It was torture to watch Amelia Prescott fall into Bughuul's web. For three nights in a row, the demon made him tag along and watch the poor girl hang out with Bughuul's ghostly victims, hapless to the fact that she would soon be one of them. They went through what were, probably, the usual motions: the ghost kids would play around for awhile before sitting Amelia down and showing her their macabre movies. She was scared at first, shocked that such a thing could be done to one's own family. But Bughuul's influence was powerful, and the former deputy despaired as he saw the repulsion slowly leave her eyes.

It went on to where the kids would talk to her during the day. They never had anything good to say. Their purpose was to push her toward Bughuul. Amelia's family made it easy.

They weren't horrible people. The mother had a temper when she drank, which was often. The father worked long shifts to give his family an extravagant lifestyle. The older brother was a show off and loved to tease his younger siblings. The little brother craved the attention his parents denied him and turned to his sister instead. But Amelia was only a child, and would see her parents as neglectful, Josh a bully, and Dean a whiny nuisance. It wouldn't be long before she decided she was better off without them...or whatever the kids thought that made them commit the sacrifice Bughuul.

(Sacrifice to Mr. Boogie. Sacrifice to the Boogie Man. Okay, that sounded kinda funny -)

...Human...I don't know what to do with you sometimes...

The day Bughuul finally revealed himself, the human was off to the side. He would try and warn the girl away, and Bughuul couldn't have that. But the deputy would stay and watch. He wasn't sure if this was sadistic fun or more of Bughuul trying to "teach" him.

Amelia approached Bughuul slowly. Her face shown the expected fear. It was natural, she was in the presence of a monster. His gut twisted when her expression changed to one of reverence. Still afraid, but respectful and willing to listen. They stood and looked at each other for a few long moments. Bughuul had to be saying something to the child. Was it threats? Sugar coated promises? Some weird, ancient hypnotism spell?

Whatever it was, it must have worked. The girl's lips twitched into an eerie little grin and she walked right into the arms of the creature that would be her doom. The former deputy looked away. The whole scene was so wrong.

Some of the ghost kids were off the side, also spectating. Jackie looked on with pride, obviously happy that she'd pleased her dark god. The others looked fairly neutral, as if this scene was a cartoon episode they'd already seen a hundred times. In the eyes of one little girl, however, the deputy could see conflict. There was enough humanity left in her to recognize the life that would soon be lost, and the damned child was mourning that. As he gazed upon them for a few more moments, the human felt pity swelling. The children often looked horrifying, and their actions made it easy to think of them as little mischievous goblins. It was horrifying to think of them as the innocent kids they once were. Pale, small bodies in various stages of decay, being eaten alive by a monster. Did they suffer, or did they stop caring after awhile? Did they despair over what had they become? Did any of them ever try and escape?

He shuddered as he imagined Amelia with rotting skin and an eerie smile. How long would it be before she was like them?

The girl turned her head to look at him with an unreadable expression. She raised her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture that had become way too familiar.

X

"Please, don't do this."

Bughuul looked up from the ancient stone tablet he was holding. The small whites of his pupils focused on his pet. The man was standing only a few feet away, the lute Bughuul had given him to play with laid abandoned on a chair.

A thin eyebrow rose over the dark pits that were his eyes. He had heard that phrase countless times over the years. What are you talking about?

"You know what. Amelia and her family. Please...just leave them alone."

Oh, now this was amusing. His human had never seen Bughuul capture prey like this before. He wondered if the man would have been like this for Zach and Dylan Collins if he had the chance. Probably, yes. A foolish need to help others was ingrained in the human. Bughuul knew that watching him and his children at work was torturing the man, and Bughuul loved it.

Bughuul set down the slab and took a few steps toward his pet. And why would I do that? I'm always looking for new souls to add to my collection.

The man gulped nervously. It was obvious he knew this wouldn't work, but he was still trying to save the girl. How brave and foolish. "But don't you have enough souls to keep you full for a long time?" He choked on the words. He didn't want to say them. "You don't need Amelia. You don't need anyone else for a long time."

Oh? Bughuul reached out and touched his pet's cheek. He laughed inwardly as the man flinched. And let us say me and my children did leave the girl be. What would come of it? The girl would still harbor feelings of resentment towards her family. She might snap and dispose of them anyway, and I would not even be able to reap the benefits.

"How do you know?" the man challenged. "She might go back to normal. She could grow up to be a great person. She could compete in the Olympics or cure cancer or – or save the rainforest. But you have to leave her alone!"

The desperation in his voice was adorable.

And then what? You cannot possibly be asking me to starve myself. I will just move on to another child. Maybe I'll find one that is not so sweet and innocent looking. Would you be so adamant on saving a child who was already cruel and disrespectful and had no future ahead of them?

"Yes, I would!" was the immediate answer.

I look forward to putting that to the test one day.

Bughuul moved his hand from the man's cheek to his jaw and gripped it firmly. The action was met with a weak sound of protest and narrowed eyes.

I will not leave Amelia and her family alone, human. Bughuul's tone was both stern and mocking. I will never let any prey escape. I wonder how long it will take for you to accept that. Months? Years? I might keep you around for centuries just to find out.

"I'll never -"

Oh, I think you will. No human is immune to change in their minds and souls. Mark my words, one day you will cheerfully stand by my side and assist me in whatever I desire.

The fear in the man's eyes made his sealed mouth water.

X

It was a cool and clear evening when the Prescott family died.

Two adults and two young boys were strapped to large bullseye targets. The burlap sacks over their heads did little to muffle their cries of confusion and fear.

