Experiment #10 Set-Up:

Location: Abandoned shack.
Decoy: Fresh with new and new.
Symbols:
The tried and true Operator Sign
New Symbol:

This is basically an early Ichthus symbol, called the Ephesus. We've printed it off and handdrawn them. They will be hung as an outer fence like before, while the Operator symbols will be hung ont he actual shack.

Participants: Ron, Clarice, and myself. Ron will be manning the binoculats, I will be manning the digital camera, and Clarice will keep our getaway car's engine hot.

Objective: Find anothe ralternate symbol that works.

We're testing this tonight. Wish us luck.

Situation Resolved:

I managed to catch Ron and explain things to him. I don't know what to make of the fact that his memories have been reset back to Dec. of last year, but at least he's back in the land of the livng, and he's no longer proxified.

No no no!

This is Clarice! Ron just ran out the front door! Pete's on his tail. I'm getting the car. See you all later.

Twelve Hours

Ron has been unconscious for twelve hours now. We can't wake him up. What are we going to do?

It has left us alone entirely for the rest of the day, aside from staring in the windows. We haven't even heard so much as a "Come out. Come out to me," though. I'm growing tired of this sick game. I will remain calm, though. I have to endure. I have to. Two people seem to be depending on me now. I will not let Clarice and Ron down. I just... Don't know how to not screw this up if we can't wake Ron up.

I feel lost. I feel as lost as I did when I first awakened that day on Feb. 16th.

Clarice is back, but Ron still hasn't woken up.

I don't know what to do. Has a Slender Man induced coma ever happened before? Someone help me out here.

A Step Back

It happened when I was checking up on Ron when I saw the back door open. He was out! He had let himself out! He was face-to-face with Slender Man. The two were just staring into each other. I grabbed Clarice's portable CD player and ran out towards the playing some Rolling Stones full blast. I didn't know what I was doing, but trying to use Robert's method of "the power of rock" was all I had at my disposal at the time. It interrupted whatever was going on as It backed off, looking very agitated as I grabbed Ron and dragged him back into the house, where he collapsed. I put him on the bed we me for him. He's been unconscious ever since.

No no no! Of all the things that could go wrong I didn't see Ron somehow just letting himself and almost getting caught like this! Damn it! That door has a padlock! What happened? This is just getting to be too much. Should we move ourselves elsewhere, or board up that door?

Clarice still isn't home yet, and that worries me now in light of what just happened. I've already checked the entire condo. I'm going to check it again once I press 'Publish Post'.

Suggestions for Further Experiments

Well, I'm currently drawing up a big blank as to how to continue experimenting on Slender Man. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I'd love to hear them.

A Warning of Things to Come

Hi guys,
Well, even with the breakthrough Ron's had with his recovery, I've still been on edge since last night's encounter. I've let Clarice do most of the talking to the police since and now I'm out eating at some café, nibbling on a bagel.
The warning of the title references an encounter I had earlier. You see, I was sitting on a bench near a fountain, enjoying the relative peacefulness of the area when a man in a brown suit sat down next to me.

Him: "This seat taken?"
Me: (Shook my head no and shifted over a bit to let him sit down.)
The man seemed pleasant enough as he flipped a coin into the fountain before taking his seat.
Him: "So what are you up, young man? Have any stories to shate?"
Me: (Chuckling) "Not really. I'm just trying to relax."
Him: "I can understand that. These are difficult times, but you can't let that get you down. "
(I won't tell the whole conversation, but it basically just him chatting with me about simple things, like how the Cubs suck, the Bulls aren't the dream team they used to be, things like that. He also had some encouraging things to say when I shared some vague details about my situation. Then this happened.
Him: "Well, if you have anything more specific to say I might be able to help."
Me: "Sorry, but that's private. I've just been going through some difficult times. I'm just trying to center myself."
Him: "Well, I can't blame you. Especially after the pressure He that Is put you under last night."
Me: (Staring astonished and alarmed.)
Him: (His entire demeanor changed in an instant from pleasant and disarming to threatening.) "Yes, you heard me, Pete. Just so you know, you, the prey, and your little girlfriend can't stay holed up in that little house forever. Sooner or later, we will get you. Maybe not tonight, tomorrow, or the week after, but we're coming. Count on it. Make it easy on yourselves. Just give yourselves up. If you agree to join us, we might even spare Ron and the girl."
Me: "Forget it. I'll be ready for you all, any day, any time."
Him: "I'm sure you will be. It won't be good enough, though. The noose is tightening and you're walking the gallows without your hands tied, kid. He That Is will have his prey. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."
Me: "What's your name. You know me, but I don't know you."
Him: "Oh yes, well... You can call me Durkin and I'm in charge of things around here. I'll be seeing you soon, kid."
(With that, he left.)

