My heart soared. Fluttershy had accepted my proposal. Nothing at all mattered anymore. Well, aside from breathing and eating and the other useless things like that. I was thrilled. I would be by Fluttershy's side forever. I'm happy for you. 'Yeah, thanks, Bill. Couldn't have done it without you.' Shucks, it was nothing.
I threw my arms around Fluttershy, after carefully replacing the box in my pocket. "I love you, Fluttershy." I said, and though I am a man, a big strong man, I was fighting back tears. Real men don't cry. 'And what were you doing earlier?' I'm not a real man, I don't count. 'Damn you.' Point!
"I love you too, Will." Fluttershy responded and returned the hug. If anything, she was hugging tighter. She didn't have to worry about a frail frame or anything. It's unfair, I tell you.
Unfortunately, my happiness had to end at some point. As Fluttershy and I let go of each other, Johnathan, who had left to use the little ambassador's room earlier, chose his moment to burst in with bad news and horrible news. He didn't even have the courtesy to have some good news. It's a crime, I'm saying. "Will! We need you!"
Despite the environment I was in, namely a happy occasion with a bride-to-be standing next to me, I stood erect in less than a second. "What is it?"
"Camp Roanoke's been hit, sir! I've lost all comms!"
I started forward. "Hell," I said under my breath. "Just when things were getting good." I slipped past a few ponies and stepped onto the balcony. There, I unfurled my wings, but before I could take off, Luna stopped me.
"Wait. Before you go," she paused to teleport something from somewhere. When I saw what it was she had retrieved, my mouth had fallen. Floating in front of me was a simple wooden rod, about one and a half to two feet long. From my earlier conversation with Luna, I knew what this was. "Take this."
"The blasting rod? Why?"
Luna sighed. "Because even as fond as you are of your slug thrower, you'll run out of ammunition for it at some point. This, however... it's hard to run out of memories. Take it."
I gripped it with my left hand, my off hand. It was cool to the touch. "Based on your touchiness over the subject of its previous owner... this must be hard for you. But thank you, all the same." I hugged her with my right arm. "I must be off." I jumped into the air beat my wings hard. I flew off in the direction of Camp Roanoke. I hoped to at least find a trace of survival, and if so, where the survivors went.
It took thirteen minutes for me to see Camp Roanoke. To my dismay, however, there wasn't much left to see. Where there once was green, grey, white... now there was only black. Even the brown dirt was charred. The whole camp had been burned. Jesus Christ, what the hell could have done this? I thought about this. 'Not a monster. I know that much.' How do you know? 'Because... look at it. This wasn't something a dragon could do. This is something else.' Now that I look closer at it... you're right. Be extremely careful this time. I don't want a repeat of yesterday. 'Copy that, Bill.' Get to it, Sergeant.
We switched into military mode. This state of mind focused us and allowed us to concentrate fully on eliminating the enemy or enemies and stay alive as well. I slowly descended into the remains of the camp. When my feet touched the ground it was all I could do to stay on my feet. Pain lanced up my legs, numbing them. Bill quickly righted me, and I stood there for several moments. "What the hell was that?" I asked aloud. I don't know. It feels like... residue, from some big magic. 'Wonderful.' Just be careful here, Will.
I took one step and didn't feel any ill effects, so I took another. When I was sure that I wouldn't explode in a ball of flame, I began my sweep. With the condition of the camp, I didn't expect to see anyone alive. And it was true, scattered about the ground were bodies, some charred, some not. The scent of burnt flesh assaulted my nostrils, and I fought to gag. But that wasn't the worst of it.
In front of the medical tent, was a half-burnt lump. I drew my revolver, holding it above my right thigh as I slowly, cautiously walked over to it. When I got within fifteen feet of it, it stirred, which made me stop to raise my gun. The face was unrecognizable. I took a couple more steps closer, and that's when the face looked at me. After a second, I saw its eyes grow wide, and the mouth worked, but no sound came out.
It raised its right arm, which was nothing but blackened bone about halfway down the forearm. It pointed at my feet, and when I looked down I saw a pair of dog tags. "Yours?" I asked. Its eyes blinked twice: an affirmative. I bent over and picked up the tags. I flipped them over to read the name. The orange print glowed up at me. My eyes grew in shock, and I looked back at the lump. "My god... Davis!" I ran over to him and slid down next to him. "What happened?!"
