I sat by Ford’s hospital bed and listened to the heart monitor. Stan sat next to me with his hands over his face.

“...Grunkle Stan?” I whispered.

“Don’t talk to me, kid,” he grumbled. I could’ve sworn he was crying.

“It’s my fault,” I said, looking at the floor. “If I was paying better attention…I would’ve spotted Bill in time. And I would’ve been awake to stop those dog things-”

“Scythyenas,” he said. “Deadly little monsters. Their claws are full of venom.”

“Does that mean-”

“That you’re poisoned? No. I was able to treat you in time and I called your dad to bring you home. Bill put you to sleep. Ford was already on the ground when I got there- I just took his gun and killed the little hellhounds, then brought him here. Soos is on his way to get your brother and his friend.”

“...” I looked back at Grunkle Ford. “Is he going to live?”

Stan nodded. “Barely. No doubt that scratch is going to leave a nasty scar though…he’ll be feeling pain there from now until whenever he passes again.”

I nodded slowly.

Ford slowly opened his eyes. “Stanley-..”

Stan quickly got up and rushed to the side of the bed. He took his hand. “I’m here.”

Grunkle Ford looked around. “It hurts.”

“I know pal. We’re gonna get you home as soon as possible, okay?”

Ford nodded slowly. “Get a doctor,” he wheezed.

Stan nodded and quickly went to get a doctor.

I scooted my chair up to the bed. “Grunkle Ford,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten so scared. I should’ve listened to you- and just looked for Bill.”

Ford looked at me and shook his head. “You did good, Ria. Don’t worry. As soon as I’m back on my feet, we gotta go back there. Bill was there. His machine must be there as well.”

I shook my head. “What are you talking about? You need to rest!”

He laughed a little, then coughed. “It’s like you said. One day off for us is another day for him to gain power in our dimension. He cannot know that I’m weak. Or that you’re scared. He will use that to his advantage in every way possible. We have to stay strong. Both of us, okay?” He took my hand tightly.

I held his hand and nodded. “I trust you. And I really mean it this time. No more secrets.”

He smiled and nodded. But his smile quickly faded. “Are you feeling okay?”

“..yeah, why?”

“You look very pale. I can see your veins-”

“What?” I pulled my phone out and used it as a mirror. He was right. I looked like a zombie. However, I couldn’t see that for long. My eyes rolled back and I was brought into another dream. Vision?

Either way, I saw Bill. “Well, look what happened! This is what happens when you can’t mind your own business, kid.” He floated in front of me, facing away. He spun his cane in his fingers.

I looked around my surroundings. It was just an empty white void. I was floating over nothing. “You lied to me, Bill!” I glared at him.

Bill laughed. “Sure I did! How else was I supposed to get you to trust me?”

I hesitated. “I should've never let you help me. You didn’t even help at all! You were supposed to tell me about the axolotl!”

Bill scoffed. “Ah yes, the Big Frilly. Listen kid, there are plenty of other dimensions out there. Some are more powerful than others. I obliterated my dimension, one of the most powerful dimensions in the whole multiverse! You know what that makes me, sixer? It means I’m on top of the pyramid of power.”

“What does that have to do with the Big Frilly?”

He grew about 3 times in size. His voice deepened. I guess to intimidate me. “It means that just because that stupid amphibian is more powerful than me, doesn’t mean he knows how to use it to his advantage. Unlike me! The wisest being in the universe! All I’ve seen him do is read minds and tell the future.” He laughed again. “Come to think of it, he's just a slimy, pinker version of Gideon!”

“You have to hate him so much for a reason. Isn’t he the reason you can come back anyway? You evoked his power and his name.”

“I only did that so I can use him. He may be powerful, but he’s not a wise guy! That’s why he doesn’t do anything to stop me. That’s why I can get away with everything I’ve done! Sure, there’s some aftermath, but I’ve still gotten away with my actions! If I can manipulate the most powerful being in the multiverse and bend him to my will, then I think that I deserve to be on-...ON TOP!” He slammed his cane to the ground. He turned red. I guess he realized that I actually just manipulated him into answering my questions.

He slowly turned to look at me. “You little-”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Who’s the wise guy now?”

