The falls

chapter four

The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the small house where Jessica had just finished unpacking. She could hear Neomi pacing around outside, her eager footsteps crunching in the gravel, waiting for her to come out.

"Come on, Jess!" Neomi called through the open window. "We've got to check out the woods before it gets dark! It's gonna be awesome!"

Jessica paused, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. She tugged at the hem of her shirt, mind still on her apprenticeship with Dr. Mathis. She wasn't here to play around. There were mysteries to solve, and she was the one who'd been chosen to help Dr. Mathis uncover them. She wasn't like other kids.

Her eyes drifted over to the desk where a stack of papers sat—the latest notes from Dr. Mathis, detailing their first project together. She could hear his voice in her head, explaining the significance of each anomaly they'd study. That's what she was here for, not exploring the woods like a carefree child.

Neomi's voice pulled her back. "Hellooo? Are you even listening? It's going to be epic. You *did* say you saw those gnomes, right?"

Jessica sighed and went to the door, stepping outside. "Yeah, I saw them," she admitted, but then crossed her arms. "But I'm here because of my apprenticeship. I should be helping Dr. Mathis and Dipper. They're probably already working on something important."

Neomi waved her hand dismissively. "They'll be fine without you for a couple hours. Come on, Jess, you're only nine! You can't spend your whole life buried in research. You gotta live a little!"

Jessica hesitated, glancing back at the house. She could still see Dipper and Dr. Mathis through the window, bent over some kind of blueprint on the kitchen table. A part of her wanted to be in there with them, learning and helping. But another part of her...a smaller part, maybe...kind of liked the idea of running around the woods with Neomi.

As if reading her mind, Dipper came out onto the porch. "Hey, Jessica," he called. "You don't need to worry about us. We've got plenty to do, and we'll manage without you for a while."

Dr. Mathis joined him, nodding in agreement. "Dipper's right. You should go enjoy yourself. Gravity Falls isn't just about research. You've got time to be a kid. Don't rush into growing up too fast."

Jessica blinked. She wasn't expecting that. These were the two people who understood how serious she was about her intelligence and curiosity, yet they were telling her to take a break?

"Go with Neomi," Dr. Mathis urged with a kind smile. "You'll still be able to help us later. But for now, explore. See the town for what it really is."

With a small sigh, Jessica finally relented. "Okay, fine," she muttered, turning to Neomi. "Let's go."

Neomi grinned, grabbing her hand. "Yes! You won't regret it, I promise. It'll be fun!"

They set off toward the woods, leaving the house behind. Jessica's thoughts lingered on the research, but Neomi's chatter slowly pulled her focus. The trees grew denser the deeper they went, their thick branches forming a canopy that blocked out the sunlight. Jessica was about to say something about how strange the forest felt when she heard a rustling sound.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, stopping in her tracks.

Neomi shrugged. "Probably just an animal."

Jessica kept glancing behind her, still thinking about the gnomes she had seen earlier. She knew the stories, and she wasn't about to dismiss them just because they sounded ridiculous. Gravity Falls wasn't exactly known for its ordinary wildlife.

As they walked, the trees thickened, creating a natural canopy that dimmed the light around them. Jessica's unease grew, but she didn't say anything. She had agreed to explore, after all, and she didn't want to be the one to ruin it by being paranoid.

But then, without warning, the ambush came.

Small hands grabbed at them from every direction. Jessica tried to scream, but a vine was quickly wrapped around her mouth, muffling her cry. Neomi fought back, kicking one of the gnomes in the chest, but it barely made a difference. The gnomes were relentless, swarming them with practiced efficiency.

"What the heck?! Not again!" Neomi growled as the gnomes tied them both up with thick vines.

"Again?" Jessica asked, her voice muffled through the gag.

Neomi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, these little jerk wads tried the same thing with my Aunt Mabel years ago."

Before Jessica could respond, the gnomes lifted her up and carried her deeper into the woods. They were surprisingly strong for their size, and despite her struggles, Jessica couldn't break free from their grip. Neomi was dragged along beside her, still kicking at the gnomes whenever she could.

They were taken to a small clearing, where an elaborate setup awaited them. In the center stood a crude altar made of tree branches and stones, decorated with flowers and ribbons. And next to it, a particularly grumpy-looking gnome with a long white beard stood, dressed in a tiny suit. Jessica's stomach twisted as realization hit her.

"Oh no," she muttered.

One of the gnomes, apparently the leader of the group, stepped forward. "Behold! The new queen has arrived!" he declared, gesturing grandly to Jessica.

The gnome in the suit stepped forward, eyeing her with an unsettling grin. "It is time for the ceremony. You, human girl, shall marry me and become the queen of the gnomes!"

Jessica's eyes widened in horror. "What?! No way!" she shouted, struggling against the vines.

Neomi, who had finally been untied, was snickering despite the situation. "Ugh, seriously? This is *exactly* what they tried to do to Aunt Mabel. You'd think they'd learn by now."

The leader gnome ignored Neomi's comment, focusing entirely on Jessica. "We need a queen. And we will make you that queen!"

"That's disgusting!" Jessica spat, her skin crawling. "I'm not marrying you, or any of you!"

The gnomes seemed unfazed by her protests. The leader snapped his fingers, and the other gnomes quickly pulled out a frilly white wedding dress, shoving it over Jessica's head while she thrashed in protest.

"Stop it!" Jessica yelled, her face flushing with anger and embarrassment. But the gnomes didn't care. They tied a veil around her head and shoved her toward the altar, where the gnome in the suit waited eagerly.

Neomi stepped forward, fists clenched. "Alright, this has gone far enough. If you don't let her go, I swear I'll—"

"Silence!" the leader barked, waving his hand. "The ceremony must continue!"

Jessica glared at the gnome in the suit. "I'm not going through with this. You can't make me."

The gnome smirked. "Oh, but you will. It is destiny."

Neomi leaned over to Jessica and whispered, "Don't worry, I've got a plan. We just need to wait for the right moment."

Jessica nodded, her heart racing. She wasn't sure what Neomi had in mind, but anything was better than this.

As the gnome leader began to chant in a language Jessica didn't recognize, Neomi subtly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small object—a flashlight. She winked at Jessica, then suddenly flipped it on, aiming it directly at the gnome leader's face.

The gnomes screeched in surprise, covering their eyes as the beam of light hit them. "Gah! Bright light! Bright light!" they wailed, stumbling backward.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Neomi grabbed Jessica's arm and yanked her free from the vines. "Run!"

Without hesitation, Jessica tore off the ridiculous wedding dress and bolted, following Neomi as they sprinted back toward the safety of the town. Behind them, the gnomes continued to shout in dismay, their plans for a forced marriage foiled once again.

As they finally reached the edge of the woods, Jessica bent over, catching her breath. "What...what was that about?"

Neomi grinned, still holding the flashlight. "Like I said, those gnomes are total jerks. They're always trying to force some poor girl to marry them. Aunt Mabel had to deal with it too."

Jessica groaned, shaking her head. "This town is weirder than I thought."

"Welcome to Gravity Falls," Neomi said with a laugh. "Get used to it."