THIS BLOG IS ABANDONED

The early morning light shined through the glass of the windows of the manor, creating their own pictures on the wooden floors. The orange tint of the sky mixed with the light yellow of the rising sun, creating a painting in the sky, which dragged across the visible atmosphere.

Sally dragged herself from her room, creaking the door open before she wandered out. The cold air of the woods around the manor made her shiver, but the gaps of sunlight spots seeping in warmed her as she passed through them.

The velvety material of her pajamas swished as she advanced through the halls of the manor. Her hair bounced as she fastened her steps, arriving at the kitchen in less time than it would usually take her from her room.

It was early in the morning, probably around 4:45AM if Sally were to make a guess.

She entered the kitchen, only just noticing the man sitting at the island, holding his mask in his hands, turning it over and inspecting it. His yellowish-tan hoodie was draped over the kitchen stool, having not fallen as his body held it in place.

“Tim..?” Sally croaks, curiosity present in her voice. She’s gripping the hem of her shirt, playing with the loose strands of material that have escaped their stitching.

Tim looks over, a glint of panic showing in his eyes before it dims at the sight of her. Sally isn’t one to snitch, so he isn’t worried about not wearing his mask around her. “Mornin’, kiddo. What’re you doing up so early?” Sally shrugs at Tim’s words, stepping closer to him before she replies.

“Just woke up early, I guess. Might’ve been the sun too, ‘s pretty bright.” Tim nods in understanding and agreement at her words, narrowing his eyes at how her body shivers slightly.

“Well, since we’re both up, wanna go somewhere with me?” Sally raises an eyebrow, but her curiosity is piqued.

“Like where?” She asks, observing him as he gets up. He rests his mask on his hairline, so he can have it without having to carry it around. He throws his jacket over his shoulder, waking closer to the kid.

“There’s a diner not too far out from here. It’s a bit of a drive, and it’s small, but it’ll be open once we get there. It also has good food.” Tim explains, already making his way towards the exit of the manor, Sally following behind.

“How good of food?” Sally questions, causing Tim to snort in amusement.

The two had made their way out of the manor by now, standing near Tim’s truck as he rummages his pockets for his keys.

“Better than whatever crap you’ve gotta eat in there.” Tim gestures towards the manor with a nod of his head.

Sally looks back at the mansion-like structure she resides in everyday. No one’s up but her and Tim, Slender isn’t even around the manor right now.

“Let’s get going then!” Sally exclaims, rushing to the other side of the truck to hop in, a smile filling her face as she hears Tim laugh.

The door unlocks and the two hop in, closing the doors behind them. Tim fastens Sally’s seatbelt, then his own. He pressed the key into the ignition, starting it up.

“Alright, kid. You good? Seatbelt good?” Sally nods at both questions. “Then let’s get going.”

Sally admires the way the trees rush past her vision as the truck drives by. Their leaves blur, the ground moves. Sally feels calm, serene.

The truck stops once they reach the parking lot of the diner, Tim twisting his key and shutting the engine off.

They hop out, meeting each other at the front of truck and walking through the glass doors of the diner. It makes a chiming noise—like a bell—as they enter, and the faint sound of music fills Sally’s ears. There’s barely anyone there besides the staff and a few booths/tables of people.

A lady with curly hair and a warm—yet fake—smile greeted them, leading them towards booth. Tim and Sally sit across from each other and the woman places two menus on the table, immediately asking what they’d like to drink. Tim orders water for both of the and the lady is off, leaving the two of them at the booth.

They both look over the menu, the pancakes immediately catching Sally’s eye. She hasn’t had pancakes in a while. Toby has tried to make them, but the materials were too expensive, and they both feared asking Slender for such things, same with any other proxy.

They had a picture with maple syrup being poured over the fluffy dough, hitting the slice of butter that lay atop of the stacks.

“What’re you thinking of getting?” She snaps her head up at Tim’s voice.

“The pancakes. You?”

“Just the breakfast combo.” Sally hums in acknowledgment.

She looks around the diner, taking in the red and white theme, keeping her opinions about the decor to herself. She wants to fill the awkward silence between them.

“How often do you come here?” Tim seems to be in thought for a moment, thinking over Sally’s question.

