Lying on my side, I opened my eyes and looked straight ahead of me. I was met face to face with a black dress shoe.

I can feel him towering above me, his eye is baring into my skull

"Pinetreeeee…"

A hand grabs my sleeve, yanking me into the air.

I can't breathe oh god I can't breathe! This is the end! He's gonna kill me, I went too far this time!

He yanks my sleeve to his chest, and I let him, there's no point in fighting back this time. I'm too scared to look at him in the eye, but I know he's staring at me, silently. I try to catch a glimpse of the face he's making, seeing if its angry...

I gotta know how fucked I am right?

"You know I'm not as mad as you're making it out to be, it was a fun game you played." Bill said sarcastically, teasing comfort. I turned my head to really look at him this time, to try and read him.

"C'mon kid you're practically shaking, don't think you're being clever by playing ignorant." He threw me off of him, forcing me to stumble away.

"What d-do you mean?" Good Frick why can't talk around this guy. Bill laughed at my stutter, I tried to stand taller; fake it till I make it you know?

"You're playing games with me Cipher, I want real answers and no more bullshit. Why are you doing this to me? Why can no one hear me?" There we go, that sounds assertive enough...

Bills sarcastic smile lowered to a scowl

Okay, maybe too assertive…

He slowly walked towards me, his footsteps silent but that only made it more frightening. His one eye began to grow red, making the snake-like slit stand out more.

"If I were you, I wouldn't be acting so high and mighty,"

I backed into a concrete wall, no more steps to take.

"if I remember correctly, I'm not the one who tried to runaway from an all powerful DEMON,"

His voice lowered impossibly deep. It had a growl, like an animal.

"So don't go around puffing your chest out kid,"

He ran out of steps

"It'll put you in deep shit."

He was bent at the waist to make sure we were face to face. His hot breath on my nose made my stomach turn. But I tried to keep my proud facade, I even looked him in the eye and tried to give the daggers that Grunkle Stan gives the cops. I need to show Bill I'm not scared of him. He didn't look away, he was waiting for me to break, waiting for me to give him the dominance.

BOOM

I jumped as a hand slammed on the wall beside me, making me look down immediately. Bill leaned to the right of me, I could feel him breathing on my neck.

"Don't get cocky kid, I'll break you."

He backed away slowly, I started to shake.

I muttered under my breath, "Why do you keep me alive anyways."

His coy smile returned, he looked me up and down soaking in the weak stance I was taking. Why am I even here, why did he take me from the woods? Why hasn't he killed me yet? Why hasn't tried to get the journals or jump in my body or anything! I've been threatened, thrown around, humiliated, and I might not have a bed. But in the end, I wouldn't expect that from a demon who wants me and my family dead.

"Pinetree, it seems that you're missing the big picture with your predicament," one side of his mouth revealed a smirk, "sure, you may have the journals, fun summer adventures, even the advantage of a family that give a fuck about you…" his eye widens, growing mad almost, "but that isn't all. You have something so much more important, something I could never get from you…"

His hand ignites in the all too familiar blue flames and he advances towards me. I try to make myself smaller, I want to sink into the wall and pretend he isn't getting close to me again. He points his index finger and rests it on my chest, making the spot grow hot.

"You're human..You have a soul…" He grabs my face hard and roughly jerks my chin, "You got feelings kid, you can feel things." As he said this the blue flames start to become painfully hot on my face, I yelp in pain but he doesn't let go.

"I wish I knew what that felt like kid," He's still holding on, gripping tighter on my jaw. I put my hands on his arms to try and pull them away but they're too strong.

"Stop Bill, my face-" I squeak out before he lets go and grabs my throat instead; he began to lift me into the air by my throat as I grab and kick for dear life.

"Oh god Pinetree, if only you'd let me use you as a puppet again, I wouldn't waste any time in it," I struggle for air, he's going to kill me, he isn't letting go this time I swear.

"Please," he chuckles like a psycho, "make a deal with me kid, I miss the pain, I want the pain!" His voice lowered an octave once more, I felt my vision go blurry before I could continue to fight him.

My lungs start to burn, begging for air. He looks at me, like I was some sort of creature, like a science experiment, like a plaything. He gives a short chuckle and drops me to the ground.

I start coughing, my body thankful the air but I feel lightheaded from the whole incident. I look at Bill as I'm still struggling for air, that bastard...

His smile grows as he stares down at me, I'm his entertainment. He jumps at me, making me hoarsely scream and cover myself, a final attempt to show his dominance over me. He turns his back and walks away from me, a slow walk that makes me want him gone sooner. The demon stops and turns his head to the right,

"You're weak, you're stupid, and don't let yourself think you can escape me…I'm always watching… Don't forget that Pinetree."

He disappears.

I grab my knees and hug myself, finally letting myself have the cry I've been holding in. I fall on my side, not bothering to go my usual sleeping spot; its just another corner anyways, nothing special about it.

Is this my life now? Am I only good for pain?

Why me?