Return of the Slender Man

This story is part of an ongoing series.

The chronological order of my stories is now listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and

constructive

criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Special note: There are *NO* sex acts involving anyone under 18 years old in this story, nor in any of my stories.

The Slender Man was

created

discovered by Victor Surge Knudsen.

Part 17 - Red Hot

"Whaa! Uhhh!"

I coughed as I woke up, the strong smell of ammonia filling my nostrils. I looked up to see Fire Marshal Zoe Singer kneeling above me, having administered the smelling salts.

"Uhhh... what happened?" I asked as I realized I was lying on my back in the yard of Point Hollow, just a few feet away from the copse of trees.

"Just lie still, Commander." I heard Cindy Ross's voice say.

"How long was I out?" I asked, as vivid images seemed to crowd my mind.

"Just a few seconds." said Zoe. "The time it took us to get to you after you smashed Slender Man on the head."

"Where... where is he?" I asked, looking around. Seeing nothing, I tried to get up.

"Easy, Commander..." started Cindy. I was having none of it.

"Help me up." I ordered. When no one moved, I said a little more angrily "Help. Me. Up!" Seeing that I was going to try to get up anyway, Teresa and Hugh Hewitt moved in and helped me to a sitting position, then on up to standing. My legs could barely hold me, and the Officers didn't let me go.

"Where is he? Where is the bastard?" I asked.

"We don't know." Cindy said. "He disappeared."

"Walk him to the ambulance." Zoe ordered as I gaped, unable to speak. Teresa and Hugh helped as I walked slowly to the ambulance. My legs didn't want to respond to me, they seemed to be herky-jerky and all over the place. But by the time I got to the ambulance in the driveway, I was recovering the use of them.

"Where are the kids?" I asked, more calmly this time.

"They were all evacuated," said Teresa, "and they're being taken to the Hospital. You gave us time to get them out of there, sir."

"And Slender Man is gone?" I asked. "What happened?"

"Sir," said Myron, who had come up to me, "we all saw you swing your crowbar and hit that guy on the head. And then everyone says that some kind of flash of lightning blinded him or her. When we could see again, you were lying on the ground, and the Slender Man was gone.

"We are getting statements from everyone here." said Teresa. "Including the ambulance drivers and staff, and the Fire Marshal herself. By the way, sir, what do

you

remember?" At that point, I realized that I was being videotaped.

"Slender Man came out of the woods." I said. "I heard Myron say there were heat signatures of the kids in the woods, so I rushed the Slender Man. We were fighting, and then he was lifting me off the ground... and then... I swung my crowbar at his head... where

is

my crowbar, by the way?"

"Can't have the Iron Crowbar without his Palladium." Cindy said. That pawky sense of humor must be her defense mechanism, I realized as she said "I'll go get it." I watched as she went over to where I'd been laying and look around. A second later, she bent over...

"AAUUGHH!!"

Cindy had screamed as she picked up the crowbar, and dropped it like a hot potato. Zoe had rushed over.

"That thing is burning hot!" Cindy exclaimed as Zoe examined her hand. Fortunately, the burns were very superficial.

Teresa went over and held her hand out over my crowbar. "Damn, it's emanating heat. Serious heat, like a stove top. Someone get some tongs or an oven glove or something..."

Part 18 - Back to Back

2:00am, Saturday, April 21st. I was lying on my back on a gurney, having just had an MRI. Admiral Cordell and Dr. Morgan were looking at the results, along with X-rays.

"Don, I don't know what is going on," said Dr. Cordell, "but with you, I've learned to expect the unexpected."

"How's my back?" I asked, fearing the worst. My back was hurting, fire seeming to shoot up and down my spine. Slender Man had fucked me up pretty badly.

"That's the rub, Don." said Cordell. "Your back... seems to be healed. Your injured vertebrae are about like they were before, but the bones seem better stitched together. The disc implant between them looks to be in good shape, and again more tightly packed than before."

"Well, I did walk to the ambulance and into here." I said.

"Despite this." said Dr. Cordell, holding up my 'girdle'. A hole had been burned through it... completely through it. "Your back looks the same way; there's a burn on the back of it, which we bandaged up." My outer armor also had a hole through it, as did the black shirt I'd worn.

