I don't own any of this Paranorman belongs to Laika, all other characters belong to their respectful companies. And The Stand belongs to Stephen King.
The difference between good and evil is unknown half the time. But when the end of the world occurs, it can be quite clear.
June 16th
The Oregon forest is in full bloom under the warm summer sun. Birds could be heard singing; as well as some bugs and whatever creature lived in those woods as they ran through the foliage.
The sound of a vehicle soon interrupts the sound of nature, a bus passes by the forest as it drove down the road towards America's weirdest town: Gravity Falls; home of the world's most paranormal hotspot.
It may sound like a tourist trap, and it was at one very well known location. But for the most part the paranormal in this town is very real; things from monsters, ghosts, artifacts, and very strange phenomenon that no one could explain happens frequently here than any other place in America.
On the bus; two siblings who were twins sat in the very back, were looking forward on getting there, for this is there second trip here and they would soon reunite with the friends they made here and their two grunkles.
One of the siblings is a boy who wore a blue vest that covered a red shirt, he also wore grey shorts, and a blue and white hat that had a pine tree stitched on it. The boy's name is Dipper Pines and he was known to look into things that didn't seem right. Why it was him that had looked over at the many mysteries of Gravity Falls.
Next to him on his left is his always positive sister; who's noticeable features is her braces and a very colorful sweater that she had made herself. The girl's name is Mabel Pines, a girl who can be a little strange, but looked at everything in positivity, and just loved arts and crafts.
The twins felt excitement grow inside them, especially Mabel as Gravity Falls was getting closer. Mabel claps her hands together which jingles from the bells she glued onto her sleeves. "Isn't this great Dipper! Soon we'll be seeing Grunkle Ford and Stan, Soos, Wendy, Candy, Grenda, and Waddles!" Mabel closed her hands together in excitement. "Oh! He's going to be so excited to see me!"
Dipper nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and I'm going to be able to investigate more mysteries of Gravity Falls with Grunkle Ford. Plus with Bill no longer being a threat, we can do it without the worry of another Weirdmageddon."
Yes, with Bill gone for good, the two got the feeling that this time, their stay at Gravity Falls will be peaceful with just minimal danger from what lurked in the forest.
The billboard for Gravity Falls passes by, then the water tower soon came into view among the trees. The bus soon came to a stop, the bus driver called out to the rest of the bus as he opened up the doors. "Alright anyone for Gravity Falls! Please exit the bus!"
"Well this is our stop Mabel." Dipper got off the seat, Mabel fallowed her brother. The twins walked down the bus to the door, Dipper got off first, he stopped beneath the bus stop sign where he noticed that his sister isn't with him.
Looking back on the bus, Dipper saw her giving the bus driver a leftover bell that she hadn't glued onto her new sweater. "Here's something for transporting us."
The bus driver looked at the bell deadpanned. Mabel winked at him happily, "There's more where that came from." Mabel jumped off the bus, where she now stood next to her brother with her trademark smile.
The bus driver closed the doors and drove off, leaving the twins to stand under the bus stop sign. "Was that necessary Mabel?" Dipper asked her, in which she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! He deserve something great for transporting us back to Gravity Falls!"
"I think he just threw your bell away." Dipper exclaimed as he had saw something small and round fly out from the driver's side window and into the forest. Mabel didn't seem to care however, as she is too busy looking down both ways of the road. "I wonder where Grunkle Stan is? He's supposed to pick us up."
Dipper can only give his sister a shrug. "I don't know Mabel. Maybe he overslept or got caught up in a Mystery Tour."
"But I thought Soos had taken over the shack?" Mabel stated.
"Ford told me that Stan got it back, after they returned from their adventures at sea." Dipper explained. The twins looked down the road for any sign of Stan's car, but there is still no sign of it.
"Do you think we should walk?" Mabel asked her brother.
"I don't think that's a good idea Mabel, who knows what might come out from these woods." Dipper warned.
"So we have to wait here?" Mabel asked.
