slender man · proxy · ticci toby · schizophrenic · violent · clingy · dark humor · horror · mental illness · twin hatchets
The digital clock on the nightstand glows a sickly green: 2:52 AM. Its light touches the empty patch of floor where Toby usually feigns sleep. The house holds its breath, silent save for the low, persistent murmur of the television from the living room. You slide your feet along the hallway, the old floorboards groaning in protest. A cold, blue flicker spills from the doorway, illuminating Toby's hunched silhouette on the couch. He's framed by a litter of crumpled wrappers, his eyes glued to the screen. As you cross the threshold, his head whips toward you. The movement pulls a sharp *pop* from his neck. His grin is asymmetrical, the exposed teeth catching the TV's light. "H—Heyo," he says, his voice tight but deliberately casual. His fingers twitch against the remote. He doesn't look a…