Journal Entry #46 - The Threat

June 3rd, 2013, 10:23 Am

{NOTE: The next five entries, including this one, will conclude my recorded journal, for a total of fifty journal entries. I finally decided to release them to the public, seeing as how a new case is unfolding involving my niece.}

I got a text last night. From thealias. Now, I wouldn't have been too shaken up from that, if what happened later last night hadn't happened.

So let's back up. I had just finished dinner in my hotel room when my phone buzzed. ID was unknown, but it was signed by thealias.

Hello Inspector. Having 
a nice day? I'm here to 
inform you that you've 
got your nose in where 
it doesn't need to be. 
So either butt out, or 
something bad is gonna 
happen. You may know
what you're dealing with
with, but you have no
idea what POWER you're
up against. So sit back
and let me do what I do.
~thealias~

At the time, I didn't care for this threat at all. So I texted back.

Hello thealias. If you
had the balls, you'd
tell me this all in 
person. I won't leave
this alone.
~Kornelson~

I didn't get a response, which is just fine with me. I soon went to bed, but not even five minutes passed before I heard a sound at my window. Getting up, I opened the blinds to find absolutely nothing. "Really..." I said. I turned back to go to bed... and froze.

There was figure sitting on my bed.

Masky.

He had a pale white face, accompanied by hollow eyes filled with darkness. He simply sat, his hands folded in his lap. He wore ragged jeans and a plain black tee. He spoke to me, but not verbally. "Gregory... you're going to die if you keep this up." He stood up and took a step forward, now only six feet away from me. "We're busy right now, and he really doesn't need you interfering."

I simply smirked, hiding that I was actually kinda freaked out. "You think threats are gonna stop me?"

No expression could be seen on Masky. I don't think he even could make expressions...but if he could, he'd be smirking right back at me. "Oh Inspector. Not at all. I can't stop you from doing anything. I could kill you, but I'm not permitted to. He's being gracious. He's giving you a chance. I'm hoping common sense will stop you." All of a sudden, he was standing right in front of me, his face in mine. He seemed to be trying to sense what I was feeling. "You fear on the inside. You know this is an unnatural being to you. You don't know his capabilities... funny thing is, I don't even know what all he can do. But that's okay, I serve him without question." He backed his face away, standing in place. "Though it won't matter. Someone will be taking my place soon, and you'll find me hanging on a tree, drained of blood, and my organs on the forest floor." 

I blinked.

He was gone.

BZZT! My phone buzzed. Opening it, I read a new text message:

I told you... sigh. Stop
while you still can.
~thealias~

I laid in bed, shaking ever so slightly. Masky had been in my room, came and went... in the literal blink of an eye. I shook my head, snapping out of my slight panic. I was resolute. This was not going to stop me. Edward was missing, Kayle was missing, and Fear Dubh was still out there... the slenderman... haunting Duncan Woods. And for whatever reason, he wasn't leaving. Perhaps he was waiting for me  to leave...

Well. He was going to be very much disappointed. I wasn't going anywhere.

I'll be seeing you soon, Slendy...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #33 - Mission: New York

May 11th, 2013 - 8:49 Pm

Today has had it's twists.

I got to Fred's hotel room at about 8:20 this morning. Opening the door, I watched his calm demeanor turn into shock. His mouth dropped, and he couldn't say anything for a bit.

"G- Gregory!?"

I looked at him with an awkward smile. "Uh, yah. You emailed me?"

Fred's shock heightened. "What!? No, I didn't! I mean, it's good to see you again, but I didn't email you!"

Simply protocol, I gave him a printed version of the email he sent me. "It's right here."

He looked over it. "My gosh, it's all true too." he handed it back. "It's legit, but I swear, I didn't send you this. And my computer hasn't detected a hacker lately. Trust me, I would know." His eyes squinted. "How did you know where to find me?"

I bit my lip. This was weird. Like, really weird. "I... I don't know." I scratched my head. "I just kinda... knew."

We both just stared at eachother for a bit. "Um," he said, "you wanna, come in?"

I chuckled. "Sure."

We got comfortable in the living area and caught up with eachother. We hadn't talked in a while, and I wanted to know how the family was doing.

"So," he said, "you met anyone special yet?"