First contact with our new enemy has been made. Time to beef up security at home. Later, guys.

Crisis and Allegiances

I... I don't know how to start this. Taking it from the top, we locked and sealed up the condo as well as we could while Slender Man and his lot gathered outside. We awaited the police and hoped they could successfully foil the proxies at least.
Time was fast running out, as they tore down our signs and allowed It to come nearer to the house.
Clarice and I retreated from the living room to the hallway beyond to grab Ron and ready an attempt to flee.

Suddenly, Ron came tearing out of the room we left him in screaming bloody murder and swinging a table leg he had broken off around like a club, at us. He took a swing at us, but I caught his attack and grappled with him for the object and we rolled and tumbled over each other in a desparate struggle.
It was then that the proxies forced open the door and entered. They had somehow gotten a key to the door, which may mean the landlord is in league with It.

I was too busy with Ron to be of much help, and they grabbed Clarice and started to pull her out of the house towards Slender Man.
I don't know if you can call police officers that you yourself hailed a Deux ex machina, but it was at this point that they arrived at the scene and scared the proxies off. Slender Man vanished but Ron's rampage did not end. Hoping to avoid having him gunned down or taken away to a mental home, I pushed him back into Clarice's bedroom and subdued him while Clarice went to talk to the officers out front.

Ron struggled with me viciously, but I had him pinned with his own weapon even though he still clutched it.

ME: "Ron, stop this! Why are you trying to hurt us?"
RON: (Incoherent shouts)
ME: "Ron, it's me! It's Pete! You named me! That girl is Clarice. You saved her."
RON: (Stops struggling. Looking confused.) "Pete? Clarice?"
ME: "Yes, Ron. It's us. You don't have to serve It. It is not your master. You are Ron Foster. You are our friend. We fought long and hard to free you. Even down in The Ruins, you resisted It. Remember who you are and try to recall what kept you going."
RON: (Staring at me, blankly.)
ME: "Resist Him."
RON: (Looks pained, as if his headache has returned and begins struggling with me again.)
ME: "Ron, stop it! Think of Irene."
That got his attention.
ME: "Think of Drew. Think of Jared, Sam, Stephanie, and Elijah! Think of them! Now think of all of us! Me, Clarice, Clyde, Slide, Liam, Kelly! We are all your friends! What would Irene think if she coud see you?"
RON: (He finally releases hold of the table leg and starts sobbing.)

I tossed aside the leg and stood up, and pulled him to his feet. Mentioned Irene seemed to do the most in getting through to him. He must really love her.

After I got Ron to calm down, Clarice entered the room as he laid himself down to sleep and I explained what happened to her. She explained about her conversation with the cops after, she made up a story that seemed to satisfy the cops, that the mob was here for Ron, her supposed mentally handicapped brother because he accidentally caused some trouble for them. Th cops checked around the property but found no one else around, aside from the few proxies they arrested while chasing off the mob. After they left, they promised to keep an eye on the neighborhood for us for a while, but Clarice has to go to the station tomorrow to file a report.

That's not the end of it, though. We thought we had seen the end of our woes for one night, but Slender Man has been persistant for some reason. After the police left, we set up a make-swift barrier of fresh Ichthuses we printed off and decided to rotate watch duty from now on. We flipped a coin over it. I called heads, it came out tails, so I was up for first watch.

I don't know how he slipped in, but a proxy awaited Clarice in her bedroom. I had just sat down on the couch when I heard a scream erupt from her room. Out came a man dragging Clarice along, a knife to her throat. He said he wanted us to step outside to Slender Man. He gestured with the knife towards a window. I looked, and there It was, staring in.