It was a stupid question, of course. The evidence was all around me. But I didn't expect Davis to answer. "F... fi..."
"Fire?" I asked.
Davis nodded ever so slightly. "Ma... mah..."
"Magic?" Another nod. "Someone or something came and torched this place with magic?" Affirmative.
"G... gi... gif... giv..."
"Give."
"U... p..."
"Give up?"
"Y-y-ye-yes. Gi-u-A-gel..."
I widened my eyes. "Give up Angel?"
Davis blinked twice. "S-s-o-t-th-we-st."
"The enemy, or the rest of us?"
"En-e-my. U-s... g-go-gone... n-nor-to-f-fa-farm...
"Thank you, Davis." I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, and found his sidearm by his left hand.
Davis had one last thing to say, though. "P-p-plea... e-n-d... it..."
With a heavy and rapidly sinking heart, I knew what he was asking me to do. And it had nothing to do with the war. I holstered my hand cannon and gripped his sidearm. I held it firmly in my hand, itself shaking furiously. I flexed my lower jaw, ground my teeth. I didn't want to do this. My lower lip quivered. I'd known this man for several years.
I pointed the gun at his heart.
He had a girlfriend and a little boy, another munchkin on the way. Mary and Joseph. They hadn't even picked a name for the expectant one.
My finger tightened on the trigger. I squeezed it ever so slowly, wishing the moment wouldn't come. Tears clouding my vision, I turned away, without messing up my aim. A sob escaped my mouth, and a tear fell from my left eye. I shut them both and bit my lower lip. I heard a short sparking sound, and felt my finger touch the back of the trigger guard. I had done it.
Wishing to get as far away from this place as possible, I stood up and kept the shock pistol in my hand as I took off running for AJ's farm. On the way, I spoke to Fluttershy. "Love, get Celestia and Luna into their room. I need to speak with them about important matters." I waited several seconds. During that time I paused to sit down by a thick tree and let the tears fall.
"Will?" It was Luna's voice.
"Mother... Camp Roanoke is dead. From a survivor, I learned that there were others, that moved to Applejack's farm. But there's worse news."
"Good god, what news could be worse than that?"
I fought back a cry. "There's a new heavy hitter. Magic. Fire. Able to torch the whole camp."
Luna was silent for a few minutes. When I next heard someone speak, it wasn't Luna. It was Celestia. "You said something threw around enough magical fire to burn your entire camp?" Though she couldn't see me, I nodded and confirmed it. "Please, lord, let this be not what I think it is..." She fell silent. "If what you say is the descriptor for this thing... a demon."
"Come again?"
"Demon. You know, angels and demons? If this is what it is... Will, you need to get out of there. Where are you?"
"About three miles south of Applejack's farm. Why? What's wrong?"
"Demons are way out of your league, Will. Run!"
"I'm almost-" But I was interrupted with the snapping of a twig. My hesitation incited worry.
"Will? What's going on?"
I was about to answer when another twig snapped. I drew out the blasting rod, thinking that if it were the demon, bullets would probably have little to no effect whatsoever. I readied the memory of the charred Camp Roanoke. I didn't push the memory's power out then, keeping it on the end of the rod, which was glowing cherry red. Heavy trampling behind me made me whirl about. I wish I hadn't.
Charging towards me was a grey figure, about ten feet tall. It had two small, grey horns on its forehead, and bat wings on its back. In its hand was a ball of fire, but I didn't need any training to know that there was no conventional source. I let out a shout, and pushed the memory out of the blasting rod towards the demon. A lance of flame, roughly two inches wide, shot out from the end towards the oncoming monstrosity. With my free hand, I activated the transmitter and shouted, "Fire does nothing!"
Indeed it did not. When the bolt of flame hit the demon, it was as if I had spit on it. The flames sailed harmlessly over its grotesquely horrid body, showing no indication of damage. However, it threw the ball of fire at me, and I barely had enough time to erect a shield from the bracelet. The shield dissipated from the force of impact, but the ball didn't touch me. Unfortunately, no one mentioned that the shield only stopped physical objects. The heat from said flame assaulted me, singeing my clothes and scalding my skin. I heard Celestia say, "I'm on my way, Will! Hang in there!" But by then the demon had slammed me against the tree and everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, I was sitting in a dark room, bound in chains to the wall. Standing in front of me was a dark-robed figure, of roughly human shape. It wore a hood and I could not see its face, if it had one. It knelt down and spoke in a evilly sharp tongue. "I see my visitor has awoken." It laughed in a evil way. "But not for long." It snapped its fingers. I saw a demon, the same from... before, come over to me. It unbound me. It was then I struck out with my foot.
