A refreshing summer breeze shuffles through dark-green leaves. Crickets chirp to unlimited audiences, and wildlife wander carefree. Mabel and Dipper had returned many times to Gravity Falls and now the two are about to go into senior year of high school. A lot of uncertain opportunities and unknown paths are ahead in the future. And Gravity Falls is a wonderful remote place to lessen their anxieties –time seems frozen here in the countryside.

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Dipper, Soos, Stan, Ford, and McGucket all drove out for some mystery-solving adventure. Candy and Grenda are on family vacation, so it's the perfect time for Mabel to hang out with her girlfriend Pacifica Northwest. Pacifica is one of the richest people in Gravity Falls so planning the ideal date and gifts were very hard. What do you get somebody that can buy literally almost anything and probably has every luxury imaginable?

The movie theaters only had one new movie playing every year alongside reruns; the mall hardly ever changed available merchandise, so that left a lot of ideas out. But Northwest loved every gift Mabel crafted (sweaters included) and she smiled brighter than the stars whenever they went out of adventurous dates. Camping, hiking, stargazing, picnics, Mabel was surprised that Pacifica liked each one. Under her wealthy background, Pacifica is really sweet and badass.

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Pines and Northwest met at the mini golf park. Mabel waved when she saw Pacifica who tossed her club aside and ran full speed at her lover. The blonde-haired girl practically leapt into her lover's arms. Mabel catches faint scents of vanilla and sea breeze wrapping around her like a sun-warmed shawl.

"It's good to see you, Mabel! I really missed you!"

She laughed. "Me too, Pacifica."

"How was your bus trip here? How's Dipper?"

They parted and Mabel smiled. "You know, same old same old. A long trip makes the muscles sore. And Dipper's great. He's going to apply to a college to become a scientist."

"How's the band?"

Back home Mabel started a small pop group playing a keyboard and singing. She even made the band's outfits. "We've got some gigs. One day I want us to be worldwide famous! But if that doesn't work I can always be a fashion designer. I even sell some of my sweaters." The pair started walking down stone pathways and stopping at some food booths to buy snacks. "How's the garden shop going?"

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A year ago Pacifica bought an old house that was long-forgotten and renovated it into a pastel botany and jewelry paradise. Everything she sold was painstakingly hand-made or planted by her own hands. She rarely asked her parents for funds or assistance, feeling freer than ever being independent. No one could tell her what to do and it was the best job in the entire world. She even donated a bunch of produce, flowers, and profit to charity. Pacifica smiled proudly. "It's the best shop in Gravity Falls! Did you get the pictures I sent of the building?"

"The flowers and plants are the prettiest I've seen! I printed them out and put them in a scrapbook too."

Pacifica held Mabel's hand. "Let's golf."

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"Whoo! Hole in one! Hah! I'm the champion of mini golf! Give me a crown!"

Northwest casually struck a purple golf ball with her club. Her professional talent is still as sharp as it was back then. It swerved past the obstacles and stopped just at the lip. "You just got lucky it bounced off of the pirate ship."

"It still counts!" Mabel grinned.

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Night slowly interchanged clear blue sky. Pines narrowed her eyes to look at some of the courses in the distance. Shadowy figures crazily danced atop miniature monuments. "Did they add new attractions?"

Pacifica snorted and hit the golf ball again. It sunk into the hole. "No way. The owners are too cheap. And after the last animatronic attack they decided to go with painted wooden panels instead. Why?"

Mabel put a hand on her shoulder and Northwest looked up. People are running from something and screaming. Neither of them could believe what they are seeing. Zombies!

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Like a violent storm Mabel and Pacifica are swept into chaos. Bags of popcorn, drinks, sweets, and other savory foods are thrown all over the ground. Some golf carts screech and crash. A staff member jumps out of one that's heading straight for them. Mabel pulls Pacifica's arm and they fall. The vehicle's tires miss them by inches as it barrels into other guests and bursts into flames. "We have to get out of here!"

