The Lemon Meringue Boy

Part 29

It was raining. Great. Without having had a proper night of sleep for the past few days, my eyelids were feeling heavy. I slapped myself. There would be time for sleep later.

 At least the owls were awake. And the cicadas. The woods were always louder at night. The constant buzz wasn't pleasant, but it distracted me from fate. The mosquitoes were really getting at me. I scratched my arm, and noticed there was a message spelled in swollen bumps; LOK OT FOR NOMS. I couldn't tell what the soothsquitos were trying to write, so I just ignored the warning. There was work to be done.

When I reached the tree, I saw Bill sleeping. No dreams. Good. No distractions. My heart was going at about a million beats per second and I could feel it in my ears. The rain pelted my shoulders in protest. I stood just outside the circle of unicorn hair. All I had to do was swing the axe. Just a flip of the wrist. 

I raised the handle of the axe so that the head was dangling just between my shoulder blades. It wasn't like I was really killing him. I was just sending him back to the Council. I tightened my grip in the wood. They would think of the proper thing to do with him and he would be out of my hair once and for all. I swung. 

The world became slow, and the sharp end of the axe gleamed in the moonlight. I saw Bill, asleep, completely unaware. Then it struck. The splatter that followed painted my pajamas in cold, thick matter;

Mud. The wedge had struck a puddle of mud a mere five inches from Bill's eye. I couldn't do it. Tears ran down my face. I'd almost murdered him. I'd almost cut him open. I fell to the ground and hugged the axe to my chest. Who was I? I thought back to what Bill had said about me. Caring, smart, heroic. I didn't even know if I was that anymore. 

I looked at Bill. His closed eye was calm. He had no idea what had almost happened. What I had almost done to him. I almost had a hard time believing it for myself. I stood up, my face still damp from mud and tears, and pulled the axe off the ground. I started to trudge back home, dragging it behind me. 

Suddenly I heard a rustle from the nearby bushes. I quickly hid behind a tree. Oddly enough, I heard what sounded like voices whispering. I could hardly make out what they were saying over the cicadas and the constant pitter-patter of the rain.

"See boss? Just like we said. The demon is back."

"I take back my previous statement. What do you think we should do with him?" I recognized the voice. All gnomes sound a bit similar, but this one was definitely Jeff, The head of the pack. I peeked out from behind the tree.

"He needs to pay for his crimes I'd say."

"Agreed. Get the ropes and tiny pitchforks. We do this tonight." Before I knew it, eight more gnomes surrounded Bill. They were holding spears tied to coiled lengths of rope. They started to toss the miniature spears over Bill, pinning him to the ground. It was around that time he woke up.

"Wha... Hey!" a clumsy-looking gnome had prodded him in the side with the sharp end of his spear. "What are you little gremlins doing?!" Jeff stepped up on the shoulders of another gnome in order to match Bill's height.

"Bill Cipher. You enjoying yourself? I know I am."

"You sure? Because you're standing in the rain and you're so short your beard's got mud in it." Jeff looked at his beard, then scowled back up at Bill.

"You will be put on trial for your crimes against the forest and all of gnomekind. After you lose, you will be burned at the stake as a sacrifice to our queen."

"Woah, I'm just gonna cut you off there, Shortstack. Where does the "trial" bit come into all this?

"Right before we burn you. I thought I made that pretty clear."

"But it's inevitable that I'm going to lose?"

"Yes, that is correct." There was silence for a while. Bill was looking at Jeff like he was absolutely done with his bullshit.

"So... why is there a trial?" Jeff considered it for a moment.

"You're right! Kevin! Paul! Start up the fire! The rest of you! Carry this scumbag to the stake!" The gnomes closed in on Bill and hoisted him onto their shoulders.

"Woah, woah! Hey! Put me down you little miscreants! I've got powers beyond your comprehension!"

"Nice try, demon. We saw you tied to that tree! Prepare to die for your crimes!" 

I pulled my head back behind the tree trunk. So the gnomes were going to take care of him? I had nothing to worry about anymore. I could go back to the shack and never have even taken part in his death. It would just be the gnomes seeking justice. It was a reasonable option. That's the problem with impulse. It makes you do things before you're ready, whether they're reasonable or not.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Bill hollered one more time before the fire was lit. The flames were obviously magic, considering the rain. Bill was bound to the stake, his feet dangling mere inches above the flames. The crackling orange tongues of fire lapped at his ankles mercilessly. 

 Bill tried not to show his fear, but I could tell he was feeling it. He pulled his legs up as far as he could in a failed attempt to avoid the blistering heat of the fire. I tried to walk away, but suddenly I started to hear the sickening crackling sound of peeling, burning flesh. Bill, still trying to keep some sort of a nonchalance, let out a strained, unbearable squeal of pain. That seemed to be my cue. 

I spun on my heel and sprinted to Bill, ripping the stake from the ground. In one fluid motion, I used Wendy's axe to slice the ropes that bound Bills wrists and ankles. His single eye widened with shock. 

"PINE TREE?! What are you doing here?!" I shoved him behind me.

"Get back!" I turned to the gnomes, wielding the axe like a weapon. "Don't any of you twisted nymphs touch him!" I swung the axe at the bunch, who scampered back into the woods. All except Jeff, who squinted at me incredulously.

"Dipper Pines?! What do you think you're doing?!" he took a step forward and I shot him a look that sent him back a few.

"I'm protecting this stupid helpless creature!" I heard Bill's voice behind me;

"Hey!" I ignored him and continued to stare Jeff down. The head gnome stared back at me in anger and disbelief.

"That creature is a psychotic monster! Have you forgotten what he did to this town?! He deserves to SUFFER!" I started to feel a bit hypocritical, but I wasn't about to let him lay one grubby little finger on Bill again.

"Not on my watch! NOW GIT!" I hurled the axe at Jeff, who scampered away right before it struck mud. He turned his head to shout

"TRAITOR!!! YOU"LL PAY FOR THIS BOY!" before disappearing into the undergrowth.

I stood in my fighting stance a while longer, heaving from adrenaline. When I finally calmed down, I turned to look at Bill. He was panting too, his eyes wide.

"You just... saved my life." He didn't seem to believe it.

"Yeah... I guess I did." I helped Bill up and made sure his clasp was still tight. The gnomes hadn't even bothered trying to get it off.

"Why? You hate me." I had already asked myself the same question, and had just come up with an answer.

"I'm not going to watch anybody die. Even if they would let me burn to death in a heartbeat." Bill watched as I went to pull the axe out of the mud. When I walked back over I saw him squinting at me suspiciously.

"Why were you out here in the first place?"