"Looks like it." Dipper confirmed.
"Weak!" Mabel protested.
"Come on Mabel, it won't be that bad."
"But we could be here forever and get eaten by bigfoot." Mabel protested.
"Don't be ridiculous Mabel. Bigfoot only goes after deer and small rodents. Besides Stan's probably going to be here any minute now." As soon as Dipper finished his sentence a red and white, 1965 El Diablo sedan pulled up along side them. The window goes down revealing their old Grunkle Stan. "Hey kids, Why are you standing next to this lonely road?"
"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel open up the passenger door and jumped into the car, giving Stan a warm hug, which he gladly returns. "I'm glad to see you to kiddo."
"Grunkle Stan you got some new winkles." Mabel happily exclaimed while pointing to a spot on his cheek. "And you got more sparkles on you." Stan retorted.
"Yeah, she had a glitter incident before we left." Dipper explained.
"Ah Dipper, I see that your still wearing that hat." Stan said.
"And I see your still in your old ways?" Dipper replied.
"What ever do you mean kid?" Stan question innocently.
"I'm pretty sure you didn't have that gold necklace around your neck the last time we saw you." Dipper pointed out, Stan covered the necklace with his hand while looking around the area frantically. "You can't prove anything!"
"Aw! That's are Grunkle Stan." Mabel exclaimed sweetly before giving him another hug, resulting in Stan to let out a soft chuckle. "Yep, same old me. Anyway let's get back to shack, you have a lot of unpacking to do as well as a lot of work."
Dipper gets in the back, while Mabel happily sat herself at the front. "Yes, I got shotgun!"
Stan drove the car down the road passing by the familiar forest. Eventually the Mystery Shack came into view, Stan parked the car at the front of the gift shop. "Well here we are." Stan stated.
Mabel presses her face against the window. "Wow! It hasn't changed a bit!"
"Yep, Soos had done a very good job on preserving it, while I was away with Ford. Anyway you know where your room is."
"In the attic." Dipper pointed out as he and his sister got out of the car with their bags.
"The very same." Stan replied as he got out from the driver's side.
The twins went to the door, behind them Stan developed an excited smile. Dipper placed his hand on the door handle before turning to address his sister. "Well Mabel we're finally back, and I feel like this time it's going to be a summer we're never going to forget."
Mabel nodded in agreement, but then felt something tingling within her. "Weird my glitter senses are tingling."
Dipper opened the door and was immediately met with the shouts of people screaming surprise, as glitter and party streamers poured out from the gift shop. Inside the twins see Grunkle Ford, Soos, Wendy, Candy, and Grenda standing in welcoming poses as a bright colorful banner hung above saying, "Welcome back Dipper and Mabel!" Mabel thought her eyes were going to burst from how wide they had gotten. "A surprise welcome party for us!"
"Yep." Stan said from behind them. "We planned on this for a week. In fact the reason I was late on getting you two was because I was helping place that banner up." He informed them.
"Well this is awfully nice of you guys." Dipper said.
"What can we say dude, we were just excited to see you little dudes again." Wendy exclaimed as she shot them a cool wink.
"Yeah" Soos chuckled. "I worked extra hard to make this place ship shape for you two." Soos showed them his hands which were all sweaty from all the hard work he did.
"Are those blisters?" Dipper pointed out in which Soos chuckled again. "Yeah."
"Well what are we waiting for?" Stan spoke up. "Let's get this party started!" With that the party started in full swing. They caught up on what they had been doing for the past year: Stan and Ford explained about the adventures they've experience at sea, Wendy talked about her friends and the boring days in highschool, Soos talked about his adventures looking after the shack with his girlfriend Melody, and the twins talked about their hometown while enjoying the life as 13-year-olds, which were technically a teen.
Candy and Grenda went up to Mabel with bright smiles on them, they join in a group hug, before Candy held out a green bag. "Here Mabel, we got you a welcome back gift."
"Your going to love it!" Grenda spoke up.
