Dexter Morgenstern - The Slender Man

“You can’t keep ignoring the doctor like this though. You and I may both know you’re not crazy, but if you don’t prove that to him, he can have you locked up, and then there will be little we can do to protect you from him ,” she says.

“What can protect me at all?” I ask.

“You have to listen to me Alyssa, give these men the information they want. Even if it’s just a wild goose chase, it will give them something to go on, and then we’ll figure something out,” she explains. I admire her wisdom and nod my head.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes.” She exits the room, and almost immediately after her departure, Doctor Filbert reenters. This time he is holding a bottle of Sprite. He waves the bottle, nonverbally asking if I want it. I could use a soda, at least if I’m going to be dealing with this guy.

He sits back in the chair opposite and doesn’t even wait for me to finish opening the Sprite before he starts talking. He doesn’t repeat his first questions, instead he moves on. He asks a lot of redundant ‘how am I feeling, what am I thinking about right now’ questions that make me think he’s not really the best doctor to have out here. Eventually he does try to figure out exactly what I was doing.

It’s mutually understood between Bubbe and me that I can’t just tell him that I ventured into the woods trying to rescue Shana from an entity, but I do have to give him a story that adds up. I’m not able to just think up a lie, not with my current state, but I do manage to leave essential parts out to make a linear story. It seems like his whole inquiry will answer the questions the police may have too.

“So let me get this straight, you were distraught about the loss of your friend. So you proceeded to steal a woodcutting axe to take your anger out on a tree that always bothered you when you ran by it?” he asks.

I nod, hoping that doesn’t ‘prove’ to him that I’m mentally insane.

“While venting on this tree, you cut one of the branches off, but then you hear something. You chase after it and find Shana lying on the ground in the woods. She didn’t appear to have been attacked or raped, but looked like she had just run from something and was too exhausted to push further?” he continues.

I nod again. “You try and help her to her feet and while she is leaning against you, you hear a noise and think it might be whoever kidnapped her coming to take her back, so you pick her up and run as fast as you can in a panic?” he asks.

I nod for a third time. “And you managed to get away from him- if he was chasing you in the first place, and that’s where the police found you?”

“That’s correct,” I say.

“Alright, so that answers that. Now you said you were feeling anguished at the loss of your friend, which is what led you to attack the tree. Tell me, have you ever had any sort of destructive thoughts towards another person? For instance, people you don’t like, or maybe yourself?”

“You’re asking if I want to hurt people because of what happened to Shana?” I ask a little miffed.

“Or yourself,” he corrects. I shake my head.

“No, I didn’t even have too much of a problem with the tree. I just, don’t have a diary or punching bag and it’s creepy anyway, it felt like it would help,” I explain, hoping he isn’t about to say I’m a danger to those around me.

He gives me a little nod before speaking again in his squeaky voice. “Alright, so I can understand how you’re feeling. I’ve met a lot of people who take their emotions out in worse ways, but a lot of their actions start out like this, and then they sink into depression. I am going to suggest you do something to help with your emotions. You should maybe invest in keeping a diary, maybe get a stress ball, anything to help you vent without being destructive. I’m also going to give you a little medication to help with your feelings until things aren’t so overwhelming for you.”

“Medicine? I’m just sad I don’t think I really need any type of medication,” I protest.

“Alyssa, you’re stealing, sneaking out of your house at night and venting your anger in destructive ways. It is my job to set up some precautions to help make sure that these unhealthy behaviors don’t escalate. This medicine will help, but I need your commitment. Do you have any ideas on how you’re going to handle your emotions from now on?” he asks.

I draw a blank. I don’t have too many hobbies and normally I’d vent all of my problems to Shana, but now she’s dead.

“Do you have something you enjoy doing with your spare time? Do you like to read, or write? Maybe some art?” he suggests.

“I play guitar?” I answer.

He nods. “Well, why don’t you practice writing some new songs on your guitar when you’re feeling down?”

“I- I’ll give it a shot,” I answer.

He writes some things down. “Alright, I’m going to hand this prescription over to your parents, and I’m going to give you my card. I hear you’re going to Michigan, but I will need you to call and follow up with me every week okay?” he asks. I nod. He gets up and leaves the room.

As the door opens I can hear a hysterical woman. It’s Mrs. Hawthorn. I put my hands to my face, listening to her cries. She’s begging the police to find out who did this to Shana. As her pain radiates out, I can feel it. She’s lost both of her children, all her family has worked for. Her dream was to raise her kids, send them off to college, and then retire with her husband. Now she has no children, and wants whoever is responsible- the fiend, to pay. I can’t blame her, but as her cries hit me, I feel his presence. It’s here to either stalk me or revel in her pain- probably both.

“Just go away. You’ve done enough damage. Just leave us alone,” I mutter under my breath, so quietly that I can barely hear my own voice.

Sheriff Fraser enters.

“Time to go,” he says.

I look at him. “Go?” I ask.

“You’re free to go.” I slowly rise to my feet and begin to walk out.

As I approach him, he gives me a sincere look. “I’m sorry for your loss. We are doing everything we can to put an end to this. I want to thank you. You’ve given us some hope that the rest of the missing children may be alive. We aren’t going to stop looking until we find each and every one of them, and put the crook behind bars. I need you to stay strong, and be careful.”

His words ring in my ears. How many times have people tried to comfort me? There’s Bubbe, the doctor, my mom… It’s like everyone is counting on me, but no matter what the police do, the only way they’ll get the children back is to pull them from the shadow world. The only reason I was able to get Shana back was because I hacked off that totem-branch and then pulled her out myself. Maybe if that tree gets cut down they’ll stop other kids from being kidnapped, but I doubt that would bring the ones already taken back. Even when I removed the branch I still had to manually pull Shana from the shadow world. The sheriff is wasting his time.

I strum a few notes on my guitar. I’m sitting on my bed, waiting. I’m at least humoring Doctor Filbert by trying my guitar, though I don’t know what good it will do seeing as he doesn’t know the truth of the story. I don’t know what I’m waiting for, maybe I’m just trying to pass the time.

We aren’t going to make it to Michigan today. After what happened my parents are trying to help the Hawthorns. I’m not sure what they plan on doing to help, aside from keeping them company by sitting shivah with them, but they’re worried that with the confirmed death of their last daughter, that they might just give up and end their own lives. That’s why they didn’t let Adam or me go with them…they figured there is no need to flaunt their two still-present children in the Hawthorns’ faces.