He told me to open the front door walk out or that he'd kill Clarice. I didn't know what to do, but I couldn't stand there forever as his patience was quickly running out.
It was then I saw Ron emerge from the hall behind carrying the same broken off table leg as before. He grabbed the man and used his surprise to wrench him from Clarice, who bolted and ran into the kitchen to grab a knife. Before I could react, Ron was upon man and killed him with one good swing to the head.

I looked to the window again and Slender Man was gone. I turned back to Ron, who sat down on the couch and curled into the fetal position and wept in his knees. Clarice reentered the room with the biggest butcher knife ever and surveyed the scene.
After a moment of getting over the shock of the scene that had just played out, we went over to Ron and sat down on either side of him. I put a hand on his shoulder as Clarice wrapped her arms around him in a hug. We spoke as smoothingly and comfortingly as we could to him and eventually, he calmed down.

After maybe a half-hour of being curled up, he finally sat normally before getting up and walking himself to his bed and going to sleep. The thing of note about that is the way he moved. As stated, he's been robotically going about basic daily routines, but the way he got up and walked to his bed seemed...human, as he actually seemed tired. Somehow, he found the strength to defy Slender Man in this state and seems to have reclaimed a piece of himself.
This may be a huge step in his recovery.

Anyway, we've disposed of the body. He's six feet under in the back yard.

Something's up

Slender Man has gathered some of his followes out front. We've called the cops. Ron's suffering a headache, which can't be good.

Experiment #9 Results:

Location: Abandoned yard of some kind.
Decoys: Eight fresh ones, clothed and masked.
Symbols: None.
Me: Masked and among the decoys.
Blake: Hidden on the third floor landing of a fire exit of the building the yard shared the property with.
Digital Camera: Set-up with the zoom on a far distance away.

Event:: Alright, set up the decoys in a staggered arragement around the yard. An actual mannequin, one or two dummies, but mostly scarecrow style body doubles. Then I stood in place among them as still as I could for as long as I could. Night fell and Slender Man showed his no-face. It stopped and stood before each one before moving onto another in about ten minutes intervals. It kept coming ever closer, after examining each decoy, until It finally stopped in front of me. I don't know how much time passed as It bored holes into me with Its stare, but I was almost ready to just run for it. Then It moved on and finished examinating all the decoys. Finally, It moved to the center of the yard and looked each one and me over for a long time.
It didn't make a move. Instead, iIt finally just left. I had no idea what to think of that, but either way, I decided to play it and end the experiment. I hailed for BL to come down. Once we was down, we were going to tear down the doubles and head back. I could hear the metalic sounds of BL descending the fire exit a distance away.
I looked up at BL, who was descending the final latter, then back at the front entrance of the yard. When I did, I was It coming back, with help.
We bolted and ended up having to scale the fence to escape with them in hot pursuit every step of the way. We made a beeline for Blake's car. Before we could there, though, we were attacked by more proxies.
I turned to beat them off while BL started the car. Slender Man appeared again just as BL started the engine then drove up to me and opened the passengerside door for me to enter. He wasn't quick enough. Slender Man was upon me and all turned to darkness.

I woke up three hours later a in a tree in Ping Tom Memorial Park. I climbed down and took a cab home. When I got there, I was met with a very worried Clarice who informed me that BL was out looking for me. Apparently, Slender Man grabbed me and we both disappeared right before his eyes.
A few hours later, he finally returned and was relieved to find me alive and sane.
I'm still sore and tired from that ordeal, even after a night of rest. BL's already leaving.

So, The Results: Well, It couldn't tell me from the rest of the dummies. It just brought help who could and just followed the figures who fled from it.
I'm sure this trick could have practicaly uses under the right circumstances, but it'd have to just be you and Slender Man.

Location Found

Pay dirt. Blake/BL's here today. Showed up early this morning. He's helping me with Experiment #9. We found a spot where I can conduct it. We're off now to set up for tonight. See you all tomorrow if we survive this.

Experiment #9 Set-Up:

If you've read Unchained, you'll see we've arrived in Chicago.

