Complicated

Chapter 9: Behind the Scenes

Dipper's POV

Once again, I woke up breathing heavily as sweat stained my forehead. I looked around at my surroundings and realized Mabel and Pacifica were already downstairs. I noticed that the time was 9:30.

I still couldn't recall the events that took place during my dreams. I groggily made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. Pacifica glanced up at me with a face full of pancakes.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty!" She called.

"Hi," I tiredly said. Stan dropped some pancakes at a spot at the table for me.

"Woah!" Stan yelled, "Bag check for Dipper's eyes! Hahaha! ...Nobody?"

Mabel ran in with Waddles in her arms. "Yeah, but seriously, Dipper. What's with the bags under your eyes?"

"No specific reason. I was just...up late last night, you know, deciphering codes in the journal," I lied. In reality, I was up all night with these dreams.

"You sure?" Pacifica asked, worry present in her tone. "You don't look so good. Maybe we shouldn't go on that mystery hunt like we planned."

"No, guys! I'm fine, really! Just a little tired, but I've done this a million times before," I fought.

"...Okay, but promise to tell us if you need to go home. We won't mind," Mabel commanded.

"I promise," I stated. Little did they know, behind my back, my fingers were crossed.

"Okay! Let's get dressed and head to the forest!" Mabel cheered. Pacifica and I followed her upstairs and got changed. Mabel was preoccupied picking out a sweater when Pacifica walks up to me.

"Dipper, if something is wrong, you know you can tell me," she spoke calmly.

"Pacifica, listen to me. I'm perfectly fine. I would tell you if something was bugging me," I gave her a fake smile. She didn't buy it but dropped the subject.

"Fine," she smiled back, but I knew her smile was fake, too.

"Alright!" Mabel chirped, "Let's go!"

"What are we looking for again?" Pacifica asked, seeming to have forgotten out previous conversation.

"Well, their is this weird rock in the spooky part of the forest. The journal says that if you are given the rock, you'll have a vision. A good vision. However, if you steal the rock, you'll see your worst nightmare," I explained.

"Sounds fun!" Mabel decided.

"Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go find this rock!" Pacifica hollered.

After a couple hours, we were deep within the forest but hadn't seen any sign of the rock. I was so tired. I got really close to telling Mabel that I needed to go back home, but we were so close.

"What color is it?" Mabel asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. It changes color, depending on the person who has it," I answered.

"So, kinda like a mood ring," Pacifica pointed out.

"Not so much your mood, but your fate. Their is a key for the colors in the journal," I replied.

"Wait, do you guys see that?" Mabel asked. In the distance, you could see a flashing light.
We all exchanged glances and, at the same time, ran to where the light was coming from.
We stopped in our tracks when we saw a rock.

"Is that it?" Pacifica asked. 

"That's it," I stated. I slowly made my way closer to the rock. I studied it for a couple of minutes until Mabel interrupted my thoughts.

"Well, if you're not going to pick it up, then I will," she said bravely. She picked it up and zoned out for a minute. "Woah! I just had a vision of me and my dream guy! This is awesome!" It then turned purple. "What does purple mean?"

"Let me see," I searched, "Ah ha! It means that..."

"What?!" Pacifica questioned.

"Yeah, what's wrong, Dipper?" Mabel asked. "You can tell us."

"It...it mean that someone you love is suffering," I read.

What if it's me? What if that's what these dreams are doing? They're causing me to suffer. Oh man, Mabel and Pacifica better not find out that it's me. They'd be devastated if they knew what was going on behind the scenes of my smile.

"What about you, Dipper?" Mabel asked.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"Mabel and I were just discussing who could possibly be suffering," Pacifica explained.

"What about you, Dip?" Mabel repeated. "Who do you think it is?"

"W-well, the journal also says that t-the rock isn't always right," I lied. "Let's just head back home. We'll get home after dark if we leave any later."

"Sounds go-" Pacifica was cut off by loud footsteps coming our way.

"What is that?!" Mabel panicked.

"Um, let me see!" I remembered I had the black light. "Okay, it says here that if the rock isn't returned to its podium after so many minutes, then a monster comes out to get it back!"

"You heard him Mabel! Put it back!" Pacifica commanded. Though, it was too late. The monster was already in sight.

"Mabel, put the rock down," I warned but she seemed frozen. "Mabel put it down!" Suddenly, the monster hurtled towards her. "MABEL!" Was the last thing I remember saying.

I had no other choice. I ran for Mabel and took the rock out of her hands, even though it meant  a vision of my worst nightmare. Everything started to get slower and darker until it was pitch black.

~~~

I opened my eyes to see Pacifica in a chair. Her face seemed to show a thousand different emotions.

Sad, angry, nervous...and scared.

"Hey, Pacifica! Are you okay?" Concern visible in my voice. I walked closer to her but I was suddenly stopped. Like their was a force field, or something.

She looked up at me, and that's when I finally noticed. Blood stained her perfect face. Bruises covered her beautiful arms.

"Pacifica?" I called a louder. I started pounding on the force field. "PACIFICA!"

For some reason, I felt like this was all my fault. She started crying and calling my name but I couldn't help her.

She was dying right before my eyes and their was nothing I could do to save her. That's when I broke. I started crying and screaming until I couldn't anymore. I fell to my knees and started shaking.

"It's all my fault," I kept repeating.

"It's all my fault."

"It's. All. My. Fault."

~~~

Thats when I started to regain conciseness again. I looked around and saw Pacifica and Mabel fighting the monster as I lie there. Useless.

I slowly stand up, with the rock in my hand, and walk to where the rock is supposed to be placed. I was about to put it down when the monster noticed me. It left the girls and barreled over to me.

I was still weak and recovering from the incident with that vision. On top of that, I haven't gotten much sleep for about a week. I placed the rock down, but not soon enough. The monster caught up to me and hit me on top of the head. I didn't have enough energy to fight the pain. I just lied there.

That last thing I heard, before blacking out, was Pacifica screaming my name as loud as she could. That's when I let the pain take control.

So that took a turn! I was going to update sooner but I had to keep rewriting this chapter because I didn't like how it turned out. So, thank you guys for reading my story! Everything will start to make more sense in the next few chapters.