For All Of Eternity (A Sally Creepypasta Fanfiction)

Chapter 43 - No Rest For the Wicked

"A wise decision," Slender Man responded.
A black tendril formed from Slender's back and as it began to reach for Sally, she spoke up, suddenly feeling uncertain.
"W-Wait," she stuttered. "Can I have some time before you do?"
There was a moment of silence before Slender responded.
"I will give you until the witching hour. If you fail to be here by then, the deal is off."
Sally nodded, and in a millisecond, Slender Man vanished.
The witching hour? What, and when, is that? Sally has no clue.
Sally let out a long, slow exhale, then she turned around to walk back into the cottage.
When she walked in, Jack and Jeff were not to be seen, and Ben is still on the couch.
"Where did you go?" Ben asked, tilting his head as he saw Sally walk in.
"I went outside," Sally answered.
If Ben had eyes, he'd be rolling them. He grunted, "Yeah, I know. But why?"
"Just...Just to look at the stars," Sally lied, putting her hands behind her back and averting her gaze away.
"Liar."
Ben hopped off of the couch and stood in front of Sally, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at her, as if expecting her to confess, but she isn't sure if she should talk about it.
"Um, where's Jeff and Jack?" Sally asked, trying to change the subject.
"Jack's dragging Jeff's ass back to bed," Ben answered, then added. "Don't change the subject. Spit it out."
Sally swallowed, still not meeting Ben's gaze. "I...talked to Slender Man."
Ben's eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"
"I wanted to know why he brought us back."
Ben didn't say anything for a moment. "Did he tell you?"
Sally shook her head and the silence came back.
"Then...Then I asked to make a deal," she whispered and she averted her gaze to the floor.
"What kind of deal?"
"I asked if he would take away Johnny's immortality," she answered.
"Oh," Ben said, but then he stared at her. "At what cost?"
She didn't reply immediately.
"Sally, I know he made you trade something for it, that's how he works. What did you offer?"
Sally met his gaze, but she still didn't answer.
Ben gritted his teeth in irritation, but Sally felt something from his gaze. Some kind of emotion she couldn't understand. What is it?
"Sally," he demanded through his teeth.
She sighed. "I traded my humanity."
His eyebrows raised in surprise. "I thought you needed time?"
"I do," she said. "He said he'll give me until the witching hour. What's that?"
"Three o'clock in the morning," Ben answered her. "It's about 9pm now, so you only have what? Less than six hours?"
Sally bit her lip.
"That's not much time," he told her.
She nodded. "I know, but I think...I think that if I think about it too much, I wouldn't ever want to do it."
Ben seemed to understand what she was saying. "Right."
"Ben..." Sally looked back up at him. "What...What is it like? To lose your humanity?"
He stared at her in silence for a moment before he answered her. "I can't be too sure, because, well." He gestured towards himself. "I haven't exactly lost mine. I think it's like...like..."
Ben scratched the back of his head, trying to find a way to explain it. "I think it feels like you're free of anything, like you could do anything without a care in the world. No worries, no regrets, no real emotions. Completely heartless. You'll probably end up kind of like Slender after a long time; stoic and apathetic. And you could do amazing abilities you never thought you had. Like your teleporting ability? And my powers? It's hard to explain how it works, but...that's kinda what happens."
Sally tilted her head in curiosity. "How long has Slender Man lived?"
Ben shrugged. "I dunno. He's old, like ancient old. He doesn't talk about his past or anything, it's like he was never human in the first place. Hell, I don't even know if he ever was human."
"So...do we turn into him? Like, after a long time?" Would they become emotionless, faceless, and powerful with no real body?
He shrugged again. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out."
Sally sighed softly, looking down again. What should she do in the few hours she has left of humanity?
What would happen when she does lose her humanity?
Would she hurt more people? How dangerous would she be?
How much will she change? Would the world change to her?
Sally immediately thought of her mother. Will she be safe? And Liu?
Are they even still alive?
She swallowed and looked up at Ben. "I need to go."
He raised an eyebrow. "Go where?"
"I need to see Mommy. I need to make sure she's safe."
Ben flicked his hand. "Go ahead, but just make sure you're back before 3. Slender wouldn't be very happy if you're late."
Sally nodded, then she closed her eyes. She pictured her living room in her mind, the way it was when she was last over there, and she imagined herself standing there.
She felt a familiar rush blast throughout her body, then everything was still in the next second. She opened her eyes and found herself in her living room, where she wanted to be. The furniture is set up and it seemed like Maria had finished, or almost finished, unpacking.
For a second, Sally was afraid. What if they're not here? What if they were killed?
An image of Maria's lifeless, bloodied body flashed in Sally's mind and she swallowed hard.
