The Lemon Meringue Boy

Part 39

With trembling hands, I yanked the home phone in the kitchen from the receiver and punched in 9-1-1. I twirled the corkscrew cord around my finger nervously.

The hospital. Stan needed to go to the hospital. Because of me. I hated myself. I hated Bill. It was me though, wasn't it? If I hadn't let Bill back into my life, I could be having the summer I wanted. Stan would be fine. Ford wouldn't be a threat. The 9-1-1 operator picked up.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" I recapped my story to the woman, carful to keep it the same as when I told Ford and Mabel. They were still in the room. 

"Okay sir, we'll get someone over there as fast as we can. Keep an eye on your grandpa and make sure he keeps breathing. And try to keep him upright." I could've corrected her, saying Stan was my great uncle, but I doubted it mattered.

"She says to make sure he breathes and to sit him up!" Mabel and Ford got to it. Mabel had recently returned with a rag, which Ford used to clean off the majority of blood that had dried on Stan's skin. She had her arm in front of her face, the bulky sleeve of her freshly-knit sweater covering her eyes. She had been squeamish around blood ever since we were kids, and it must have been horrible for her to see Stan like that.

They finally got Stan upright and leaned him on Ford's shoulder for support. If Ford were an emotional person he'd have been crying, I could tell. He had his arm around unconscious Stan's shoulders and held one limp hand in his lap, holding on tight. I realized grimly that he was making sure that it didn't go cold. After a couple minutes I began to hear the wail of sirens in the distance.

"Dipper, you go and lead them in. I'll stay here with Stanley." I did as I was told, jogging to the screen door and throwing it open. The obnoxious tinkle of gift shop bells accompanied the action. I saw the ambulance pulling up and sprinted across the yard to the medics.

"He's inside, follow me!" They did, right after crabbing a large white case of supplies and a stretcher. Something about their anticipation of the worst set my teeth on edge. 

When I entered the kitchen, Ford looked up with a mix of concern and relief. The medics set down the case and popped the clasps, revealing an assortment of bandages and other first aid necessities. After a quick check of Stan's vitals, the man who seemed to be the leader looked up at me with a cocked eye brow.

"You said this was a raccoon attack?" my blood ran cold, but I nodded.

"Yessir." I squeaked, trying to keep my expression as neutral as I could without seeming too nonchalant. It was all I could to not throw up as the officer looked me up and down. Finally, he spoke again.

"Mhm. Big one I reckon." I relaxed a bit, smirking at his slip up. Probably from the city. That was the only reason people in Gravity Falls would try to hide an accent.

The team of medics took hold of Stan's arms and legs, carful to keep his head elevated as they hoisted him onto a stretcher.

"Looks like a pretty severe concussion. We'll take him from here to the hospital. We'll call you up when he wakes up."

And with that, Stan was hoisted into the back of an ambulance. My Great Uncle. My hero. My family. I watched as he was driven away, listening to the earsplitting wail of sirens.

Rage built inside me, my stomach churning and my face reddening. I was angry. I was furious. It was all Bill's fault! He had to pay for what he'd done! If he had just stayed calm and let me fix him Stan would be fine! I remembered him running away, but he couldn't have had left the house. I could find him. I would find him. He would PAY!!!

After all I'd done for him! I didn't have to cut him loose! I didn't have to hide him! I didn't have to keep him safe! I didn't have to save him when the gnomes attacked! I didn't have to get him drugs! I did it all because stupid naïve little me got it through my head that the most evil, most twisted, most diabolical creature ever created deserved some kind of second chance! And how did he repay me? By ATACKING my FAMILY!!!

I ran back into the house, my anger driving me as I searched. He was here, so I would find him. His stupid little weak little self couldn't get far. When I got my hands on him... I would DISASSEMBLE HIS MOLECULES!!!

I ran about the house, opening and shutting cabinets and doors. I didn't care how suspicious it looked. I had a triangle I needed to make into a CORPSE!!! He'd ruined my summer! He never even thanked me for saving him! He destroyed everything! And I tried to help him! That IDIOT! He couldn't even IMAGINE what he had cost me!!! My childhood! My summer! My Grunkle!

Then I found him. He was in Soos' break room. I saw him cowering in the corner. Good. He deserved to be scared. He was right to be scared. I slammed the door shut behind me. He turned around and shrank back. I chuckled at his pitiful little face.

"Oh man. Looks like you've really done it now." I grabbed him by the wrist without warning and slammed him against the wall. HARD. He let out a shout of pain.

"OW! What the HELL Pine Tree?!!"

"I was just about to ask the same question. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING BACK THERE?!?! I saved you! I protected you! I tried to care for you! And what did you do?!" 

Bill's terrified face brought me so much joy. Now he knew what it felt like to be powerless. I would kill him. I would kill him then and there. I hoped there would be blood. It satisfied me to think about how it would look when I was done. HE NEEDED TO PAY!!!

"You never thanked me! You never gave anything back! You're a monster! A freak! A waste of my time!" I stepped closer so that I was towering over him. He was so tiny it was almost adorable. To bad he had to die. It was going to be easy. I grabbed the closest object. Perfect. A metal plumming pipe.

"I don't know why I put it off this long!" I laughed out loud at the stupidity of it all. "What did I expect to gain?! You tiny, pathetic, STUPID little demon!" I raised the pipe, preparing to swing. My muscles ached in anticipation. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I'M LIKE-"

"When you're mad?" Bill's voice quivered. He had his arms over his head and his eye was squinted, bracing himself for the impact of the blow. He had finally snapped me out of it.

I dropped the pipe, the clang of metal on hardwood resonating throughout the silent room. What was I doing? I fell to my knees, my eyes locked on my hands.

Disassemble his molecules? Make him into a corpse? When I'm mad? No. NO! Those were all things he'd said. I looked down at Bill. All I saw was fear and helplessness. I knew that face all too well. The very same expression I wore so many times, back when Bill was all powerful. 

One thought crashed over me, out ruling everything else; the determination, the rage;

I'm turning into Bill Cipher.