The Lemon Meringue Boy

Part 32

"Pine Tree!" the kid ran up to me and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me back and forth. 

"Look at me! I'm a worthless fleshsack! Ha! Don't I look dapper? Check it out! Two freaking eyes! And a mouth! Can you believe it?" 

I couldn't believe it. This was obviously Bills dream, so what was he doing as a human?! The entire time I'd known him he'd criticized humans for their fragility and lack of extensive knowledge. Was it all a lie? Why did he seem so happy like that? Is this what he wanted? 

Then something else struck me. I was obviously part of his dream now. Why wasn't he trying to kill me? I remembered the arrow in the forest, how it had threatened my life on Bills command. The memory made me shudder. Why wasn't I dying now? Bill obviously didn't know that he was dreaming. He was caught up in the seemingly MAGICAL transformation.

"Human! All my problems are solved! Do you know what this means, kid?" He was beaming so wide I could see the faint glimmer of fangs in his grin. He brought his face close to mine, so close that I could've counted his eyelashes if I'd tried. His breath smelled like wet cement. I gulped and shook my head, playing along. 

"It means... I. Don't. Know. SQUAT. Isn't it great?!" 

I was brimming with confusion, but I didn't have long to dwell. The ecstatic blonde teenager started to flicker in and out of existence, fading ever so slowly. Bill started to wake up. I couldn't let him know what I'd seen. I leapt into my makeshift bed and bundled up in bedding, facing away from Bill. The real one.

I heard him sit up. He paused a minute, probably acknowledging that the dream wasn't real. I couldn't see his face. I couldn't imagine what he was thinking. I heard the scrape of cement as he stood. What was he doing? He began to walk to the other side of the basement, dragging his feet. I closed my eyes when he passed my head. 

I could see him now, heading to the corner of the room. Then it dawned on me. That corner couldn't be seen from the entrance. Rule one. He was following it, even when he thought I was asleep. Probably just because he was scared for his own life. I mean, why else would he follow a rule I'd made? That was it. Bill takes care of Bill and vice versa. It wasn't anything to do with my setting it. 

I watched Bill from the corner of my eye. I stayed still, pretending to be asleep. Pretending, that is, until there was no need to.