WARPED
Chapter 10
Hazelle couldn't sleep. Jocelyn and Mabel had tired themselves out with makeovers and singing along to Mabel's Sev'ral Timez CD. Hazelle hadn't joined in on all of the festivities of the Sleepover-a-Palooza: partly because of how hard Jocelyn and Mabel were going, and mostly because she just wasn't as outgoing as Jocelyn. It never ceased to amaze Hazelle just how comfortable Jocelyn was in any situation. She had even been able to pick up on almost all the lyrics of the Sev'ral Timez CD the second time it was played.
Jocelyn and Mabel were now passed out with Waddles on Mabel's bed, faces still smothered with makeup. Hazelle was lying on the floor next to the bed, hands folded behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling, replaying the day's events. Twenty-four hours ago, she would have laughed if someone told her she'd be spending the next night in Gravity Falls, Oregon, sleeping next to Mabel's bed, exhausted after spending the day with them. Between their encounter with Bill and the floating potato chip, Hazelle had to pinch her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming.
Secretly, she was glad she wasn't. This was amazing—she was five feet from Dipper's bed! They were in the town that was west from weird, north from normal! Hazelle could only imagine was could happen tomorrow. Were they going to find a way home? Were they going to embark on some crazy adventure? Would she be huddled in her sleeping bag tomorrow, head filled to the brim with new memories of shenanigans with the Pines family?
Was it wrong that Hazelle hoped she would?
Hazelle was also worried about Lucy. After freezing up and fainting at Hazelle's house, Lucy had been sullen and withdrawn. She'd even lashed out Jocelyn. It was unlike her, and something was wrong. It's probably just the change of scenery, Hazelle reassured herself. It's perfectly normal. But there was a haze of doubt and concern spreading in the back of her mind. Nothing was ever normal in Gravity Falls.
Just then, Hazelle heard a low thud from downstairs. Frowning, she touched her phone; it was 2 AM. And as far as she knew, everyone in the Mystery Shack was asleep. (Certainly Stan was: his snores from down the hall could've woken the dead.) What could it be?
The detective in Hazelle flared to life. She was easily intrigued and loved everything supernatural and abnormal. She knew she was far too cautious and curious for her own good: something that could be possibly dangerous in a mystery-ridden town like Gravity Falls. But what if someone was breaking in? Or someone? The thud was heavy and loud enough for her to hear all the way from the attic. She had to know.
(She was also far too paranoid for her own good.)
Hazelle considered waking Jocelyn, but figured it would be more work than it was worth. Jocelyn was an extremely heavy sleeper, and would probably slap Hazelle if she tried to wake her—again, Hazelle mused with an eye roll, remembering their last sleepover, when she'd tried waking Jocelyn for breakfast and had gotten smacked in the nose.
Hazelle grabbed Mabel's pink umbrella, slowly opened the door to the twins' room, and made her way to the staircase downstairs. She turned her phone on and held it in front of her, using it as a flashlight. As Hazelle crept down the steps towards the noise, she saw a shadow rounding the corner.
Hazelle froze. Who or what could this be? Some ghost or gremlin taking up residence in the Mystery Shack? Hazelle held the umbrella above her head, ready to defend herself.
The shadow was getting closer, and Hazelle readied herself to strike. As the figure rounded the corner on the landing, Hazelle's nerves took control, and she brought the umbrella down and made contact.
"OW!" came a squeaky yelp.
It was at this moment that Hazelle realized she'd hit Dipper, making his way up the stairs with his nose so buried in Journal #3 he hadn't even seen her. Dipper dropped the journal and rubbed his head, smashing his hat into his hair. "Hazelle! Ow, what'd you do that for?"
"Ohmygosh! I'm—oh jeez—sorry," Hazelle stammered. "I thought you were… something else… What are you doing up in the middle of the night anyway?"
"I was going to bed, because I didn't hear Mabel and Jocelyn anymore and figured World War Sleepover-a-Palooza was over," Dipper replied, bending down to retrieve his journal. "What were you doing?"
"I, um, heard a noise," Hazelle said, blushing. "And I thought I'd check it out. You know, 'cause Lucy's somewhere in the Shack."
Dipper fixed his hat and tucked Journal #3 in his vest. "Well, we could go check it out, if you want," he said, smiling.
"Okay, let's go!" Hazelle exclaimed. She then added quieter, "You know, for Lucy. And the Shack. Yeah."
Hazelle and Dipper made their way down the stairs and into the family room, where the lamp had been knocked over onto the floor. A blanket and pillow were crumpled next to the easy chair, as if they'd been thrown off in a hurry.
"We found the noise," said Hazelle, brow furrowed, "but where's Lucy? This is where she was sleeping."
