Return of The Slender Man Ch. 02

12:10am, Saturday, April 21st. I drove up the road to Point Hollow. The streetlamp at the end of the drive was working, adding to the bright blue LED lights of my lightbar on top of my Police SUV. I turned so that my headlights were bathing the front yard, and called into the radio my location and a request for backup. The Duty Desk acknowledged the call.

I then got out of the car. I was wearing all black, with my 'girdle' under my shirt, and a standard black armored vest with 'POLICE' in white on the back over the shirt. My khaki-colored Tilley Hat was on my head, and my red crowbar was in my hand.

As I walked slowly into the front yard, I heard sirens, then saw the faint blue lights of Police vehicles coming my way. Someone else must've found the flashlight and seen the message, I realized.

I did not hear anything but the wind blowing through the trees, but I felt the presence of something... something powerful... something evil. I was looking at the dark, empty house, wondering if I should go in, when something on the wind whispered for me to turn around. As I did, the Slender Man stepped out of the copse of trees and into the yard, facing me.

We were 75 feet apart as I turned to confront him. He didn't move, just stood there with his hands to his sides, his featureless face seeming to be staring at me as Police cars came up, some down the driveway, some up the two-track dirt road through the trees by the River. Point Hollow was surrounded, but with only me between Slender Man and the State Line behind the house.

I felt my heartbeat building as I felt the Slender Man seeming to reach out to me with mental energy. I pushed back mentally, then faintly heard Myron Milton's voice somewhere to my right: "I've got seven IR signatures in the woods, and I've got Commander Troy. I'm seeing that guy in the suit right in front of me... but he is not registering an IR signal."

That was all I needed to know, and the Slender Man knew it, too: the children were behind him, and I would have to go through him to get to them. So be it...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"He's attacking!" Teresa gasped as I took off running right at the Slender Man. "Hewitt! Get guys in the woods and get those kids while the Iron Crowbar is distracting him!" Hewitt and other Officers moved out, and into the woods from the side...

"Milton!" Cindy called out. "Get videocameras on this! Everything we've got!"

"On it, ma'am!" called out Myron. "Dashcams, videocams, and drones are on it..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As I ran towards the Slender Man, feeling as if I were running faster than I ever had before, it seemed as if tentacles were coming out of his back... or were those just the branches from the copse of trees?

It did not matter... I had a mission to complete, to get those kids back. And the one obstacle to that, the Slender Man, was in my way...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Teresa was about to run and help Commander Troy, but Cindy stopped her.

"What are you doing?" Teresa gasped. "I've got to help Don!"

"No, this is his fight." Cindy said, very sure. "I'm getting a vibe like I've never had before. We... we can't help."

And then Teresa felt it, too... she realized that Cindy was right, that she would have no hope if she joined that fight... and that her mission was to ensure the recovery of the children...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

An arm or tentacle seemed to reach out to me as I got to the Slender Man. I swung my crowbar and hit it, making solid contact. I pushed forward, swinging my crowbar at the arms that seemed to be coming out of me from every direction.

I felt like I was in a surreal zone, detached from the reality of the earth. I felt as alive as I'd ever felt before, more aware than ever before, seeing things almost before they were happening. I deflected every attempt to grab me, and despite Slender Man's attempts to move and avoid me, it was not enough. I swung my crowbar at his belly.

**WHAM!!**

I got him! I hurt the mighty Slender Man! I thought exultantly. A solid blow to his midsection. As I raised my arms to follow up, expecting Slender Man to double over, I heard noises in the woods. TCPD Officers had reached the kids, and were rescuing them. My mission was complete!

But the Slender Man did not bend over. Instead, he somehow managed to step back. I had not subdued him; indeed, I had merely made him mad. As I moved towards him to strike again, I realized that tentacles were surrounding me, and this time way too fast to counter in any way. I felt something wrap around my waist and lift me.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"What is that?" Teresa gasped as she saw sparks coming from the Commander's back. She began running towards the antagonists locked in combat, but this time she felt herself falling to the ground, and was unable to get up. Other Officers were also unable to come to the Iron Crowbar's aid, repelled by an evil energy...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I felt a violently sharp, hot needle of pain in my back, right where my damaged vertebrae were. It was as if the Slender Man was laser-drilling right into my back at its weakest point. I fended off attempts to grab my arms and my crowbar as I felt my legs go limp... I couldn't feel them any more.

This was it, I realized. My supreme moment. And then I saw one tiny chance. I saw Slender Man 'looking' up at me as he held me up and drilled into my back. I raised my red crowbar in both hands, and with every bit of power I could muster I smashed it down upon that featureless head...

To be continued.