The Sock Opera was a disaster. A complete disaster. And not just the: "I messed up a couple lines in the play, whoops", that wasn't the kind of mess-up that happened. The mess up tonight was: "I let my brother's possessed body destroy the journal and now I don't know where he is" mess-up.

Mabel ran through the backstage of the stage and shouted his name repeatedly, screaming as loud as one could. Her voice was vibrating harshly as she shouted and her eyes stung with tears. She finally gave up with the stage and ran outside, where the wind knocked her hair around and leaves skimmed her face.

Stan and Wendy and Soos were in the truck, frowning slightly at her as she ran up.

"D-did you guys find him?" She asked, stuttering, as she swallowed the lump in her throat that had been there for ages.

All of them shook their heads. "Not yet, sweetie...but we will." Stanley reassured. "Get in the truck, it'll be faster to find him, okay?"

The girl stared and slowly nodded before hopping into the back of the truck, which was slightly cramming but it would do for now. Grunkle Stan was sitting back there with her for the best chance of comfort. He patted her back and rubbed it simultaneously.

She stared out the glass window that had smudges on it and specks that showed old rain had been there. She sniffled and rubbed her stinging eyes, tears getting on her hand as she did so.

Where could Bill had taken him?

And WHAT would he do to her brother, is the better question.

The thoughts swarmed her mind as she watched the scenery of lights and buildings zoom by as the truck kept at the speed limit of the streets. The lights blurred together to make a mixture of the pink and white and yellow...just like how it had looked on stage earlier.

She slammed her eyes shut and tears streamed down her face. She sniffled and held back a loud hiccup. The girl moved her foot around as it got uncomfortable, and there was a crunching sound.

She paused and looked down, seeing a piece of crumpled up paper..? Mabel bent over and grabbed the thing, her grasp making it crinkle even more. She laid the paper on her lap and smoothed it out as much as possible before opening it to find some sort of messy handwriting...but it was readable at least.

"Note To Self: Possessing people is hilarious! To think of all the sensations i've been missing out on-burning, stabbing, drowning. It's like a buffet tray of fun! Once I destroy that journal, i'll enjoy giving this body it's grand finale-by throwing it off the water tower! Best of all, people will just think Pine Tree lost his mind and his mental form will wander the mindscape forever. Want to join him, Shooting Star?"

The note asked her as if all-knowing...like if he knew she was going to find this at this specific time.

Mabel let out a sharp gasp and leaned over fast, putting a hand on Soos's shoulder. "SOOS! I KNOW WHERE HE IS!" She yelled, eyes watering.

Stan watched, making a face at first and seeing some writing on the paper, but not having time to read it all.

"GO TO THE WATER TOWER!" She shouted once more. "...PLEASE!" The girl added.

The handyman looked at her with slight concern, hearing the worry in her voice and nodding, stepping on the gas pedal and heading over there as fast as possible.

The girl tightened her grasp on the crumpled up paper, her hands shaking as her sweater collar now covered where her mouth was. She was staring out the window intently with eyes wide and pupils small, tears slipping down her face rapidly. Nobody dare to question her or ask.

Soon enough, the gang made it. Mabel was the first out of the car, running out with her heart racing and her mouth dry, eyes stinging with tears as she looked around rapidly. Then, she saw something. Something up at the top of the tower..looking like whatever it was had one leg off the edge.

Bipper.

Dipper.

Bill.

She let out a sharp gasp and ran over to the water tower's ladder, her flats producing dust when she skidded to a stop, hands gripped tight on the wooden railing. Tears escaped her eyes and dropped onto the dirt below as she scrambled up the ladder, hands shaking, but keeping a tight grip at the same time.

"OH, HEY, SHOOTING STAR!!" The possessed body shouted with a mad, twisted grin on his face. "YOU MADE IT TO THE GRAND FINALE, I SEE."

"BILL!!" She screamed with tears rapidly streaming down her face, not stopping for a second. "STOP!"

Mabel took deep, shaky breathes as she didn't dare to look down. Not only was her brother in danger of suicide, but she hated heights. She shook violently and kept her gaze locked on Bipper.

"STOP? WHY STOP NOW? I'VE GOTTEN THE JOURNAL DESTROYED, SO JUST FACE IT, KID. YOU LOST. GAME OVER. I WIN. UNLESS...YOU WANTED TO JOIN?" He cocked an eyebrow with the grin still on.

"N-NO!" Mabel shouted back at him. "DON'T DROP HIM!"

The possessed body tapped his chin in a thoughtful manner then snapped his head back to stare at the preteen girl. "Any last words?"

Before she could answer, the last leg stepped off the top of the water tower. The girl screamed loudly and tried to reach her hand out to grab him, but it was too late. It seemed like the demon left the body as the kid was falling, because Dipper's body screamed, but it was cut off with a loud crunch.

Mabel screamed in response as she shook even more than before and grasped the note tighter and climbed down the wooden ladder, her foot slipping a couple times. She ran over to where her brother's body lay, on the floor, completely still with bones poking out of his flesh.

He was bent in so many ways that he shouldn't be.

This shouldn't have happened.

This was her fault.

Why...

"I HATE YOU, BILL!!" She screamed as loud as possible, more tears going down her cheeks as she hiccuped.

As for Dipper? While his bloody, broken body laid on the floor, the blue ghost-like preteen stared in horror as he tried to get his sisters attention and tell her he was fine, that he was right here, that she didn't have to cry.

But nothing worked.

It was time to face the facts....

He lost.

He dug too deep...

And it cost him his life.

~

October 6: 1,133 words