I caught the demon in the ankle and it howled in pain, but I had only managed to stand when Robes snapped his fingers and I became paralyzed. Robes spoke. "You will not find escape here, Angel. You'd best comply, before I am forced to take... drastic measures." The demon recovered and forcefully brought me to a stone table in the center of the room. There, it shoved me down and clapped me in iron restraints.
Robes must love hearing himself speak. "Now, I will ask you a series of questions. Answer them truthfully." I spit at him, but he didn't even flinch. "What is your name?"
Remembering that he thought I was still called Angel, it gave me an advantage. "Angel."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty four."
"What is your favourite colour?"
"White."
"Do you know where you are?"
"No."
"Do you know who I am?"
"No."
With that answer he briskly stepped up to me and said, "I'm your worst nightmare, Angel." He stepped back and snapped his fingers. The demon followed Robes out the door, which was to my right. I couldn't have seen it from where I was sitting, chained. Before the door closed, however, Robes stopped and said in a menacing voice, "I'll be back in the morning. I know what you are, Angel. I know what you have in your head. But I will be changing that." Then the door closed.
Will, I'm not seeing anything damaged in here. I think it was just a bout of questioning. 'Good. I want to be in one piece. He certainly made it sound like he knows about you. But... his cryptic message at the end is freaking me out. Bill... I'm scared.' You aren't alone. I'm quaking in my psychological boots in here. Just remember that together, we can take on anything. Except demons, minotaurs, etcetera. 'Thanks for the pick-me-up.' No problem. Now get some sleep. This guy seems to be an asshole, so it's likely you'll need every bit of strength by the morning... wait, we were out a whole day? 'The sun was getting low in the sky when I set out for Roanoke.' Oh, true. Maybe Celestia and Luna made it night to give themselves an edge? Tia said she was on the way...
I passed out then.
I woke up to a slap in the face, literally. "Get up, worthless slob."
I tried to rub my face before I remembered that I was chained to the table. "Oh, hello, Robes. Nice to see you too."
He slapped me again. "What have you done?!"
"Huh?"
"Why hasn't the sun risen?! It's been six hours! What have you done with the sun?!"
I shook my head. "Nothing. I don't control the sun. Or the moon, for that matter." I looked at him crossly. "Don't tell me you don't know of the goddesses of Equestria."
He growled. "Those charlatans are powerless, cowering behind children's tales for protection. Hoping that someone like me won't see through their ruse." He pulled back his hood, but I saw not a fleshy face. It was an insubstantial mist of dark blue. It took me a while to piece together what I was looking at. But it did not help calm my fears to know it. I was staring into the "face" of the Nightmare. "I have true power. Power you will experience first hand."
"What are you gonna do, Robes? Breathe on me?" Will, what are you doing?! Control yourself!
"So you seek to taunt me, do you? Well," Nightmare rolled up the sleeve of her right arm. "I'd planned on doing this after I ripped you apart limb from limb and keeping you alive through the whole process, but I guess this would be a bit more... satisfying." The Nightmare grinned evilly.
"What are you doing?" I tried to keep the fear from my voice, but I was failing.
"Ah, fear. The source of so much power, and all of it mine!"
Jeez, Robes loves to fill the cliches of evil villains. 'It's almost depressing.' I find it funny. But yes, I know what you mean. Maybe we could cut a deal with her: get her a manual to original villainy, we go free. 'Just might ask that at some point.' Here she comes.
The Nightmare's right hand formed a pincer, as if she were going to pinch something. Then, she placed her hand over my forehead. "What's going on? What are you doing?!" Panic was evident in my voice; I wasn't even trying to hide it anymore. I just wanted answers.
"Just taking someone from you, very forcefully, and very painfully."
Helen's prophecy flashed in my mind. Someone will be taken from you... forcefully... painfully... Unfortunately, I picked today to be quick with my reasoning. The Nightmare knew of Bill, or at least claimed to. However, she was going to "take" something from me by taking it from my mind. The irony was not lost on me.
