Clever Costume and Co. Archive 3

(Noticeably, Clever Costume's Facebook and Twitter blow up from the Slenderman fandom, from people trying to help to trolls posting twenty dollar jokes, to countless attempts at "wifin" the "game." After a while, there's a tweet from CCC.)

Tweet: No more Slenderman stuff on our Twitter or Facebook. It's all over. -RK

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YouTube Channel: Clever Costume & Co.

Video: Video Feed #4

(Video opens with a small burst of static, then shows the empty kitchen area. Text from a movie maker that Jason added appears at the bottom of the feed.)

Text: This is a mash-up of footage from the previous week.

(The footage is edit cut, and shows the kitchen area in almost the same shot as the last. Alpha is looking over a letter and envelope he just opened. Jason zooms in on the envelope, seeing a wax seal. The picture just makes out what's on the seal: looks like an owl's face and two outstretched talons, as if the bird was pouncing on something. Alpha smiles to himself, betraying a row of sharp teeth. The picture statics as a voice is heard off screen. Jason moves the camera around to look, spying Cenca walking into the kitchen area, calling out.)

Cenca: Mommy? Mommy! (she sees Alpha and walks up to him) Where's Mommy?

Alpha: She's at a doctor's appointment. What do you need?

Cenca: (pouts a little) I wanted a hug. Mommy loves Petey more than me.

Alpha: Oh, now come here, you. (Alpha puts the letter down and wraps his arms around Cenca, who still pouts and doesn't react) Mother loves everyone equally.

Cenca: I wanna hear it from her.

Alpha: You will. Once she comes back.

(The picture statics as the video segment ends. When the static clears, Jason has entered the computer room, where he finds Mal standing tall and still, almost as if she's the Slenderman. She looks like she's in a trance, and after a minute, snaps out of it and goes limp, almost falling over. She rights herself and holds her hands to her head, looking tired and out of it. With a quiet moan, she goes to a chair and sits, getting her bearings After a moment, young Twitch walks in and finds her.)

Twitch: Oh, hey mom. There you are.

Mal: (doesn't answer) …

Twitch: Where'd you go?

Mal: (still doesn't answer) …

Twitch: Um... are you okay?

Mal: ...no.

Twitch: Did something happen with you and the boss?

Mal: ...how long was I gone?

Twitch: (checks a clock on one of the computers) Four hours.

Mal: (slowly puts her face back in her hands, and gives a heavy sigh)

Twitch: (notices) … (decides to change the subject) Um... Homestuck updated?

Mal: (doesn't move and talks through her hands) Twitch, can you just leave me alone right now?

Twitch: (shrugs, disappointed that didn't cheer her up) Okay. (He just leaves. Jason follows him a little with the camera, then looks to Petey's perch and cage. The bird is nowhere to be seen, and there's a blanket over the cage, indicating the bird had been "put to bed.")

(Jason moves the camera over to Mal and sees that she hadn't moved. He walks closer to her, and the camera picks up the fainted sound of a sniffle.)

(The picture statics, and is video edited. This room looks like a stock room, filled with crates of what looks like supplies. They sport the same owl face and talons logo from Alpha's letter. Mal is sitting on a single crate, holding her middle with both hands and crying to herself softly. The camera view doesn't change as the picture statics for a second and clears up to show Slenderman standing not far from Mal, watching her. She immediately takes notice, gritting her teeth, then going back to crying, lowering her head. Her left hand goes to her face as she chokes up a sob.)

(The picture statics again, and Slenderman has moved half a foot towards Mal, his head bowed slightly to look at her. Again, Mal notices, but doesn't raise her head.)

Mal: Oh, stop it. What the fuck? You wanted this. I can't have kids because of you!

Slenderman: (does not move or react)

Mal: For once, just leave me alone.

(The picture statics again, Slenderman has moved closer. His arms are slightly away from his body. Mal seems to notice, once again, and is getting even more upset.)

Mal: Stop it! You don't care! Stop acting like you care about any of this! This is your fucking fault!

(The picture statics again, Slenderman is just a foot away from Mal, his arms are held out, as if he's stiffly reaching for a hug. Mal holds her shoulders tightly and shakes, angry and scared.)

Mal: DON'T TOUCH ME! GET AWAY FROM ME! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!

(The picture statics out for longer, then clears to show Mal isn't sitting on her crate. She's standing, and Slenderman has her in a loose embrace. Mal is clinging to the front of his jacket, face buried in his chest and is crying hysterically, letting her feelings out. She coughs a few times, and the picture statics out for a very long time.)

(When the picture returns, both Mal and Slenderman are gone.)

(The video ends)

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(Clever Costume's twitter updates)

Comment: I miss your vids about cosplays.

Reply: Me too. -RK

(There's another comment soon afterward)

Comment: Rachel, is everything okay with you and Jason?

Reply: Everything's fine. Everything's a bed of roses and sunshine. -RK

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YouTube Channel: Clever Costume & Co

Video: [HOW TO] GET YOUR HUSBAND TO NOTICE YOU!

(The video opens with CCC's montage of costume pictures, then shows the header, as if it's a typical how to video for how they made a cosplay. But the montage cuts just a few seconds earlier than usual, and shows Rachel's face up close. She's using her smart phone to record. She also looks really annoyed.)

