It's Where My Demons Hide

Chapter 2

Dipper had sworn to never ever curse in his life, but he could make this an exception. You would too if you were trapped in a ring of blue flames.

However, the searing heat was making it hard to curse, let alone to breathe.

The raging fire had already engulfed the walls and was slowly itching its way closer and closer.

I need to get out of here.

Panting hard, he crawled on hands and knees. Fierce flames were preventing him from crossing the path. It was devouring everything.

Although his vision was blurry, he could faintly make out the outline of a hand and quickly grabbed onto it. The hand was cold, he noticed, but that did not deter him.

The lack of heat did not matter. Someone was there to save him, and he was definitely not going to let the person leave him behind. With little ounce of energy he have left, he strengthened his grasp on the hand. Please don't go.

The man chuckled. "If you wanted to leave so bad, you could have said so, Pine Tree."

Oh crud.

As his vision gradually cleared, he saw an all too familiar triangle twirling its cane and laughing like a maniac. Dammit Cipher.

"Your presence is unwelcome," growled Dipper. "Leave."

"Leave? You want me to leave you to your own demise? I'm not that mean, kid, unless you want to continue your fight with the flames. Be my guest."

Dipper bit down his retort. He hated to admit that Bill was right. The flames have finally reached his legs and were not climbing up to his chest and gosh, he needed fresh air. His lungs were screaming and ... we were still holding each others' hands? That was not his priority, he needed air. Air. Air.

"Don't leave," Dipper managed to croak out. Screw Cipher. He was going to regret this.

Bill, seemingly satisfied, snapped his fingers. The flames were gone at the snap. That was anticlimactic, thought Dipper.

Okay, now priorities. (He remembered the holding hands.) The other priority.

Dipper Pines now owe the demon his life. And said demon was insane.

He must have done something that pissed the Fates.

"Bill, I defeated you once. I'm not afraid to do it again, you worthless piece of –"

A finger pressed on his lips, abruptly shutting off his elegant speech.

"Watch your language, Pine Tree. I'm not here to destroy you," said Bill. "I'm here to check how my puppet is doing."

"I'm not your puppet."

Bill laughed as if what he said was a million dollar joke. "You also owe me a life debt, kid."

Then before I could say anything, the flames reappeared, raising higher and higher. And it surged downwards at me.

Dipper Pines never felt this afraid in his life.

•••

He opened his eyes and sat up straight quickly. Thank the fates it was a nightmare. At least he didn't have to owe the triangle anything, now that he knew it was just a figment of his imagination.

This was not his first nightmare, but the fifth in a row. Only this time, it had Bill freaking Cipher in it.

It was good to know that he wasn't offered another deal. His deals could be very tempting. Instead, the demon had said something about checking on his puppet. But what did that mean exactly?

Dipper couldn't be his puppet. Dipper wasn't his puppet. The deal was finished! He broke the deal!

He glanced at his alarm clock. It was 3:49 in the morning. Yawning, Dipper tiptoed himself to the bathroom quietly, washed his face and slapped his face multiple times.

After that, he leaned closer to the mirror to examine his face. It was red from all those slaps. His black circles made his face look even creepier, along with his yellow eyes.

Wait, YELLOW?!

Dipper fainted.