Dead or Alive

Chapter 4: The Tent of Telepathy

Dipper and Mabel sat nervously in the living room. Mabel was sitting on the old yellow recliner with her ankles crossed, and Dipper was hiding behind the recliner, although he had to reason to hide. Stan had been on the phone with their parents and Dipper had tried to eavesdrop best he could, but didn't hear enough to report back to Mabel.

Stan had yet to enter the room, so Mabel was peering behind the recliner whispering to Dipper.

"Do you know what's going on?" she asked anxiously. Dipper solemnly shook his head "Nope, I've got no idea."

Mabel looked down at the carpet before asking "Do mom and dad really think I'm crazy?"

Dipper looked startled then knit his brow in seriousness "calm down. You're not crazy, and they know that. All of this- sending you here for the summer, they're just trying to help you."

Mabel looked angered at this "But I don't need any help! I'm perfectly fine!"

Dipper sighed "Mabel, it's not exactly normal for kids to be able to talk to the dead!"

"Well it sounds pretty morbid when you say it like that, it's not like I'm talking to your dead body, Dipper!" 

Dipper's eyes widened "Um, Mabel- you might wanna turn around."

Mabel turned in her seat to face Stan, who was on his knee so he was level with her. Stan looked extremely serious as he asked "Mabel, have you been talking to your brother again?"

Mabel looked at her uncle guiltily and mumbled "...no."

Stan sighed "Don't lie to me, kid. I heard you the other day when you were reading in here."

(Dipper cursed at himself for doing something so stupid. He knew they should've read the journal in the attic, but they just had to mess up like that.)

"Oh." Mabel said, looking down and pretending to pick lint off of her skirt.

"I know it's hard without Dipper, but you're not gonna move on until you stop pretending that he's here, okay?"

Mabel nodded, still looking down.

Stan lifted her chin and repeated "Do you understand me?"

Mabel looked into his eyes and said clearly, "I understand."

Stan mumbled an "okay" under his breath and finally left the room to attend to his next tour. Mabel sighed and slid down in the recliner.

"That was a close one." Dipper said, "we've gotta be more careful."

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Over her first few weeks in town Mabel had bonded with Soos, otherwise known as the handy man of the Mystery Shack.

They first crossed paths when Mabel's dollar got jammed in the vending machine. Soos noticed Mabel's disgruntlement and decided to show her a trick. With a kick, a jolt, and bumping the machine with his elbow, Soos had gotten the candy bar Mabel had her eye on.

"There ya go, Ham Bone!" He said beaming at Mabel, who gasped as he slapped the candy in her hands.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Mabel said, eyes filled with wonder.

Soos laughed at her amazement "It's easy, it's a trick someone taught me." He adjusted the old grey hat he wore "Say, I don't think I've formally met you?"

Mabel shook her head "Nope, my name's Mabel!" She grinned.

Soos shook her hand, "Nice to meet ya, I'm Soos. Handy man of the Shack." he stood up and hoisted his tool belt "I've gotta get back to work, catch'ya later!"