I felt someone shake me lightly. I lazily opened my eyes to see my younger sister, standing above my bed with her fist rubbing her eyes.

"Katie? What are you doing up?" I yawned.

"I had a nightmare," she responded. I flicked on the lamp on my nightstand, illuminating the room in a dim light. I saw Katie's sorrowful blue eyes glance down at the floor. Her long, blonde hair covered her sweating face.

"Oh, man," I sat up in my bed. I patted the covers and motioned my sister to sit. "Sit down, tell your sister all about it."

She plopped onto the bed next to me, nearly tearing up.

"What was it about?" I began to rub her back to console her. I half-knew what her nightmare was about. She's been having the same nightmares for about two years now. Even after we moved houses, we could still hear wicked laughter.

"I had a nightmare," she repeated. "That Mary-Ellen came back to kill me."

"Oh, Katie," I gave her a warm hug. The autumn breeze drifted into the room from the open window. I wanted to get up and close it, but I felt Katie was my top priority.

"A-and Slappy was with her," she continued. "But he was different."

"Different? Different how?" I inquired.

"He… he was a lot taller and his eyes were glowing in the dark. He seemed... almost human. He had a knife and Mary-Ellen did too. She... she was cut in half a-and started to inch towards me with the knife. Th-they encircled me and spoke backwards. It was horrible!"

She cowered her head into my nightgown and cried. Her tears dampened my clothes, but I didn't care. I hugged her again and pet her thin, golden locks. She wept silently, but I could feel her whole body move. She shivered roughly.

"It'll be okay, Katie. It'll be okay," I soothed her. Mary-Ellen popped into my head. That ugly piece of shit, with her bulging blue eyes and that scornful smile. A blonde afro that would make Barbie throw up. I hated her. I hated her so much.

While Slappy was gone, I took it upon myself to get a shower. After all, I've been through a lot in the past day. I could use the blissful warmth of a shower.

I opened the door to the bathroom. The walls were a crimson red, with a marble floor. The bathroom was huge. It had a large shower, big enough for two people. A bathtub, which was surrounded in rose petals and candles. The toilet was a basic toilet. I wonder what Slappy used that for before he turned human, I thought. The sink was also adorned with roses and candles. It felt pretty romantic, in an eerie sort of way.

I tore off my sweater and jeans. I slowly unhooked my bra and removed my underwear, when I realized I didn't have a change of clothes. I walked around the suite in my birthday suit and dug through the dresser drawers. I found a whole drawer of clothes set for me. How creepy… I took the clothes and put them in the bathroom with me. I found a towel within the closet in the bathroom.

I hopped into the shower and turned the knob. Hot water poured from the nozzle. It hit my skin smoothly, caressing my body with its warmth. I loved every second of it. I took the shampoo and rubbed it into my soaking hair. The heat of the shower felt so nice, I had almost forgotten what was going on. I was nearly finished with my shower when I heard the door to the suite unlock. I hurried my shower and jumped out. I seized the towel and dried off in a rush.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Amy," I heard Slappy call indistinctly from the other side of the bathroom door. I quickly changed into the petite, blue sweater and fresh jeans I found. He started banging on the door.

"Coming!" I huffed. I opened the door. Slappy had his hand behind his back. He looked surprised to see me. I panted from rushing to get decent. My hair was wet and dripping onto the marble. He looked me over, his eyes studying my form. He raised his thick eye brows and mouthed something to himself.

"Here," he weakly smiled. He revealed a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. The flowers were all roses; red, yellow, pink and white. The scent was saccharine. He handed them to me.

"I felt bad about smacking you so harshly," he ran a hand through his hair. "But I meant what I said about remembering your place. When I kiss you, you kiss back. Understood?"

"Why did you kiss me in the first place?" I pondered distractedly, looking at the gorgeous array of flowers in my hand.

"I mean in general. If I tell you to do anything, you just do it. Go with it. That's how it works, slave," he murmured. He walked over to the silky bed and sat down. He looked me over once more. "Digging into the dressers, I see."

"Yeah, uh, the clothes fit well," I replied bashfully, pausing briefly. "Wait… you felt bad for hitting me?"

"With human structure comes human emotion. It's a curse. Just drop it," He looked down to the floor in remorse. He scowled.

I looked upon him with pity. He wasn't an evil, quipping puppet anymore. He was a human being. An awful, abducting, possessive jerk of a human being, but a human being nonetheless. I made my way over to the bed hesitantly. He may have felt bad for hitting me, but I wouldn't doubt for a second that he would do it again in a heartbeat.

He looked up at me with powerful emeralds, glistening in the candlelight. He looked like a sad, lost puppy. It made me feel almost bad for him… almost. I gave him a lopsided smile and sat down next to him, his eyes never leaving my frame.

"Amy," he began. He gently grabbed my hand and interlocked my fingers between his. His hand felt incredibly warm. "Would you be opposed to trying again?"

