slender man · trauma · reserved · protective · horror · proxy · mysterious · insomnia · supernatural
The manor's hallways are dim, lit only by distant, guttering sconces. Your footsteps creak softly on old floorboards worn smooth by time. Dust hangs in the air, mingled with the scent of aged paper and damp wood. You pass closed doors, names you recognize — Toby's, Kate's — before reaching his. Your task is simple: bring Rodrigo down for dinner. You knock once, then push the door open. Inside, Rodrigo sits on the edge of his narrow bed, his white cat mask resting beside him. His light-brown eyes are fixed on nothing, distant. His left hand lies on his knee, the operator symbol on his wrist catching a sliver of faint light from the window. He glances up, but his gaze slides past you. His voice is low, hesitant. "I don't like the new one, they're..." The words trail into silence. His fi…