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They scramble to their feet and run. The exit is on the other side of the park and the entrance is blocked by zombies. Many of them climb over the walls and lunge at other park-goers. Death screams, shouts, and inhuman growls drown out any other sounds. It's nerve-wracking seeing people being attacked by the undead. Mabel knows no pop karaoke is going to save them this time.

She swings her golf club out of passionate terror more than anger. It powers her attack as it buried into a zombie's neck. Green-blue blood saturates her clothes and face. Pacifica ran ahead holding keys. "I'll start the car!"

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With fear sending shaky strength to her limbs, Pacifica heaved open the door. She's about to jump in when a zombie crawls out from under the car and digs it's claws into her leg, dragging down to her ankle. Northwest lost her balance and started falling when Mabel thwacked the zombie with a bloodied golf club. "That's for hurting my girlfriend, jerk!"

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They quickly got into the car, started the engine, and drove out of the small parking lot at full speed. Dust is kicked up by spinning tires. Rows of trees and stumbling zombies blurred by. "Where should we go?"

"The Mystery Shack."

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Uneven country roads shook the vehicle brutally –Mabel and Pacifica's teeth clattered painfully. Mabel fought to get her cellphone and hold it in her hands. Trembling fingers searched through a contact list. She dialed for Dipper, feeling like she'd puke up her guts as her heart thumped against her bones.

A woman's robotic voice answered. She tried to call Stan and Ford but ended up with the same result.

Pacifica spared her a reassuring smile. "We'll find them. Those guys are all geniuses, right? Those types always survive zombie apocalypses."

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Shockingly no zombies jumped out at them on the road. Pacifica parked the car and they ran into the Mystery Shack. Together they blocked the front door with some tacky statues and furniture. Pacifica limped to the TV room and turned the cube-shaped TV on with a remote. A network is broadcasting live footage from town. A reporter's voice is blemished by fear. Zombies are overrunning the entire area and eating people. Pacifica sighed. "Great."

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Mabel brought over a bundle of med kits. She cleaned the bleeding wound and neatly fixed it with bandages. She jogged back to the kitchen and with some backpacks, filled them with water, med kits, food cans, flashlights, batteries, and any tools she could find in drawers and cabinets. Pines returned and searched the TV room. She kneeled by a cabinet and broke the lock. "Aha! Here it is!"

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Weapons! Grunkle Stan always had weapons stashed all over the shack. Pacifica whistled. "That's a big collection. Your Grunkle is crazy, but a smart crazy. He's pretty cool!"

"Thanks for being a prepper, Stan." After selecting some weapons from the trunk Mabel wrote a message in code, one that her family would translate and understand. She's actually happy she half-listened to Dipper's endless talks about various codes.

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"We should stay here for a day."

"Are you sure?" Pacifica asked. "What about-"

Mabel shook her head. "You're hurt. And they might try and drive back to the Mystery Shack. If we go when there's panic we could get stranded or injured in a fight."

Northwest deposited a pack of bullets in her backpack. "You're right. Indoors we're at least protected from them. In the dark, who knows what we'll run into? Or who. And we need a plan."

"Soos has some tools in the shop. Let's block the windows and put up some traps."

"I'll look for a map too. That'll help us navigate a better path out of here."

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With only two people they did what they could. Pacifica and Mabel are thankful for Stan being a prepper, for Ford's interdimensional survival experience and tech, and Dipper's camping notes. Mabel cooked a small meal of leftovers. They might as well eat what food they can before it goes bad. The news is ongoing in the TV room, the screams hadn't faded, but there are less now.

She baked some brownies and put sprinkles on top. She sat at the table with Pacifica and took a bite. "I'm sorry our date was ruined."

Pacifica gratefully ate her brownie, happy to be sheltered from the bloodshed in town. "Zombies are attacking people and the world is probably ending but I'm happy to be with you, Mabel. No matter where we are. I don't need any flashy gifts or expensive dates."

Tears sting her brown eyes. "Pacifica…"

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Sleeping is hard when you think zombies might jump you at any moment. Somehow, eventually, Mabel is able to fall asleep. It's a restless sleep. Any small sound startled her but her eyelids are too heavy to keep open. She vaguely remembers seeing Pacifica count bullets as she loaded them into a gun and pace around the Shack uneasily.

