No Matter What

Chapter 7: Long Shadows

Crowds immediately swarmed around him and jostled him to the side. Dipper nervously pushed his mask on tighter with a shaking hand.

Humans, as he remembered, were one of the most unwelcome species' here. Too well he recalled he and Pacifica almost being sold by other demons and creatures for their body parts. Uncomfortably, he gazed around the bustled streets, his eyes falling on a cart that was selling human heads. Beside it was a store of a similar type, simply titled "Hathin's Human Hutch". He shuddered.

"Ok Dipper, think." He let his mind wander back to all those years ago, when he had travelled here with Pacifica. It was difficult to recall any direction they took, however – he had been more focused on trying to save his sister from the face demon.

Dipper was caught in the crowds again, stumbling over the pale roads in an attempt to escape them. His foot had been caught in a stray tree root. He glared at it in annoyance, studying where it had came from.

"Wait – " Dipper froze upon seeing that it belonged to a shop that had been carved into a hollow tree. A gnome was sitting behind the counter, slowly chewing his hat. "That's the shop –"

He turned quickly, spotting the familiar alleyway that he had ran through years ago. His heart skipped a beat in excitement, a breathless laugh sounding from his throat.

"That's it!" Dipper whispered. He began to sprint, dodging various crowds and weaving through stores. He leapt over a pixie, his eyes only focused on his goal.

This was it. As soon as he ran through that hallway, he would see the door he had entered to save his sister. He would finally be home, back at Gravity Falls – and immediately tell Mabel everything. He had been in this world for a few days, so it was possible that he had not been missing for more that a day in Earth's time zone.

His foot caught on a stray foot of a creature, and he stumbled. He threw his hands out to catch himself before smashing into the ground. With the movement, his mask slipped off his face and clattered to the floor but he paid it no attention. He was a corner away.

Dipper leapt to the side and dashed down the alley, laughing. He stopped looking behind him, moving his focus to the door that would surely be at the end of the path –

"What?" Dipper suddenly stopped, almost loosing his footing with the change of motion. The chatter of the market had faded into a dull hum as he stared up in disbelief.

Towering above him was a brick wall, exactly where the door had been. It was new, no crumbling stone or cracked bricks. Dipper slowly walked over to the wall, tracing the rough sides. He could still see the frame of the door, but it's contents had been completely blocked up.

"No..." he muttered. Desperately, he stared around, spotting a tall creature watching him. Without thinking, he frantically asked if a question.

"What happened?" Dipper asked, shaking his head. "What happened to the door – the gateway – the –"

"Bricked up after humans got through." The creature replied lowly, taking a slow step closer to him. Dipper couldn't concentrate, misery washing over him.

There was no way. He was so close.

So close.

"No!" Dipper screamed, smashing his fists onto the brick wall. "I was so close! So close!" He yelled before resting his head against the cool brick. "It can't be..."

"Say, you look like a human..."

Dipper turned slightly, noticing that the creature had taken another step towards him until they were inches apart. He cast his eyes to the ground, feeling himself tense.