Sin or Love?

Chapter 2

(Dipper pov)

I set Benny on his bunk and have him lay back down as he coughs again. I take his shoes off him and pull the blanket back over him. "What did he say?" Benny weakly ask. I can't stand to see him like this, it hurts that no one will do anything to help him.

"He won't let a doctor in. Said to pray."

"You think he's wrong?"

"Benny, I know it's hard to understand. But there is more to life then what Father Marks says."

"Is that why you never go to the worship room to pray with everyone else after church?"

"I used to do that." I gently move his hair out of his face. "When I was your age I believed everything that Father Marks told me. I never had dreams but I wanted to, so I would be like everyone else. I felt like an outcast because I never got the chance to confess about any dreams like everyone else. Even my own sister confessed her dreams to him but I never did. And after church, I would prayer the required hour in the worship room with all the others."

"Then why don't you anymore?"

"Because when I was 12, I was helping your sister with something and found a book. One that I knew she wasn't supposed to have. I was curious so I started reading it and it was amazing. I hadn't ever read anything like it. I talked to Wendy about it. She found a way to get books in here. I don't know how and never asked. I would hide the books under my mattress, in my pillow case, in my trunk, anywhere I could. They made me realize that there was so much more out there."

"Do you still have them?"

"No....Father Marks found out and took them away from me. He took Wendy's books too. I'm not saying that everything he says is wrong, I'm just saying that there is more to the world then what he is telling us."

"What am I going to do when you aren't here to help me anymore?"

"Hey, I am not going anywhere anytime soon. So don't talk like that."

"But you'll be married in two years."

"And even when that happens, I will still be around to take care of you." I put my hand to his forehead frowning at the fever. I get up going to the bathroom getting a washcloth soaking it in cold water. I fold it up and go back to Benny placing it on his forehead. "This should help with the fever."

"What if the sickness doesn't do away?"

"It will. But if it gets worse.....I could always try to fix it myself. Only problem is I barely know how to fix it and it would hurt you a lot. You would most likely die if I tried."

"What if Father Marks is right?"

"The day he is right about anything, is the day I put a bullet in my brain. Get some rest, I'll come check on you later."

I walk out just as the others in the worship room finish up. I wait for them to leave before I go to head out but a hand grabs my arm pulling me into the worship room.

I look seeing it's Mabel. "We need to talk."

"About what?" I walk around picking up the candles off the floor. They're all blown out but still it's not safe to just keep them laying around.

"What did Father Marks talk to you about?"

"He thought I was being a bad influence on Benny."

"And are you?"

"I am just trying to give him his options, Mable." I set the candles down next to the alter, the giant painting our so called god looming over us. "Why did you pull me in here to talk about this?"