Mabel jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes land on Pacifica's furrowed brows and eyes gleaming with urgency. She's holding a pistol and has a finger to her lips. Pines nodded, got up, and followed her to barricaded windows.

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Outside there are at least twenty zombies and more are stumbling out of the woods. A few get tangled in metal wire or step into a bear trap or other hastily made traps. The others blindly walk around and run into or trip over things. They don't seem aware of the people hiding in the Mystery Shack, yet.

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"What do we do?" Pacifica whispered. "We can't fight all of them. They're too close to each other. So even a bat or knife would draw their attention."

"What time is it?"

"Almost five."

"Dipper and the others didn't come back. We'll have to leave. The Mystery Shack won't keep the zombies out for long. Not this many."

"Would a distraction work?"

"Yeah. We could run to the car. How's your leg?"

"It still hurts but it wasn't as bad as it was yesterday."

"Gather everything you can and meet me by the stairs."

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Whumph!

Pacifica warily kept her eyes on the front door as she walked by. Please don't break. Please don't break. She took a half-step up the stairs when the door is violently broken by decaying arms. Mabel and Pacifica hurried upstairs as chunks of furniture and wooden planks fly at them. I guess being undead makes a person invincible to pain. Two zombies crawl through the gaps and run after them. More zombies followed.

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Mabel quickly opened the attic door and nearly fell in. Pacifica screamed as a zombie swiped at her. She kicked the door shut but the zombie's upper body is stuck. Mabel hacked at it and the zombie's head bounced harmlessly by their feet. It spun liked a disco ball minus all the lights and sparkle. Pacifica shut the door and pulled down a bookshelf. Pines found an old boom box, heaved it up on the table, opened the window, and hurled it out of the window. Fragments of it broke as it fell but it stayed intact as it landed on the ground. Loud music blasted from the speakers and most of the approaching zombies swerved to attack it. Mabel climbed out of the window first, carefully balancing on old slanted shingle roof tiles. She helps Pacifica onto the roof and they placed one hand on the wooden wall and walked alongside the Mystery Shack.

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Aiming the pistol Pacifica fired three times. Zombies that climbed up over the roof fell back lifelessly –some dropping on other zombies. Mabel killed two with a bat. More appeared. The two are surrounded and the undead are closing in. Extracting her bat Mabel got fireworks. The fireworks screamed and whistled as they flew, hitting zombies and exploding into rainbow colors. She tossed another onto the ground. It was enough to distract the horde again. Northwest and Pines half-climbed half-fell off the roof and ran to the car.

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The Mystery Shack became a speck the further away they traveled. Pacifica glanced at Mabel. "You okay?"

"It's just…I'll miss that place. The Mystery Shack was a second home."

"When we find your brother and grunkles we can clear it out and rebuild it," she smiled. "It'll be fantastic! I've always wanted to build an apocalypse base."

Mabel laughed her somberness disbanding. "You and Dipper love those zombie games."

"Yeah, he even gave me some comics. They're cool! It'll be like running your own farm but more dangerous."

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Going into town is a dangerous idea so they parked in the woods. After setting traps they sat on the truck bed. Mabel hummed as she braided Pacifica's hair into a half-up crown braid. A lantern sat on the truck bed offering soft light in murky darkness. Pacifica took a pen and marked down things on a map. They had half a tank of gas left, it'll take them far enough until they have to search for more. She also wrote down any notes of other places to check for supplies.

"How's that?"

"Pretty! Thanks."

Mabel smiled. "I didn't know you were such a great markswoman, Pacifica."

"Me neither. I guess I was just scared to die. And," she turned around to face Mable and kissed her. "I care about my girlfriend."

A starry night slowly faded and is traded by strengthening sunlight. Mabel jumped out of the truck bed and checked for any damages. They had run over a few zombies before setting up camp. Happy that there wasn't any except some chunks of undead, she looked back at Pacifica. "Where should we go first?"

"There are a few gas stations and inns we could look at."

"You got the map, lead away, captain! I'll drive!"