He crept his face towards mine. I didn't particularly want him to kiss me again, but I would prefer to not get slapped again either. I sighed and let him press his thin lips against mine. They were soft, like satin. I closed my eyes. He put a hand up and put it in my hair. He pulled me closer, and I couldn't help but to kiss back. It was soothing, but also very strange. Kissing my worst nightmare. It was darkly dreamy. His lips tasted sweet, possibly from eating those candies Miriam had given him. My heart fluttered in my chest. He sighed pensively, moving his lips from mine. I opened my eyes to see him staring at me, intense green eyes that seemed to be filled with an unfamiliar bliss.

"Wow," I uttered. I could feel my face growing blood red. I wasn't sure whether I was embarrassed or excited. He shot me a warm smile and stood up. He skipped over to the dresser and pulled out a dress… is that for me?

"Change into this," he demanded. He tossed the dress over to the bed and it landed on my lap. I looked down at it. It was crimson cocktail dress, with black sequins festooned on the straps. It had a small, black rose pinned to the breast. Why?

"Why?" I raised my eyebrow in befuddlement.

"Did I say you could question my demands? Just do it," he stated as he stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door. I could hear water running.

I looked the dress over once more and shrugged. I removed my comfortable clothing and slipped into the dress. I zipped up the back and walked over to the bulky vanity in the corner by the bathroom. It was old and made from a really dark-colored wood. I'm sensing a theme here… old and wooden. I stared at my figure in the mirror. I was skinnier than I thought, or maybe it was just the dress's embrace. My pale skin looked even paler with the combination of the dim light of the room and the red and black dress I was donning.

Slappy opened the bathroom door, his jaw dropped slightly. I saw his eyes glancing me up and down, scanning me.

"Heh, I knew that was a good dress when I picked it out," he chuckled to himself, raising his hand up to his chin.

"You picked this out for me?"

"Not you, in particular," he shrugged.

"You're a bad liar," I giggled. "If it isn't for me, then why is it my size?"

"Ha! Don't act like your tiny, beanpole body isn't uncommon," he laughed, smirking arrogantly. He approached me and grabbed my hips, pulling me towards him. He kissed me again, this time more forcefully.

"Come!" He shouted. He wrapped his gangly arms around mine, carting me towards the door.

"Whoa, whoa, come where?"

"To the lobby," he declared, giggling like he usually does. "Well, more specifically, the banquet hall! I've had a party lined up for my return to Horrorland."

"A… party?" I gulped. I don't want to know what his friends look like.

He escorted me out of the door, down the hall, and into the rickety old elevator. I grasped onto his sleeve as the machine creeped to the ground floor. It made a ding and opened its doors for us. We marched out, only to be greeted by a decrepit mummy. It shuffled to us, its horrifying face and terrifying grunts made me dig my face into Slappy's coat.

"Ah, old friend," Slappy exhaled.

"Old… friend," the mummy rumbled. He stretched out his arms and gave Slappy a hug. Slappy used his free hand to hug him back half-heartedly. It was weird seeing Slappy hugging a putrefying corpse, or anyone at all for that matter.

"Amy, this is Prince Khor-Ru," he nudged me. I slowly lifted my head and whimpered when I looked at the decaying face of the Prince. "Pay your respects."

"Uh, um, hello, your m-majesty," I stuttered. The mummy stared at me, his zombie-like face contorted into a smile.

"Greet..ings," Prince Khor-Ru moaned. "See… you… inside."

The mummy shambled into a corridor and into a set of double doors. When he opened the doors, I could hear music pouring from the room. It stopped once he shut it. That must be where the party is being held.

Slappy sauntered me down the corridor. He stopped abruptly and yowled in pain. He started rubbing his head and growled angrily. I could hear laughter from behind him.

"Garrison," he snarled through gritted teeth. I turned around and glanced down to see one of those green creatures, carrying a slingshot. He was shorter than most of them. He donned a black shirt with a lime green, human-looking design on the front. He was also wearing a pair of khaki shorts, unlike most of the other creatures who went without slacks, and a strangely high-tech blue belt. He donned a backwards red baseball cap, with ginger hair poking out from the hole. His ram-like horns looked peculiar with it.

"Hahaha, welcome back to Horrorland, you piece of—AHH!" Garrison roared as Slappy grabbed him by the horns and lifted him up as if he were as light as a feather. "I hate being touched!"

"Should have thought about that before showing your hideous face around here," Slappy looked into the monster's golden eyes, his own green eyes seemingly glowing in rage. Garrison was about to say something, but quickly changed it to something else.

"Who's the girl?" Garrison questioned, smirking at me. "Your new pet?"

"Mind your business, insignificant Horror," Slappy smiled and dropped him. He fell flat on his ass.

"Fine… but I'll be back, puppet boy!" The monster howled at Slappy as he started walking towards the door. He stuck his pointy, snake-like tongue out and slammed the door shut.

"Horror?" I asked.

"That's the name of their species," Slappy monotonously responded. "They're disgusting creatures. Slithering, filthy pests. They run this park, for now, hence its name. Avoid that one in particular. He's trouble."

