Starfall

Chapter 10 - Visitation

The door to the shack burst open at 4:23 am as Ford dragged Dipper through the door, one arm under his shoulder bearing him up and keeping the weight off his ribs. Ford directed Dipper to the couch. Dipper leaned back wincing as he ground his teeth together. He slowly settled himself into the couch tensely as every move was perditions fire and assault on his inflamed and swelled ribs.

"Stanley rushed into the room looking alarmed with a bat in his hand. His eyes looked wild as if he had been asleep just moments before. Then seeing Ford and Dipper he relaxed. Ford shouted. "Stanley get the first aid kit over here. Dipper's hurt." Stanley immediately rushed to get the first aid kit from off the top of the fridge for his brother. Then Stanley's eyes looked Dipper over in assessment for wounds. As Stanley lent a hand Ford pointed out what had happened as his fingers pointed to Dipper's ribs. Ford filled Stanley in on what had happened and the mysterious character called The Shadow.

Ford sat Dipper up as Stanley tried to wrap a large length of heavy gauze wrap around his chest after Dipper had removed his teal-splashed maroon tee shirt. Dipper wheezed in a shaky breath and winced as Ford tightened the bandages. Mabel stumbled into the room her eyes bloodshot and half awake as she said, "D-dipper?!? What happened?!!"

Ford said, "We almost caught the shark thief, but she darn near broke Dipper's ribs. I think he will be okay, but we will take him to Dr. Suresh in the morning to get that confirmed with an x-ray." Dipper coughed, "Don't bother, I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning."

Ford frowned at his apprentice and said in a subjective voice, "Dr. Suresh will be the judge of that." Dipper wilted under his mentor's stern gaze of disapproval and nodded. Mabel looked like she was going to cry. "Are you going to be okay Dipper?" Dipper smiled at her reassuringly, "I'd take this any day over listening to Gideon singing while Fiddleford played the banjo." Dipper managed a soft chuckle and a smile as they both recalled past summer memories.

Mabel sighed wearily, "Waddles can sleep at the foot of your bed tonight if you want Dipper." Dipper smiled. He knew how much that meant for her to let her precious Waddles sleep elsewhere than at her own two feet. Personally, Waddles, much like Mabel, tossed and turned in the night far too much for his liking. Dipper slumped back into the couch while minding his ribs, as Stanley and Ford finished wrapping his upper torso. Dipper said, "I'll be fine Mabel. Thanks for the token gesture though."

Ford now folded the first aid kit shut with a concluding snap. "I think we should all catch some sleep. We can sleep in tomorrow. Dipper needs rest, as do we all." No one argued, and everyone looked tired. Mabel placed her hand on Dipper's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry Dipper. I hope you are ok and recover quickly. I'm sorry I wasn't much help tonight." Dipper smiled, "If you were there with us that Shadow character would have had a real fight on her hands." Dipper smiled at her. Mabel instead looked sad as her eyes filled with sorrow. She hugged Dipper and just buried her face in his hair as she silently held onto him. Dipper placed a supportive arm around her waist. "I'll be fine. I've always got you and Pacifica watching out for me. Good night Mabes."

Mabel left the room looking more troubled than when she had entered. Poor Mabel he thought. She really cared about him. He would talk to her about it in the morning and attempt to soothe her worries. As for right now, Dipper needed sleep more than anything.

Dipper said goodnight to Stanford and Stanley as they each went their separate ways. Dipper slid into his bathroom exhausted and worn out. Dipper took a long hot shower letting his aching muscles and ribs relax before bed. Dipper dried off and reached for his toothbrush and toothpaste. Dipper went to look in the mirror to see his teeth, but the fog from the shower hung densely in the room and clung to the surface of the glass. Dipper took a towel and wiped down a section of the mirror. Dipper saw reflected in the glass the face of a pale woman staring at him from behind the door frame to his open bathroom door. Her white fingers clung like roots to his door frame. Her eyes were black voids of emptiness that went deeper than appearances. Dipper slipped on the edge of the sink and knocked over the drinking glass that had been resting on the ledge as it fell to the tile below and shattered. Dipper whipped around only to see nothing was there but an empty doorway and hall.