Location: As usual, somewhere without current human presence or interference.
Decoy: About six-seven fresh ones, all clothed and masked.
Symbols: None
Me: I will be masked and among the decoys.
So far I've only tested how the Slender Man reacts to decoys when an actual person is away from the sight of the haunting. The purpose of this test is to find out how well decoys will work if a Haunted is nearby. This is going to be extremely risky, since I know Slender Man has a score to settle with me for my part in what happened in Boston.
I don't have a location yet, but I will. I will keep you posted before I go to do this. When the time comes and if I don't come back, you will know decoys are less effective if an actual person is right there among them.
I know this is risky. Perhaps, even stupid, but actively trying to learn all new things about our enemy is the most dangerous role of all someone can fill, and it will require a few acts of absolute stupidity from me. Hopefully I have a miracle up my sleeve to survive this, too.
Look at me, posting as if this were my last entry. Not just yet. I still have a to find a location to do this at.

I'll keep you all posted.

One More Day

We'll be in Chicago tomorrow. Clarice, I've sent you an email. Please meet us at the station.

Ron hasn't made anymore progress in overcoming the proxification, but then again, he's only been back with us for three days now.

Slow progress

Well, Ron's still not in great shape, but at least he seems to be understanding me better. I got him to use the laptop and access his blog. I guess applying that concoction had some effect after all. Problem is, I don't have enough for another dose.
Well, having gotten him out of Boston and on the road for a few days plus being continually out of Slender Man's reach seems to be having an impact.

As for our situation, we're going to meet up with Clarice in Chicago for a while. She's offered us temperary shelter. In the meantime, I hope to conduct some more experiments, as she said she'd watch Ron for me if I wanted. I have one idea I really want to try out. We'll be there in the next couple of days.

Relieved and Tense

I am relieved to be out of Boston and moving quickly away from it. I'm tense as I don't know what the future holds. I've taken on the responsibility of clearing a heavily infected hard drive of a bad virus, so to speak. Perhaps if I had the right outside stimuli that would trigger something from his conscious mind...

What I have right now is some marble, table salt, green food coloring, and cold water. Yes, I know this is a repellent for still-unproxified individuals trying to hold off the effects of being haunted by It, but this is all I could come up with on short notice while on in transit to the Amtrak station. I've been applying the concoction to Ron. I hope that even though the weak formula won't cure him it will get him a step in that direction. I can't tell if it's had any effect. His speach has become a little more coherent, but that's it.
Damn it, I wish I had better guide lines than "keep Ron away from Slender Man and keep trying to get through to him" to work with. If anyone had any advise, please share it.

He sleeps a restless sleep right now. His brows furrow in distress as he tosses and turns every now and then. I'm moved to pity at the sight on him like this. I hope I can cure him, but the success rate of rehabitating proxies has not been good. A few of us here and there are former proxies, but most of them end up either dead, reverted, or worse. I promise I will do everything in my power to cure him, though. I will exhaust all possibilities.

As for my own concerns, I have a few. BL has recently informed me that I lost everything from my old life, and that even if I remember everything, I have nothing to go back to. I don't know what I feel about that. I feel a little relieved, yet very depressed at once. On one hand, it would seem then that Ron is the only person in immediate need of my help. On the other, that means I have no family or friends prior to my fellow bloggers and stalked left in this world.

Another thing that disconcerts me is that BL said I was consumed with revenge which made he easier to beat. What would happen if I remember everything? Would I become that bitter fellow once again? Would Pete, the me of now, be buried under the weight of who I was before? Somewhere between me and him. The same as I am now, but with more memories? Considering the possibilities scares me more than Slender Man ever has. Ironic considering It is at fault for this.
Well, no use in worrying about it jsut yet. Before I work on my own memory, I have a friend in need of help. I have the distinct impression I should work to repair one mind at a time. No use trying to do too much and getting nothing accomlished.

I tire now so I think I will be turning in. See you all later.

Confession and Success

"I think it would be far more useful if we started posting false plans intended to fool them. If we lie openly about what our plans are it will be harder for them to counter any of the actual plans. It would be better to have them come up with useless counter measures that way they waste their time, energy, and resources. If they play by deceit, and trickery we should too." -Tensor, her comment on the A possible hint of serendipity entry of Drew's Box 'o' Stuff.

The mission was a success. We took the above to heart in planning this. Instead of entering The Ruins tomorrow like I said we would in my announcement, we did it today. You read that correctly. I am Pete, and I'm still here. We're all still here.

At 7:19 AM today, Slice, YggdrasilCore, and myself entered The Ruins led by Black Leaf, our contact. MorningStar was correct in guessing his identity. Good thing Al(x)ne was too arrogant to listen.