Without further ado, the Nightmare plunged her hand into my forehead without drawing blood. It did, however, feel as if someone were taking an axe and splitting my head open. I screamed in agony. Still, the Nightmare pressed deeper. The further she went, the more it hurt. Just when I thought my head was going to explode, however, she withdrew her hand, and with it came a milky white strand of... something. I saw it tense, possibly in tautness, before finally it snapped. I didn't feel much after that, as I passed out almost immediately afterwards.
I awoke sometime later, though exactly how much time had passed I knew not. One thing I did know, however, was that my head was going to split into four pieces. I screamed in agony. I heard another scream nearby, to my left. I passed out.
When I woke up, there was a commotion by the door. I heard blades clash. I heard the door fling open, and footsteps came running to me soon after. "Will? Will, speak to me!" I knew that voice...
"My head..."
"Don't worry, Will, I'll get you to safety soon enough. First, let's get you out of these chains."
Sadly, another voice had to make itself known. "I can't let you do that."
The first voice addressed the newcomer while continuing to undo my restraints. "Nightmare... but you're supposed to be-"
"Dead?" The Nightmare laughed. "Oh dear, you think the Elements of Harmony can kill me? Dear god, are you so naive?"
"I will defeat you here and now, as I should have done so long ago! This time, I will not show mercy and allow you life!" My rescuer left me to my own devices, after releasing my right arm and leg. My rescuer was already dueling with the Nightmare. I undid the chains holding my left side down, then stood behind the table, on the side farthest from the two forces. They appeared to be evenly matched, with neither having a distinct advantage over the other.
I couldn't exactly tell who was winning since they were going at paces I would have thought impossible. My rescuer held her rapier skillfully, but opposite her was the Nightmare, with a shadowy battle sword in her hand. I was surprised the rapier hadn't broken with all the parrying they'd been doing. After trading a few more blows I saw who was coming out on top: the Nightmare. I think my rescuer knew this as well.
She disengaged from the fight after a few more hits, stepping back about three feet. There, she stood calmly and erectly. She held her rapier up, perpendicular to the ground, point up, centered in front of her. Her eyes were closed. The Nightmare gave out a triumphant laugh. "It seems time has weakened you, fool. Now you will pay for your actions." The Nightmare stepped forward and, with one swift slash, cut a wound horizontally across her chest.
The rapier fell from my rescuer's hands, and she fell to her knees. She looked up at the Nightmare, a knowing smile on her face. The Nightmare knew something I did not, and reacted in fear to this. "No, wait! You can't!"
My rescuer spoke clearly, despite having been fatally wounded. "I have given myself to you in place of another. I have sacrificed myself so another could live. I am granted one gift. And I choose this: that you die, that you are ended so no harm can come to anyone else."
The Nightmare screamed and recoiled. She brought her hands to her face and screamed, but it did nothing. Radiant light poured from my rescuer's body. Of the beams that hit me, my headache was relieved. Of the Nightmare... she was dead. Nothing but a pile of the robes she'd worn remained left of her. It was then I ran to my rescuer.
"No! Come on, stay alive! Please!"
She looked at me and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Will. I'll always be here for you. Right here, to be exact." She poked my chest.
"No, please! Tia, please don't die! Equestria needs you! Luna needs you! I need you! Please!"
Celestia chuckled. "Luna was always better at my job than I was myself. It was why I banished her to the moon. I was jealous of her power. I thought that if I couldn't be that powerful, I'd get rid of the person who could." She lay her hand on my cheek. "Sweet nephew. I love you, I love you as only I could."
My eyes were drainage pipes. "No! Tia!"
"I'm so proud of you, Will." She hugged me.
I returned the hug, continually repeating myself. "No, Tia, don't die! Please, don't die! Please!" I hugged her tighter, as if by doing so I could share my life with her, but it was not to be so. She breathed out one last, long breath, and with that, it seemed she had gained one hundred pounds. She had died in my arms.
The aunt I had barely gotten to know had sacrificed her life to save me. And she had died in my arms. Nothing was worse than that. Everything else seemed to be a trivial matter. Mercy killing Davis? Every Tuesday. Fighting a minotaur and dying? Every day. Having one of the two real family you have die in your arms after she sacrificed herself for you? Once in a lifetime.
