He paced back and forth inside the small cell, blood racing through his veins, heart pounding wildly.
When Dipper's body finally tired, he fell down onto the hard bench of the sparse cell and sat there, staring at the iron bars until he had fallen into a daze.
"Kid" hissed a voice close by.
"How did it come to this?" was the first coherent thought to break Dipper's daze, bring focus to his unseeing eyes, and mind in a long time. He sat listening to the sound of heeled shoes beating against the floor, and the jingling of silver cuffs.
His wrists throbbed at each beat. The cuts began to sting and burn, just like his dry eyes. He was slow to blink, lids feeling like sand paper. He swallowed, tasting blood with a heavy swollen tongue.
There were others locked behind bars but he didn't see the boys from the fight however he knew they must have been somewhere. That is, if they weren't already bailed out by now by their well to do parents.
Dipper rested his head back against the wall. His shirt was dirty and spotted with blood. The florescent lights inside hurt his eyes but then again, everything hurt. Yet it was only physical pain, it didn't hurt that much.
He readjusted himself, fidgeting in the seat, listening to the guards walk in and out, back and forth, snowy voices coming from their radios like mindless robots.
"How did I end up here?"
"Kid" hissed the voice again.
The question may have seemed dumb at face value. He was in here for fighting, and from the way the cops had questioned him, perhaps with even blowing up his house, and killing his parents.
He closed his eyes, breathing in, feeling the bruises and sharp pains in his stomach and ribs.
The question was legitimate if one really got to know him. Dipper was a mostly straight A student; he and his sister volunteered for different things around the school and community. He even took leadership roles and was a member of the student council, though that was just to look good on his resume. The plan was to excel in school and go off to a good college, get a good job, start a family, and never have to work as hard as his parents whom both worked two jobs to be able to afford the safety of disconnection and distance. And today, was supposed to be a special occasion. On their day off, a time of peace and rest they still doted on them, and now this.
A guard passed by. Dipper opened his eyes and looked over at him. He was tall and broad. He walked relaxed but when Dipper met his eyes, he stood straighter with a steely gaze. He looked at him as if he belonged here, deserved this, as if he was a just another common criminal, animal, that deserved to be in a cage.
"A man takes responsibility and protects his own."
That's all he was doing, protecting his sister and himself, but they didn't see it that way. Or they just didn't care. All they saw were hot headed youths, threats to neutralize, and peace to bring to a place where nothing was supposed to go wrong.
"We never belonged there anyway" he thought.
"Fine then. If you won't talk I will."
Dipper opened his eyes and looked over at the man across from him in the other cell.
He wore a dark hoodie with black hair swooped over half his face, skin was nearly as pale as paper. The man smiled at him. He sat leaning casually against the wall as if he were in his own living room.
"You know what you look like?" said the man.
Dipper simply watched him. The man chuckled.
"You look like a Pines."
A flash of recognition came over Dipper's face and the man's smile widened.
Dipper tried to correct his look and swallowing, said, "I'm an Evergreen."
"Ah" said the man. "I'm sorry then…but then again" he chuckled, "you know, pine trees are Evergreens."
He looked Dipper up and down. "What you in for? I mean, looks like you could do something, but I bet you're still wet behind the ears."
"I'm not a criminal. I don't belong here."
The other guy chuckled. "Isn't that what we all say? But it's not so bad in here. You're safer in here than out there." He rubbed his hand through his hair.
On his neck the black ink stood out starkly against his pale white skin. Bricks stacked on each other forming a triangle with an eye. The man's hair fell back over it. At Dipper's staring, he smirked.
"The eye of Horace, the all seeing eye" he said. "That's why I got the tattoo. It watches my back for me and gives me knowledge. It's a good way to keep track of those who would do me harm."
Dipper found himself nodding then stopped when he realized it. "How'd you end up here?" he asked.
"Now that's not fair" grinned the man, "you first."
