When we arrived at the Shack, Mabel was the first to get out the car. She did it with a swiftness I've never seen her do before. The only thing I could think of was saying sorry. I ran out the car in pursuit of her.
"Hey, you kids, wai- WOAH!" Stan slipped on the mud while trying to catch up with us. "No one's gonna help me? Seriously?"
I burst into the Shack, only to see Soos. "Soos! Where's Mabel?" I asked him, looking around frantically.
"Oh, hey dude! Say, how was the funeral? Sorry I couldn't come." He takes of his cap. "Those things make me cry like a baby." He sniffs, as if the mere thought of it brings him to tears.
"Just... Just tell me where Mabel is." I say, trying to fight my own tears. "I said something I shouldn't have..."
He raised his eyebrows. "No wonder she was so mad! She stomped upstairs to the attic. What ever you said-" But before her was finished, I ran to the attic, with a "Thanks, Soos!".
All I could think of was what I would say. Would she hate me? Even more important, would she forgive me?
When I arrived, Mabel was sitting on her bed, her head resting in her knees. At first, I'm frozen in place. I did this... I thought. I then gathered the courage to walk and sit next to her.
"Mabel... We need to talk." I tried to put my arm over her back, she she slapped it away. Payback, I suppose. She raised her head to glare at me. Her eyes were puffy and red. Caused by me.
"GO AWAY!" She shouted. "I thought you hated me? So why even try?!" She asked.
"Listen, Mabel... I'm sorry. I-I was in some sort of frustration. I couldn't control the words I said, and..." I tried to explain. Did I say the right thing? Or did I do something I shouldn't have? What a stupid question.
She turned away, looking out the window. "You said you hated me." Her voice cracked. Regret weighed on me like a dumbbell. She continued, as if to torture me every second. "Y'know, a lot of people say it's a strong word... Now I know how strong it feels..."
I"Mabel, I'm so sorry! Please, forgive me!" I'm unaware I'm begging. But she keeps going.
"Maybe it is my fault our friend died. Maybe you were right..." She sniffed. I can tell she's crying again. I can also tell that words alone will not cheer her up. "Maybe there is a reason to hate me." I couldn't figure out anything to say after that. And before I knew it, my arms were wrapped around her.
"It's not your fault." She tried to squirm out my hug, but gave up.
"Y-Yes it is!" She retorted. "It always will be, cus I was too impatient!"
"Then we'll carry it together." I said. She looked at me in confusion.
"Carry what?" She asked in a puzzled tone.
"The burden. The burden of guilt, of killing Wendy. Even if it was an accident." Is this what I truly believe? Can we both carry this heavy burden together? Hope sparked inside of me. Will Wendy forgive me? Will Wendy forgive us?
"Dipper..." It was silent. "Thanks. It's not the happiest ending, but I'll take what I can get." Then, for the first time today, she smiled. And so did I.
"Man, Mabel. That smile of yours is contagious." I joked. I hope I'm not joking too soon.
She smiled a mischievous smile. "Well, it looks like I'm infected!" She said before chasing me out our room. A gloomy time is now full of laughter.
"Hahaha! Stop it!" I tell her. She didn't give until she chased me outside. It wasn't raining. How symbolic.
"Hey!" Stan called out. "If you two slip and fall, don't even think about me helping you!"
Everything was working out fine. Mabel and I, we wouldn't do this alone. We couldn't do this alone. Wendy's death was our burden. The burden we carried.
Well, how do you like it? Was it good? Was it rushed? I tried to keep the characters as in character as possible. Forgive me if I didn't! Other than that, I hope you liked it! Oh, and thanks for reading!