"But isn't Miriam a Horror?"

"Silence," he narrowed his eyes at me.

He pulled me to the banquet hall. He thrust open the doors, the music blaring loudly. The music had a very swing-like feel to it. The room was filled with a vast assortment of monsters. Spirits glided in the air blissfully with the music. A group of Horrors sat at a table, Miriam was one of them. She waved at us. The rest of the tables were filled with a bunch of other spooky creatures. Some of them looked human, but they moved strangely. It was giving me an eerie Uncanny Valley sense. It felt like I walked into a Halloween party, but instead of people in costumes, there were actual monstrosities.

There was a stage in the hall. A gruesome band sat on it. The drum player was a dripping, living pile of mud. The saxophone player was one of those grizzly Horrors. The guitarist was a pale humanoid with fangs protruding from his mouth. The singer was a lanky, living skeleton. He had a purple Mohawk and wore a red scarf. He also wore glasses, but had no ears. His eyes shined red when he saw Slappy enter the room.

"My man!" He crowed in the middle of a song. The band paused and the skeleton leapt from the stage and onto the floor. His voice was smooth, but also raspy.

"Curly," he nodded. He shook the skeleton's bony hand. They laughed in a creepy unison. I watched as the skeleton's jaw moved up in down. It was freaking me the hell out.

"What's new, bonehead?" Slappy joked.

"Nothin' much, dummy," Curly chuckled. I saw him move his glowing red eyes to me. "My, oh my, who's this delightful little blood bag?"

The way he spoke made my hair stand on edge.

"This is Amy," he motioned to me. "Say hello."

"Hi," I whimpered. This was all too frightening. I was overwhelmed by the presence of these horrific entities. It was a nightmare.

"Hey, Curly, we gonna start playing again, man?" A bandmember called from the stage impatiently.

"Yeah, yeah, dude," he responded, hopping back up on the stage. The music continued.

Slappy took me to a table that was set up for two. It was the only one that was like that. It was dressed in a white cloth, while the other tables were adorned in black. It had a single candle that flickered with the music. I sat down across from him. A zombie dressed in a tuxedo came up and placed two glasses of champagne in front of us. Slappy's cheeks were rosy, making him appear as innocent as a school boy. He smiled tenderly. His eyes waltzed with the flames as he ogled at me.

"Can you stop staring at me?" I barked at him. His smile quickly faded.

"Did I not tell you to remember your place?" His stare filled with anger.

"You're insane, Slappy," I whispered. "You go from being sweet to being a jackass in mere seconds. What gives?"

"Insane? The voices in my head would say otherwise," he snickered. "Amy, I switch between benevolence and malevolence because YOU don't know how to treat me. Don't forget. I am your master, and if you so much as talk back to me, speak rudely to me, or ask stupid questions, expect anger from me. Just listen to me and you will have no trouble."

I looked down. I don't know how to react to him.

"I am not your slave," I muttered under my breath. I tried to focus on the music blaring, but Slappy's stare kept distracting me. I continued to look down, but his stare was enticing me to look him in the face. A shadow engulfed us.

"Well, hiya," Miriam shrilly shouted. She was wearing the same corset as earlier, her breasts still splaying out. She gave me a pat on the head like some sort of dog and gave Slappy a kiss on the forehead. He half-smiled and gave her a kiss on her claw. She blushed dark green.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting y'all," she started. "But I wanted to give the little one a gift, if that's okay with you, Firefly."

"That's fine," he looked daggers at me. Miriam lowered herself until she was eye-level with me. She reached within her breasts and pulled out a locket. It was beautiful… despite being stowed away in her bosom.

"Here you go, sugar. My mama gave that to me when I was about your age. I thought you would like it," she said, her serrated teeth bared at me. I was speechless as she wrapped the black locket around my neck.

"Say thank you," Slappy shot me a look.

"T-thank you, Miriam," I stuttered. She gave my forehead a wet, funny-smelling kiss and then skipped away. I looked into the locket. It was a picture of Slappy when he was still a dummy. He was wearing a crown and holding a rose. He was wearing his usual garb, but with a spiked cloak with an upturned collar.

"That was nice of her," I beamed, closing the locket.

"She is a kind-hearted soul. She isn't meant to be in Horrorland," he remarked remorsefully.

"Why does she have such a fixation with you then, Slappy?"

"Well, it's a long story that I'd rather not get into right now. Let's just say I rescued her from an untimely fate."

"You? Rescuing someone?" I scoffed at the idea.

"I guess I had human sentiments, even in my former vessel," he shrugged as he took a sip from his glass. He coughed and made a distasteful face. He must not like champagne. His words took me by surprise. It would seem that this "curse" of emotion had always been with him, before he was human. It's funny how fast someone's perspectives on someone can change...

such a long chapter xC

if anyone is curious, Garrison ("Gary") is an OC of mine. you can read more about him here: art/Dunce-487815472