*Listen to my background writing music: SYML- Where's my love*

I kick off my shoes and run up the creaky stairs, a silent prayer that Stan is knocked out and snoring. My bedrooms' lock is an old rusted chain latch, and I clumsily put it in place. I try to catch my breath, and let my body slide down to the floor. My heart feeling like it might burst thru my chest. Mabel and I would explore run down areas in search of anything 'out of the ordinary' and as much as she doesn't want to admit it, I know she lost interest a while ago, leaving me alone with my theories and books. I gather courage and look to my sides, and finally stand up from the floor in front of my door. Maybe I just saw a shadow of an animal. I sit on my bed, the springs squeaking loudly, and I turn on the tiny bedside lamp. But I can't hear Stans' snores, I can't hear the static of the old tv he always forgets to turn off. I look by my window and see no moonlight, no stars. But I know I should see moonlight, it's almost a full moon tonight. But I lose my train of thought when I see a shadow, a human shadow.

My eyes lock up in place, my breath hitches up in my throat. I don't move, my hand still carrying my phone, should I scream? Turn around and run out where? I start to feel my eye twitch, my arms full of goosebumps. I slowly move my head to where the shadow stands, next to the end of my bed. The shadow stands still, I see no person next to it. I tell my brain this is a dream, but I'm able to remember my dinner, remember the last text Mabel sent me, I remember the taste of the cheap beer. I remember the sigh next to my ear.

"You can move now".

I turn, shrieking and immediately putting my hands on my mouth. I guy not much older than me stands, a calm expression on his face. Bright Gold eyes locked on me. I can hear my thundering heart, and the faint sound of a clock ticking.

"What… what do you want?" My voice shakes, but I mentally applaud myself for being able to speak as I slowly stand up.

"I've never seen you before."

"Same goes for you, I don't think Stan has nighttime employees". He continues to eye me up, the calm expression was gone, his eyes widen just for a second, when they lock with mine, his mouth twisting up and forming a straight line.

"You're the old man's nephew, right?"

I can't drop the eye contact, even if I wanted to, I feel glued. I flinch as his stares narrows, a bothered expression on his face, or maybe disappointed. The golden light of the lamp matches his eyes, making it look like he's emitting it.

"why are you here?" He finally looks away, pulls out a pocket watch from his jacket, tapping it impatiently.

I drop down my hands and gasp loudly.

"you followed me, no chased me from the woods.."

"you ran because you wanted to, no one chased you".

"Come up into my room and start to ask questions like you own the place? Who are you? And why are you here?"

He stares up at me again, the same bothered looked on his face, he sighs heavily, looking down at the floor.

"Someone you shouldn't have been able to see." He steps closer to me, his eyes still glowing gold.

"Why are you looking for things you shouldn't, Pines?" He puts his fingertips on my chest and pushes me down on the bed. Actual panic begins to take over me, I try to move up but my body feels paralyzed.

"I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about".

"You like this rush, don't you? The unknown, stepping into mysterious danger. It fuels you up".

I feel my body become cold, his fingertips still on my chest, almost like the small force alone can hold me down. He curls them slightly, I see them slowly move up to my chin. He bends towards me now, the gold light blinding me.

"You shouldn't have been able to see me, but you do, which makes you a little more special than everyone else, isn't that nice. More useful than Stanley, and Stanford never came back… but you're here."

The names he throws out don't make sense, I know Grunkle Stanford but don't recognize Stanley. He's whispering down to me, hand fully cupping my chin and cheek. From here I can see him better, the golden blonde hair gathered back, freckles around a small nose, his lips still pursed into a harsh line, and his eyes still glowing. He looks like a surreal creature, not quite human, and beautiful.

"Let me go you fucking weirdo I don't know what you want but I don't have it.."

"But you do". He holds on to my shirt, dragging me to stand. I lean on the wall for support, the room spins and I see his eyes glow even more.

"Why are you here? Why are you doing this?" I feel terror begin to swell up, if this is a nightmare, I need it to end. I feel like I might pass out from it.

"I need life source, but I can't take from just anyone… I need people like you".

"Take it and leave me alone!".

His eyes widen once more, his palm on my chest. Like my statement angered him. He pushes down straight on my necklace, and he looks up at me, his eyes stop glowing and I fall on the floor heavily. I look up and he has that look again, disappointed, sad.

"You're wearing some sort of amulet. So I guess you know what you're doing".

I stare down on the necklace Mabel gifted me a year ago, it was supposed to ward off bad spirits, or so she told me 'It's for your adventures and uncovering mysteries' she said.

"That's why I didn't fully sense you when you arrived".

"I wish you would tell me what the hell you're talking about".

"Wouldn't you just prefer to think of this as a messy nightmare, pines?

"I know this isn't one".

"Maybe I will, but I don't want to. Maybe I should finally give up and do the 'right thing' as your uncle once told me."

"You know grunkle Stan?" He no longer holds eye contact, his eyes stare everywhere else, except me. Something in me stirs, and I curse at myself and my teenage hormones for just being able to think how attracted I feel to him like I want to reach out and lift his stare from the old wooden floor, despite my fear, my shaking body.

"You should be asleep".

"What's going on I don't even know who you are, how did you get in here!"

"I'm Bill, but you won't need to know that now".

He comes closer to the wall I lean on, pushes his fingertips onto my temple, and pushes. His eyes are finally back on me, a selfish feeling in me stirs, I don't want him to look away ever.

"Goodnight".

My fingers reach out to his face, feeling his skin. He moves his head down, towards me. I see him pull out his pocket watch, and the ticking becomes louder and louder, I close my eyes, the feeling of his skin still wonderful, but I look up and he's gone.

I close my eyes against a bright light and open them up, I'm in bed, and the loud ticks are now Stans' alarm.