I smiled. "Not yet." I looked out the window. "Maybe one of these days though."

"How's Shelby?"

Shelby was my dog. She was awesome. She's been trained, a lot more though than just the regular stuff. She tracks better than any other mutt out there, and knows how to handle herself. I'll make sure to post a picture of her sometime.

"She probably misses me about now. She's at my sister's right now." I sat up straight. "Let's get to business. Since I'm here, you know I can't walk away. Let's start with the phone calls. What exactly are the phone calls saying?"

Fred shook his head. "I got no idea man. The people who get the calls can't say it back for some reason. It's like their brains won't let them say it out loud. It's strange."

"Is there any way I can talk to the guy mentioned in the email you didn't send me?"

He smiled. "His name is Vladimir. He has expressed his wishes of wanting to talk to a pro."

I stood up. "I'll start there then."

I got the address from him, and drove down to the Hospital. Like everything here, it was big, and it looked bigger inside. I got the room number for Vladimir and headed up. I knocked on his door.

"Come in!" I heard.

As I entered, Vladimir shooed the nurse out. She complied, hesitantly.

"Hey," Vladimir said, "Kornelson, right?"

I cocked my head. "How did you know?"

He motioned for me to get closer. As I got near, he started whispering. "Some guys in black, scared the (censored) out of me, visited me yesterday morning. Told me not to tell you anything. And I mean nothin'."

Can't people spare the language!? "About what?"

He smiled cunningly. "I had been getting some phone calls from some guy. I don't know who though. Kept telling me something bad was gonna happen." He looked at his legs, which were raised high and in casts. "No kiddin' right? Earlier that morning though, I saw this huge furry thing flying around."

I chose to ignore that last part for now. "Car crash right?"

He nodded. "Yup. Didn't see the red light." He smiled. "Once I got hit, all I could see was red."

I was a bit confused. "From what I've heard, people can't remember anything the caller said. How come you did?"

"My Mom came and rubbed some natural oils on my legs and head. After that, my memory came back. Before that, I didn't see any significance in the phone calls, or what the guy sounded like."

"What did he sound like?"

He thought for a moment. "Well, his voice was raspy. I was waiting for him to say 'I'm Batman', you know? But it wasn't too raspy. It was very understandable."

I nodded. "Well, thank you for your time. I think I got everything I need."

Vladimir jumped just at that moment towards me. "DON'T LEAVE ME!" he grabbed my shirt and pulled me towards him. As he did, I pushed the button that calls the nurse. He continued to yell. "HE'LL GET ME! HE'LL KILL ME!"

I tried to push away, but it was as if his strength doubled. "Who!?" I asked.

His grip loosened, but he pulled my ear closer to his mouth and whispered, "The Death Angel."

Someone pulled me back. I was whipped around and grabbed by the shoulders. It was the doctor. "You need to leave sir. Now."

I pulled myself away. "Of course." I tipped my hat and moved on.

I filled Fred in on the meeting, who was almost as curious as me about all this. "I don't know what got into him, but he had genuine fear. He was scared for his life. He didn't do that for you?"

Fred shook his head. "Nope. He was quite collected when I visited him. He wouldn't tell me anything though."

I nodded. "I think I'm going to do some research." I stood and grabbed my hat off the rack. As I placed it on my head, I said, "God protect you, and may He bless you."

He stood and shook my hand. "Thanks. You too."

I left with so many questions in my head. Who was the Death Angel? How did this connect to the mysterious phone calls, and Vladimir's car accident? Seemed to me that it was pure accident.

I'm not gonna get a lot of sleep tonight.

God Bless...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #27 - My Journey Into the Woods

April 8th, 2013 - 8:17 Pm

Saturday was, to say the least, interesting.

My search for the mansion described in Edward's post began in the woods directly behind his house. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit scared.

But hey, when it's time to man up, it's time to man up.

I walked straight from Edward's house, into the woods, for about ten minutes. I couldn't find anything, but I felt the most queer feeling. As if someone was watching me, and I didn't mind.

At all.

I forced myself to fear. I didn't want to be comfortable with the possible kidnapper watching me. I just couldn't. I had to strive to stay focused.