"And an even stranger thing, Don," said Dr. Morgan, "is that it looks like your spinal cord was severed, and then repaired completely. It's fine, but it looks like the nerves were spliced together again after being cut in two."

"Miracles of modern medicine." I quipped.

"Modern medicine well in advance of our time." replied Dr. Morgan. "Seriously, we do not have this kind of technology anywhere on earth."

"Here, sit up." said Dr. Cordell. He helped me to sit, then had me turn so that my legs were hanging over the side of the gurney. "Lift your left leg." I lifted my left leg, unbending my knee. "Now the other one." he said. My right leg kicked up. But pain shot up by back both times.

Just then we were joined by another doctor, and she was good looking. "Hi." I said. "You're very pretty. Can I take you to dinner?" Cordell and Morgan chuckled.

"You most certainly can, after you get out of here." said Dr. Laura Fredricson with a smile. She then turned to the other doctors. "How is he?"

"We were just telling him..." said Cordell. "He seems unhurt, but miraculously so." He explained the details to Laura, and showed her the X-rays, MRI scans, and the damaged armor. Laura was shocked.

The examination room was getting crowded as Teresa came in. "I brought your cane." she said. It was my sword cane. Teresa understood that a Clan Troy samurai had to be armed at all times, and she was taking care of her people.

"Doctors," said Laura, "why don't we talk outside." They all left, leaving me and Teresa alone.

"Sir," Teresa continued, "Dr. Mickelson asked if he could examine your crowbar, and I let him. It's cooled off a lot, but he said it's emitting a lot more alpha particle radiation as well as sigma radiation. They're going to wrap it in lead foil before giving it back to you."

"That'll work." I said. "I've got a couple left that the kids gave me... and speaking of kids, how are our rescued kids doing?"

"They're all physically fine." said Teresa. "Dr. Yates is getting the last of their statements. Laura also talked with some of them. None of them seem mentally worse for wear, either... except Zack Ridley. He's going to be undergoing a lot more tests."

"Good." I said. "Silver lining to this cloud: Zack needed a psychiatric examination before the Slender Man ever came for him---" Just then I heard a child crying in the hallway.

"That's Susie Haskins." Teresa said. "She's upset because you got hurt rescuing her and the other kids."

"That will not do." I said, putting on the black scrubs someone had brought over my hospital gown. "Help me up, please." I then moved to get off the gurney, and Teresa helped me. I was able to walk with use of the cane, though my back was shooting fire into my whole body with every step.

Going into the hallway, I went into the waiting room right across the hall. Susie was crying as she sat next to Cindy. Father Romano was also in the room.

"Mighty spry today, sir." Cindy said. That pawky vein of humor...

"I want to know," I said as I sat down in a chair next to Susie, "why this young lady is crying."

"Because you got hurt rescuing us." Susie said.

"Well, Miss Haskins," I replied, "as you can see, I'm not very badly hurt. Just aggravated an old back injury. So I appreciate the sentiment, but please don't cry for me, okay." Susie tried to dry up her tears.

"Can her parents take her home, Captain Ross?" I asked.

"Yes, she's been interviewed." said Cindy. "We'll talk to her again Monday, after she's gotten some sleep and some good food. I'll take her to her parents."

As they got to the door, I called out "Miss Haskins!"

"Yes sir?" Susie asked as they stopped. I looked levelly at her.

"All the other kids and my Police Officers are telling me that you took care of the other kids, kept them from being upset with your positive attitude, and even protected them from the Slender Man." I said. "That is both courage and leadership, and I shall not be forgetting your example of it."

"Thank you, sir." Susie said. "I... I didn't want to let Mrs. Veasley down... or Captain Ross..."

I saw the emotion spring into Cindy's eyes, and Teresa's, and it was hard to not display some myself as I said "I am sure that Mrs. Veasley is looking down on you now from Heaven above, and she is very proud of you, as am I. I'll let Captain Ross make her own statement."

"I'm very proud of you, too." Cindy said, hugging Susie. They left and went down the hall.

"Father Romano," Teresa said to the Catholic Police Chaplain, "this man never quits, be it rescuing children or inspiring them."

"Yes, we are fortunate to have his own examples of courage and leadership." said the good Father.

