Chapter 1: Blue Fire

Now's not the best time to be a Gleeful.

I was so used to being invisible, next to my cousin Gideon's massive heap of fame. No one noticed me- and I was fine with that. He was the star, and I was the girl that visited occasionally. Just some family. But that was that. I could travel on my own, isolate myself. The way I wanted. I could huddle down in secret and read books that fed my imagination, books about ghosts and UFOs and cryptids.

But now that Gideon's been arrested, I get looks everywhere I go. Sometimes they're looks of hatred, which doesn't surprise me. Sometimes they're the odd look of ignorant sympathy, a look as if somehow they'd like to help me when there's nothing to be helped. My cousin is in jail, sure, but it's not like I'd ever felt close to him in any way. To be honest, he's always weirded me out, so I wasn't all too shocked when I found out about his unlawful surveillance.

It hasn't been long, but the looks have already started to subside. I'm beginning to fade into the background again. And I'm fine with that.

But there is something I'm not fine with.

The other night, just when I was about to drift to sleep, I saw something strange coming from the direction of the forest. I wasn't sure what it was. All I could see was a kind of strange light, appearing and disappearing. Blue light, that faded on and off very brightly, very quickly, as if someone kept starting a fire and losing it to the wind.

I sat there watching until my eyes grew so heavy that I had to surrender to sleep. But it happened again the next night. And the next. What it was, I still can't tell. But it bothers me immensely. I can barely concentrate on my books, and the only reason I can is because I'm hoping to come across some kind of answer within the pages.

During the daytime though, my caretakers insist I leave the house, and so here I sit, in the middle of the mall, doing nothing but continually checking the time to see when I can finally go back home and shut myself away. Another person stares at me a bit as they walk by. You know, sometimes being in a small town can be annoying. Everyone knows who you are.

Finally I decide that if I leave now, I'll be able to get back home by four. That's good enough. It's not really home. I'm supposed to be staying with Mr. and Mrs. Gleeful for the rest of the summer, but I don't know what's going to happen now. As soon as I'd arrived I was swarmed with the sudden news of Gideon's arrest, and Bud is doing his best to keep it from the rest of the family. So basically I had to swear not to tell. As to whether they're going to send me back or not, I don't know.

I don't know any details, either. I've heard crazy junk about hidden cameras everywhere but I think those people were exaggerating. I mean, the kid's nine years old. What could he possibly do that is so dangerously clever?

I lift my satchel and sling it over my shoulder- it's the bag that holds all my books. I don't want anyone to see them out of embarrassment, but I still want them with me at all times. Heading towards the door, I see a group of people that no one in this town, not even a noob like me, could possibly miss.

The Pines family. And company, I guess.

I've heard all their names. I know every single one. There are the two twins- Dipper and Mabel- with their old g- gr- I don't know how to say it- their great uncle, Stanford. He was the one responsible for uncovering Gideon's scheme, but apparently he's a big fat liar as far as the rest of his story is concerned. Then there's the redhead, Wendy- only about my age and yet, crazy tall. I've heard it has something to do with her father... Manly Dan... and his insane lumberjack genes. And lastly, the big man-child, Soos. Don't know much about him. Doesn't seem to be too bright, or significant for that matter. I can't help but look at them as we walk past each other, facing opposite directions. The old man doesn't give me much attention, and neither do Wendy and Soos, but the twins can't seem to keep their eyes looking where they're going. The girl, Mabel- I can't really detect a particular emotion in her look, more curiosity than anything. But Dipper... I look away. That was quite a distrustful look he was giving me. Gosh.

After walking back to my aunt and uncle's house, I stride through the used car lot without much thought about it. I can't stop thinking about that kid's look. Why were his eyes filled with such contempt? I mean, I'm related to Gideon, but he looked at me as if the kid murdered somebody, not just put up a couple hidden cameras. I mean, he was probably just doing it for attention. That little middle schooler needs to cool it.

I walk through the door to receive absolutely no greeting. It tends to be like this in this house. But there's Mrs. Gleeful, in the next room, vacuuming. Does she do that all day? She needs a hobby.

"Hello, ma'am," I say. She jumps at the sound and whips around as if she's scared I'm going to come at her with a knife. Recognizing the speaker, she calms down. A bit, anyway.

"How are you?" I ask.

Wide-eyed, as usual, and trembling, she simply shrugs. Poor woman. I hope Bud's getting her all the help he can. Just look at her hair- it's gray and white-streaked, as if she's seen a ghost. I smile and she manages to faintly curl the left side of her lip into a sort of shell-shocked, but friendly reply. "F... fine, Abi... Abig- gail..."