We wore black hoodies and tragedy masks and acted as proxies at BL's command as we entered. He led us through the streets to where Ron was being held. He was no longer in the cell that once held Clarice captive. He had been moved to another location down there. Thankfully, it was closer to the human side exit and BL knew just where to go.

Once we found Ron, though... He... He didn't look well. He was unbathed, malnourished, and the wound from his missing finger was sloppily bandaged. The finger that's been amputated is his right ring finger. BL told me he was wearing the engagemnt intended his for fiancé when he went to rescue Clarice. Instead of just removing it, Al(x)ne took cruel measures and cut it off.
They were just keeping him alive just. Ron wasn't the only person we found there.
Al(x)ne/Allen was also there, standing over Ron, gloating over hour recent losses. He turned to look at us as we entered, thinking BL had just showed up to receive orders and smugly told us to take care of those "troublemakers above before they have a chance to enact their plan". Then he turned his back to us and look at Ron again. That was his last mistake. Wordlessly, we did our work. BL pulled out a gag and silenced Allen while I struck him in the head with my trusty 2-By-4 (which I did add nails to), while Slice sltabbed him with a knife, and IggdrasilCore lashed out with his tentacles. One muffled cry and then he was dead at our feet in an instant.
Al(x)ne, the high level Agent of the Massachetts region is no more. Death came too quick for him, but at least that's one less enemy to worry about.
With that, we helped Ron to his feet and ran for the exit at full speed. We managed to catch the eye of the enemy on the way out.

Slice had a remedy for that. We brought some of his now well-known variety of Molotov cocktails and lit up the dark of The Ruins with them as we ran. The fires kept them off our backs for a while, and we managed to get to the human side exit.

As we our escape, Slender Man appeared. Thankfully, I thought to bring some Ichthus-Operator Symbols with me and littered the yard with them. This was both a blessing and a curse as It went absolutely berserk at the sight of them, violently trying to tear them asunder, but being held and having to go around them to get at us. The obstacle was but an instant for It to overcome as even when watched It can move with alarming speed. That instant was enough for us to get close to The Gate and get though.

The chase did not end there. Slender Man was on our heels the instant we were out, and bearing an weakened and proxified Ron did not help matters at all. Then IggdrasilCore did something insane. He tackled the Slender Man while the rest of us ran the final stretch to the cab we had waiting for us.

I thought we had lost Igg for a few terrible moments. I was never more glad to see him than when we arrived at the hotel lobby to find he had actually beat us there. After a short session of congratulations shared between us over our victory, we parted ways.

Now Ron, cleaned off, fed, with his wound properly dressed, and escorted by me now sit at the Amtrak station awaiting our train which will finally take him from his town. I'm both glad, relieved, and a little scared.
Ron, while physically recovering and rescued, is still proxified. He wasn't said two coherent words. He mostly just mumbles and writes in the notebook he found in my pack. When he doesn't do that, he silently weeps with his face buried in his hands. The one word I can make out is "Irene", which he's been repeating constantly.

Well, we'll just have to work on his condition. I hope that once I can get him out of the city and start administering the cure discovered by Robert and confirmed by Amelia that he will improve. Getting him out of The Ruins was just step one. A long road awaits us ahead.

As for Clyde, BL has announced that he already buried him before we met up with us. I'm sorry, Clarice, but this is the best that could be done for him.

Also, BL has announced he will be starting a new blog with his current account, leaving behind "The Land of Black Leaves" permanently. He left town by bus. As for his situation, it turns out his wife Lucy has also long known about his dealings with the Slender Man much like Clarice came to relearn about It on her own. She left town before BL openly betrayed It. She also left for a place unknown to BL, since he claimed he didn't want to be able to disclose her location if he were captured, so now he's going to have to look for her. A horse shoe in each pocket for both of them. I wish you two the best of luck.

Igg and Slice told me that they have other business that needs attending to. Godspeed, gentlemen, Godspeed. If you're going to stick around this town, you will have your work cut out for you.

The training is boarding now. My watch says it is just after 10:00 AM. We leave Boston behind. See you all at the other end.

Dark News.

My friends, today is a dark one. I've just gotten word that Al(x)ne has killed Clyde by literally torturing him to death. I've aleady contacted Clarice to tell her the news.
The attack will still take place at it's chosen time. We will still rescue Ron. I ask Core and Slice to keep your heads. This may have been a ploy to get us to do something rash.