"Aw, you guys didn't have to." Mabel said as she took the bag. "But we do, as your are great friend." Candy replied.
Grenda meanwhile clapped her hands excitedly. "Open it! I can't contain my excitement!"
Mabel opened up the bag and what she saw made her eyes sparkle and let out a gasp of surprise and wonder. Taking out the gift, everyone could see that it was a purple unicorn, bracelet.
"Oh my gosh! This is the greatest gift ever!" Mabel immediately places the bracelet on her left wrist, then gave both of her friends a tight hug. "Your the greatest friends ever!"
Her friends gleefully returned the hug. Meanwhile Dipper is with Ford who is showing his great nephew a new journal that he had made. Inside the journal is a bunch of descriptions on the various creatures and phenomenons he had encountered during his journey at sea.
"So this is the sea monster of the Pacific ocean. It was the size of a tiger shark, had the traditional long neck and small head. It was interesting to watch it catch fish."
"So it was quite docile?" Dipper asked. "Correct Dipper, I was actually able to touch it without it bitting my fingers off." Ford then turns the page to a picture of a island. Dipper points to it curiously. "What's that place?"
Ford laughed, "Oh boy that was a crazy adventure. That's the lost island, it had all these crazy animals that nearly ate me and Stan several times. It was lucky we even managed to get out of there alive."
"Man, a lost island. I wonder how a island becomes lost?" Dipper wondered.
"It's quite simple Dipper." Ford happily began, "The island is surrounded by thick mist that blocks out anyone from seeing it. There's also dangerous whirlpools that surrounded the island, as well as rough waters that sunk a few unfortunate ships. There's also effects similar to the Bermuda triangle that messes with compasses and GPS."
Dipper gently placed his hand on his head in awe from Ford's description. "Wow! It's amazing that you even manage to get off."
"It was indeed Dipper. You should've seen it, we nearly got caught in one of the whirlpools, then nearly got drowned by a thirty foot wave." Ford chuckled from that crazy experience. "You know Dipper, life at sea sure was great for mysterious research, but it's good to be home."
"So what are you going to do now Grunkle Ford?" Dipper asked.
"Well I was planning on remaking my old journals. You know since Bill destroyed my old ones, and I was thinking that you can help me with making them Dipper." Ford replied.
"I would love to Grunkle Ford." Dipper happily stated, Ford affectionately rubbed his head. "That a boy! Let's start after the party shall we." Dipper nodded in agreement, he was so excited to work with his Grunkle on remaking the old journals.
Yes, this summer is definitely going to be a great one. Waddles suddenly came running in, heading straight for Mabel who he tackles to the ground. Mabel happily hugs him, "Waddles are you doing my handsome pig!"
Waddles oinks in response. "I missed you to!" Everyone in the room laughed at the scene as a girl and her pet pig is finally reunited.
In a secret government facility, at a top secret area where no one can no about. It's all hands on deck as facility workers rush around to file in reports due to a serious incident that happened earlier today on June 16, at one of the government''s secret biological testing facilities.
Raz Aquato member of psychonauts stood against the wall in one of the many hallways in this facility, he watched as members moved forward and back through the hallway. He wondered what was going on, as just earlier things were utterly peaceful, then suddenly an alarm started to blare and everything went to what it was now. Was this some kind of psychic emergency that he needed to worry about or worse an attack by a foreign country.
"Raz there you are!" Lili Zanotto; his girlfriend came rushing over to him. "Lili, do you know what's going on?" He asked her.
"I have no idea, everything just seemed to go into chaos!"
"What do we do?"
"Let's go to Sasha. He may know what the heck is going on." Lili suggested, Raz nodded in agreement. "Alright, I believe he's in his quarters."
The two psychonauts rush down the hall, passing by staff who carried papers or walkie talkies. They get to Sasha's quarters, Raz knocked on the metal door and after awhile Sasha's voice called out. "Enter"
They entered and the two were very surprise to see Sasha sitting on his desk with a very dejected look on his face, as if he just received word that his parents got caught in a horrible car crash. Despite the look he is giving Raz and Lili gave him a professional salute. "Agents Raz and Lili reporting in sir." Raz informed.