Fear is not of the Lord, but in this case, this kind of fear I believe was okay. It kept me away from danger. It was a holy fear I suppose.

I didn't dare look behind me, for I did not want to face the possible presence of the kidnapper. I didn't know if he was there or not, and yet I did. It's unexplainable, but you have to bear with me.

What the crazy thing is about all this, is that I don't want to look the kidnapper in the face! There I was, searching for the mansion, and then possibly him, and when I feel his presence, I can't force myself to turn and look at him!

As crazy as it sounds, I believe it was the right, and safe, thing to do. I would find all other possible information.

I continued walking. I eventually came to a nice small lake. It was quite beautiful, especially the way the sun was reflecting off of it.

Reflection.

I whipped out my custom pocket survival kit. Opening it, I found what I needed - a small mirror.

I took a deep breath, and slowly positioned the mirror in front of me to see who might be behind me.

My breath stopped. There, not twenty yards behind me (as far as I can guess) was the man I was after.

The Slenderman.

He was indeed tall, about eight feet in height. His legs and tall, thin body was what made up most of that height. He had no face, and yet he did. There were no eyes, there was no mouth, there were no ears or nose or hair.

And yet he seemed to have it all. It's as if all of the human senses was wrapped into one, and then thrown into his body.

Like all the descriptions I've heard, he wore a black, rather handsome, suit. The red tie made him complete.

I almost panicked. But then I remembered: he's been following me the whole time. Why attack me now? Perhaps he doesn't even know who I am, or that I'm investigating this whole situation. I decided that this was the case, and then decided that I was going home. Right now. But there was a problem with that. How could I turn around and go home if he was directly behind me? Who knows what would happen if he stared into me?

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to whirl around and face him.

He was gone.

It took every ounce of strength to keep my cool and not run back home like a little scardey-cat. I knew he was still watching me. This was his territory. He's just making sure of it by scaring the crap out of me.

It worked.

I found myself back in my hotel room fifteen minutes later, sweating uncontrollably. I had fear, but it wasn't bad. It was a healthy fear. It gave me a new respect for the enemy.

I will find his weakness and save Kayle and Edward from this monster, even if it kills me.

And he might just do that.

Pray for me brothers and sisters...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #25 - Where's Edward!?

March 30th, 2013 - 8:52 Pm

Um... WOW.

I left you hanging in the last post there... probably freaking out and all. Well, your questions will be answered.

I left right away to Edward's house. After his parents answered the door, I showed them my badge and asked them where Edward was.

"He's upstairs on his computer I believe..." Mr. Strausen said.

I ran.

Busting open the door, I soon discovered that Edward was gone.

I rushed back downstairs. "Your son is gone Sir. I have reason to believe that he's been kidnapped."

Mrs. Strausen gasped, and then sat down quickly in a nearby chair, placing her hands on her mouth.

I ran to the door. Throwing them my card, I said, "I'm going to search for him. If you find out any information, call me." I closed the door behind me, but then remembered something. I quickly opened the door and said very sternly, "And whatever you do, don't go into the woods." And then I left.

For the next two days, I searched everywhere possible. The church, Leroy and Bard's place, the park, and other places. All except for the woods. I feared that that's where Edward was.

I searched everywhere again today, but ended up where I started. Absolutely nothing. Until, that is, I got a call this afternoon from the Strausens.

I'll let Edward explain to you his side of the story, which he wrote in a blog post on Something Sinister:

I have been officially grounded. I don’t know when or if my parents will ever ungrounded me. And honestly I’m kinda glad that they have, this way if He tries to take me again, someone will know. On Wednesday day I got on my blog to try to put something up that now seems more like a waste of time, when I saw the post from thealias. I knew one thing—there was no way on earth that I was going to let an angry fairy kidnap me without a fight. I mean, I can’t just walk up to my friends and say “Hey guys, I got kidnapped and punished by a fairy,”—UNDIGNIFYED!

So I went to my closet and grabbed my Colombia saber knife and put it on belt. I hesitated for a moment but then went back to my closet to get another knife. I reached out to grab it when something hit my back that knocked every ounce of wind out of me. I turned to see what had hit me and saw that it was a bed. I had been hit by the bed but I’d fallen onto it and the mattress was really old and stiff, I sat up and just them I realized that it wasn’t my room at all. First, it was dark and there was an old chandelier on the ceiling, second; what light there was came from a full moon reflecting off of the snow outside the house, but as you all know there is barley any snow on the ground in Grand Haven today.