“Almost after every mission. This diner is open pretty late at night and pretty early in the morning.” Sally makes an ‘ohh’ shape with her mouth.

“Come here with anyone?”

“Brian. Though, I prefer coming here alone. Less money I have to spend.”

A waiter comes by, sliding two glasses of water onto the table. Sally pulls her glass close to her and takes a few sips while Tim orders for the both of them.

The food comes soon enough, interrupting the twos conversation as the plates are placed onto the table.

The waiter leaves after they thank her and Sally stares at her pancakes in awe before grabbing a fork and digging in.

“Slow down, kid- you’re gonna choke-“ Tim’s voice holds amusement though, and he chuckles softly as Sally looks up, her mouth covered in syrup.

“Wrhah?”

“Nothing, kid. Chew your food.”

Sally shrugs and goes back to eating.

The sun has risen, and the blue of the noon has begun to peak through the early morning.

After the two finish eating and pay for their food and are now back in Tim’s truck, Sally gets hit with a bundle of cloth.

“Your… jacket?” Sally questions.

“You were shivering in the manor, still are.” Sally opens her mouth to protest. “Just keep it till we get back, kid. Not doing anything right now anyway.”

Sally pulls the jacket over herself, sighing in relief at the warmth that seeps into her bones.

The truck starts back up and the two are on their way. Sally rests her cheek against the window of the truck, exhaustion weighing her eyelids down.

Tim looks over, a small, soft smile filling her face. “Sleep well, kid.” He mutters, letting silence surround the two of them.

Quiet, squeaky snores fill the air, as well does the soft music that comes from the truck radio after Tim turns it on.

The drive back to the manor is comfortable.

Toby shoved Sally to the ground, leaves crunching beneath her. His face a mix of rage and despair. His mask covers it, but Sally’s sure his teeth are bared, gritted.

“A-A-Are you an a-actual idiot?” The question is rhetorical, his voice is jaded, sharp like a double-edged blade. The metal hits Sally, and she can see her blood dripping from the dagger, warming it, the red liquid reflective in the dim sunlight that shines above the two.

She swallows down the lump that had formed in her throat, forcing anger to show a front instead of sorrow. She will not be a prey, she will not be the lamb, not again. Never again.

“Are you?” Toby narrows his eyes, her words seeping in like molten. He feels a sense of hate form, warming the blood that surrounds his bones, dripping into the marrow inside and burning it. His mind feels fuzzy, frustration taking hold on him as he replies.

“Excuse me?” His voice is a laugh. Though, it’s bitter, harsh, hollow as cave. There’s no warmth in it, no fond exasperation or annoyance. The only thing that seems to show is fury, disgust that Sally’s always seen directed towards the others in looks, being shoved towards her in words.

It hurts, as if a hand reached into her chest cavity and took hold of her heart, squeezing it in match with her dying heartbeats.

She doesn’t back down though, doesn’t lose her courage. “You’re about to get mad at me when you’re the one that messed up this mission!” Sally’s shouts course through the woods that surround the two, intertwining with the soil beneath her, planting itself into the dirt and growing into one of the trees in her eyesight, forever planting its roots.

“I m-me-messed up the m-mi-mission? You’re t-th-th-the one that h-hes-h-hesitated!” Toby shoved his mask down, letting it rest around his neck, the cloth reaching his chest as he leaned down to scoff at Sally.

“Because that was an innocent man! These people we kill, we’re forced to kill these random hikers that wander too deep!” Sally isn’t angry, just.. sad. She’s tired, exhausted. Her throat burns, the burden of her death ever-so-present. She should stop this fight, tell Toby they should just go to the manor, that she’ll tell Slender she let the victim get away.

But, she can’t. “I wouldn’t care as much if it was just adults, but we kill children too! Children, Toby!” Children like her. “Plus, you’re the one that let him get away! I may have hesitated but you’re the one who couldn’t catch him!” Toby glares at Sally.

“And who-who-whose fault is th-th-that? Especially s-si-si-since you th-thought rambling with m-m-me about stupid sh-shi-shit was m-mo-more important than th-the mission!” Toby’s arms waved around in agitated gestures, expressing his annoyance in waves.

