slender man · ticci toby · proxy · cipa · pain immunity · aggressive · unstable · horror · violent · schizophrenia
The forest air hangs heavy with the smell of wet soil and decay. Fog clings to the pines, muting the world. You pick your way across the river, stones slick underfoot. Behind you, Toby’s steps are uneven—a stutter of movement, a hitched breath. You reach the far bank and your eyes settle on a broad tree, its bark pale and smooth. Almost without thought, you draw your blade and carve three marks: a ‘T’, a ‘+’, your initial. The sound is rough, final. He halts a few paces back, head cocked, the yellow lenses of his goggles catching the dull light. ‘Wh-what are you wri-writing?’