"I don't know," Dipper replied. "But I have a feeling the two go hand in hand. Let's take a look around."
Hazelle and Dipper crept into the kitchen, Hazelle's phone the only source of light through the dark, creaky Mystery Shack. Dipper held his arm out before they entered to stop Hazelle and pointed. The backdoor slowly opened, and Lucy's figure glowed against the white of the full moon hanging overhead.
"Lucy!" Hazelle hissed.
Lucy made no indication that she had heard her friend. She walked outside, leaving the door wide open.
"What is she doing?" asked Dipper.
"I don't know, but we've got to follow her," Hazelle urged.
Dipper nodded and whipped out his flashlight. "Then let's go!"
They ran outside, feet crunching against the wet grass. Lucy was walking calmly along, and seemed to be walking in the direction of the forest. Hazelle ran up to catch her friend.
"Lucy! Hey!" Hazelle tried to shake Lucy, or get her attention, but Lucy just kept walking. Lucy's eyes were glassy, and she stared straight ahead. She didn't even blink when Hazelle waved her hand in front of Lucy's face.
Hazelle was beginning to panic now. "What's wrong with her?"
"It's almost like she's in some sort of trance," Dipper commented, flipping through Journal #3. "I've never seen anything like it, and there's nothing in the Journal."
"Should I hit her?" Hazelle said, frantic.
Dipper made a face. "Well, I mean, you could try—"
Hazelle tried to punch Lucy in the shoulder, but it was like she was made of rubber. An invisible force pushed her back, and she went flying into the grass.
"Hitting her," Hazelle gasped, sitting up as Dipper ran over. "Bad idea. Very bad idea."
They were at the edge of the forest now. Lucy didn't even pause when she reached the edge. She plunged right in, nimbly stepping over tree roots and bushes, like she already knew exactly where she was going. While Hazelle and Dipper untangled themselves from hidden roots and brambles, Lucy forged ahead, creating more distance between herself and her followers.
Lucy soon came to a clearing that was almost a perfect circle. She made her way to the center of the circle, bent down, picked something up, and then abruptly straightened and started back exactly in the way that she came.
"What the heck? What'd she pick up?" Dipper wondered aloud. "And why'd she have to come all the way out here to get it?"
"Well, whatever it is, it's all she needed. She's coming back," Hazelle observed. She waved a hand in front of Lucy's face again as she walked by. Lucy kept walking, still unresponsive.
"I think she's heading back the way we came," Dipper said, tapping his chin. "Let's follow her and see what she does."
Lucy was, indeed, going back the way she came. She made her way through the woods, stepping over roots and avoiding brambles. Lucy then entered the Mystery Shack and went back to the family room. She picked up the lamp that she had knocked over, settled herself in Stan's easy chair, and closed her eyes, asleep. It was like the whole ordeal had never happened. But Hazelle and Dipper knew better.
Hazelle and Dipper waited around for a few more minutes, examining Lucy with confusion. By 2:45, they decided they didn't have any other bumps in the night to look out for.
"That was bizarre," Hazelle commented to Dipper as they made their way back upstairs to the twins' room.
"Yeah, it was," Dipper said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wonder what she went all the way out there to get. I'll keep looking through the Journal to see if I can find anything."
Hazelle couldn't help but smile. Dipper trusted the Journal so much, and believed it had all the answers.
"Okay," she responded, brightening. "Well, I mean, that wasn't all bad. It was cool to go on an adventure. Running through the woods, flashlights in hand…Jocelyn and Lucy never wanna do that kind of stuff with me."
"Really?" Dipper smiled slightly, running his finger over the Journal cover. "I get that. I normally have to drag Mabel on my late-night adventures. Or promise her a jumbo thing of sprinkles. Whichever works first."
Hazelle laughed. "I once made two batches of cookies for Jocelyn to bribe her into checking out a graveyard with me."
"A graveyard?" Dipper's eyes widened. "That's awesome!"
The two winced at Dipper's shout and glanced at Mabel and Jocelyn. They continued to sleep soundly.
"Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow," Hazelle said.
"Yeah," Dipper agreed, smiling. "Tomorrow. It's a date—plan!" he added hastily, cheeks flushing. "It's, uh, it's a plan."
Hazelle climbed into her sleeping bag, placing her glasses next to her pillow. "Night, Dipper," she whispered.
"Night," mumbled Dipper. He flicked on his flashlight, his nose buried in Journal #3.
Next to Hazelle, Jocelyn sighed and rolled over, and Mabel muttered something about Craz and Zyler in her sleep.
Hazelle sighed happily. All was quiet and peaceful in the Mystery Shack.