I realized life wasn't as black and white as I had always dreamed it to be.

I stood in the woods and closed my eyes. Arms raised up towards the heaven in a pose of surrender. It was a f-you of sorts. I did it to show it held no more power over me. I wasn't afraid. I could close my eyes and get into a vulnerable pose and not get twitchy and sweaty.

When I relaxed my arms and finished my cleansing breaths I opened my eyes, and found myself staring into the face of the tree man.

I didn't panic. Or run. Or feel any fear at all. I just stood, still, waiting. Wondering why he had been gone so long if he was still semi alive. I felt a warmth pass over my skin. His fingers wrapped gently around my wrist. I saw the skin darken. Black veins raced up toward my arm and chest. Small purple splotches covered the skin and it wasn't terrifying at all.

He let go of me. His arms wiggling slowly, his pulsating vibe slow like soft jazz music. He stepped away from me. A single step that made me feel like it was the Grand Canyon.

I felt tears roll down my cheeks. It was a goodbye. I felt it in my soul. And it was more than I could imagine. Living my life in the memory of what was, and knowing every day was more of what it had been.

He reached out a single arm. It's movement stopped just inches from where I stood. I looked back at my sleepy town, surviving despite all that happened. I thought about Becky, my dad, Ashley and her soon to be fiancé. And I smiled. Life would be good for them. Filled with opportunity and joy and new experience.

I grabbed his hand. In one split second my core changed. I was cold and buzzing and felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. His blurred face came into focus. Pointed sharp crooked teeth in a protruding jaw. His dark eyes like black holes, crusted with corners of blood.

I stared into them. And put my hand on his cold flaking cheek. Suddenly I felt it, his warmth. Deep below. Always waiting for me. Looking, searching for someone to accept what and who he was. His mouth opened wider, drool slipped from the teeth to my feet below. I closed my eyes and lifted my head exposing my neck to him. Somehow firmly positive this was what was meant to be.

The intensity of the pain from his teeth burned through every nerve I had. Heat and cold and sorrow and joy, all mixed with a feeling of eternity being in desolation and pain. And then it stopped.

My ears picked up the sounds of the heartbeat of animals from all around me. The sun filtering between the leaves scalding my skin and the coolness of the shadows protecting me. Slendy wrapped his arm around me and together we walked toward home.

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I know!!! Worse ending ever. Like ever ever. Like in the history of endings. But what can you do? Never trust me. Or Slendy.

Thanks for sticking with me. This book started a hokey spoofy joke but I owed Lemon a better ending than that. She picked the ending. Go figure!!!