Resting her head against the wall, Mabel opened her eyes, squinting at the harshness of the glaring lights.
She moved around on the hard flat chair, trying to get comfortable. Although it was still rather early in the day the waiting room was pretty full. Compared to everyone inside she appeared to be the youngest besides a few women with small children.
Across the room Mabel saw a woman with a black eye and brought her own hand up to where her head throbbed, touching it and wincing.
Her eyes went back to the woman and met her green gaze. She wore a simple dime store blue dress with a plunging neckline, revealing the fact that she was braless, and her long red hair was frizzy. Though Mabel didn't know, she assumed the woman probably smoked.
When Mabel's eyes went back up she saw the woman was looking her up and down as well. At the call of a name, someone got up from beside Mabel and went up to the small box window with a person behind it. The next minute the woman she saw from across the room was sitting down beside her. The air she shifted in her wake filling with cheap perfume on top of a mellowed body odor.
Mabel held her breath for a bit then breathed. She smiled at the woman, trying to appear friendly. The woman smiled back.
"Hi" said the woman, chewing gum.
Smiling, Mabel said, "Hi."
"I'm sorry, please don't take this the wrong way, but I couldn't help but see you're really pretty."
Mabel's smile relaxed. "Thank you."
"That's why I was wondering what a young pretty girl like you was doing here looking like that" she said, looking at Mabel's swollen bruise.
Mabel's smile faded.
"I mean. It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it. I don't know why I asked. I don't like talking about stuff either, but you seem new to it. Girl's like us have to stick together you know?"
Mabel frowned. "Girl's like us?"
She looked down at her clothing, pulling at the hem of her dress. She looked up and saw a few men gazing at her but when they saw her looking they looked away.
"I was in fight" she said quickly, "trying to protect my brother at the bus stop."
"You're brother?" The woman grinned showing a few missing teeth. "That's sweet of you."
She sighed sitting back, resting her head against the wall, closing her eyes. Mabel swallowed.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are you in here for?"
The woman opened one eye looking over at her and smiled, laughing a little.
"Stupidity…love. Call it what you want"
"Ms." Mabel looked to see a police officer standing in front of her. He handed her a simple compress, a bottle of water and a small pack of Tylenol.
"Thank you" she said.
The woman watched the exchange. "Can I get some of that?" she asked. The officer gave her a dirty look.
"We can't keep giving you things for free every three weeks or we'd lose funds."
The woman scoffed, nose wrinkling. They watched as the man walked away.
"As if they'd ever run out of funding for locking up 'dangerous criminals' she said, making air quotes.
She looked over at Mabel, blowing a bubble and popping it. "The name's Wendy. Like from Peter Pan, or more famously, that little girl with the pig tails trying to outdo Ronald McDonald for who can be the richest red head."
She laughed tucking her hair behind her ear revealing the green curving stem of a four leaf clover.
The door to the waiting room opened and a woman, wearing a tight red mini skirt that hugged her vase like hips and a fitted suit top that pushed and squeezed her cleavage, walked in.
Her hair was a golden blond slithering into finger waves. She had large pinks lips, large blue eyes, and wore a hat that made her look as if she had stepped out of a 20's mystery movie.
With her pointed heels, she walked over to the little square window. All the eyes in the room gazed upon her. It grew quiet. Even the woman behind the glass, for a moment, opened her mouth, but no words came out. The woman got up to the window and smiled.
"Hi. I am here for two Pines named Dipper and Mabel."
The desk clerk's mouth opened and closed like a fish then she closed it again looking embarrassed. She shook her head. "Oh yes. Let me check on that."
She typed on the computer then paused. "I'm sorry we don't have any Pines but we do have a Dipper and Mabel Evergreen."
The other woman hummed. "Evergreen."
"Yes" said the desk clerk, she looked back up at the woman and reached for a clipboard and paper. "Being that these two are still minors I need to know how you are related to them and um I need you to sign this."