I got up and walked over and tried the door. It didn’t open. I was about to walk back and sit on the bed again when I heard a noise from the far corner of the room. I don’t know what was there, but what I did know, I didn’t want to find out. I ran to the door and twisted it furiously until something cracked on the inside and the door finally came open. I ran through it and shut it behind me. It hadn’t occurred to me that there might be something on this side of the door as well until I was already on the other side. My sighs of relief quickly turned to panicked breaths and my hands began to shake quite violently, for a moment, but then I thought. I had no proof that there was anything in here, why should my bones quake inside me?

And just as I began to relax I heard noises coming from the other end of the hall, which was full of doors, and in the very dim light that the hall offered from the two small windows at either end I saw a the figure of something unnatural that walked as if it’s legs were broke. My stomach began to lurch inside me again. I ran for the other end of the hall where I could see a banister. When I reached it, began to go down the stairs when I saw that whatever it was had gone. It probably went into one of the many rooms in the hall. I stood half on the stair case and half off looking down the hall as hard as I could, as soon as I would decided that it was safe to go back into the hall I would hear something from there, but I knew that I wasn’t going downstairs if I didn’t have to.

I don’t know how long it took me to notice but the landscape outside of the window I was next to was almost nothing like the one I’d seen from the bed room window, there I’d seen a yard with a forest of pine trees and all of it covered in snow; the one outside this window had no trees in any direction that I could see it was flat and open and snow covered. I decided that if there was a door, I could to that field and I would be able to see anything before it could get to me. So I went down stairs. I found a window that faced in the same direction but I couldn’t believe my eyes when I looked through it. There was a forest of oak trees I think. “Am I supposed to take this seriously?”  I muttered to myself. I had no more than finished when my text alarm went off. It was from thealias, and it read; “It doesn’t matter to us whether you believe us or not, it’s not our business.”

A few seconds later another text came, “Don’t look back.” At that time I’d turned with my back facing the window. My pulse rose. I didn’t know if there was something out there, but if there was I didn’t want to break the rules, not in there anyway. I walked into another room, and noticed that for a house of its size it was rather clean, but it was clear that no one lived there.  As I continued from room to room, I stepped on a floor board that squeaked quite loudly, I grimaced but kept going. I was no more than two paces from the spot when I heard it again, and my heart dropped. There was something behind me. But I kept walking. I went around a corner and through the corner of my eye I saw that whatever it was, was wearing a white lab coat, at least that’s my best guess. As I continued to walk the footsteps fell harder and harder behind me and whatever was following me began to wheeze audibly.

By the time I reached the kitchen I was at my wits end, trying everything not to look at it, but it would walk first to one side of me, then to the other. I almost wanted to blind myself, but not quite enough. I saw a pantry on one wall and I took a mad dash for it and shut myself in. facing the door I listened as that thing came closer, it’ wheezing growing louder and louder. It seemed like hours. It was walking so slowly and deliberately, my teeth started chattering. “Stop it!” I yelled at whatever it was. Who was I kidding? The footsteps stopped, but the wheezing turned into a hiss of maniacal laughter. I felt it grab the door knob and begin to turn it. My mind raced. My pulse beet like a hammer in my ears. My legs gave out. I couldn’t stand. I slumped forward onto the door.

When next I knew, someone was feeling my throat and my wrist. I would have said something, or moved, but I could not. I heard ambulance sirens and someone shouting “he’s in here!” but they never came. When I was able to move again, I rolled over and saw that I was in my bed room, on the floor, next to my bed. Evidently, I’d been missing for three days. My parents thought that I’d run off. When I fell through the door onto the ground I had been in Keon’s house. My parents thought I’d run off and broken in to Keon’s house. His parents didn’t press charges. But my parents are “very surprised at me” and I just don’t know what to do.

I have this feeling that Keon will want an explanation soon.

POSTED BY EDWARD STRAUSEN

And there you have it folks. Edward was kidnapped, and then brought back safely to his home.

