Slender Mansion Maid

Inklings

I hum to myself the rain had let up and was only a pineapple mist. I needed to go to the mailbox and collect the mail. We had a regular mailbox at the end of the trail.

Ellie and Elliot run around into the puddles together, Sally and Lazari run around and play tag. Tock walks along side me and clings to the coat I stole.

Offender won't miss it and it is still cold. I have a beanie on and am randomly finding weird shit in the pockets of the coat.

Jeff is walking behind us throwing a branch for Smile dog who sprints for it. Slender sent Jeff to protect us.

"I don't want mail."

"Well this isn't up to debate Jeff."

I laugh out. Tock splashes in th puddles near me starting to giggle.

Smile trots back with a large stick, could have been a whole tree. I mean there are roots on it.  Okay well, Smile trots up dragging a fricken tree. I smirk as Jeff sighs knowing he has to throw it.

"That's enough Smiles! Do you think I want to waste all of my energy on stupid fetch!?"

Smiles drops the tree obediently looking a little sorrowful.

"Not strong as you think?"

I say plainly laying out the bait. Jeff whips his head to me and flicks out his knife. We are good acquaintances but Jane is more of my buddy.

"No I just don't want waste my energy!"

I scoff and squint my eyes at him snickering.

"Jane could do it."

He starts breathing heavily and runs back to the little tree. This tree is skinny but taller then Slender. Jeff grabs the tree and yelled as he tried to lift it.

He picked it up over his head and screamed very hard. As he throwed it. It landed two feet in front of him and rolled back to his feet.

I was wheezing. I could almost feel my lungs trying to jump out of my throat. Jeff got mad and kicked the tree hurting his foot he started yelling a string of curses. I wanted to cover the kid's ears but I was laughing to hard.

It took a while for us to get back on track. Jeff was whining about his foot hurting. Sally was whispering to Lazari and they were giggling.

Once we got to the road we all wait for the bus. The kids sit on the bench with a homeless man who is bundled tightly. He shivers and his eyes are sad. When the bus arrives they all run on, I pay and have them sit down as I hold onto the roof.

Jeff and Smiles run near the edge of the forest watching. Never too close, and never quite out of sight. Once we get near the post office I have the kids hold hands and walk behind me to get to the mail area open.

I put the months worth of mail into my bag and look over to see a coffee shop. I smile.

"Want to go get some cocoa?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Sally and Ellie shout loudly. Elliot shrugs and Lazari scrunched up her face.

"I'll get you two some smoothies?"

"Okay!"

Lazari quickly says and Elliot nods. I smile. Little baby munchkins.

The kids rush across the street and cars screech to a halt. A woman steps out of her car to yell at me.

"Keep those evil things on a leash! What kind of mother are you!"

"I would but they chewed the leashes off."