The Things We Leave Behind (Gravity Falls Fic)

Chapter 15: Six Feet Over

Bill's POV:

        Once again, trying to get my mind off of the whole situation with Saige, I decided to check up on Shooting Star and Pine Tree. I changed back to my normal triangle form. I vanished from my home, showing up next to Dipper Pines. He was pacing around, anxiously, muttering something to himself. He can't see me.

        I look around, quickly. Where is this?

        Then I realize that this is Saige's cabin.

        Just great. I go through all this trouble to distract myself from her and end up right back where I started. 

        Wait...

        Why is Dipper in Saige's cabin, and why is he so worried?

        I hover closer to him to hear what he's saying.

        "...think, Dipper, where have you seen a white flower with a red center while exploring the forest?" White flower with red center? That sounds like the Red Eye Blossom, a plant used to cure Blue Cave Ice Poisoning.

        He checks his watch, "Time's running out, I've got to figure this out soon, or she'll die."

        Immediately, I went up the stairs to Saige's room, breezing right through the open door, unnoticed by the people bustling around inside. 

        The Operator was lying in bed, her face white and her lips blue. Her eyes were closed...

        She was going to die.

---

Saige's POV:

        Everything was dark.

        I took a few steps forward, my footsteps echoing in the vast expanse of emptiness. 

        "Hello?" I called out, cautiously.

        Ahead of me, a light flickered on, illuminating a table set up with a fancy lace tablecloth and fine china. There were four seats, and three of them were occupied by young girls who were conversing and cheerfully socializing.

        What was this?

        "Um, hello?" I say again, louder this time.

        One of the little girls sees me, and the table falls silent. An African American girl... she looked familiar... was she the one that told me it was okay to sleep? 

        She waves me over, and I walk towards them. Soon, I was standing behind the final empty seat at the table. Besides the little African American girl, there was also a child with long, brunette curls and a silver star pendent hanging around her neck, and a little girl with ginger pigtails, freckles, and blue eyes.

        They all donned beautiful, lacy dresses, not quite fitting for girls their age, and yet, it was somehow perfect.

        I look down at myself. I was wearing jeans and a black hoodie.

        The African American girl smiles at me, "Don't be shy, Saige. Have a seat."

        I hesitate, and then slowly pull out the chair, sinking into it.

        The girls all stared at me, kindness in their eyes.

        It was kind of creepy.

        My voice sounds too loud in the silence, "Um... where am I?"

        The ginger pipes up, happily, "This is your welcome party!"

        "My welcome party?" I say, my face blank.

        She nods, "Yep! We're here to welcome you to the Sleep!"

        I blink, "The Sleep? What's the Sleep?"

        The dark-haired one speaks, shyly, "The Sleep is the space between life and death. Not everybody gets to come here before they die, but some people do. It's like a second chance."

        A second chance?

        I look around at the little tea party, "Who are you?"

        The brunette surprises me by exclaiming, sharply, "You don't remember us?!"

        The African American girl calms her, "Shh. It's best that she doesn't know. If she dies, her memories will return. If she lives, she will have no recollection of us visiting her, but she will know who we are."

        I yawn, bringing a hand to my mouth. My eyelids were drooping.

        The redhead claps her hands, suddenly, and I'm jolted awake, "You can't sleep yet!"

        The girl with the star pendent nods in agreement, "If you sleep here, you'll pass on to Death. We can't have that. We're here to delay your death as long as possible. Your friend out there - Dipper - is trying to save you. We got special permission to come here and keep you in the Sleep until he can come and pull you out again."

        The African American girl gestures at the other girls, "We only have a little time here. If Dipper isn't back with your antidote before we have to leave, you can come to Death with us. Then at least you won't be alone when you go in."

        "Why do you want me to live?" I say.

        The girls exchange glances, and eventually, the ginger says, softly, "Because a lot of people are depending on you. If you die now, then a lot of people will die in the future."

        The brunette joins in, "You helped us. We want to make sure that you can live to help other people, too."

---

Bill's POV:

        I went back to Dipper. He was trying to save Saige. I was going to help him.

        Now all I needed to do was to get him to trust me.