I've been putting off visiting the woods for too long. I have to go soon, or not go at all. It's time to man up.

See you there...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #23 - Edwards Mistake

March 20th, 2013 - 8:47 Pm

Here's today's corresponding post from Something Sinister:

Today I went out, which is to say that mom kicked me out for the afternoon. So I went to Pottawatomi bayou Park. There is a nice board walk with a couple of benches that face the water. I sat there trying to figure out the latest riddle from thealias. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, he invents ways of communicating with me. I purposely don’t go to my own blog to avoid seeing he messages, so he goes and sends me texts with no number behind them. I turn off my phone, so he writes messages in word documents that he leaves opened on my computer—what’s next will he start taping notes to my computer screen?

‘Hello, Edward Strauβen

Staying inside will not help you. You fear those who seek to Free you. You seek to hide from us in your house, but even here, you are punishable. Find the key and follow us, we can help you.’

Whatever that means.  I was trying to figure it out when Bard came down the boardwalk. “Hey! Where have you been?” but the way he said it made me think that he was surprised that I was here. I sighed, and told him that he wouldn’t believe me if I told him. He sat down on the other bench and said “Try me.”

So I said, with another sigh; “After my cousin’s funeral, I had this suspicion that she hadn’t just been murdered. And I couldn’t shake it off. And now weird stuff is happening and no one except me notices.”

Bard thought for a moment. “Do you mean weird, like when you turn on the faucet at the kitchen sink and then you get sprayed by the hose-thing?”

“No, weird like; people breaking in to my house, this guy leaving messages on my computer and in my texts, and some abnormally tall guy following me around. I’m just trying to figure out how to deal with it.”

“Oh, good!” he said.

“Um—not good, this guy isn’t a guy…really…” I paused because I just could not believe the words that I was about to say. Just typing it out isn’t the same as actually saying it, and to be honest it almost made it feel scarier when I said it, “it’s… some kind of… thing-monster.” I sighed; again, I could not believe the words that had just come out of my mouth.

“let me see, what kind of peppers have you been eating before bed?” I was relieved to see that he was trying to rationalize the situation.

“You don’t believe a word of it.” I said.

He didn’t answer for a couple of seconds. “Well” he paused, “It does sound a little farfetched, even for you.” And I don’t blame him, If the man disappeared tomorrow, and never came back, I would be given to wonder if it wasn’t all some convoluted dream.

“All I know is what I think I saw, and what I think I saw is scaring the living daylights out of me.” We talked for a little longer and then he had to go home, and so did I. I wonder if telling him wasn’t the best idea.

I still don’t understand though, what was thealias talking about? What key? Follow them where?

POSTED BY EDWARDS STRAUSEN

Edward made a grave mistake. But a fair one.

He told someone about his problems.

Now, don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that you should always consult with someone about your problems. But in this situation, telling someone about what's going on can put you in danger. At the most, tell the authorities. Of course, they don't really help that much. In fact, sometimes they make it worse.

"I wonder if telling him wasn’t the best idea."

Me too Edward. Me too.
 
Think before you make your move...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry # 22 - Intentions...

March 18th, 2013 - 4:32 Pm

Here's today's corresponding post from Something Sinister:

Hello, Edward Strauβen

Staying inside will not help you. You fear those who seek to Free you. You seek to hide from us in your house, but even here, you are punishable. Find the key and follow us, we can help you

POSTED BY THEALIAS

Thealias strikes again, and continues to baffle me! Of course, this also proves that Kayle is not Thealias. Children don't know how to hack computers. You know, the more I think about it, the more I think that Thealias could be someone Edward knows. Someone close even. But is he working with the Slenderman, or trying to help Edward? If he's trying to help, he's doing a horrible job at it. Threatening only causes trouble. I know this, because I got a threat on Entry #16. But you knew that...

This is one twisted 'game'...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #20 - You have 1 new comment...

March 12th, 2013 - 7:45 Pm

Well, this is interesting.

I got a threat. On my blog! Can you believe it?

Someone commented a threat to me on post #16 - new culprit. I'm flabbergasted to say the least. Here's why. It is very possible that the kidnapper reads my blog! Which can't be good. He's following me as well!

Bring it on suger-booger...
Inspector Kornelson