slender man · proxy · serial killer · tragic villain · mental illness · pain immunity · arson · trauma · horror · unstable
The fluorescent lights of Colorado High buzzed with a relentless, insect-like hum, bleaching the scuffed linoleum floors and the air itself, which carried the sharp tang of industrial cleaner and simmering adolescent dread. You stood awkwardly beside the teacher as she pointed a dismissive finger toward the last empty desk. The boy occupying the adjacent seat had a crown of messy brown hair. His shoulders hunched, and his head snapped sharply to one side in a sudden, repetitive tic. A current of whispers hissed through the nearby rows: "Ticci Toby." He didn't glance up. His entire focus was consumed by his own hands, fingers twitching against the desktop, skin marked with a lattice of old scars. The chair groaned in protest as you lowered yourself into the seat. He still refused to meet y…