One Year Later

III

Norman

The book was definitely dangerous. The more I looked through it, the more it seemed like the scribblings of a madman. I mean, what the heck is a  cycloptopus? And what kind of man writes about blood rain? Despite the weird and ... someone mental content, I kept reading.

"Norman ..." Neil groaned. "Go to sleep already."

"Sorry. This book is just really interesting. It like ... something out of my favorite horror films."

"You can always come back to it tomorrow. Just go to sleep."

"Ok." I said, turning off the flashlight I used to read. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the insomnia, but my mind kept wandering back to the things in the book. Especially the Bill Cipher page. He scared me. Plus in bold red letters were the words DO NOT SUMMON AT ALL COSTS! I had reason to believe he was most dangerous thing in the book. Which I ended up reading again.

Around 2 in the morning (I know because I checked Neil's phone periodically), that female ghost who helped us set of the tent came in again. She was silent, only gesturing me to follow her.

"Why?" I asked, but again she did not say anything. She simply floated out of the tent expecting me to follow. I glanced over at Neil, who snored. Loudly. Figured a couple minutes outside couldn't hurt. Besides, I going to sleep anytime soon. Stupid insomnia.

The breeze hit me hard. It was supposed to be June, but it felt like April still. At least it somewhat warmer than Maine this time of year. But being in nothing but a Psycho t-shirt and and shorts did nothing to help. The woman was a few feet ahead, and I followed her. Deeper and deeper into the woods.

"Are ... Are you sure this is safe?" I asked, shivering now. She nodded, and floated a few feet ahead before stopping. I stood next to her as she pointed to an area up ahead. I couldn't see it right away, but felt blind when I finally did. At the base of one of the trees was a girl. Her bright red hair was up in a bun, and she had an blue dress on. She was curled up somewhat in the fetal position, her knees not quite reaching her chest. As I ran over to help her, I saw she had, for some reason, grown branches around her waist and ankles. "How long has she been here?" I asked the ghost as I tested away at the branches.

"Not long." She finally responded. "Only about an hour ago."

"What kind of branches grow around someone that quickly, then?"

"None that I've see." I picked the girl up so we stood side by side. One of her arms was wrapped around my shoulders, while my other arm was around her waist. She seemed only about half awake.

"Where ... Am ... I?" She asked slowly, coming out in barely a whisper.

"Gravity Falls, Oregon." I told her.

"So ... Far ... Away."

"Where are you from?" I asked her, but she didn't respond. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have answered that question right away either. So I tried a different one. "What's you name?"

"Must ... Find ..."

"What's your name?" I asked again, seeming this time to register the question.

"Beatrice."

Wirt

I was up all night with that book. Reading and rereading the various entries contained. Some were elegant sketches of creatures like the undead or gnomes. Towards the end, the professionalism seems to die away, and Journal entries written by another person seem to take their place. But it all was about this town of Gravity Falls, how strange is was if you just looked.