Nightmare kind of Dream

Offer

"Uncle?" Marmibelle called from the bedroom. I was setting up a mound of discarded fabrics for Beufo to sleep on.

"What is it?" I asked from where I kneeled.

"Can you sing that song like you used to?"
I looked up over my shoulder. Marmibelle stood in the doorway in her pyjamas, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"Alright." I got up and followed her into the room.
Beufo trailed after and hopped up on the bed as Marmibelle got under the covers. I pulled a chair close to the bedside and sat down.
The girl pulled the blanket under her chin and stared at me patiently while the dog rested his head on her legs also staring.
I stroked her hair softly and sucked in a breathe.

I remember tears streaming down your face when I said 'I'd never let you go.'
When all those shadows almost killed your light.

I remember you said 'Don't leave me here alone.'
But that's all dead and gone and past tonight

Just close you're eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound.

I watched as my niece's eyelids slid shut and opened again in the battle against sleep.

Don't you dare look out your window darling everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on

Hold on to this lullaby
Even when the music's gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

I finished the song with humming the repeated chorus and kissed her head.
Clucking my tongue as I left the room, Beufo lifted his head and followed me to the main room. The mutt curled up in his makeshift bed close to the fireplace.
I settled myself on the couch and laid down.

"Just close your eyes~ " I murmured to myself. "You'll be alright, Come morning light; You and I'll be safe and sound..." I dozed off to the crackling of the fire, Beufo's rumbling snores, and the ticking of the clock on the end table. . . .

My surroundings were all different shades of grey, nothing moved. I was in my home, my living room, on my couch.
"Where am I?" I asked aloud my voice echoing in the motionless room.

"Don't you remember this place?" a voice answered. "The mindscape? The biggest kingdom I reign over."
Instantly I got up from the couch. The mindscape is a very bad place to be, especially for me.

A swirl of gold and black, lo and behold the floating dorito sits in mid-air his one eye looking me up and down. "Well I see the years did well for you." he stated with his familiar obnoxious tone. "Do you like the new open exercise gym?"

"Go to hell Bill." I growled my hands balling into fists. "And leave me alone."

His lone eye squinted at me. "I think you should be more wary about what you say to me Pinetree." He poked my shoulder with a black stick-like finger. "After all I have your family's lives in my hand." An orb appeared in his palm in the orb were the images of Grunkle Stan and great uncle Ford.

"Stan? Uncle Ford?" I questioned, my chest tightening and tears leaked from my eyes.
They're alive, my great uncles are alive.

"And that's not all Pinetree." Bill spoke teetering in air. "I have a contract with your dear loving niece."

My eyes widened and without thinking I swung a fist at him. "Liar!" My fist went through him.

A gold semi rolled parchment appeared at his other hand. "I speak the truth." I pulled the parchment away from him and read through it. It was a simple outline that in return for my eternal safety that she would let him into her mind. It definitely was her signature, I did teach her to write myself.

"What did you do while you were in her head?" I questioned in a growl. My eyes turning to the triangle.

"I did nothing on the lines of possession, influence, or mental damage." He counted off the actions on his fingers as he spoke. The parchment pulled itself from my grip. "But I can terminate the contract if you are willing to make one with me." he suggested wiggling his brow. Another parchment appeared. The outline declared for the protection of my kin that Bill will have all ownership over my being. Of course him and his possession thing is only for me. Oh yay. . .

I looked up at the triangle then back at the parchment. He has the only people left I can call family and all I have to do is sign on the dotted line. When did he start on contracts anyway?

"Around the time my last attempt to make a deal. They got worried about loopholes so contracts let them read over the terms add their own and compromise." Bill answered. Damn him and his mind reading.
Okay let's just think the positives and negatives.
Positive-protection for my niece and uncles, most likely shelter; food, and clothes.
Negative-being Bill's puppet. . .

Reading over the terms a final time, I imagined a pen in my hand and signed the line. The parchment glowed and rolled itself up, I looked up at the sound of paper tearing and watched Marmibelle's contract terminate itself.
Bill took hold of mine with an amused gleem in his eye. "I'll send someone to bring you two to Cipher Central kid." He waved and disappeared, the grey started to melt away and I was forced into consciousness.