May a flight of angels sing thee to thy rest, Clyde. I never got the chance to meet you, but you tried to help us. Rest in peace, my friend.

EDIT: In other news, it seems like Shaun, the Sage I based m symbolism research on, he recently reemerged and sent out an SOS.

Meetings and Plans

Well, I met Slice, Core, and my contact. Alright, this is the deal. We're going to spend some time preparing for the third and final descent. Al(x)ne said we have until the 20th, so that is the day on which we will go down to rescue Ron and Clyde.
Pray for us. Pray that this doesn't turn out like previous attempts. I have no illusions of luck being on our side. Instead, I will rely on wit, planning, caution, and perhaps divine intervention. We will rescue Ron. We will rescue Clyde. No if, ands, or buts about it.

Arrival and Doubts

I type this entry without a plan as for what I can say. You might call this a stream of consciousness that I'm using to sort out my thoughts. I'm scared. I've read as two descents into The Ruins ended in either partial or complete disaster. Can I let that delay me?

No matter what, now I'm in for it at last. Upon entering the border of this town, I find myself asking why I'm here. Is a name really worth this? What is the measure of it?

I can feel the chilled air of the city now. I'm set to enter Charleston. In a few more hours I will see the Proxied Neighborhood at last, where I hope to meet Slice, YggdrasilCore, and my contact in person.

Upon reaching the brink of The Ruins, though, will I go back? ...will I?

No.

What's in a name? My identity. I am Pete! Before, I had a mere... I wouldn't even call it a title. I was Prey the 2nd. I was an object. Then Ron gave me a name, and made me feel like I was... Somebody. As a somebody, I've since learned about and battled against this vicious Being...this Entity. Some things can't be measures on a simple scale. I am Pete. That is good enough.

I may be in for it at last, I may be able to practically feel the flames of Hell nicking at me, I may be at the brink where I will see Fear, itself.

Why am I here? I come to save Ron and Clyde. I come to rob our Enemy of His captives.

I can still turn back. But to go on, to take those steps...
...that would be the bravest of all moments.
 Whatever happens afterwards is nothing. Yes, Boston is where I will fight my real battle.

Hang on just a little longer, my friends. I have come.

Almost to Boston

I'm about to enter the Hell where Ron is being kept. It's alright. I'm not flying blind. Someone has contacted me and offered me help. As you know, Clyde has been captured. According to the concerned party, he's being tortured to death as we speak by Al(x)ne and Slender Man.
I've got to hurry. I'm going to rescue Ron and Clyde. It's alright. I have a plan. Even if two instances of entering The Ruins have resulted in capture, this time will be different, I swear it. Just hold on, guys. I'm coming.

Experiment #8 Results:

Location: Abandoned Shed
Decoy: New with new and new.
Symbols:
The Operator Sign
Eye Sketches, Drawings, and Photographs.
Results:
The images of plain olds eyes seemed to have an effect, but did not keep It out. Perhaps the construct just thought It was being watched and moved accordingly.
Am at a bus stop en route to Boston now, however late.

Bracing for tonight

First and foremost, I am not looking forward to another round of "fight off proxies while trying to get results from my experiments". But this is the only way. I've made two discoveries founded on prior theories. If I can just discover one more thing about this creature we battle no matter how many more experiments it takes, I'll be happy.

On related topics, now another date is added to the watch list: the 20th. The day on which Ron will be handed over to Slender Man and disappear. Ten days to get in, get him, and get out. And Clyde calls out summons for a volunteer. After tonight, I just may answer that call and head for Boston. My last change in location since the construct AND his minions sent me in the general direction of that town, anyway.

The man who named me now needs me. I will answer the call.

Maybe I should add nails to my 2-By-4.

Experiment #8 Set-Up Take 2:

Same attempted eye symbols as before, and this time I intend to see the results. I'm going to purchase a camera as a second pair of eyes in case proxies attempt to get in my way again.
I have 2-By-4, servants of Slender Man. I will use it if you attack me.

Rethinking the experiments

Alright, obviously I'm going to have to account for the possibility to of the construct using one of its pawns to attack me while it is distracted by my set-ups, but I need a way of still seeing all the results in spite of that. A camera, maybe?

