Jason "Jay" Stewart was sitting on the bus awaiting the most boring vacation of his life. Gravity Falls wasn't exactly the most exciting of towns. It was a small town in the middle of the woods, with only a small tourist attraction- featuring Mr. Mystery- to keep it going. Nevertheless, his father decided it would be a good idea to move over to a "quieter" area. He only had a few friends, but it'd be a while before he got to see any of them again. That was back in Portland. The bus stopped next to the standard blue and white triangular sign. His father told him the cabin wouldn't be too far. A cabin of all places. Fortunately, it would have electricity and the works. They even had a neighbor nearby, with a daughter about the same age, so at least he could talk to someone.

Josephine "Jo" Bell was sitting at home reading her favorite book (Chronicle of Mysteries by Isabella Willow). Most everyone these days thought books were a thing of the past, but they were still a gateway of adventure in her eyes. This summer was going to be better than any previous summer. She heard voices and a car engine outside. She figured it must be the new neighbors her parents had told her about. Apparently, they had a son about her age, and her father thought it was a good idea that they talk to each other, to make the summer more exciting. She heard that the neighbors were from the city, specifically Portland.

She didn't feel like admitting to her parents that this town had lost its magic some decades ago. The one thing that still interests the town is legends about the fate of a drifter that had left some years ago. He would leave for months, or even year, and then come back, but the last time he had left, he never came back. Still, Gravity Falls was the only home she had ever known.

Ding-dong

The doorbell brought Jo out of her thoughts and back to reality. She got up to open the door. There were a man, a woman, and a very embarrassed-looking boy. They must've been the new neighbors.

"Hello, there," she greeted them.

"Hello," the mother (presumably) responded. "We just moved in across the street." Jo didn't know if she'd classify the old dirt road as a "street." Also, the fact that there were only two houses (hers and theirs) within short distance to each other on the "street" made it apparent that it was more of a "woods" than an actual part of the town. It was also much further away than any other houses.

"It's nice to meet you," Jo said. "We haven't had much company since the last family moved out." The teen boy studied her curiously, and his eyes drifted down to her hand, which was currently clutching her book.

"You've read that book, too?" He asked her.

"Oh, uh, yeah."

"Jason, why don't you introduce yourself?" His mother suggested.

"Hi," he said to Jo. "I'm Jay." Jo introduced herself. The parents introduced themselves and suggested Jay try hanging out with Jo, as if he had anything else to do.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," Jay's father said.

At night, Jay was geting ready for bed. It was dark, but he noticed a figure moving outside the neighbor's house. Upon closer inspection, it was Jo. She looked back at the door to her house, hesitated, and began traveling into the woods to the left of her house. Jay wasn't one for sneaking out, but his curiosity got the better of him. He decided to follow her. By the time he got out of his house, she was a ways ahead. She stopped at an old abandoned cabin.

Though it looked relatively in good condition, it was clear no one had lived there in a long time. She went around the back of the building, and Jay followed suit.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" Jo asked as she noticed her follower.

"What are you doing here?" Jay shot back.

"Just looking around." The floor creaked as she went down a flight of stairs leading to a basement. "There's a lot of cool stuff here. Check it out." She looked through several cardboard boxes of old magazines, CDs, and video games. There were also tons of books. She pulled several off the shelves. A plain red book with no name was pulled, and a clicking and whirring sound was heard. The bookcase opened like a door. Behind was a closet filled with supernatural, paranormal, and possibly extraterrestrial paraphernalia.

There was a case with a book inside. The book had a black cover with two silver rings on the spine. The four corners were also silver. A pen and monacle were attatched to the book via a strap. The stranges part was a silver right hand in the center. It had six fingers, and on it was a "4" in black paint. Jo picked up some kind of scepter-looking object (walking stick, maybe?) and broke the glass of the container.

"Hey-" Jay started to say. Jo ignored him as she grabbed the book.

"Strange," she noted. She took a look inside. The first page had a message on it.

Property of

The book had a tear- like something scratched it off- that obscured the name. Inside, the book was filled with strange images and documentations. It was clear it was a journal, as it had several entries in between information about the subjects and topic discused. It must have been the fourth in a series of journals, or books made to look like journals.

"I think I'll keep this one," she told Jay. It was late, and they decided to check the house out at another time. As they went to bed, both had a feeling this summer would be more exciting than they had expected. All because of the fourth journal.