I could mourn later, however. I couldn't stop the crying, but I could attempt to focus on escape. I turned to the wall I was originally chained to to find a black haired man. He wore simple adventuring clothes. His top was a plain jacket with a high collar and long v-neck that came down to his sternum. He wore, under that, a pure black shirt. I could not tell whether it was a long-sleeve or short-sleeve shirt. He wore simple pants, and simple boots. Black gloves were worn on his hands.
I stepped over to him, and knelt down in front of him. After a few minutes, he woke up, and looked directly at my face. His eyes were a pure, absolute white. There was no color whatsoever, and there was no hint of existing pupils or irises. I unshackled him and stood, holding my hand out to him. He took it and hauled himself up. The face looked familiar, but I couldn't place it. Nevertheless, I turned around and stepped over to Tia.
I picked up her rapier, laying cold on the ground. I tested the balance, then turned and flipped it so I was holding it by the blade, and I held it out the man. He looked from it to me, then back to me, and asked, "What am I to do with this?"
"Use it. We still need to get out of here." I faced Celestia's lifeless body again, and knelt down to her. I didn't wait to see if the man did as I told him. I gathered up Celestia into an arms carry and walked out the door. I took a look around and found that there were no signs, but instead an increase of decoration in one direction. I figured that important places would have lots of ornamentation, and that I could possibly find my way from there.
"Hold up," the man said. "Let me go first. I've got the sword, after all." He stepped in front of me and led me along. We came to an intersection, where the man stopped suddenly and pressed himself against the wall. He motioned with his hand for me to do the same. He held up the rapier at roughly neck height. Just as suddenly as he stopped, he struck out with the blade, but it never connected.
Quick as lightning, another blade knocked it aside, and at a disadvantage, the man stepped out into the middle of the hallway and pulled the blade back to parry another blow that never came. The reason? The wielder saw me, and I saw her. "Will!" She ran up to me and threw her arms around me.
"Luna! What... what are you doing here?" I stammered.
"When Celestia left, I was afraid... oh my god..." She saw what I was carrying in my arms. I honestly don't know how she missed it in the first place. "Tia!" She took Celestia from my arms and cradled her in her own. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Tia! Dear god, please, no! What happened?!" She looked up at me, face already red, two distinct lines of tears on her cheeks.
I shook my head. "The Nightmare happened."
"What?"
"The demon that attacked me captured me and brought me here. When I woke up, the Nightmare pulled something out of my head, and Tia arrived and sacrificed herself for me." Fresh tears replaced the old and dry ones. "She died in my arms."
Making the man set down the rapier, Luna handed him Celestia, and hugged me. I hugged her back. Celestia was important to both of us, but of course had a bigger "name," if you will, with Luna. They were sisters, after all. And as much as I was breaking down over my aunt's death, Luna had to be taking it worse, just hiding a lot of it.
Understandable, since were weren't out of the woods yet. "Will, Luna, we need to head out. It isn't safe here." The man said, sagely. His voice was familiar... but I couldn't place it. But he had a point.
"You're right, whoever you are. But rest assured, and I mean no offense, but I will have a few questions as to who you are." Luna said, gently. There was no hostility that I could detect.
'Bill? Bill, you up?' I wished Bill would come to. I needed him. Regardless, we followed Luna, with the man making up the rear, and I carried Celestia. Apparently, we weren't as far from the entrance as I thought we were, and it was a short order to see the moon out. "Ah. Glad to see the moon again. Glad to see trees, for that matter. Where are we?"
Luna answered. "We are at the Moon Castle ruins. It was once a grand castle, built for me, before I was corrupted by the Nightmare. When I last saw it, Twilight Sparkle and her friends were banishing the Nightmare from me. It was serviceable, for the most part, and that was a year ago. Incredible, that the castle still stands. I guess I was more revered than I thought at the time." She looked up at the moon for several moments before saying, "Will, do you still have your transmitter?"
I felt my ear. I did. "Yes."
"Could you call Fluttershy? I told her to go to Ponyville and warn the mayor."
"Alright." I pressed the activation button. "Fluttershy? It's Will, please answer."
She answered, and the fear and terror in her voice almost made me gush out tears all over again. "Will?! Oh thank Celestia you're okay!"
Hearing her say Celestia tipped me over the edge. "Fluttershy... I'm not okay. I'm hurt... on the inside... so much... look, where are you?"
"I'm at my house, why?"
"Luna said she sent you to warn the mayor?"
"I did, and she told me to hide in my house."
"Good. Don't come out until I come get you. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"You promised me..."