She slid it beyond the glass. The woman leaned over the counter and closer to the glass giving the othee woman a good view of her chest. She widened her blue eyes with a smile. Her voice lowered.
The men in the room whispered and laughed looking at the woman's bottom which looked like a plump red plum.
When she rose up again she turned around. The woman behind the glass called.
"Mabel Evergreen."
Mabel got up from the seat with her backpack. She looked at Wendy. "Um I have to go...bye."
Wendy grabbed her hand and Mabel gazed into the woman's brilliant green eyes. They shined like jewels on her dirty face, amongst her freckles.
"Listen, I may not know you but you seem like a bright girl . Don't let anyone steal your sunshine and try to fall in love with a good guy you hear? Bad boys are only fun in fantasies."
Mabel nodded quickly feeling eyes upon them. She turned around and saw the blond woman's eyes landed on her and Mabel seized up. The blond woman smiled. Everyone was staring and Mabel tried not to shake in nervousness. She walked up to her immediately greeted by a heavenly sent.
"Come on darling. Let's go get your brother."
Mabel shyly smiled as she nodded, following the woman. Inside the holding area whistles followed them all the way and some of the guys came close to the bars, but at the guards barking insistence they calmed down.
When they got to the Dipper's cell his eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sleeping.
"Hello Dipper" said the woman with her silky voice. Dipper opened his eyes.
"Looks like you got a guardian angel" whistled the man in the cell opposite him whom he now knew as Robbie.
Dipper walked over to the bars. "Mabel" he said, voice dry and raspy.
He stood as the key clinked in the hole and the bars were slide open. Yet still, he stood inside the small room.
"You're free to go son" said the guard.
Robbie laughed. "It's easy to get used to it, isn't it?"
"Shut up" said the guard. "Come on son and try to stay out of trouble this time."
He gestured with his head for Dipper to get out. Dipper stepped out looking at the cell from the outside as he did when he first came when suddenly, Mabel threw herself toward him, wrapping both arms around him.
Tears flowed from her eyes and her shoulders shook. "I'm just so happy to see you."
He looked down at her back, faintly smiling. "I'm happy to see you too."
"And I know someone who will be even more happy to see the both of you" said the woman.
He looked up to see her red painted lips spread into a smile. "Who are you?" asked Dipper.
Mabel let him go, wiping her eyes.
"An angel. That's what she is" said Robbie gazing at the woman hungrily.
"Joy" said the woman.
Another guard came up to the man's cell with Wendy following behind in her plastic heels. The guard unlocked the cell, and Robbie got up, stepping out.
Wendy was crying as she hesitantly walked toward him then just like Mabel threw her arms around him. He sighed. "Okay, okay."
He pried her arms from around him, holding her hands. She looked up at him earnestly, expectantly.
"I'm sorry" she said, smiling.
"Uhuh" he nodded, "let's go. I'm bored of this."
He walked past her and she hurried behind. "See you around kid" he looked back at Dipper, putting two fingers to his head in some form of a salute and Wendy looked back, smiling at Mabel.
Dipper and Mabel felt a hand placed upon them. The woman patted.
"Come on let's go. I was specifically told to get you out of this pen, and if I don't, I might be punished." She winked at Dipper. Both he and Mabel blushed. As she led, Mabel and Dipper followed. The twist of her hips dramatic. Dipper's eyes didn't look away and Mabel watched him blushing the whole way.
A long black limo sat outside. Dipper held the door for both Mabel and Joy, but as Joy continued walking the twins stopped. When she turned back around she said "What?"
The twins looked at each other then at her. She looked at the limo again and laughed. "Yes. I know it's a little flashy but you're great grandfather wanted only the best for his great niece and nephew" she winked.
They walked over to the car, mouths slightly open, eyes wide in awe. The sound of a revving engine caused them to look and see Robbie and Wendy boarding a bike and putting on helmets. Wendy looked at Mabel.
