Chapter Twenty Three

Jeff sharpens our knives before we make our way downstairs. On the first floor, I'm shocked when I see just how many people live here. With so many rooms, I would have guessed at least thirty. But down here in the living room, I only see at most around fifteen people lounging around. I look confused. Jeff leans more towards me as we walk down the giant staircase to the living room. 

"Slender likes fancy things, the house is more for show than it is to house people," Jeff says so only I can hear. I hear a chuckle. "There are maybe a handful more people who are probably already out killing, but this is pretty much it. You may not even talk to everyone, there are a few people here that I know I've maybe only talked to once." Jeff finishes and laughs. Just in time for us to make it all the way down the stairs. 

I feel eyes on me. With so little people here, it must be easy to pick out a new face. I see one staring at me more than the others, a guy with a blue mask. It looks like he is crying black liquid. I recognize his black attire from the barn. He was with the little girl I met earlier. I look away from his gaze quickly. 

Walking towards Jeff and me is a male wearing a white lab coat. Underneath are a white button-up shirt and black tie. His hair is shorter than Jeff's, but still long and black. It covers most of his eyes. Around his neck, I can see a mint green hospital mask that is pulled down from his mouth. His clothes remind me of Jeff's; white, but stained with red from past victims. As he gets closer, I see that his eyes aren't normal. The pupils are larger than normal, taking up most of his eye. They are a bright red color. His eyes seem to be twitching a lot as he stops in front of us. His smile makes me uncomfortable with how big it is. He grabs my hand himself and continues to "shake" it. 

"Why hello!!!" He says to me, his voice sounds excited. "Why you must be the new Misty! That is correct??" 

"Uh. Yeah." I say, a little uncomfortable that he is still holding my hand between his. 

"Well, I'm Dr. Smiley!! What a p-pleasure to meet you!!" He continues, his smile twitching. "I've heard so much about your coming. So has Jeff gotten around to fu--" Dr. Smiley starts to say.

"Smiley. Shut it." Jeff cuts in. I look back and forth between them, confused. 

"Well, I think it's only right the girl knows--" he starts to say before Jeff cuts in again. 

"Get the fuck away from here before I make another deal with Zalgo and kill your ass too," Jeff says harshly. I look back and Dr. Smile's face is now serious. No smile, no twitch. Just dead serious. Then he looks to me, looks down at our hands. 

"I'll be seeing you. Misty." He says before another smile appearing in an instant on his face. He drops my hands and walks away. This gives me chills down my spine. I look at Jeff, he looks pissed. 

I look away from him again and back to the group of people. The guy in the blue mask is walking up to us now. He is a little smaller than Jeff but still towers over me.  He looks between Jeff and me.

"So this is the human?" The guy says. Jeff smiles. 

"If Slender approves tonight then not for long." Jeff smiles at him and laughs. I look at Jeff confused. What does that mean? I look back to the guy with the blue mask, he looks down at me. 

"Cool. We haven't had a new one in a while." The guy says. "I'll maybe catch up to you guys later tonight." He says and then walks away. I go to ask Jeff about what they mean, but that's when Slender speaks. 

"Okay. We are in our normal groups, everyone, apart from Jeff. He will be with Misty now." Slender radiates. Everyone glances towards Jeff and me and then starts heading out. We follow them to the portal. 

"Remember, hang on to me," Jeff says quietly. I nod. I watch as people go through the portal in small groups, then it's our turn. We walk through, me holding on to Jeff again, and before I can count to 10, we are in a new place. 

"Are we still in Seattle?" I ask. Jeff shakes his head. 

"Maine," Jeff says. My eyes go wide. 

"Holy shit..." I say. Jeff looks serious as we walk through the dense woods. "What were you and that guy talking about?" Jeff looks at me confused. "The guy in the blue mask. 'If Slender approves' and that stuff?" I finish. 

"Oh. That's Eyeless Jack. Just Jack." Jeff says, then he is silent for a few minutes before continuing. "Slender will be watching. Well, watching us in particular. Just to make sure you actually kill. Don't put up a fuss, if you just go for it, he will pretty much approve and he will make you an unnatural. The process is fast. Don't worry. I mean you get a mad headache, but it's an easy process. Then after that, I will no longer be in debt with Zalgo for Killing Jane." Jeff smiles at the thought. I nod slowly. 

"Who were the three teens you killed?" I ask, remembering the deal Jeff made with Zalgo. Jeff laughs. 

"Didn't think you would want to know..." He mumbles. "There was a girl in Virginia, then that Cathy girl in Seattle." Jeff laughs again. "The girl that your family first noticed me with. Well, particularly your brother noticed me." Jeff says and smiles. I don't like that he knows that. "And for the third, well that's one of the things Slender was talking to me about. Zalgo has agreed to two teens... and then creating another unnatural--you. I just have to kill a little more often now." Jeff says and shrugs. Good. At least that means one less person dead... kinda. 

We continue walking through the forest until we get to this log cabin house. It's against the coast. Jeff puts up his hood as he gets closer and I decide to do the same. We approach the second-floor window just like we always do. Jeff climbs up and checks the place out. Then after a few minutes, he pulls me up. I see that this window is a hall window, doors line the hall on either side. It looks to be about 4 rooms, at least on this floor. 

"Any downstairs?" I whisper. Jeff nods. 

"Two teens up here, then downstairs there is a couple who are maybe the parents, and then an older couple. Maybe grandparents? Total of 6 people." Jeff says quietly. "I was thinking you get the teens, I'll get the parents... and how about we do the older ones together...?" Jeff finishes. Together? Odd. But I nod to him. He stares for a second and then nods back. I watch him slowly walk down the hallway and disappear down the stairs. 

I walk to the room closest to me. No one. The next room is a bathroom. It must be the two end rooms. I walk through the door with pink stickers on it. Inside I see a room mostly covered in pink, and then my eyes go to the person lying in the bed. 

Here we go again.