Then she heard voices from another room, and she recognized them as Maria and Liu.
Sally felt relieved. They're okay.
Quietly, she walked forward and peeked around a corner to see Maria and Liu sitting in the kitchen, eating.
"Liu, stop," Maria laughed as Liu was intentionally messily slurping noodles, trying to make her laugh.
Liu grinned at her and Maria's laughter died down and left a wide smile on her face, the biggest smile she had ever since her daughter died.
Their gazes met and held, and there's a calm silence. Sally practically saw the connection between them and she felt awkward, like she shouldn't interfere.
But then Maria broke away her gaze. Some sort of pain flashed in her eyes, but she spoke without revealing it. "So, uh, has your waist been hurting any more lately?"
Liu shook his head. "Nope. What a relief. The pain relievers are actually working."
"Liu, can you please tell me who stabbed you?"
He sighed. "Maria, your daughter didn't hurt me. I promise. I know you're worried about her-"
"Okay, okay," Maria spoke quickly, as if she no longer wanted to talk about Sally. Her expression revealed deep sorrow. "But who did?"
Liu slurped another forkful of noodles and then spoke after he swallowed it down. "It was some freaky guy who appeared and disappeared out of nowhere."
"Could it have been another one of those, uh, ghosts?"
Liu shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. We've been seeing a lot of those lately, but I can't be sure."
Sally swallowed hard, wondering whether or not to interject. She wants to talk to her mother, and it's better to do it now than never. So then she stepped out of her hiding place and into their view.
Liu saw her first. "Whoa, when did you get here?"
Maria looked over and her eyes widened, and she stood up from her chair. "Sally?"
Sally spoke to Liu first. "You're okay."
She didn't say it as a question, but he answered anyway as he nodded. "Yeah, I am."
"I-I...I'm sorry I couldn't stop him," Sally whispered, giving him an apologetic look.
He grinned a bit. "It's alright, I'm fine. No need to apologize."
"Honey, why are you here again?" Maria knelt in front of Sally, her gaze looking at her daughter with concern, but Sally saw the agony Maria felt by seeing her.
She's putting her mother through so much pain. It's obvious that Maria had somewhat of a break from her emotions while Sally was away, but now that she has returned...
It's only right that Sally leaves and doesn't come back so Maria can move on. Besides, if Sally really will lose herself, then it's a good idea that Maria never sees Sally again.
"Mommy..." Sally whispered, her voice is trembling slightly. "It's...It's time for me to go."
"Go?" Maria asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "Go where?"
Sally swallowed hard, unable to answer.
"Maria," Liu said softly, setting a hand on Maria's shoulder. "I think she means it's time for her to move on."
Maria covered her mouth, staring at Sally with a look of disbelief.
"Is...Is that true?"
Sally nodded slowly. "I can't stay."
I'll only continue to hurt you. Sally stopped herself from saying that.
"Oh." Maria's voice was brittle as her hands began to tremble. She kept staring at her daughter with eyes glossy with tears.
"You won't see me ever again," Sally said quietly.
So you'll be safe from me.
The tears fell from Maria's eyes and she shook her head.
"No, don't go," she sobbed.
Sally wanted to cry, too, but she knows it wouldn't do any good.
"I have to, Mommy." Sally's voice cracked as she spoke. She wanted to reach out to comfort her mother, so she gripped the sides of her dress in order to keep her hands from doing so.
The despair and agony that Maria had been holding back for so long all finally poured out of her as the mother began to weep, finally realizing that her baby girl is gone.
Maria reached out and pulled Sally into her arms. Sally was a little surprised by it, but she didn't pull away.
"D-Don't cry, Mommy." Sally pleaded, swallowing hard to keep from crying, too. "It's okay. It'll all be okay." She hesitated before adding, "I-I'll be with Daddy."
That just made Maria cry harder.
"Liu," Sally looked over Maria's shoulder and Liu met her gaze. "Take care of Mommy. Make sure she'll be okay."
Liu gave her a small grin and a nod. "Sure thing, kid."
Maria sniffed as she pulled away, then he wiped her cheeks, but more tears fell. Her green eyes met Sally's.
"I love you, baby girl."
That had done it. Sally's eyes filled with bloody tears, and her shoulder shook with sobs.
"I love you, too, Mommy."
Liu rubbed Maria's back as she cried,
Sally watched them for one last moment before she took a deep, shaky breath, then she closed her eyes and willed herself away.
When Sally vanished, Liu continued rubbing Maria's back in order to comfort her, but then Maria turned to face him and buried her face in his chest and cried.
He looked a bit surprised, but then he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and he stroked her light brown hair as he held her, hoping that he could ease the pain of her loss. Even if he could only take away a little bit.