“Stupid shit? What, is everything else I tell you marked the same as well?” Sally forces herself up off the ground, staggering to her feet, glaring at Toby.

“At th-thi-thi-this point? Yeah!” Toby jabs a finger into Sally’s chest, repeating the actions as he speaks, “You’re a child. A child who has can’t do anything for themself.” Sally flinches back.

“I am not a child.” Sally slaps Toby’s hand away, snarling at him. “I can fare for myself.”

“Y-Y-Yeah? How’d you d-do against y-you-you-your uncle?” Sally freezes. He was talking about how her uncle smashed her head in with a rock, nothing else. Sally never told him about her uncle’s sexual assault of her, never went to him when she laid in bed at night shaking, gasping for air that wouldn’t come, tears that fell freely, because she had a nightmare about her uncle’s nightly activities with her. And if she did? She’d lie, make up some stupid dream about the proxies chasing her and killing him or something.

“Just like how you handled your father for most of your life.” Sally replies, her tone pure venom. She hoped he swallowed it and choke.

“Yeah? A-And who got t-t-to kill th-th-their abuser?” Sally stiffened at his words, which equally held as much poison as her previous retort.

“At least my family is still alive-!”

“What about y-y-your uncle?”

“That piece of shit isn’t my uncle.”

“N-No? Then why d-di-didn’t your parents d-d-do anything pa-pa-past putting h-hi-him in jail?”

“At least they did something! What’d you do to protect your sister?”

“Don’t fucking g-g-go there.”

“You started this, asshole!”

“You fff-fu-fucking brat. I’ll start-“

“What? Are you gonna beat me? Gonna smash a rock over my head like my uncle? Or are you gonna force it in like he did?” Time seemed to still when Sally uttered those final words. Toby paused, eyes widening, an eyebrow raising.

“Wh-Wh-What are you..?”

“You’re the only fucking family I have, Tobs!” Sally sobbed, her arms wrapping around herself. “My uncle sexually assaulted me everyday of my life, he isn’t my uncle. My parents turned tail and left town, I don’t know of any other relatives that live around here, the other proxies hate me! You’re the only one who’s showed me an ounce of compassion! I can’t lose you too! I don’t want to!” Sally hiccuped, gasps escaping her mouth as she cried. Her nailed dug into the skin that rests on her arms, leaving white, crescent-shaped in its wake.

Snot dribbled down her chin like her tears, her eyes red and puffy, like her cheeks, where you could see the stains of her breakdown.

Toby stood in front of her, frozen.

He moved his feet, forced the to walk forwards, hesitating as he neared.

“I- I didn’t-“ He stuttered, his voice a whisper. Guilt coiled around his gut, piercing it with its pointed tail.

Sally furiously wiped her tears away, her throat aching, her voice dying on her tongue. Yet, she still forced herself to speak. “You want to lose another sister? Be my guest. Because I’m not becoming subject to another proxy’s emotions.” She began to walk away, arms still hugging herself in an attempt to offer some form of comfort.

“I’m s-so-s-sorry..” Toby muttered, eyes wide, his own tears forming, tear ducts wetting.

“Yeah, me too.” Sally murmurs, leaving Toby behind in the shadows of the forest.

Toby lets the salty taste of his tears fill his mouth, becoming the center of interest on his tongue. It told him he was crying, at least.

What had he done?

Sally never got the chance to explore the kitchen, figure out the joy and complexity of baking and cooking. She only ever watched her mother cook, creating these delicious meals that had both her and her father’s mouths watering.

But, she also made these animals out of fruit. Sally remembers watching her mother gently carve into an apple, the knife she held being handled carefully and gracefully.

It was a beautiful process, and the result was rewarding.

Sally would always get those fruit animals when she was sad, her mother insisting that the fruit would make her feel better. Her mother was never wrong.

So, when Sally saw him return to the manor after a mission went awry? She went to the kitchen. They didn’t carry much, just enough. And Sally would probably get shouted at for using perfectly good fruit that could be used in actual dishes for everyone to make stupid little animals, but she didn’t really care.

She grabbed an apple and orange, taking the apple in her palm and beginning to carve, the knife tight in her grip.