Mabel waved at her smiling but stopped as she saw the look on Wendy's face. One sids of her face was now very red on one side. With a distant, unbothered expression she turned around. Robbie winked at Dipper then drove off.
As they got inside the car Joy said, getting in after them. "I don't know how good it is to make friends in the city jail."
Her voice was light and joking but her face was completely the opposite. However, as quickly as it appeared it was gone and another friendly smile graced it.
She crossed one long leg over the other. Dipper's eyes paid close attention. Mabel rolled her eyes and Joy giggled. "Now tell me are you both thirsty? Hungry?"
Mabel munched on fries, tore into her burger, and sucked at her drink during the ride, but Dipper barely touched a thing. Joy observed them without bringing much attention to herself, then looked at her phone, texting.
They had gotten so used to the smooth ride that when the car stopped both Mabel and Dipper looked around.
"We're here" said Joy.
Instead of opening the door herself, it swung open for her and a big man appeared wearing an overly large shirt and big shorts. He looked like an every day person you'd find on the city streets.
"Thank you Soos."
The man smiled showing buck teeth, eyes lidded. As Joy got out, the man and Dipper gazed at her bottom. Dipper followed out then Mabel but when they got out shock clearly came upon their faces.
Out of all the places they expected their great grandfathers to live, this building nor neighborhood was it.
The dark brown brick building didn't look extravagant or expensive and appeared to have seen better years in a neighbor hood where the streets were cracked, and if there was grass, it was over grown.
Trash littered the streets or sat stuffed in over crowded tin trash cans giving off a rotten smell, and graffiti was tagged onto the sides of some buildings with different signatures, but they all had a large tree symbol in common.
From a certain direction, as one went through the neighborhood, it was as if they were walking through a make shift forest.
"Is this it?" said Mabel. The man named Soos and Joy smiled.
"Wait till you get inside" said Soos.
He opened the door for all of them and the twin's mouths fell open.
Inside was a whole other place entirely. A large, wide chandelier hung in the large foyer and a grand staircase spread out nearly all the way to the walls in the massive room.
Joy headed up the stairs with Mabel and Dipper in tow. She went left walking down a hall.
"AHHHH! Please, don't! No! I'll talk please" screamed a man before the sound of a struggle, and muffling. Then came the sound of beating, and bones cracking.
Mabel and Dipper paused but Joy kept walking. "We're almost there."
"What is that?" said Dipper.
Joy turned around with her perpetual smile. "You'll see."
Dipper fell back in step and Mabel walked faster to catch up to him.
"I don't like this. What if it's a trap? What if they're enemies of Grunkle Stan?" she whispered. They gasped, stopping abruptly before running into Joy.
The sounds of screaming were even louder. They could hear a gritty laugh.
"Is he serious?"said a man, chuckling.
"Don't kill him fellas. This lemon still has more juice in him," said another.
Joy loudly knocked on the door.
"Come in" said the second gruff amused voice.
With the spreading of the doors two men appeared, sitting in large wing back chairs with a great fire place roaring between them. Big bowls of popcorn sat in their laps and what appeared to be ice-cream sodas on stands beside them.
They were looking up at something above the twin's heads. As Dipper and Mabel entered the room they saw what could only be described as a huge theater screen showing a man tied to a toppled over chair. His face was swollen face and skin a color of blue and purple.
Mabel nearly gagged. One of the man's eyes appeared to be bulging out. The chair was up righted. A group of six men surrounded him, but when they came further into the room one of the older men took a remote out from his robe pocket, pointing it at the screen which went black.
The extra noise ceased, leaving just the crackling fire. The men's faces grew grim. One of them picked up their drink.
Hanging behind them over the fire place was a picture of two identical young men in matching suits, smiling mischievously. Their painted eyes looked down upon the room in an uncanny and foreboding way.
"Happy Birthday kids," said their Grunkle Stan, he sucked from his straw, "welcome to the real world."
