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*Jack's POV*

Canada's scenery was oddly enough no different than America's. Jeff was complaining because it was colder here, but I didn't notice a difference. We weren't far away from where the group was set up before they had left. Hopefully they're slow walkers, otherwise, our mission is going to take longer than anticipated.

Jeff was huffing and puffing as we climbed up a steep hill. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty difficult, but I feel as if Jeff can overdramatize things just a little bit.

"I'm going to die before we reach the top." Jeff groaned.

I repeat: I feel as if Jeff can overdramatize things just a little bit.

I'm actually not sure where in Canada we are, but I guess that doesn't really matter. Papagrande had enchanted a compass to point to where they were at all times. I'm hoping that it wouldn't make any issues for us.

"Do you think Slender know's what's wrong with Lucy yet?" Jeff asked, kneeling down as we reached the top.

Looking at our surroundings, I responded. "When he knows, we will. I don't think Slender will keep us in the dark about it; especially me."

Jeff let out a long sigh as he stood back up. He fumbled for the water bottle in the side pocket on his backpack. Tipping his head back, he poured the clear, cool liquid into his mouth.

"Want some?"

I shook my head and continued walking. "I want to find them, figure out what the hell is going on, kill them, and then get back to the Hideaway."

"Jack," Jeff spoke up from behind me.

I turned around, crossing my arms. "What?"

Jeff took a few steps closer and handed me the water bottle. "Taking a drink of water isn't going to set us back at all. If it's Lucy you're worried about, you're not the only one. But, come on," Jeff chuckled, "This is Lucy we're talking about. Stubborn as all hell. She'll be okay, Jack."

I quickly took a drink and turned around. "We should keep going."

Jeff sighed. From behind me, I could hear him put the water bottle in his backpack before the sound of his footsteps behind me began.

"Or you can ignore everything I just said. That's cool, too." Jeff mumbled.

"I wasn't ignoring you. I just don't want to talk about it anymore right now, alright?"

The next half hour was spent in silence. In the distance off to our right, there was a small town. Each row of buildings seemed to all be connected in some way. The town gave me the feeling that it was older, but not yet abandon due to the vehicles we could faintly see on the visible roads.

Just a little bit past the town was miles of empty fields, only to be stopped by the mountains in the far, far distance. Snow covered most of the mountains and blanketed some of the field below it. Jeff was 'oooh-ing' and  'ahhh-ing' behind me as if this was one of the best sightings we have seen in the world. My vote for the best would be Vegas. Even though the amount of people in the area is disgustingly large, the lights are beautiful.

I remember years ago before Slender came around, Las Vegas was actually one of the places I visited on a hunt for food. People go missing from there all of the time. It was extremely easy to find food there due to the large population, but I hadn't realized how beautiful everything was until I returned shortly after Slender granted me sight. I was taken aback by the purples, and reds, and yellows, and blues that flooded my vision from every angle in my peripheral vision.

"Earth to Jack." Jeff waved his hand in my face.

I shook my head and glared over at him.

"The compass changed direction slightly." Jeff announced, pointing down at the arrow pointing 'North-East'.

"Then I guess we slightly change direction," I muttered, turning my body slightly and continuing the walk.

Before I could take a step forwards, Slender appeared, causing me to jump back.

"You can't just do that!" I shouted, clutching my chest. I could feel my heartbeat speed up.

Slender cocked his head to the side. "Why? Because I made your abnormally slow heart-beat speed up to normal speeds?"

"Shut up," I mumbled. "How's Lucy? What's going on? Do you have answers?"

Slender paused for a moment. 

"She's fine." He replied.

"Fine!?" I shouted. "I carried her to the hospital room because she was soaked with blood! She's not fine!"

"She's being cared for and is fine now," Slender replied nonchalantly. 

"You're full of shit," I growled.

"You're over exaggerating. It was just a small amount of blood." Slender crossed his arms as he replied.

I went to take a step towards Slender, but Jeff stuck his arm out, stopping me.

"Slender, that wasn't normal. For us, maybe, but she can't lose that much and still be okay, Slender. You're not telling us the truth." Jeff spoke up, trying to stay calm.

It was definitely different having Jeff as the calm one and me as the raging psychopath. Usually, it was the other way around. 

"She will be on her feet within the next day or two," Slender announced.

"So what was wrong then?" I asked, darkening my voice.

"Nothing of concern," he replied. "I have to go now."

And with that, he left.

******
*Papagrande's POV*

I just returned with the items Smiley had requested. I knew what they were and used for, but I doubt this hunch of his is correct. 

Slender and I were just outside of the hospital room. I had begun pacing, trying to fathom What Smiley believed the issue to be. There couldn't be a possible way. 

"You're going to give me motion sickness," Slender commented.

"Coming from the one who makes people sick for a living," I mumbled, glancing over at him.

"Not my fault. The pacing around is your fault. Quit. She'll be fine. I doubt the Plague Doctor will let anything happen to her. He's got one too many tricks up his sleeve to let that girl go now."

Letting out a long sigh, I pressed my back against a wall and slid down. There was nothing we could do; this was all on Smiley. And if Smiley couldn't do anything, we had high hopes in the Plague Doctor, for once. 