I also received this in the mail at the hotel where I'm staying yesterday: It letter with no return address, and the it only had the number '3' on a piece of paper inside. Going on the odd entries on "The Land of Black Leaves" and the recent ones of "Unchained", this means something is up on the 10th.

I'm not sure where to watch or what to watch for, but I guess all we can do is check all the blogs as we can daily for anything....more odd and out the usual than usual. Thank God for Ron collecting all the major, and many of the minors, blogs in his Following. That will make this a much more simple matter.

In need of counter measures.

The construct employed its pawns to try to thwart me this time. It played its role at the lot perfectly while I was attacked in my room. I did not get full coverage of the test results, but I did found out I am not inept in a fight.

I will have to calculate their interference the next time around.

I have to rest now. It's been a rough ever since.

Experiment #8 Set-Up:

Location: An open lot. I've decided to try something a bit different to see what will happen. We know that using the Operator and Operato-Ichthus Signs will keep the construct out of an structure. Well, now I'm testing to see if how well a human can protect his or herself just by setting up a circle  of them around themselves. I will be using ordinary Operator Signs on the first try. as the smaller, inner "fence", so to speak.
As for symbols: human eyes. Drawings of eyes of all three colors: brown, blue, and green. I've also managed to purchase a printer, so I will also be setting up printed off images of eyes of all colors.
Decoy: New with new mask. I didn't care what how new the attire is this time. I just need to know if eye symbols and if a circle of Operator Signs out in the open will work.

I found an observing spot three floors up and a few good blocks away where I watch through the binoculars.

Sketches and images

I'm just going to have to buy a printer if I'm to try out photographs of eyes. I have the sketching of them handled, though I'm running out of paper. So I'll get new notebooks with the printer.

I've spotted It one or two times outside of watching it last night, so I know I still have time in this town. I don't think I will reuse the shack I made. One of the two times I've seen It was when I was collecting the things I left in the shed. I'll just have to think of something else to be safe.

I'm also just a few miles from the borderline of where Massachusetts and New York State meet. I'm considering crossing over to some other town there next time I chance locations. Still not sure yet.

Possibilities of Experimentation

Well, the successes of the Decoy and Symbol experiments have opened new doorways to explore. Again, thank God for the Sages, M, Dr. Cairo, and everyone else who experimented on It for laying the groundwork that made this possible. Without their prior work and theories, this would have been a lot more guess work.

What We Know Works:
Operator Symbols fend It off for about 24 hours before wearing.
Jakob's Ochthus-Operator Symbol Avatar worked as a repellent for 28 hours at the end of which the construct sundered them.
Fresh decoys with new sets of clothes and masks last fo five hours is distraction (that creature stared into the last night's decoy for about that length).

New Experiment Ideas:

1. JediZero's suggestion of using simple eye symbols. This holds a lot of merit in light of recent discoveries and is worth experimenting with. I think I will try experimenting with eye symbol in grousp of four as I did with the religious symbols. Among the first tests, of course, a human eye design, will be tried. Not sure about the other three yet.
2. Bodies of water. Once it warms up a bit more, I will experiment with the construct's reaction to bodies of water. Not sure how I'm going to go about that.

Any more suggestions?
It's kind of hard to concentrate right now. For some reason, I've been having a bit of headache today, ever since I caught wind of Ron's... The events. It's as if I remember this kind of feeling, somehow. I saw a few images flash in my mind a bit earlier. Int he first one, I was... somewhere, with people. Then something is yelled, but I can't make it out. Then I see an image of woods or a forest. I have no idea what this is.

This feeling

We lost him. We lost Ron. I feel hollow and heavy upon reading this news. So is this grief? He was my first friend on these boards. He gave me name instead of a objective title. Named me. Before, I just had a position: Prey the 2nd, treated as an object by the Slender Man and his pawns. Then I was given a name, and I felt...complete, perhaps.

No, this can't be. It can't end like this. He finally had the Brand within his reach! It's not fair!

No, I must calm down. I must stay the course. Experiment. Keep experimenting and try to prevent future victims. So is this what it means to be hunted by It? To lose people? To just get used to it and cope? I feel... Rage? Rage at the injustice of it, possibly? I have not felt this before. I don't understand this, but its there as if natural.

