Haunting Ch4

Chapter 4

Mabel sat on the deck of the outside as she watched the final rays of sun disappear from the sky, leaving behind a dark red and black sky. The warmth of sun was gone, leaving the sinister shadows of the night. It would be time to sleep soon, soon she would return to her horrifying nightmares.

She continued to sit there until the biting cold forced her to return inside the main cabins of the boat.

She welcomed the warm heat as she walked down the passageway that would take her to her room. Finding it she went inside to see the small bed and desk that would temporarily house her.

Mabel sighed, walking into her tiny private bathroom. A sink, a toilet and a shower stall. That was all.

Throughout her life she had been blessed with a lot of things, but the tiny room and bathroom was a strong reminder to her that all of those things were now long gone. They started to disappear after that fateful evening at the dance. The day her brother died and an empty shell was left behind to exist. Since then it seemed she started to lose things bit by bit. Her family, her friends, her job, her freedom... All of those things were gone; and she didn't know when or if she was ever going to get them back.

Mabel turned on the cold water and splashed some cold water onto her face. At least she wouldn't have to suffer through an of this alone. She had a group of companions by her side to help her through this. They were her entire family now. For better or for worse.

The young woman sighed to herself as she turned off the water and exited the bathroom.

She changed into her nightclothes and sat on her bed.

She didn't want to go bed. The demon was waiting for her to close his eyes. He was waiting for to go into a dream state. Then he was free to terrorize as he pleased.

Mabel laid on the bed staring at the ceiling. She willed herself to keep her eyes open for as long as she could. She didn't have much of a problem of doing so in the beginning, but a little over two hours later, Mabel felt her eyelids slowly start to become heavy. She widened her eyes more to keep them awake and alert, but then her eyes would start to strain.

Mabel relaxed her tired eyes, but even then she knew she couldn't keep it up anymore. She had to sleep; or she was going to have no energy at all.

She swallowed a sob as she felt her heavy eyelids completely close. Taking her to her long awaited nightmare.

Mabel's Nightmare.

Mabel found herself walking within a snowing field. The ground was covered with a thick blanket of soft substance while endless tiny flakes gently fell from the sky onto to the ground. The wind blew softly and the sky was a midnight red.

She looked down to find herself wearing a long white dress made of the finest silks while the sleeves were made of lace. Wrapped around her and her form fitting dress was a thick white fur lined with silk.

Mabel hugged the fur around her body like a blanket, shielding herself from the cold.

Her hazel eyes scanned the snowy field in fright. He was around here somewhere. She knew it.

She slowly started to explore her surroundings. Everything was snow white around her except the sky. The horrible blood red sky that seemed to mock her.

She continued walking until she saw something lying in the snow.

Mabel ran towards the object, bending down slightly to pick it up. When she looked at the item in her hands, she saw that it was Dipper's blue and white hat.

The hat caught her off guard as threw it back into the ground, backing away from it, until she felt her back come into contact with something.

Mabel felt her body run cold as slowly turned around to see Bill towering over her, his usual outfit now a blood red. His yellow glowing ominously in the red darkness.

She tried to back away, but the demon grabbed her hand; pressing his lips softly against it. He shivered at her touch. If only he could physically feel her touch.

"My pet..." He purred. "Oh how I miss the touch of your skin. It's driving me mad with you not here with me."

"You're insane..." Was all the young woman could muster.

Bill laughed.

"And you're so precious..."

Mabel tried to back free from his grasp, but the demon quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer until their bodies were touching. The blonde looked down at his pet. She looked so lovely and vulnerable; in the dreamscape he could torment her as much as he wanted. His pet's nightmares would entertain him until they were physically reunited. Then she would get away from him ever again.

"I miss you, Shooting Star..." He whispered into her ear. "It's been so lonely without you."

Mabel didn't know how to respond to that. The thought that the demon was beside himself without her to play must have been driving the demon off the wall. Making her wonder what he was going to do with her when he finally caught her.

"You... You don't love me, Bill..." She whispered. "Someone like you is incapable of truly loving someone. You love the idea of controlling me like a slave; forcing me to do things that amuse that frozen black heart of yours."

The wicked demon laughed. Spinning her around in his arms.

"But of course I love you, my pet..." He said, smoothly. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't love you."

"Some who loves me... WOULDN'T SEND MY OWN BROTHER TO ATTACK HER AND HER FRIENDS!" Mabel screamed.

Bill snapped his fingers before the snowy landscape disappeared and changing into some Victorian style sitting room. The colors swirled with reds and greys giving the place an ominous feel.

Mabel looked around the room before she saw the demon sit on some old fashioned looking couch.

"Come here..." He ordered.

Knowing there was no place to run to in the dreamscape, Mabel sat beside the demon.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling his feet up until both of them were lying on the couch together. Everything red except for her snow white gown.

