What little bit of courage she managed to find in Kurloz's defense vanishes when he tilts his head and repeats that word to her. A boogie man. That's what she had called him long ago, when Kurloz was barely more than a stranger claiming the title of Grand Highblood. Her stomach feels like it might drop out through her to her feet.

He snarls his next words, like a ferocious beast, and Terezi's courage finally falters. She stumbles back and then bolts, despite not knowing where she's trying to go. There's nowhere to hide out here. Wake up, wake up, wake up! she thinks frantically to herself. If this is a dream, she should be able to wake up. She has to. It's her only way out.