Rachel: Jason, I know you're back out on that field again. I'm getting really tired of you lying to me, and lying to our followers. You don't talk to me anymore, your turn to cook dinner was two weeks ago, and forget about the Star Wars shoot. As soon as you get off work, you go to that stupid field, shoot this weird Slenderman series you're doing, and you only come home to edit the footage. You haven't looked me in the eye in three days, Jason. I warned you that I'd go public with this, and I don't think you even heard me.

(Something off camera catches her eye, so she moves to go see what it is, keeping the phone focused on her face.)

Rachel: To our followers, sorry that you have to see this, but I can't get Jason to listen to me. If this doesn't work, maybe you guys can get him to stop. (there's a small sound of shuffling plastic (Rachel moving two rungs of window blinds to peek outside) But he needs to stop. I don't want him going out into that field anymore. (she sighs, looks down, then looks up again) Jason, I love you, and I don't like this at all. Please, just come home.

(There's a sudden loud buzz as the video corrupts, splitting into colors of red, blue and green. The picture reverts to normal for a split second, showing a figure in a dark suit and tie standing directly behind Rachel and raising a hand to touch her.)

(Video ends.)

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YouTube Channel: Clever Costume & Co.

Video: Video Feed #5

(Another montage of shooting in the field yields more short scenes in the tunnels.)

(When the static clears, the shot opens up to one of the long, straight tunnels. Mal comes into view, appearing to balance on something thin as she walks. Jason zooms in on it to see thin metal that looks like a rail of a train track. Mal walks along it with expert skill. But her head is down and her hair is hanging in a way that covers her face. She gives a huff as she walks past Jason and hops off the rail to turn a corner down another tunnel.)

(The picture statics out.)

(The static clears after a while, showing the same tunnel from the last shot. Mal again comes back into the frame, from where she had exited. Her head is held up but she looks somber. The cockatoo, Petey, is hanging onto her shoulder and gives a caw before raising his crest as he looks around. Mal steps onto the metal rail again, and walks along it effortlessly.)

Petey: (makes mocking talk sounds)

Mal: (stays quiet for a moment)

Petey: (sings a little in a rough voice) Huuuuman, make it up...

Mal: (sings the actual song to the bird) Are you human, or a dud? Are you human, did you make it up?

Petey: Huuuuman...

Mal: (keeps singing, listening to the sound of her voice bouncing off the walls of the cement tunnel) Are you human, or a dud?

Petey: (stops singing) He comes... He is coming... Always watching...

Mal: Just ignore him.

(No other person is seen on screen, which soon gathers static until the picture is obscured.)

(Edit cut to a clear picture of the kitchen area. Jason moves around to get a shot of some papers on the counter. There is an open envelope, which carries the owl seal in wax. Next to it is an open letterhead, with handwriting so tiny and close together it is difficult to pick up with the static-laden picture. Jason scrolls along the paper until he gets to the end and the signature.)

Signature: V-Nolan

(Jason moves the camera back up to see the top of the letterhead, which is artwork of a barn owl flying through a starry night. His voice is barely heard in the audio "These guys sure like owls...")

(Edit cut to the computer room. Mal is sitting in one of the chairs, facing away from the computers. She shrugs off her hoodie and looks over her left arm. The black stain has spread to her elbow and she frowns at it. Mal reaches behind her and takes out a sharpie, uncapping it, and starts writing lines across her arm, making marks. She grumbles something under her breath as she attempts to write just above the lines.)

(Jason notices one of the computers next to her is on, and focuses on the screen best he can. It's a tumblr blog with the header "SOME DANCE TO REMEMBER." There's a "hmmm" in the audio as Jason thinks to himself. Mal suddenly calls off camera.)

Mal: Who's there?!

(Jason turns the camera back to her, and sees she's turned and looking directly into the camera. After a moment, she looks around the room and calls out again.)

Mal: Who's there?

(Jason stays quiet and keeps his camera trained on Mal. She turns back to the camera again as she looks, but after a moment grumbles again and puts the sharpie away and looks over the new marks on her arm. Jason backs away and the camera statics out, catching audio of Jason wondering out loud "She can hear me?")

(The footage ends, but the video goes to a black background with movie maker text.)

Text: All of that was taken within the last week or so.

Text: So from what I've gathered, these owl letters come from an organization called the Lords and Ladies.

Text: They look like a group that provides "charity" to other proxies. I can't find much else about them.

Text: And there was the title of two tumblr sites I caught. "Some Dance To Forget" and "Some Dance To Remember." I'm going to check those out.

(Video ends)

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The video "[HOW TO] GET YOUR HUSBAND TO NOTICE YOU!" is taken down from Clever Costume. Someone on YouTube puts up a copy of the video for "reference."

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On Clever Costume's twitter, a tweet from Jason goes out.

Tweet: Alright, enough with the Slenderman vids. I need to focus on what is important: Rachel and her safety. -JK


On Clever Costume's YouTube account, a comment is posted to the main page:

"Hello Mr. Klein. It Is To Your Benefit That You Continue Your Documentation In Antioch. A Lot Depends On You, Sir. Regards,"

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