The sun was setting over the park the family had gone to. That afternoon, the parents sat on a bench while their sons ran around with other kids. Amelia went off to practice her archery. When she knew no one was looking, she sneaked off to a think group of trees and filmed them. She joined them only when she brought them plastic cups full of poisoned lemonade. (He seriously didn't want to know what that green stuff was.) She waited until the last lingering families left before the ghost kids helped her drag her doomed relatives to the targets.

He and Bughuul stood off to the side where they could have a good view without impeding the shot. Of course the high and mighty god couldn't be bothered to get his own hands dirty. This was work for the little ghouls. A cold and strong hand gripped his wrist firmly. There would be no leaving this spot for the former deputy. No way to break free and run to the family's rescue.

He choked back tears. These people could have easily been the Collins'. But no one was going to come and hit Amelia with a truck and destroy her camera for them. He wanted to close his eyes and wait for this gruesome scene to end, but Bughuul wasn't having that.

Watch closely, human. Take a moment to appreciate the set up. See how the red glow of the sun casts light on them all. How they've been arranged largest to smallest. Amelia is standing uphill from them not only to ensure she does not miss, but to provide a good camera angle. My children put much thought into their sacrifice to me. Come, look. Take it all in. Love it as I do.

The man knew that wasn't a request. With a bit more prodding, as in a stabbing pain in his head, he did as Bughuul said. If he mentally removed himself from the situation and imagined this was a high definition movie, it wasn't so hard.

He was far from calm as he watched Amelia raise her bow, a long brown braid flowing gently in the wind behind her. And yet, he wasn't panicking, either. Somehow he manged to just accept this situation. He could tell Bughuul was pleased.

Amelia fired one arrow after another, all hitting her family. She drew it out, showing off for the being that twisted her mind. Shins and arms and hands and joints were all hit and penetrated before she got serious. Swift as bullets, the metal arrows then tore through heads and necks and hearts. No hesitation, no mercy. Four lives ended in a matter of minutes. All done by a girl who would never realize or care about how much they all loved her.

They watched as Amelia stood in front of the camera and did a shushing gesture. He wondered why they bothered. Just in case any more potential Ellison Oswalts were watching? Bughuul tightened his grip some as he lead the former deputy over to her.

She looked to Bughuul and smiled, but her eyes betrayed the fear she still felt. Her expression turned to confusion as she looked upon her new master's companion. "Who's he?"

He couldn't hear Bughuul's answer, but Amelia looked pleased.

She likes you.

And so Bughuul took the girl's hand and took her back to his world. Amelia was still scared, as she should be, but she seemed to know where she belonged now.

The man could almost share the feeling.

I'm proud of you, my pet. The cold touch moved from his wrist and touched his hand affectionately. You have made great progress today. I am sure you will only continue to grow from this moment on.

X

Something about seeing Amelia be corrupted must have broken him. The deputy wasn't completely gone – he still knew himself, his past, his likes and his dislikes. He still knew being stuck with Bughuul was terrible and fucked up. He knew that there a bright and good world just out there waiting for him.

But until now, he still held out hope that he would actually be able to escape and return to a normal life. Settle down with Courtney and raise Dylan like his own. He could get a new job at a small police station and they would all be happy. No more Boogie Man or bad memories to haunt them.

With the collection of that little girl's soul, the man lost that dream. He realized that he was just a weak human against a god. He wasn't a coward, but he wasn't brave or strong or smart. He had only gotten this far on luck and Bughuul's mercy. He thought he had been one step ahead of the demon when he was tracking down his haunts across the country, but Bughuul could have killed him at any time. He couldn't save the Oswalts and he couldn't save anyone else. The Collins' were only part of that dumb luck. Maybe being an amusing little goof was all he was good for.

He grew more sullen and desperate by the (supposed) day. He withdrew as much as he could. He threw himself into the books and instruments Bughuul left him so he would have an excuse to not leave his couch. He quickly lost his temper when he encounter those accursed children. Why did he ever pity them? They let themselves be manipulated by an ugly monster and ruined so many lives, including their own. Most of them just looked annoyed when he snapped at threw things at them as if they were rats. He got an idea of what they would be like as teenagers.

Others, ones that haven't been trapped in this netherworld for very long, looked upset. He felt a small pang of regret when he saw the hurt in Ashley's eyes after he turned her away. But, he remembered, she was the reason a man he really admired was now dead. She would soon be as horrible and grotesque as the rest of them, and that's what she deserved. Ending up in Bughuul's stomach was all that lay ahead of her. (Or however Bughuul ate. Yet another thing he didn't want to know.)

Bughuul, of course, was happy with his new attitude. His unwelcome touches were now more affectionate then intentionally unsettling. The man was shown visions of crowded music halls, sculptors and painters hard at work, and intricately designed buildings being constructed rather than more senseless death. Bughuul seemed more willing to teach him how to play instruments and draw and read foreign languages instead of just leaving the human to his own devices.

Not that the former deputy wanted any of that, but it was a nice change.

I told you that there was much I could teach you.

Bughuul's voice somehow seemed softer, more gentle. The man's head was resting on the demon's shoulder. Bughuul held a thick novel in his hands, but the human was simply trying to relax. It was a comfort he wasn't often allowed. Even though he would prefer to be alone right now, it was better than nothing.

"What you mean?" he murmured, never moving from his position.

You know what I mean. Bughuul's hand came to rest on his head. You are finally adapting to me and my realm. Once you have given in willingly and completely, I can give you eons of knowledge. I can make you powerful in the ways of arts and magic.

The former deputy snorted. "Sounds great. Not interested." His current apathy made him bold.

He could feel the smugness radiating off his captor.

That is fine, my pet. I can wait a bit longer.