Masks

Chapter 36

The passing days blurred together. Cold rain poured down outside and through the holes in the ceiling. Foggy memories of Masky coming back at some point to move me away from the growing puddle around me mingled with my nightmares- a little late but perhaps he could remember me treating his head injury.

At this point I felt too weak to actually leave and merely slipped in and out of awareness. The only thing going for me was the fact Hoodie hadn't returned- as far as I was aware. I didn't care who he'd been to Tim before; if I ever got the chance, I'd probably try to kill him for this.

"The Operator... could've... could've gotten him..." I shivered, pulling my jacket tighter against me. "Tim... does... he know where I am? Doubt it ..."

I coughed, my throat burning from the lack of water, and closed my eyes again. Reality drifted in and out just as it had been since The Operator's appearance. At times I thought I could hear someone outside but passed it off as my imagination... Until the footsteps grew closer. I stayed still, hoping whoever it was wouldn't notice me lying helplessly in the shadows behind the counter. The intruder wasn't even trying to be quiet as they moved around the building, the sound stopping now and then as if they had found something of interest.

"What if it's that proxy woman? Or Toby?" I almost wanted to risk dragging myself to my feet to check, but even lifting my head made my trembling worse with the effort.

The steps grew closer before a shout of alarm rang through the building. "Ash? ...Oh please no... Ash!"

I barely shifted my head to look back at Tim as he got closer before feeling the pull of sleep again. Guilt went through me as I heard the fear and self blame in his voice but I found I couldn't respond. "No... no, no, no... Ash, I can't lose you too."

"Too?" Confusion went through me for a second before I remembered who he was talking about. "Right... Jay... He lost Jay to this mess before."

He brushed the hair away from my neck and I forced myself not to flinch as he skimmed over the bruise. I heard him give a sharp inhale before gently pressing against my neck to check for a pulse- as if my trembling wasn't sign enough.

"I'm going to get you out of here, just hold on..." I heard him shuffle around the small space before feeling pain lace up my side as he picked me up. The hoarse hiss of discomfort made him hesitate before continuing, easily carrying me outside. "When I find Brian again..."

"I should've been stronger." I squinted to stare at the surroundings as rain began to fall on me. "If I could fight- if I had been able to escape- If I hadn't been such a coward... I'd be fine."

Another cough wracked my body; I felt so cold. Tim's grip tightened for a moment before I felt him put me in the backseat of a car. I continued shivering the whole way back despite blurrily seeing him turn on the heat. My legs nearly gave out from under me when I got out of the car and I reluctantly let Tim help me inside, once more feeling weak for not being able to do it on my own.

"It wasn't that long... I should be stronger than this." I slumped down onto my bed as soon as I made it to the bedroom.

I heard Tim leave and rummage around in the kitchen for several minutes. Between that and the rattling sound of my shallow breathing, I found myself drifting off once more... A hand shook me awake and I slowly blinked and turned to look up at Tim, my gaze sliding to the bottle of water and a plate of crackers he'd brought back with him.

"You need to drink and eat something." There wasn't room for an argument, not that I felt like trying.

My muscles slowly responded as I forced myself to sit up and take the water, slowly sipping at it. Even the small amount started making me feel ill and I sat the bottle on the table next to the bed. Tim was still patiently watching and I made myself take a cracker and begin eating it.

"I thought you were dead..." Tim sat the plate down next to me and ran his hands through his hair. "I was given some tapes and the second one... I- I couldn't tell. It looked like... I killed you. I didn't know where you were to start looking until I woke up in that area."

"It's... f-fine..." My voice was raspy despite the water.

"It's not fine! What if I had? Or what if-"

I coughed and put more energy behind my voice. "Stop. I-I remember... what happened. It was Hoodie... he-he set you up... to make you look like t-the cause... H-he was using Masky for getting rid... of me."

A fit of coughing began drilling a pounding headache through my skull. I stayed silent to catch my breath for a moment, motioning with a hand that I wasn't finished. "...Y-you said he was... against us... remember?"

Betrayed anger crossed Tim's face. "Brian knew I'd blame myself. This was a trap, just like he lured Jay to the college so Alex would kill him. I'm sure he had some plan to finish me off too."

"...I don't remember what happened... but I think I did something- encouraged him to kill me." It was difficult to concentrate with the pain radiating through my brain and I fell silent.

"Figuring out who's fault it is won't get us anywhere." His tone suggested he was still frustrated despite his words.

I hesitantly drank more water, before slowly lying down, aware Tim was still closely monitoring me despite his restless movements. "I just need rest... I'll be fine soon."

"You need to eat and stay hydrated- I probably should've taken you to a hospital."

"I don't need one." I coughed once more and shifted off my injured side with a low whine.

"Does it hurt?" It took me a moment to figure out what he was talking about.

I glanced at the scab peaking through the tear in my shirt. "No... It wasn't bad to begin with. Looks worse than it is."

"When I saw you get shot on that tape I thought it was going to be Jay all over again- that's how he got me." The bed dipped slightly as he sat down at the foot of it.

I scoffed. "Not dying... that easily."

He didn't respond and I settled for forcing down another cracker, hoping to show him my condition was better than I probably looked. All this talking had left me exhausted but I kept myself busy between sipping water, taking small bites of food, and pausing to let the nausea pass.

"I still need to go back to the old house... I need to get my strength back." I hazily thought back to the blood I'd coughed up after The Operator had appeared- not to mention how easily I'd been pulled under Slenderman's control before that. "It's getting worse. If that demon knows how to stop it... I need to find him."