Sasha looked to him with a serious look. "Cut that crap Aquato, I'm not in the mood for any of that." He snapped, Sasha placed his hand on his forehead with a heavy sigh.
"Is everything alright sir?" Lili asked in concern for she had never seen Sasha act like this before. "I wish it was Mrs. Zanotto . I really wish it was."
They went silent as this is serious, but what could it be exactly? Sasha could tell that the two wanted to know, it was classified, but you know what he didn't give a dam at the moment. "Project Blue is loose."
The two looked at him in question, as they don't know what Project Blue even was. "Um, Project Blue sir?" Raz question.
"Yes Project Blue, it's a super version of the flu. It's design to kill anyone who is infected by it, it kills by basically suffocating you as it closes up your throat, making it look bloated."
Raz and Lili were very shocked on hearing that information. "Why would they make something like that?" Raz question as really who would want to make a version of the flu that can kill you so horribly.
"It was designed for war." Sasha informed bitterly.
"But I thought that the United States signed something that agreed on no biological warfare?" Lili question.
"They did, but you know how it is. People say they'll agree on something, but then sneakily do it for the "greater good". It's definitely for the greater good now." Sasha chuckled lowly.
"But how did it get loose in the first place?" Raz asked as he is very alarmed because if this project blue is really loose, then their might be very big trouble.
"Someone dropped a tube or something, then as it was killing all the staff, some guard took his family and ran for the hills, before the base could be completely locked down. Now he's out there somewhere and the moment he comes into any kind of contact with someone, he'll infected someone with it. The only way we can make sure that doesn't happen is to find him."
"Do you know where his location is?" Raz question.
"Unfortunately not yet, but they're doing everything they can to find him." Sasha informed.
"We could help find him." Raz offered as this is definitely very serious, but to his surprise Sasha shook his head no. "But why sir?"
"Everyone in the military is already searching, it's also not a psychonaut business. You two are dismissed, I need to be alone to think about this disaster."
The two nodded and left, walking down the frantic hall Raz turned to Lili. "I hope they find that guy before he infects someone with that Project Blue."
"He probably already had after the moment he ordered a cheeseburger and gave them his money." Lili stated with a hint of despair and disbelief on this whole horrible situation.
"We can't think like that Lili." Raz reassured.
"Well how can I act? Our own country has developed a flu that can kill you, and now it's out there somewhere! I don't know about you Raz, but something tells me were about to head into a storm."
Raz stopped to think about what Lili said, if what Lili said is true? Then things are about to be big. He quickly goes to catch up with her as she continued to walk down the hall.
June 17th
A year, hard to believe that half a year had passed since that night. Norman Babcock thought to himself as he sat on his bed with a zombie action figure in his hand. It had been a year since that whole incident with the "witches" curse, and Norman's life seemed to have gotten better since then.
His family, especially his father had finally accepted his gift on seeing and speaking with the dead. He gained friendship with Neil and Salma, even Alvin which he never thought would happen in a million years. Finally the town no longer looked at him as a freak anymore, which he gladly accepted.
But although is life is different now, than it was before the whole curse fiasco and he has living friends now. Norman could never ignore his dead friends that he sees everyday on the streets. But there's also his new ghost friend that he had bonded quite well with during the course of the year.
That ghost friend was the "Blithe Hallow witch's" ghost herself; Agatha Prenderghast or Aggie as she childed him on calling her. He still doesn't know how, but somehow she keeps coming back just to see him. It was still hard to believe that just months ago this was the same ghost that blasted him off the town hall with a bolt of lightning and nearly impaled him. Now they were very close friends, and it was nice when she is with him, or when he's with Salma and Neil, for really he didn't know what other friend group had a ghost amongst them.
