Little Dipper

I'll Take $200 For -Nightmares-, Alice

The box felt heavy in Bill's small arms as he headed back home from the bookstore, moving as fast as his little legs could carry him. He didn't know why he was in such a hurry, but he felt he had to. Even if logically, he shouldn't be running with such a big box. He might trip and fall.

He reached home and opened the door, heading for a particular door. He opened it up and...it was empty of people. Signs of a struggle, a ripped curtain, books scattered... He dropped the box as tears welled up in his eye, then looked behind him as he heard footsteps.

"Bill, you shouldn't be in here." His adopted father told him.

"Where's Liam?" Bill asked, his young voice trembling.

His father was silent, and Bill felt rage fill his young body. "You...You let them take him away, didn't you?!" He accused, tears slipping down and off his bottom side.

"Bill..." The older triangle reached for him, but Bill pushed past him, running outside.

If only he was faster...if only he hadn't gotten distracted...if only he could do it all again!

And then he was running down the street again, box in hand, running as fast as his little legs could carry him. But, it wasn't fast enough. Liam was gone when he got there, again. He ran outside and it all started again.

And here was the part where Bill realized something was off and reality just didn't work like that and, fuck, this was a nightmare. And Little Billy just did not say "fuck" so, yeah, there was his way to ground himself to reality.

Okay, so he realized he was in a fucking nightmare, now how could he wake up? Wait, was he even asleep? Think, think, think, THINK, BILL, YOU FUCKING IDIOT—OH! ...Oh. Right. He was in Keyhole's mental prison maze of nightmares. He'd opened the wrong door and been pulled inside by...what were those, tentacles?

What was it Keyhole had said? He had to fight the nightmare? But, how could he fight a memory? What would end it? The nightmare was looping again, he was desperately trying to figure out how to save his brother...

...Oh. Bill felt the answer hit him like a bulldozer and drop him down like the bottomless pit. The only way to stop the loop...was to accept what had happened. And, honestly, what could he do even if he WAS there? Beg? Plead? Threaten with all the intimidation a child possessed? Hah, no. All that would do was get him dragged out by his parents and he'd be forced to watch Liam be taken away.

...And hopefully not become a part of Amorphus Shape. He was pretty sure he would've known if he had, though. Anyways, he knew WHAT to do....but could he do it?

Little Billy was reaching Liam's room again, package in hand. He was seeing the empty room...the damage...All Bill had to do was let go of trying to save him, at least this one time. He had to get out and save Pine Tree and Shooting Star. His little boy needed him.

Tears slipping down his cheeks, he chose instead to go to Liam's bed and cry. Liam had said this would happen...all he could do was accept it. But, they hoped...so badly had they hoped that maybe, just maybe, Liam would be spared.

Flatland didn't work like that. Flatland was cruel. He could accept that Liam had been taken away...but he would still make this world burn for Liam's death.

The image faded away as Bill felt something loosen around his arms and legs and then he was standing in endless darkness, facing a glowing squid or...something. The nightmare he would have to fight. He conjured up fire and threw it at the creature, listening to its dying screams as he wiped at his eyes.

And then he was being pushed back, back, back and out. He fell out of the room and crashed backwards into Ford. "Oof!"

"Hey, you made it!" Stan cheered.

"What...was it...that one?" Ford asked anxiously.

Bill shook his head. "No...thank the Cosmos."

Stan and Ford hugged him tightly. Keyhole watched them for about five seconds before he cleared his throat and opened the other door. "You have two more to go. Don't celebrate yet."

They glared at him, but went through the door together. Two more doors...they could do this.