Toby will hopefully enjoy these. And Sally didn’t even accidentally nic herself with the knife or anything!

Sally placed them onto a paper plate and carefully carried them upstairs, making sure to avoid other proxies and not trip on any loose floorboards.

Sally now stood outside his room, balancing the plate on one arm and using the other to knock on the door.

She almost dropped the plate, but thankfully caught it before any of the precious cargo could fall.

“Who i-is it.” Toby’s muffled voice rang out and Sally groaned in annoyance. She hates having to talk, it really hurts.

“Toby!” She called out, debating if that was loud enough.

It apparently was because Toby opened the door not even a minute later. His eyes were exhausted, annoyance glinting in them. “What d-d-do you want?” He asked, and Sally shifted uncomfortably.

Kind of rude.. but he’s in a bad mood. It’s justified.

She held the plate up to him, observing how his eyes softened, and he cracked his door open further.

“For me?” He pointed at himself, raising an eyebrow. Sally smiled and nodded, holding out the plate closer to him, urging him to take it.

Toby gently took it into his hands, swallowing hard. “Thanks..” he sighs. “S-S-Sorry I was-s rude, j-just- a bad m-m-mi-mission.” Sally nods in understanding. She rarely went on missions, and they were always boring when she did, but failing those were still bad too.

Slender hated it when they failed, or made a mistake. Even if it wasn’t an important mission. He.. had rules. Toby probably got more of a generous pardon considering he’s not an adult just yet, but Slender probably threatened him either way.

“Wanna c-come I-I-in?” Toby nods to his room, and Sally excitedly walks in.

They both know how bad the other wants to get away from the other proxies and residents in the manor.

Sally tiptoes through the halls of the manor, her breaths coming out in short, shuddering gasps.

The shadows seemed to move, their bodies dancing around her and making her sleepless hallucinations reenact into reality. The terror it brung her made her nails dig into her skin, caused her legs to tremble, and the tear-ducts in her eyes wetten.

The woods outside seemed to mock her. Normally they’d try to lure her in, entice her with promises of paradise and freedom. Going out alone in the forest was dangerous. Many adults here didn’t listen to that, neither did Toby. Ben didn’t seem to pay any attention to its vindictive evil too. And the trees seem to leave them alone, pay them no mind.

Sally wonders why the woods only seem to taunt her with their cruel beauty.

The winds racking against the glass panes of windows caused her to flinch as she passed, the creaking of the wooden tiles beneath her feet laughed in response, offering her no comfort either.

She finally stood in front of the floor that entire journey was for.

And that’s all she did. She just- stood there.

Sally wondered if Toby would even let her in. I mean- it was just a nightmare. It’s not that serious.

But when the whispers of souls that raised from corpses doomed to rot in the soil screamed through the house, she found her courage to knock.

Her knuckles rapped against the spruce wood, too panicked, too loud.

She heard the hurried turning of covers and rushed footsteps running towards the door she stood in front of.

Toby answered the door, his eyes glossy and body slightly slouched over.

“Whouhwha-?” He mumbled, rubbing at his eyes, and looking down at Sally. His vision cleared and his brows furrowed in concern as he noted the girl’s red, blotchy, tear-stained face, with more tears still falling. Snot dribbled out of her nose in a small line and her teeth chattered lightly.

Her arms wrapped around her body, and her hand gripped her biceps, her nails digging into them in an attempt to calm herself. Which clearly wasn’t working.

“S-S-Sa-S-Sally?” He cursed at his stuttering but quickly ignored it as he kneeled down, cupping her face and using his thumbs to wipe away the salty water that fell from her eyes. “What’s wr-wr-wrong?” His voice was soft, patient, and his hands came to rest on Sally’s shoulder after they cleaned up her wet cheeks.

Toby contemplated letting questions wait till later though when he noticed how the girl looked around in a frenzied manner, her hands almost coming up to cover her ears before she hesitated and decided against it.

“You c-ca-c-can answer that l-later. J-Ju-Just come inside.” Toby ushered her into his room, closing the door behind her and locking it.

He got the weirdest feeling leaving it unlocked would seem an open invitation.

His neck jerked and he whistled shortly. Worry coming from him in waves as he neared Sally, lifting the girl up and carrying her over to his bed.