"Yezzzzzz, we are." said Chief Sean Moynahan as he came into the room. "Commander, you are AWOL from the examination room. Let's go." I got up, using the sword cane, and was escorted back to the exam room.

Once inside, Chief Moynahan asked Teresa to excuse him and me, and she left the room. "Commander..." he began, shaking his head, "you are limitlessly brave. You have no fear, and sometimes I wished you did. I have two problems right now. First, and this is unofficial... why did you go up there without informing others?"

"I was checking out the lead, sir." I said. "I did call for backup once I got there and determined that Slender Man and the children were there."

"And how did you know?" asked the Chief.

"My dashcam got interference and flicked out." I said. I didn't mention that the vibe I felt had been overpowering.

"Yes, it's a good thing you made that call for backup," said the Chief, "or I would be forced to take disciplinary action. This

is

official: next time, if there is a next time, make damn sure you take people

with

you instead of calling them after the fact. I've already told your Captains that, too."

"Yes sir." I said.

"And there is one other thing." said Moynahan. "I talked to the doctors about your back. They say you're okay, essentially unhurt, but that it's a fragile thing, and you need to take it easy and fully heal up. I know, I know, that's Doctor-speak, which you should be used to, being married to one." I nodded, another vibe coming to me about what was coming to me...

"This will hurt, but it is for your own good as well as the good of this Police Force." said Moynahan. "I cannot risk losing you, or having you incapacitated. Therefore,

you will not compete in the Police Boxing Matches next month."

A pain worse than my back filled my heart and soul, and I felt my head sagging as I looked down.

"I'm sorry," said the Chief, "I know how much you wanted to get back in there and kick ass... but I would be derelict in

my

duty if I let you risk being badly injured."

"I understand, Chief." I said miserably, not looking up.

"I think your wife is going to convince them to let you go home." said the Chief. "Give your videotaped statement to Goodwin before you leave. I'll see you later today, or Monday." With that, he left me alone in the room. Susie was no longer crying... but I was...

Part 19 - Heroes And Villains

3:00am, Saturday, April 21st. The kids were at The Cabin with their brothers, with Molly and my mother taking care of them, and Buddy and Bowser supervising. Laura had made up the sofa-bed in the greatroom so that I wouldn't have to climb the stairs. She helped me to lie down on the very stiff foam-like liner, with a thin pillow under the small of my back for further support.

My wife was wearing the blue scrubs she'd been wearing at the Hospital, which had seemed to be reassuring to the children as she helped examine them. She eased onto the bed with me and snuggled up next to me, her head on my shoulder and her breasts pressed into my side.

"So, just between us," she said, her voice little more than a whisper, "what happened?"

"What all of the Police said." I replied. "Slender Man was between me and the kids, so I rushed him. Got in some good blows, too. But then those... tentacle-like things picked me up, and he started shooting electricity or something into my back and my legs went limp. I swung at his head and solidly connected, and there was this huge flash of light... and the next thing I know, I was lying on the ground."

"Zoe said you asked how long you'd been out." Laura said. "Did you think it was longer than it really was?"

"You must be psychic." I said in a jovial voice, seeing where she was going with this.

"No, just a psychiatrist that knows my husband better than he realizes." Laura replied. "So, did you have a dream, or some kind of out-of-body experience?"

"Well..." I said, "sort of a dream, I guess. You'll think I'm crazy if I tell you."

"Too late. I already think you're crazy." Laura said. "You attacked the Slender Man tonight. You actually attacked him. So spill it." I chuckled, then began.

"Okay." I said. "You know how Carole and Marie like to watch '

The Flash

' and '

Supergirl

' and '

Legends of Tomorrow

' on TV..."

"Oh yes." said Laura. Indeed, Tuesday nights were big in the Troy household, as Carole would wear her Wonder Woman suit and Marie her Supergirl suit, and we'd watch '

The Flash

' live, then '

Supergirl

' and '

Legends

' on DVR.

"Well," I said, "I was dreaming that I was one of them, and that I had the power of every member of the Legion of Superheroes..."

"You do dream big, don't you?" Laura replied with a smile.