Norman's life has definitely improved for the better and now with summer here, he has a full plan on how to spend it, which involved watching the new zombie movie that's coming out sometime in July. But that wasn't all; as Neil had also invited him to a pool party next week, which could be fun.
"Playing with your toy I see." His Grandma stated after phasing through the wall. "No, I'm just thinking grandma." Norman replied as he turned the zombie toy over.
"Ah, thinking about what?" Grandma Babcock asked.
"Just how so much has changed for the past year."
Grandma Babcock nodded in understandment. "Yes, your life has definitely change for the better, ever since you talked with your friend Agatha on that night. Your dad definitely changed his attitude, since he isn't being much of a jackass lately."
Norman held in a chuckle as it always amuses him on how his grandma can call her own son that, or pretty much anything when she spoke her mind, which was pretty often. Just then Norman's phone buzzed, "Looks like you got a message." She exclaimed.
Norman turned on his phone, the text was from Neil which said. "Come to the window."
"Who's it from?" Grandma Babcock asked.
"From Neil."
Grandma Babcock nodded as she remembered him very well. "Ah yes, your husky friend."
Norman walked over to the window, looking out he saw Neil with a baseball bat, smiling up at him. "Hey Norman! You wanna play a game of baseball?"
Thinking about it, Norman didn't really have anything else to do today, so it wouldn't hurt to play a game of baseball. "Alright Neil, I'll be right down."
Neil beamed in happiness. "Great! I'll meet you by the front door!" Neil raced away towards Norman's front door. Norman meanwhile looked through his closet for his red, baseball helmet.
"So your heading out to play with your friend?" His grandmother called out.
"Yep"
"That's nice. Go win a home run." Norman found his helmet and got up. "I will grandma." He assured her, she gives him a wink of approval. Norman gives her a wave goodbye before leaving his room, he then heads down the stairs, opens the door where Neil is waiting for him. "Hey Norman, you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be Neil." Norman replied.
"Great come on. We're playing against Alvin." Neil and Norman head out towards the park where Alvin and his team would be waiting. As they walked, they passed by many of Norman's ghostly friends who happily greeted him, which Norman happily greeted back.
The boys eventually make it to the park, Alvin is leaning against a tree, tossing his baseball up and down. He spots the two approaching, he held onto his ball while pushing himself off the tree. "There you two are. Geez I thought that you weren't going to show up." He complained.
Salma who had been standing on the grass with a book of atoms in her hands, glances up to regard Neil and Norman. "Alvin relax it's only been five minutes." Salma places her book on the ground. "Now let us play ball, shall we."
The kids split into two teams; Norman, Neil, and Salma went on one team and Alvin went on the other team. The game they played was great and tight, both teams were tide by the time Norman got to bat again.
Alvin who is the pitcher, bounces the ball up and down in his left hand. A smug smile is spread across his face. "Might as well prepare to eat my dust because I'm about to win this game."
Norman didn't respond as he just simply rose his bat up, getting ready to swing as he narrowed his eyes at the ball in Alvin's hand. Alvin threw the ball with all his might, the ball flew through the air very fast. Norman swung the bat as hard as he can, it strikes the ball which flies in the opposite direction.
As Alvin's team move to catch it, Norman ran as fast as he can to first base, then to second, and on to third, he just about made it to home base as the person at home base caught the ball.
"He's safe!" Neil called out. The team surrounds Norman, congratulating him on winning the game. Alvin meanwhile felt a little bummed out from loosing. "Aw man, I was so close."
Both teams however congratulated each other though as it was a good game. They then all decided to go get an after game ice cream. Something that Neil is really looked forward to.
June 18th
"Government Health Officials have reassured that there's nothing strange upon quarantining a small east, Texas's town, where they claim that's its just a precaution of a possible epidemic of swine flu."
Wybie Lovat tinkered hard on a new wheel for his bike in his garage, with the radio blaring the latest news in the background. He wasn't really paying attention to it as when he's working on his bike, he usually becomes spaced out from the rest of the world.