"What?"
"You promised me you wouldn't let anything get you!"
"I'm sorry..."
"Something happened!"
"I'm so-"
"Get here as fast as you can! Please!"
"I will. I love you Fluttershy, remember that."
She was silent for a moment. "... I love you too, Will."
"I've gotta go."
"Bye."
I lowered my arm. "I have to get to Fluttershy's house pronto. I know the fastest way out of here would be by wing, but..." I looked at the man. "You have no wings, and it doesn't sit right with me to leave you behind."
He opened his mouth to speak, but Luna interrupted him. "We could carry him together, Will. Come on."
I looked at him. "First off, I want a name, at least."
He stood staring at me in what appeared to be disbelief. "I am called Bill."
I nodded. "Okay, fine. Give me your arm." He did. "I'm pretty sure this will hurt, but if that was you screaming in that chamber, this will be bearable."
He chuckled. "Yeah. I understand." Luna and I both beat our wings, trying to lift off with a weight between us. It was simple and easy, once you got past lifting him. He wasn't as heavy as I thought he would be, though. He seemed to be about an inch or two taller than me, but seemed to weigh much less. Maybe it was because Luna was helping. We had him holding Celestia in his arms as we flew in the direction of Ponyville.
We flew over the apple orchard, where we stopped to rest. Davis was right, the Army had moved to Applejack's farm. We landed on a makeshift helipad, and I was greeted by Mason, who got up from eating slop. Probably wasn't missing much. "Will? Good god, you're alive?! When your pegasus friend stopped by here to rest, she'd told us that Princesses Celestia and Luna left Canterlot personally to look for you! What happened?"
I clapped him on the back. "Glad to see you, too. Demon. With a capital D. But..." I looked around. "Where's Masterson?"
Mason's facial expression turned sour and grim. "I'm sorry, Will. He was one of the first to go... but... any word on Davis?"
My face now matched his. "He was still alive."
Mason's face reached epic grimness. "Tell me you..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.
I nodded. "He wanted me to. He was half-burnt."
Mason looked away. "I'm sorry. I just... I don't know how I'll break it to Mary. She always made the three of us that casserole... hell, I'm gonna miss Davis, and I can't even sound sad about it."
I looked down at my feet. "I'm dealing with my own loss right now. But I guess... I guess you should tell her the truth: Davis died buying time for you guys to escape." I looked back at him, a very faint smile on my face.
"Will!" It was Applejack. You're okay! Fluttershy told me about-" She looked past me. Before we landed, Luna disguised herself and Celestia. Applejack saw Celestia, and her mouth dropped. She looked at me, fire in her eyes. "Ah knew Ah couldn't trust you! You seemed so nice, but Ah saw-" she halted, but nothing physical stopped her. She'd seen the expression of my eyes.
I couldn't actually see them, but I could feel them. They felt sunken, red-rimmed, and watery. "She saved me, AJ."
"Wha?"
I tried to force a smile with little success. "I was gonna die right there on that table... then she came in... and the pain went away..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay, AJ. I understand. But... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything sooner... I should have acted!" I shouted the last part to myself, but aloud. I dropped to my knees and finally began crying in earnest. I buried my head in my hands, and wished that everything would go away, and that I was peacefully living a wonderful life with Fluttershy, with no pain, no death, no monsters... but it all fell on deaf ears.
I felt a human hand lay on my left shoulder, and I took it, held in my own, and found it to be gloved. I looked up to see the man's face. He was smiling slightly, tears in his featureless eyes. "I still don't know who you are," I told him.
He shook his head. "Good god, Will... am I so different now than when we last saw each other at the gates of heaven?"
It was then that everything clicked. The familiar face, the familiar voice, calling himself Bill... this was my Bill, and that's what the Nightmare had pulled from me. "Bill?" I asked smartly.
His smile widened a bit. "The one and the same. And I have something to say to you."
"Huh?"
"Well, there's still a light in all this gloom and sadness. And there's something you should know."
"What?"
He smiled at me wider still, and stepped back. I stood and faced him, waiting for his "important" message. He leaned his head slightly to the side and forward. "Today's gonna be a good day. I can feel it in here," he tapped his head. "And in here," he tapped his heart. He turned to walk away, but stopped himself after a few steps. "Oh, and by the way," he said, turning his head to look at me.
"Your fly's undone."