Without Her

Chapter Nine:

I awoke staring at my body sleeping. My face is twisted in agony and my hair is matted against my pale forehead. There I was, laying lifelessly. Until my eyes opened.

My pupils were a pale yellow and dilated. I stood up and went to pick up the journal near Mabel.

No, that's not me!

"Ah shoot!" Bill yelled as my body fell over on top of Mabel. "Stupid humans. Why can't they just float?"

"Why can't you just leave us alone?" Mable sat up and pushed him off. She held the journal above her head. "You can't have this."

"Oh, Shooting Star, there seems to be one thing the journal isn't telling you, I get what I want." He reached for her.

"Not if I can help it!" She punched him in the nose.

He stumbled back and she got on top of him and started to punch him.

"Stop Mabel! You're going to kill me!" I cried, but no one could hear me.

Soon I- Bill was unconscious and Mabel picked up the journal and started to run.

Bill floated above my body unconscious. I swam through the air and dove back into my vessel. My whole face hurt.

"Mabel!" I called. "Its me, Dipper!"

I ran over in the direction she went.

Then, a silhouette appeared in my vision. It was Mabel. She was standing at the edge of the ravine. "Mabel!" I screamed.

"Dipper?" She turned her head around in my direction.

"Its me. What are you doing?" My voice quivered with fear.

"What's dead should stay dead." A tear fell from her eyes.

I wiped the tear from her cheek and then froze feeling her teeter on the edge. "No, no, you can come back and live a normal life with me, mom, and dad." I cried.

"No, I can't. What would we say?"

"It was a freak accident!"

"I was buried eight feet deep, Dipper! I'm starting your common sense was too."

I sat down on the ledge and she followed. "I'm sorry, I got you into this mess."

"I understand, Dip. I love you." She wiped the tears from my eyes with the cuff of her sweater.

"I love you too."

We sat there for a while in silence.

"I was reading the journal and I have a theory that when I hit the rocks I'll disappear like dust or smoke."

"That makes sense. But what if-"

"Life is one big what if and mine is over."

"Okay." I breathed and wiped my eyes again.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes." I thought back to our first summer in Gravity Falls when we battled the gnomes.

"Good. Tell mom and dad I love them. I love you."

"I love you too." I whispered.

Then she jumped.