He set her down before climbing onto the mattress himself, pulling the girl close to his side once he made himself comfortable.

Toby rubbed her shoulder, his arm around her in a secure hold.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes.

“What h-ha-h-happened, S-S-S-Sal?” Toby’s voice was warm, not pushy or pressuring, allowing her to speak if she was comfortable about doing so.

“Nightmare..” Sally mumbles out, coughing shortly after. Her hands were too shaky to sign anything.

Toby nods in understanding, licking his lips to wetten them before speaking. “I s-s-see.” He replied, tapping a finger on his thigh as it bounced up and down. “W-wou-wou-w-would you feel c-comfortable sh-sh-sharing what h-happened in it w-w-with me?”

Sally inhales deeply, her exhale terribly shaky. Toby squeezes her shoulder comfortingly.

“It was about the manor… other proxies..” Sally admits, her throat itching, saliva feeling as if it’s bruising the inside as it trails down her esophagus.

Toby thanks whatever god/gods that may exist that he has a half-filled plastic water bottle on his bedside table. He screws off the cap and hands the bottle to Sally, who drinks from it greedily, but doesn’t swallow all of it down.

“They had… killed you… and were… trying to kill me…” Sally takes another few sips after her sentence is finished.

Toby winces in sympathy. He knows too much how dreams about dead people, especially those you care about, can feel.

“I’m s-s-sorry that happened, S-S-Sal..” Toby murmured, pulling Sally closer to his side. “How about y-y-you sleep I-in here w-w-wi-with m-me tonight?” He offers, and Sally immediately nods.

“Don’t leave me alone…” She seems to almost beg, her voice croaky. She cuddles closer to him, gripping a part of his shirt in her fist.

“I won’t. I-I promise.” Toby pulls her into a tight embrace.

Sally felt cold.

The cold that seeped into your skin and through your bloodstream, freezing your bones with a chill so strong it hurt.

Sally wasn’t new to freezing temperatures, it snowed around where the manor was located pretty often. It was beautiful.

The way the snow dusted the leaves on the trees, covered the ground in a sheet of shining white, it mesmerized her. How precious nature was, how gorgeous Mother Nature created her children.

She also knew how harsh winter could be. Cold and harsh winds that pushed snow around in violent waves, obscuring travelers vision, getting them lost, making them suffer a slow death of the outside’s cruelties.

Mother Nature was something Sally always yearned to experience, and something she feared at the same time.

It made sense why the other proxies hated doing mission in this weather. They couldn’t feel pain though, so the frigid and icy winds didn’t affect them much. Perhaps it was just how tiring and annoying it was to trek through the snow? Sally could understand that.

She wasn’t allowed to do missions until the weather cleared up whenever these seasons approached. She already wasn’t put on many missions because people hated working them with her, so the fact she couldn’t go on any missions at all during these times felt like she was being locked up.

Especially since she was restricted to her room almost every day of the week.

However, she recently found a way to pick the lock on her door. She hadn’t used it officially though, fearing she could get caught.

She did use it the next time Slender relayed a mission to the others though. It was a mission for Brian and Tim, to kill two hikers that were getting too close to the manor, and return them to Slender to feast on.

Sally stood at the top of the stairs, ears perked up at the voices from the below, breaths purposefully slowed and shallow as to not be heard.

Slender’s hearing was terrifying sometimes.

Sally knew she had to get out of this fuckass house eventually. So, she did what any pre-teen who hated their environment would do; she snuck out.

She’ll complete that mission, show Slender she’s component enough to do more, and get back to the manor to watch Brian and Tim wallow in their failure.

Or, she could mess up horribly and actually pass away. Either way seemed like a win-win to her.

Sally was freezing. The harsh reality of what she was going to do hit her like a ton of bricks.

She was gonna kill someone. An innocent person just trying to hike.

She steeled her nerves as she got closer to the route hikers normally took in these woods. And she saw them, chatting and laughing, looking cozy and warm in their winter jackets and snow pants and boots.

It happened in a blur, and Sally stood in red-stained snow, watching the second man fall to the ground, face-planting into the snowy ground.