Bill glared. “I don’t think you understand what I’m capable of. I will make you be the cause of your uncle's death.”

I kept my brave face on. “Try it, demon.”

Bill screamed in anger. I jumped awake. I was doing backflips in the air. Once I came to my senses, I realized that my ghost had actually been flung out of my body. “NO!” My uncles nor the doctor could hear me. Only Bill, inside my own body, could.

“Don’t do anything stupid!” I yelled at Bill.

He looked at me and grinned. It was not my natural smile at all. “This is what you get for messing with me, six-fingers! You taunted me!” He pulled out my blaster.

I reached for him. “DON’T!”

He pointed it at Ford. Grunkle Ford was too weak to move. “Ria-”

Stan quickly grabbed his brother and bolted out. The doctor pulled the emergency switch.

Bill quickly chased them down the hallway. “STOP RUNNING, PINES!”

“Memory gun-” Ford wheezed to Stan.

Stan shook his head. “I’m not erasing her mind- you remember what happened to me. I still lose my memory from time to time.”

“You have to. Or Bill will make her kill us. Or worse, he’ll kill her as well.”

Stan shook his head. “We’ll just outrun him! He’s in a human body. He can’t run forever.”

“...okay. We can try.”

Stan quickly got in the car, setting Ford down.

Bill shot at them, but they drove off in just enough time for the plasma to hit the back window and explode. Stan yelped as the shattered glass scattered throughout the car. He stepped on the gas.

I followed the car with my ghost. I didn’t want to be left behind with Bill.

Bill growled. He looked around and smiled, spotting a ladder to the roof. 

I glanced back at him. “What- what are you doing!?”

Bill laughed. “You can’t stop me if your legs are shattered! I’m jumping off of this roof and there's nothing you can do about it!”

I hyperventilated and quickly zipped back to the car. I flew into the radio.

“Stan! Ford!” I said through the speakers. Stan quickly looked around, confused. Ford weakly looked directly at the radio.

“What? Kid?” Grunkle Stan called.

“I’m in the radio!” I cried. “You have to turn back around! Bill is going to jump off the roof in my body! Please!”

Stan quickly turned the car around.

“Memory gun,” Ford whispered.

“Anything!” I pleaded. “I’d rather have amnesia than never walk again!”

Stan nodded and sighed. He kept his eye on the road. “I guess we’re left with no other choice.”

I flew out of the radio and quickly darted back over to Bill. He was just reaching the top of the building.

“You’re insane!” I cried. “You’re not really gonna make me jump, are you?”

Bill laughed. “What, because it’ll hurt me? I love pain! I’ve never been more excited. I wanted to do this with Pine Tree until his stupid sister got in the way.”

“Pine Tree?”

“Your dad, sixer. And now that I’m finally free, you better wait and see. Now that I’ve returned, he and all of your family will burn.”

I quietly gasped, scared. Why was he rhyming? That didn’t sound promising.

Stan quickly pulled the car up and slammed the door open. He blasted the memory gun at Bill, but Bill quickly exited my body before he could be erased. I flew back into my body, but started to topple over from being hit.

“She’s gonna fall!” some old man from the car said. He coughed.

Another guy who looked just like him, but in different clothes, quickly ran up to the building. I felt myself stumble forward and fall from the 5 story building. The old man quickly caught me and stumbled onto his knees. “Gotcha..”

I looked at him, confused. “Who are you?” Then I came to a realization. Who was I? It didn’t make any sense.

The old man teared up. “Oh god. C’mon kid, your dad will kill me if he finds out. You gotta remember!”

I have a dad? That was good news…I guess.

The guy in the car weakly sat up. “It’s no use, Stanley. We’ll have to find some other way to restore her memory. Talking to her won’t do anything.”

The man called Stanley shook his head. “We have no scrapbook this time..”

“You’re right. Let’s just bring Ria back to the shack. Hopefully then she’ll come to her senses. Otherwise…I can try to find a way to disassemble the memory gun and find the cartridge with the memories. I cannot assure I’ll be able to find them, though.”

Who’s Ria? Was that me? I stayed in a state of silent confusion.

“It’s worth a try, I think,” Stanley said. “Let’s get her back.”