"Why are you so insistent on running from me? You know that can only think of me." He asked her slyly.

"It's not pleasant what I think about you!" She growled.

"Come on Shooting Star... You know you and I are not so different." He said, resting her head against his chest.

"YOU AND I COULDN'T BE ANYMORE DIFFERENT!" She screamed in disgust.

Bill chuckled at her outburst.

"Oh my pet... That is far from the truth, and you know it. You're just as energetic and outlandish as I am. We channel our natures differently yes, but at the root we are the same."

"I'm not like you, Bill... I never was or never will be..." Mabel growled.

"You say that, but is that true? Can you still go out into the cold reality you humans call life and say that you haven't been affected by all of this?"

"I..." Mabel could barely speak.

Bill shushed her.

"You can say that you tried to live your life like nothing had changed you. You could say that to everyone in your life you've come across; but they can't see into your mind like I can." (I can't do the italics anymore. it's getting annoying)

Mabel looked into his eyes, tears falling down her paling cheeks.

"I knew the truth, Shooting Star. You were never the same after Pine Tree was taken away. The two of were only halves that were only whole when you were together; but once you lost your other half, you lost yourself. You lost everything that made you who you were. No matter how much you tried to mimic it on the outside." He explained.

The poor girl sobbed as she shook her head.

"You felt so out of place in your world. Your relationship with your parents was destroyed once your brother was gone. Your teen romances felt cold and fake anytime you tried to have one; and you always questioned if any of your so called friends really cared about you; and judging how much your friends fawned over me I think we know the answer to that question. You may have been the same on the outside, but inside you was a little girl who felt lost and alone."

Mabel wept into Bill's chest. She never realized how truly lonely she was until that very moment. She never really had anyone at all.

The demon ran his gloved fingers through her hair.

"Hush now..." He purred, softly. "I'm here to keep you safe from out there."

The young woman stared into his visible eye. She swore that it almost seemed gentle; and that scared her.

"Everyone you knew in your world never could understand what you were going through. They never understood the feeling of losing your other half. They never understood because they didn't care."

Mabel didn't what she could say.

"They will never care for you the way I do, my pet." Bill whispered. He smiled showing her his ominous white teeth.

He sat up a little, pulling her up a little. She lay in his embrace. It felt cold and sinister, yet almost loving.

He kissed her cheeks, causing the young woman to relax slightly.

"Why don't you come back to me, my love... If you do I'll hold you in my arms and never let you go." He breathed, his hot breath blowing on her cold neck.

Mabel felt surprisingly content in Bill's arms. For once she felt safe. For once she felt loved.

"Yes..." He hissed, happily. "Stay here with me... I'll never hurt you the way the others have. I'll never forsake like Pine Tree did. All you have to do is stay in my arms and everything will fine."

Before Mabel could make any more sense out of this she felt the demon's lips press against hers for a kiss. She tried to pull away, but Bill would pull her in closer deepening his kiss. Mabel was frightened and confused. This was all so wrong, but it felt so right to her.

The former thought finally began to beat some sense into the young woman's head before she struck the demon with one of her high heels.

Bill cried in surprise giving Mabel enough time to climb off of him.

She tried running to the door of the room, but it was locked tightly. She was trapped with her tormentor.

The demon laughed in such a cruel way as he slowly strutted towards hers. His eye glowed maliciously at the sight of her pain.

"Poor helpless little Shooting Star... She continues to keep fighting me, yet she only continues to hurt herself more and more. She doesn't know when to give in... She doesn't know when to surrender... All this does is leave her feeling haunting and alone." He said with his haunting Cheshire grin.

He sat down beside her.

"I know you desire me, Shooting Star. You felt safe in my arms for a brief moment. You could say that you felt manipulated, but I felt your desire. You'll continue to runaway from me; but you'll feel my influence begin to take hold you. You'll soon see that you belong to nobody but me; and there won't be a single you'll be to able to do to stop me."

The world around them begin to fade away. Mabel was starting to wake up.

Bill began to disappear in the darkness.

"It was fun, Shooting Star." He laughed. "I'll see you again soon."

He vanished.

End of Mabel's nightmare.

Mabel bolted up in her bed to see that she was back in her room. She was safe.

She looked at the clock on the nightstand to see that it was about seven thirty in the morning.

Mabel would have fallen back asleep but she knew she would only return to her never ending nightmare; and she wanted to stay away from it as long as possible. She walked into her bathroom before she turned the water to her shower on.

The demon's wicked words burning in her fragile mind.

She could almost feel his power beginning to take hold of her; and it frightened her every waking thought.

But she would not give in.

Bill may very well ensnare her like he intended...

But Mabel was not going to let him do so without a fight.