The red shined as it sunk into the white wonderland she was surrounded by. It was oddly gorgeous, in way she never knew it could be.

Sally didn’t process she had descended to her knees, the frigid cold piercing her skin, burning her before it turned into a sense of numbness.

She couldn’t feel her face, or her hands. She could see the blood that stained her fingers though, the dripped into the snow and made little circles.

She killed them.

The didn’t feel the tears that feel from her eyes, that singed her cheeks a brighter red than before.

She was cold. She was so cold.

Tim didn’t feel much for the kid. He never wanted children, never liked them much either.

She was quiet, Tim knew that. Incredibly so.

He could see her using sign language, getting frustrated when no one understood her. Tim felt a sense of pity for her, having to navigate this house and the residents that lie inside.

He felt an immense sense of guilt whenever he was the one who had to lock her up in her room.

Her pleas, raspy and never loud enough, how she begged and cried promises that she’d be good, she’d be better. Even when she hadn’t done anything and the others were just being dicks.

She looked happier lately though, always hanging around Tobias, smiling and allowing his affections.

Tim hated Tobias, yet he couldn’t help but wonder what had made the two of them so close.

His boots crunched in the snow as he walked, Brian next to him and leading the way towards the way the two campers should be.

The man froze once they got close though.

“What’s wrong?” Tim came to stand next to him, looking ahead.

Was that-?

“SALLY!” Tim’s body moved on its own, kneeling in front of the kid, who was lying on her side, her body stiff, lips blue. Her fingertips were red, white at the very tips, as were her ears.

“Tim.” Brian muttered, and Tim finally noticed the two corpses of the hikers they were sent to kill. Then he saw the girl’s hands; red and messy.

“Shit-“ Tim pulled the kid up and into his chest, shrugging off his jacket and wrangling the kid’s limbs into it, zipping it up once he did. “She’s got hypothermia.” Tim murmured, voice slightly panicked as he lifted her into his arms, holding her against his chest, her chin on his shoulder.

Brian inhaled a sharp breath, “Slender isn’t going to like this.” Tim nodded his agreement.

Sally pressed her face into Tim’s shoulder, her shoulders shaking. He was surprised she could even move, yet he rubbed her back, hopefully being comforting.

Poor kid.

Toby couldn’t be more glad when the two men returned, rushing downstairs in a frenzy. “Have y-y-yo-you g-guys s-s-s-see-se-s-seen S-S-Sa-S…..” his words died in his throat when he saw the girl in Tim’s arms, shivering and crying silently.

He ran towards them, his eyes raking over Sally, noting her blood-coated hands and the parts that were unnaturally red from the cold.

“I-Is-Is s-sh-s-she-she-? H-H-Ho-How did- g-give her to-to me-“ Toby rambled, his tone crazy with panic and concern, his eyes showing nothing other than worry.

“No, she’s in critical condition. We need to-“

“I wasn’t asking.”

Toby’s voice was harsh, his eyes glaring at Tim so fervently you’d think he was about to kill the man right then and there.

His threat was clear in his tone.

Silence surrounded the four of them so thickly it made it seem like everything else wasn’t even real.

Tim handed Sally over to Toby, who took her immediately, fussing over her and holding her tightly.

His little sister.. god-

He shot the other two looks, his eyes narrowed. He hated both of them with a passion, but, they did find Sally.

“Thank you. F-For bringing her b-ba-back.” He gritted out, swallowing down the disgust at having to even speak to them. His gratitude was genuine in his tone though.

Tim nodded and Brian just looked at him.

Toby headed upstairs with Sally. The girl was freezing.. he’ll start up a warm bath and the two can build a fort and watch movies or whatever afterwards.

Leaves crunched underneath Toby, winds howled through the trees surrounding him.

It was silent, eerily so.

Toby felt a sinking sense of dread climb into a his throat, digging a pit in his stomach so it could reside peacefully.

He kept walking, slowly making his way through the confusing trails of the forest.

Then, the metallic sense of blood filled his nostrils suddenly, and his eyes widened.

It was fine, probably just some random person that wandered in too far. Nobody he should… worry.. about.

Sally lay on the ground in front of him, her body incredibly still, yet her breathing erratic.