The Plague Doctor is somewhat of a 'guardian' of Luciana. Sometimes he means well, but most of the time he's just keeping her alive for his own doings, whatever that may be. We've dealt with him plenty of times with other proxies but never face to face. I don't think we could ever meet Plague Doctor face to face even if we wanted to. He's kind of just a figment of some proxies imaginations. 

The hospital door opened slowly. I quickly climbed back to my feet as Smiley closed the door swiftly behind him.

"I was right. So far," Smiley began as he let a deep breath out, "She'll be okay-"

"Good. Then Jack doesn't need to know specific details. I'll be back." Slender cut Smiley off as he vanished.

Smiley cocked an eyebrow and glanced over at me.

"I didn't even finish," He admitted.

I shrugged. "Slender went to tell Jack my guess is. He has a mind of his own."

"Believe me," Smiley chuckled, "I know."

I drew a breath in and glanced at the closed door behind him.

"Can I see her?"

Smiley shook his head.

"She's out cold. I'll let you know when she's up." 

******
*Jack's POV*

Jeff was leading the way across an empty field. Ahead of me, I could faintly see his hands rubbing his arms. 

"Is it always this cold in Canada?" Jeff grumbled. 

"How am I supposed to know? First off, I don't visit or live here. Second off, I don't feel like the temperature is that cold." I smirked.

"Sarcastic much?" Jeff turned and looked at me. 

I shook my head and let out a soft chuckle as I walked right past him. 

From behind me, I could hear Jeff shaking something. Ignoring it, I continued walking. The treeline was just ahead of us. Hopefully, Jeff was keeping an eye on the compass. 

As of right now, the sky was thick with clouds that had formed overhead. The moon and stars weren't visible through the puffs in the sky. Ahead of us, I could faintly see a light moving passed a few sets of trees. I set my sight back down to the ground.

"This compass is starting to get confusing," Jeff muttered behind me as he continued rattling around an object.

Quickly shooting my head up, I stopped dead in my tracks, making Jeff run straight into me. 

"What the f-"

"Shut up." I hissed. 

"Wh-"

I threw my elbow back, knocking the wind out of him.

Trying to focus on the light in front of us, I could hear Jeff spit onto the ground as he stood back up.

"Uncalled for," Jeff muttered, "What was that for?"

"They're circling us," I whispered back, "Hence the reason why the compass is going berserk." 

I peered over my shoulder to see Jeff staring down at the compass. 

"Any... any suggestions?" Jeff glanced around the area. 

Tilting my head back, I glared up at the sky. 

"We can get Slender h-"

"No. We're going to let them take us." I cut Jeff off. 

"A-are you nuts!?" Jeff hissed, "They're out for blood, not taking hostages!"

"And we're a part of Slender's followers. I don't think they'll want to get rid of us that easily. If anything, they'll keep us and try to get into Slender Woods." I grasped the pendant around my neck and in one swift arm movement, it was ripped off and in my hand. 

"Give me your pendant," I whispered to Jeff.

"What?" Jeff started shaking his head aggressively. "That would be our only way of being saved. How would Slender find us if we don't have it on?"

"And if we do have it on, don't you think that they're going to take it anyways? All it takes is one slip of Slender's name as they're holding the pendant and then they're in the Woods. I'm not putting any of the others in danger and I sure as hell am not letting them get to Lucy." I shot back, grabbing onto his pendant and ripping it off.

"Now what Jack? Are you going to bury them?" Jeff scoffed from behind me.

I dangled the two pendants in front of me and took a deep breath, "Something like that. Give me your water."

"They're not seeds, Jack. If you bury them they won't grow into bloom and-"

"Shut up and give me your water before they get any closer you dumbass."

From behind me, I could hear Jeff shuffling around. I held my free hand behind me as Jeff slapped the water bottle into my hand.

Taking a deep breath in, I stuck the two pendants into my mouth and proceeded to press the water bottle up to my lips, chugging as fast as I could. 

"You're stomach is going to be so fucked after this. What the hell is wrong with you?" Jeff said in a state of shock.

As I chugged the water, I could feel pendants scrape their way down my esophagus. Jeff kept glancing from me to our surroundings, back to me. 

"Why can't I see anyone yet, Jack?" Jeff asked. 

I pulled the bottle away from my lips and gasped for air. Looking around, I twisted the cap back on.

"They're trained for this, Jeff. This is what they do. What do you think they're going to do? Randomly appear behind us and show their faces?" I chuckled darkly. 

From behind us, a quick scuffle was heard. Before we had time to turn around, a hissing rang through our ears, answering my rhetorical question.

"Precisely."

**************
I. Am. SO. Sorry.
This summer has NOT been going as planned guys. But don't think that I forgot about SoB! I've had severe writer's block. So I figured that Chapter 25 will be broken down into a few parts just to get me going again. Again, I am soooo sorry! 
Thank you to my followers who do return ;)
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Updated on: November 13th, 2017 & June 6, 2018

It's time dolls. I'm all caught up with editing ;)