I hear the door get thrust open and Mrs. Gleeful again goes through a panicked spasm until she realizes it's only Bud. He puts his hands on his hips and gives me a broad smile. I can tell it's fakery. This family made most of their money off of Gideon's shows until he got taken to the big house. Bud is probably freaking out on the inside. But what sells sells, y'know?

"How are ya doin', sweetheart?" he asks me.

"Good," I told him. "Just tired. I think I'm gonna go to my room for a while to relax."

"Oh, of course, of course!" he says with that thick accent. Man, Bud. We're from the same place, how on Earth did you end up with such a noticeable Southern drawl? "Have fun, sweetheart."

I head up the stairs quickly and shut myself in my room, and I waste no time in dumping out my satchel on the bed. I'm afraid to check out any books from the library, so I have to stick to what I've got. I examine the covers on the books again. I've looked through all the books about UFOs about three times, and none have given me any answers. It just... it can't be an alien, unless we've never seen it before. But if it's not an alien, what can possibly explain the blue glow emanating from the woods? Y'know, if it's not something normal. I can't think of anything.

I begin flipping through the other books, reading their titles. "100 Cryptids of the South- well, I'm not in the South right now... 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey... The Unexplained: Great Mysteries of the Human Race... Spirits and Demons (I hate this book): Miracles, Hauntings, Blue Fire and More- Wait."

Did they say, "Blue fire"?

I quickly open the book and find the information on blue fire. According to the book, blue fire is something used by... malevolent spirits (basically a nice word for "demons")... to make contracts with people who choose to call on them.

I feel a chill run through me and whip around to look out the window. Turning back to the book, I realize it has detailed accounts of specific cases in which people had made dealings with- no, no, I'm not going to read that. That's just going to make me even more paranoid.

Tossing the book on the other end of the bed, I hug my knees and keep my eyes glued on the woods not far from here. Tonight, whatever it is- demon or no- it's going to be back. And I've gone down for midnight snacks without getting caught...

No, this is nonsense. I can't just go down and sneak out...

I sigh. I'm going to do it, aren't I?

Yes. Yes I am.

Once Mr. and Mrs. Gleeful are asleep, I move quickly and silently, grabbing my satchel and being careful to move down the stairs. For some reason, however, the more quietly you're trying to move, the louder the stairs creak. Lucky for me, I don't make enough noise to wake my current guardians up. Out the door I go, across the car lot. Sitting myself on the fence, I wait for the light.

What if I'm just crazy? I suddenly think. What if... what if I'm just going nuts? Or what if the light doesn't come tonight? Or what if I just rush into something totally normal, like some other teens who just happen to have flashlights with a blue light?

Maybe this is just a bad idea...

The light comes back and I'm snapped out of my state of pensive thought. There it is, faint, but distinct. A rush of curiosity fills every empty space of my body, and tickles every fiber in it. Every risk is forgotten and I take off, dodging some branches and leaves as they threaten to scratch my face. Despite my care to avoid injury I do get a couple of bruises here and there. But with the adrenaline rushing through me, I don't feel a thing.

I start to hear noises as the light begins to grow stronger. It sounds like a voice. Well, obviously, where there's light, there's a light-maker. I slow down, careful not to make too much noise. No need to startle anyone.

I'm getting closer; I can feel it. I grow more cautious, and as I approach a clearing, I duck behind a large rock sitting at the edge. The light is incredibly bright now; and I can hear the voice more distinctly- it's mostly chuckling and a couple of random phrases like, "Take that, Pine Tree! Hahah!" Whatever that means.

My heartbeat grows stronger; I can practically hear it beating steadily, threatening to rip through my chest, it's so powerful. I try to keep my breathing silent, but it's so hard. My entire body gets this horrible feeling, as if I'm about to step onstage in front of 100,000 people. Careful, afraid that I might rustle some leaves or snap a stick, I turn my head carefully around- gripping my bag so that it doesn't move, trying to control my breathing, hoping that whoever's there can't hear my heartbeat- until I'm peering around the rock.

Now that I see who I'm dealing with, my heart nearly stops. My jaw drops. "What is that?..." I mouth.

Blue fire. Whatever that triangular-shaped being is... it's making blue fire.

Before I can stop myself, I make a small squeak.

It turns, and the next thing I see is one, massive, strange eye, locking itself onto mine.