“Sally-?” Toby’s voice was barely hearable, sounding more like he was whispering rather than actually speaking.

He sprinted towards the girl, dropping to his knees and turning her onto her back.

His body stilled as he saw her eyes.

They were a milky white, almost blending with her irises, yet having a gray enough rim to tell she had pupils. Her cheeks were stained with tears, which still currently fell from the girl’s eyes.

Her eyes were completely blank, yet still seemed hurt? Toby didn’t know.

“Sal- Sally, hey! Hey! Look at me! Come on- Toby’s right here!” Toby cupped her face, his other hand holding her hand tightly. “Big brother’s right here! Come on, Sal- just- come on- Tobs is waiting for you to wake up! It’s time to wake up!” He seemed delirious now, a manic grin covered his face as he spoke.

“Please, Sal- I can’t lose you too- just wake up- FUCK! Wake up, Sal!” The salty taste of his tears touched the tip of his tongue. “Please- please! Stop it! Please- please- please- I’m sorry! I don’t- please-“ He couldn’t breathe. He was drowning, suffocating.

His head tilted downwards as he gasped for air, sobbing. He screamed, his shouts breaking off into cries as he looked back up at Sally.

Not her. Please- anybody but her. Take him! Get rid of him- why does she have to die? This isn’t-

“GOD! FUCK!” His teeth were gritted, groaning rising from his throat and trying to shove their way from his mouth, making them muffled as his teeth held them back.

He handled Sally’s body, her limp head now resting on his shoulder, his hands resting on her back as he squeezed her tightly.

Her arms lay limp at her sides, her chest never moving along with her breaths. She was cold. She was so cold.

He wrangled a hand into her hair, petting and running his fingers through the strands. She wasn’t dead- please- she can’t be dead-

He gasped and hiccuped into the nothingness that surrounded them.

“It hurts..” Toby froze at the sound of her voice. He pulled her back, watching her face contort with pain as she spasmed.

“Sally- SAL! You’re gonna be okay, OKAY?! You’re going to be alright! I-I’ll save you! I’ll help you!”

“It hurts so much..” She whispered, her face relaxing as it tilted back.

“Sally-? Sally- Sal-“ She stopped moving, stopped breathing. She was colder than before, and her eyes were half-lidded, her pupils still barely visible.

Toby sat there, his breaths short, quiet.

He knocked his forehead against the girl’s chest, and screamed. He screamed until his own chest hurt, he screamed until his throat was dry, he screamed until he couldn’t breathe anymore.

He screamed for the sister he lost.

Again.

Toby sat up, shifting the covers off of him as he heaved for air, gripping the front of his shirt in his fist.

Sally. He needed to check on Sally.

He shoved the covers off of him as he stumbled out of bed, rushing out of his room and towards wherever Sally’s was.

He slammed open her door, waking up her and anyone else who resided in a room near hers.

Didn’t Tim and Nina have a room around hers? Whatever.

“Toby..?” Her voice had its rasp again, unlike her voice in the dream. It was tired, confused, not hurt or in pain.

Toby staggered towards her, falling into her and bringing her into a strong embrace.

Sally understood immediately, reciprocating the hug, balling the cloth of his shirt in her hands to show she was there.

She wasn’t gone, she was present, she was still physically here.

He felt lingering eyes at her doorway, watching the two of them. There were two pairs, one confused, one concerned. He couldn’t care less.

“S-S-So-Sorry.. just… n-n-needed to c-ch-ch-check on y-yo-y-you.” Sally’s eyes held understanding. Her eyes.. they were green, not a grayish white, and they still had a glint of life in them.

“Want me to spend the night in your room?” Sally signed, raising an eyebrow to state the fact it was a question.

Toby nodded, helping the girl from her bed.

When he turned around—Sally’s hand in his—he saw Tim and Nina at the door.

“You alright?” Nina asks, her brows furrowed in something resembling worry.

Toby nodded, dragging Sally along with him as the two exited her room.

He didn’t even notice the fact Tim didn’t have his mask on, and his back was turned before he could see the way Tim’s eyes widened in concern at his tear-streaked face.

Sally squeezed his hand softly in comfort, and he squeezed back.

His little sister wasn’t gone.

His little sister wasn’t gone.