Darker Than The Woods [ Gravity Falls ]

" 001 "

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" welcome ! "

Bill Cipher ; Just A Marionette

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The black car drove through the woods over by the Mystery Shack, the vehicle bumped up and down the unkempt path as it squeezed through the trees.

"Gravity Falls air," Dipper mumbled with a smile as he kept his focus on the path.

"I agree entirely." Mabel giggled.

Dipper and Mabel Pines were now eighteen years old and finally having their second summer back at Gravity Falls. With their past summers back at other countries, they just have to go back here to see their family and friends for the last time before moving onto college.

The Shack came to view, surprisingly empty.

Mabel patted the door as she squealed. "Its the Shack! Weirdly the same!"

"It's quiet," Dipper said as he stopped the car. He pulled the hand brake. "And empty."

Mabel stared at the gift shop door. "It's a Tuesday."

"And Summer," Dipper shrugged. "Maybe they closed it."

"Yeah, Stan must've closed shop for making new attractions and stuff," she said, trying to open the door. She looked over to him. "Hey, open the door."

Dipper stared out the windshield, motionless.

"Hey."

Dipper hummed as he broke his gaze. "Sorry," he said. "Something's weird, based on the pictures Stan sent us, this place should be bustling."

"But the pictures stopped a year ago."

Dipper gulped as he lifted the door lock, the click sounding across the car, he turned the keys from the ignition. "Um, lets just check. To see if they're there."

But Mabel was already outside, walking at a slow pace towards the Shack.

Dipper left the keys in the ignition, jogging towards Mabel who stopped by the door to wait for him. She jiggled the door but it wouldn't budge.

"Try the main door." Dipper suggested.

But Mabel was already running.

"Gruncle Stan!" She yelled as she pounded the door, "Great Uncle Ford!"

The silence was nerve-wracking, Dipper felt his spine chill as he broke his gaze with the woods. It was unhealthy to think that Bill Cipher was back. Even after contacting Ford day and night for signs of him, he still wasn't convinced. His thoughts were cut off by a familiar stench.

Dipper wrinkled his nose, covering it. "What is that?"

"What is What," Mabel turned to face him. "I can't smell. I have a runny nose."

"That," Dipper stared at the door. "Smells like something died."

"Well, without their light of the house, they probably forgot to clean the kitchen," Mabel said. "They're old enough to forget."

"I wish I could do that," Dipper mumbled.

Mabel scoffed. "You'd forget me, so, nope." She turned back to the door. "Abracadabra!" The door didn't open. "Open Sesame!" The door didn't budge. "Presto, Why-won't-you-open-oh!"

"Maybe because you didn't turn the handle?"

Mabel scoffed. "I knew that." She said, turning the handle. She pushed. "The hinges must be rusty or something."

"Maybe Soos can help," Dipper took out his phone but cursed afterwards. "No service?"

"Help me push, goober." Mabel said, setting her weight on the door.

Dipper sighed as he walked over. He set his weight on the door and pushed with Mabel. The door gave a creak, slowly progressing. Mabel yelled as she fell down when the door opened fully, she lied on her back, groaning while Dipper was still standing up.

"Mabel!" Dipper yelled, pulling her up to his side, kneeling down next to her, burying her face into his shoulder.

"What is it?" Mabel groaned, rubbing the side of her head, but Dipper took her hands with his free one.

"Whatever you do," Dipper whispered, shaking. "Don't look back."

"You've intrigued me."

Dipper shook his head. "N-No, just don't."

Mabel sniffles as she hugged her shaking brother. She finally caught a scent. It smelled like something rotting, Mabel's stomach flipped. That was a bad sign. Whatever Dipper was trying to hide must be big to hide it from her, they were twins, they're supposed to tell each other everything.

"D-Did something die?" Mabel whispered.

Dipper just shook his head as he gasped for air. "It's fine," he whispered back. "It's normal. It's normal . . ." He patted her back.

Mabel let go of an arm around him to scratch her head. Dipper was too busy keeping himself together. Her eyes were closed as she snuggled to the crook of his neck.

Her hair was damp.

"Did Stan spill something?"

Dipper choked. "M-Maybe."

Mabel ran her fingers through her hair, trying to rid of the tangles and knots. Dipper let her as he brought her closer. Mabel sighed in content as she let her hand go limp, enjoying the quietness of it all.

She felt something wet.

She shifted her head to look through a crack, Dipper protested and held her head as he set his chin on top of it, rocking him and her.

"Dipper," Mabel sternly said. "I'm fine, I just fell, no broken bones."

Dipper let go of her but held her head between his hands, forcing her to stare into his eyes. Dipper didn't say anything but just wore a solemn face. Mabel glanced beside him but it wasn't much of a view, she couldn't see much but the wall and the tipped table.

"Tipped table," Mabel mumbled.

Mabel stared at it as she brought her left hand towards her. She stopped as she sputtered, her gaze on her hand.

"M-Mabel," Dipper whispered as he held her shaking shoulders.

Her fingers were coated in the brightest red and were coming into direction, even her palm had some light streaks. She turned it over and it was much worse. It was covered with red, middle finger to wrist. It was even staining her white sweater sleeve. It was so much red. She wished it wasn't blood, that it was paint instead, but how would that explain Dipper's reaction?

"What is this Dipper?" Mabel gasped as she met his guilty eyes. He looked down to her left side, she followed.

It was morbid to say. The brown, wooden, floorboards that used to be unpolished and weak were coated in red, even where they were kneeling at. Mabel looked down to her knees to see the blood staining her yellow summer dress. She quickly stood up, Dipper crying to calm down. But she was in panic mode. Her breathing was heavy as she turned to the door which was shut, the only light being the window beside which was broken with a few shards down below.

"M-Mabel, calm down! Please!"

Mabel turned to his voice so she could cling onto it. She stopped as she stared with her mouth agape towards the living room. She stepped forward and past Dipper who cried his heart out. The living room was a mess, and blood not included yet. The fish tank was smashed and the carpet was damp. The T.V. was on but it was static, all monochrome. The recliner was still in shape, but not the person sitting on it. She stared at the man who lay on his back with his hands in a crooked form, his mouth open with blood spilled out, his eyes were gone as with some of his teeth. The man sitting on the recliner was luckier with his missing fingers and cut off feet, actually.

Mabel couldn't think straight.

So she screamed.

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