The full weight of the true terror of the beast sinks in.

Final Ichthus-Operator Sign Results

The construct penetrated the outer layer at about 3:00 AM. It thoroughly destroyed it with its tendrils. I think the ordinary Operator Signs have worn off, as it is staring the manequin down while very close and intendedly. It has done so for almost an hour and a half now.
Final verdict: The Ichthus-Operator Sign Jakob uses as his avatar lasts as repellent for 28 hours, at the end of which I recommend having formulated an escape plan or have erected fresh ones, because the construct will be agitated and ready to tear things apart.

Experiment #7 Results:

Location: A shack I built at the edge of the woods just outside town.
Decoy: #4 with new Attire and Mask
Symbols:
Standard Operator Sign: Effective
The Ichthus-Operator Signs:
My Design: Semi-Effective, it held the construct back for a few minutes It shredded the papers with it drawn on.
Two out of Jakob's Three designs were met with similar results. The one you picked for you avatar is functioning as a ward. In fact, I'm typing this in real time and it still hasn't worn off. I can tell the construct is not happy with the design, though. Its tendrils twitch in anticipation of the kill at them. Though I'm going to have to give up watching for meal at some point, I will try to keep track of out long it's going to last. The construct showed up at about eleven at last. I'm hoping for the symbol to hold up that long.
Another variant in the creature's behavior is that it's staying farther back from the effective Ichthus-Operator than it ever did with the ordinary Operator signs.
Then after that, there are still the ordinary operator signs. I wonder how long they will be effective since they haven't had a run at holding it back yet, but have been up as long as the Ichthus-Operators. That goes for the Decoy as well.

Experiment #7 Set-Up:

Location: A crudely made little shack I've built from discarded wood and boards using a hammer and nails I purchased.*
Decoy 4: New Attire and New Mask. This is to confirm once and for all what happened on that night with the first decoy.
Symbols:
The tried and true Operator Sign, as usual.
The Ichthus-Operator Sign I made.
JakobGibby's symbols: Operator + Ichthus, Operator X + Ichthus, and Operator Circle + Ichthus.
My computer was acting up while I tried to get them onto here, but they can be seen at his blog.
Gibby's Log: A (not asked for) favor
I don't know what will happen this time. Either this will work or it won't, and the next step is taken from there.

Suggestions and Theories:

1. JakobGibby suggested that the Ichthus symbol incensed the construct to rage because it is the original Christian symbol predating the Cross, which I have used both mere drawings and actual cast Crucifix necklaces of.
2. JediZero suggests that the combined Ichthus Symbol and Operator Sign look like a focused eye directed right on Him may be what what the creature hates so much.
3. The whole thing where It tore actual fish apart still baffles me, though. The Ichthus symbol is one thing, but just plain, ordinary fish? One idea I have about this comes from the theory that has been passed around that the construct does not like the sea and can't go into large bodies of water. I believe one fellow M of The Tutorial once met had a similar idea and even had some success with this. Well, testing whether the construct can chase me into large bodies of water is just going to have to wait until the Winter ends.

*= There were locations I could have used around this little town, but none of them are without owners or nearby persons who could get caught up in this. I will risk no harm to others, so I made do in building my own abandoned shack a bit away from the main town.

Arrival

Will find new lodgings and place to conduct the next experiment.

Still on the move.

Will be arriving in a new town tomorrow, though. There I hope the find the proper setting to continue conducting these Symbol experiments. I think I'm almost done with the Decoy experiments. At this point I think I'm just going to continue employing them for practical use so that I can observe from afar.

Known Decoy Results:

New Decoy+New Attire+New Mask=About five hours of distraction.
Old Decoy+Repeated Attire+Reused Mask=Minutes at best.
Old Decoy+New Attire+New Mask=Roughly two hours of successful distraction.

However, on the next go I will try out a brand new Decoy with new attire and a new mask. I will hold off using religious symbols for one night as I am curious to how the construct will react to a barrier made up Ichthus-Operator Signs. Will it have the effect of both in which the creature is held back AND is incensed to violence? If so, I may need to change out the binoculars for a telescope. Or will the attempted combination just muddy the ffect of both enough that it's ineffective like the others I've tried, in which case the construct will walk right past.  Either way, I hope for repeated success with the combination of a new decoy, new clothes, and new mask.