//------------------------------//
// The Scorched Book Tangled In The Vines 
// Story: Slender 
// by Armalite 
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	Day One:  I have to do this.  It killed Twilight.  I've started seeing it too.  The others, they don't believe me.  I haven't confronted Luna yet, I don't know what I would say.  I'd found the note.  The note I wasn't supposed to find.  And I read the last part.  It's in the Everfree.  And that's where I'm going.  

Day Two:  I don't want to do this.  Celestia's sake I don''t want to do this.  It's gotten worse.  I think it knows what I'm trying to do.  I've been having amnesia, and I think I'm hallucinating.  I haven't even gone near the forest yet and it's already unbearable.  It's like where ever I turn I feel it behind me.  Even when I'm surrounded by ponies, nopony sees it.  It can't be a coincidence, it's just like how Twilight described it.  And it's horrible.  But I have to do this.  Tomorrow.  Tomorrow I'm going.  

Day Three:  I'm not going.  

Day Six:  I thought maybe if I stopped it would stop.  It didn't.  I couldn't take it.  I'm a coward.  It's no wonder Rarity doesn't love me, I'm weak.  I'm a pathetic excuse for a dragon.  That's why I have to do this.  I'm doing this for Twilight.  For my friends, Luna, myself, and anypony it's killed.  I'm leaving now.

Day Seven:  This is worse than I ever imagined.  In Ponyville, I was surrounded by friends.  People I loved and knew.  Out here, there's nothing.  I'm alone.  I tried to find Zecora, maybe crash with her for a night, but I couldn't find her.  I stuck to the path Twilight told me about, but it just ended.  I think it, Slender Man, might be behind this.  It wants me to be alone.  None of the animals will go near me.  Manticores, cockatrices,  hydras, harpies; they all avoid me.  I think IT's behind this too.  I think it's preserving me.  I need to hurry.  I found a stash of gems in a small chest.  I don't know what to think about that.

Day Eight:  I see it more frequently now.  I just catch glimpses of it.  I can't bear to look at it.  It just stands there.  I'm scared.  The only thing that keeps me going is the though of Twilight.  I'm still her Number One Assistant.  She gave one last task, and I'm going to fulfill it.  

Day Nine:  I have it.  I have the book, and it's massive.  Over two thousand pages.  And now I don't know what to do.  I never thought about it.  I just focused on getting here.  And now...  When I grabbed it, I felt dread.  Dread, sorrow, anger, guilt; a jumbled mess of horrible emotions that made my head pound and my body shake.  I swear it was right in front of me.  

Day Eleven:  Three days here, and I still don't know what I'm doing.  This journal has been the only thing keeping me sane.  I swore I saw Luna.  She was cut, bruised, filthy, and scared.  But she was  alive.  I called out to her, but she didn't answer.  I tried to follow her, but she lost me in the forest.  Now I'm lost.  I don't know which way leads back to Ponyville, or even the castle.  The canopy is too dense, and all the branches are too high to reach.  The book has been doing strange things.  It moves when I'm asleep.  It will be open when I turn around.  I've read through it.  It's a picture book.  All mouth drawn.  They all show Slender Man.  There's rambling and diary entries.  Letters and notes.  One night, I awoke and found it open.  Page 2341.  Twilight's note from her desk.  All the pages after are blank.  I think these might be letters or drawings of ponies it's killed.  I wonder if mine will join them.

Day Twenty?:  I'm loosing track of time here.  I'm running out of gems.  I'm running out of time.  I've made a campsite in a small clearing.  It's a tent made of branches, grass, and mud.  I've been reading nonstop for the past nine days I think.  I'm only to page 1465.  So far there's a common occurrence.  The book, and The Alter.  I don't know what The Alter is, but I have to find it.  

Day Twenty Two:  I heard Luna.  She was talking to somepony.  I couldn't find her, but I kept hearing her.  She was shouting in anger.  I got lost looking for her.  All I have is the book.  It slowed me down, but I think I'm actually getting some muscle.  I wish I was with Rarity.  I wish I was with Twilight.  I wish everything was back to normal.  I wish this thing never existed.  I wish I could just live my life.  But I can't, and it won't go back to normal.  Not until I stop this thing.  I've been reading.  The Alter, it's deep in the Everfree.  It's in the epicenter of the forest.  I don't know how to get there, but I need to find a way.

Day Twenty Three:  I'm starving.  I ran out of gems to eat, and all the animals run from me.  Slender Man is getting closer.  It hovers over me when I sleep.  When I read.  When I write.  I'm making progress though.  I'm getting closer I can feel it.  I'm tired now.  This might be my last entry.   If so, Luna, I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I couldn't help more.

Well, I live another day.  Barley.  I don't have much time now though.  It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would though.  It's kind of a relief to know that it will all be over.  The Alter, it's what created Slender Man, and it's how to destroy it too.  It needs to be destroyed by a highly concentrated bolt of magic.  Luna.  She's the only chance.  I can send this to either Princess with different flames.  
Luna, you need to have strength.  Don' let Twilight's death be in vain.  Don't let my death be in vain.  Kill this thing.  Do it for your sister, do it for Equestria.  Do it for everypony this thing has killed.  And whatever you do, don't  fight it.  Good luck Luna.
~ Spike, Twilight Sparkle's Number One Assistant