"Well, if I'm going to dream, I might as well dream big." I said. "Anyway, I had the power of Triplicate Girl, who became Duo Damsel in the comics after one of her three selves was killed. I had to split into three persons... one stayed there; one went into the Speed Force, which was getting pissed off after The Flash escaped it; and the third... was me, the Iron Crowbar, coming back into this world."

"Well, that explains how your back miraculously healed." Laura said, and I could not tell if she was going along with me or being derisive.

"As I was about to come back," I continued, undeterred and unperturbed, "one of the Legends of Tomorrow, White Canary, handed me my red crowbar and said 'This belonged to your grandson.'. I said something like 'And it will again.', and then I was waking up with Zoe putting smelling salts in my nose. And then Cindy got burned when she touched my crowbar. I thought it was hot just from exploding Slender Man's faceless head, but... who knows?"

Laura didn't say anything. I realized she had fallen asleep. I closed my eyes, but nothing happened. I still felt the heat and pain in my back, but no visions came to me, not The Flash nor the Legion of Superheroes, not The Slender Man, not even the Black Widow, Angela Harlan. Nothing came to me... but when I opened my eyes, the light of early morning was coming through the windows...

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

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded MILF reporterette from in front of Police Headquarters at 8:00am, Saturday, April 21st. "In a daring rescue and a confusing series of events, the seven missing children were found and recovered alive and well by Commander Donald Troy and the Town & County Police Force!"

Bettina started as I watched from the bed: "It is believed the children were being held in the area around Point Hollow in the northwest corner of the County. The Point Hollow grounds were searched by Officers and by drone coverage several times, so Police are speculating that the Slender Man was keeping them on the other side of the State Line, and that he brought them back over the line sometime last night."

Bettina continued: "Just after midnight last night, Commander Troy confronted the kidnapper, who was described by the children and at least twenty Police Officers as being very tall, wearing a dark suit and tie, and having no facial features. They also said that Commander Troy engaged the Slender Man in personal combat, giving Officers time to evacuate the children, who had been hidden in the grove of trees near the Point Hollow house."

"At this point," Bettina continued, "the story becomes unclear. First, watch this video taken by the TCPD at the scene. Roll tape." Tape rolled, showing me running and the Slender Man barely visible at the right of the screen. Then the tape went fuzzy as that drone/interference sound started up. Through the static, once could make out me swinging my crowbar around. Then a huge burst of light flooded the screen, and that was that.

"It appeared," said Bettina, "that lightning struck Commander Troy as he was apprehending the Slender Man. Now look at this." The camera panned to show Detectives McGhillie and Theo Washington. McGhillie was holding up my 'girdle', and the hole that had been burned into it was obvious. Theo was holding my outer armor, which was also damaged.

After Bettina pointed out the burnt holes, she turned to the camera and said "Commander Troy was struck by the lightning in the same vertebrae where he was shot months ago. Doctors are saying that he is relatively uninjured, and that it is a miracle he wasn't badly hurt or even paralyzed."

"Meanwhile," Bettina finished, "the children were examined at University Hospital and found to be unharmed physically. Most of them were in good mental spirits as well, saying that young Susie Haskins, one of the kidnapped children, took charge and kept everyone calm. Captain Cindy Ross issued a statement praising young Susie for her courage and leadership in the face of the horrific circumstances."

"However," said Bettina, "the criminal, known only as 'Slender Man', disappeared completely. It is believed he got away as everyone was blinded by the lightning blast and Commander Troy was knocked unconscious. The TCPD and FBI are continuing their manhunt for the criminal..."

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

"Yes," said the Chief as he sat in my office with me at 12:00 high noon, "that's the official story. Lightning strike, freak thing. It covers everything, from the damage to your armor to the perp getting a-way. And it make some sense... unlike the truth, which makes no sense even though everyone saw it happen."

In case you're wondering, the Chief was in my office, instead of me in his, because he had come in to chew my ass out for being at Headquarters instead of resting at home. I took the asschewing sitting in my chair, and once he was out of breath from using every word he'd learned in his years in the U.S. Army Air Cavalry, I asked him to sit down and tell me what was going on with Bettina's news report.

"Our biggest problem," continued the Chief, "is explaining how the Slender Man managed to get away. Rescuing the children is great, wonderful... but there is still fear out there that he is going to come back and kidnap more children."