"Hmm, lets see if I tighten the screw around here. The wheel won't be has wobbly." Wybie picked up a screwdriver, he places it on the screw and tighten it up, after that Wybie now tested the wheel which did a little wobble.
"Nearly there." He told himself, he placed a finger under his chin as he thought hard about what to do next for his wheel, he looked to his various tools that were spread out on the floor.
He eventually chooses a wrench which helped tighten the screw up more, he tries the wheel again and to his delight the wheel didn't wobble. "At last all fixed. Now to check the motor."
"HEY WYBIE!"
Wybie jumped in surprise, he nearly fell forward, but managed to balance himself. After getting over his surprise, turned around to see Coraline standing above him with a mischievous smile.
"Hey Jonesy, must you keep doing that?"
"Well of course, it's fun making you jump." She teased, Coraline walked over to the upside down bike in a curious way. "So what's you up to? Fixing up your bike?"
"Yes, it's time for her monthly inspection." He informed her. Coraline places her hand on the back tire where she moved it a bit. "Why call it a she? It's an inanimate object, it doesn't have a gender."
"Well Coraline, it's just the universal way of calling a vehicle." He calmly explained as he looked over the motor. Wybie picks up a oil can and puts fresh oil in the motor, as well as a fresh can of fuel. Coraline tapped her fingers on the wheel very impatiently. "Are you done yet?"
"Not yet Jonesy. I should be done in about five minutes." He informed her, though Coraline clearly didn't like that answer as she can already feel her boredom beginning to rise.
Coraline begrudgingly went to a wall, she sat against the wall while tapping her foot in complete boredom as she watched Wybie tinkering away on that bike. Frankly that's how she felt lately; bored out of her mind. After a long winter, she is itching for adventure and she planned on doing a lot of adventuring this summer.
The radio continue to talk about news that Coraline didn't pay attention to for she is too busy trying to entertain herself. "And that's the end of our news broadcast. Now it's time to sit back and relax as now your about to listen to our recently hit song, "Baby can you dig your man?" Well baby can you?"
Coraline perked up at this as she loved this song. Ever since she first heard it after the first week of June, it had become stuck in her head and she couldn't help but bob her head to the music.
"Oh, this is the song I've been telling you about." She called out to Wybie. Wybie stopped tinkering to listen, the song played loudly through the garage.
Wybie tapped his fingers on the front tire from the music. "Nice song."
"See I told you." Coraline remarked as she started to snap her fingers. Wybie bob his head as he continued to work on his bike. When the song ended Wybie was finished with his bike, he turns it right side up while he turned to address Coraline. "Alright Coraline, I'm finished with her."
Coraline gets herself up from her sitting position. "Well about time. Come on we gotta get going." Coraline went over to a desk where she picked up Wybie's mask, she tosses it to him which he caught, though he looked at her with question. "Um, where are we going exactly?"
"To the creek, I heard that there's a cave somewhere." She explained while walking up to the bike.
"I taken you got a flashlight for the cave?" He asked her.
Coraline set herself on the seat, where she proceeded to pull out a flashlight from her rain jacket pocket. "Duh! You don't go to a cave without one. Now let's go, we're burning daylight!"
Knowing better than to make her wait some more. Wybie placed on his mask, got on his bike, started up the motor and finally drove out of the garage, heading straight for the creek with Coraline waving her arm up as if she was a cowboy.
But as the two made their way to the creek and the cave. Miles away in Arnette Texas; despite the military sealing up the town to contain Project Blue as it ran it's course through the town, killing every resident as it jumped from various stages from killing quickly or regressing a stage which made some people infected by it to think that they were getting better. Only for it to immediately jump on to its final stage.
Joe Bob who's a state patrol officer, who had no idea that he had become infected by it after seeing his cousin. Had unwilling just released Project Blue or by it's later names the superflu, Captain Trips, or tube neck, out into the rest of the country. After stopping someone for simply speeding.
