Let's play, "How many times can Obvious Ghost say that this story is making a comeback before people stop believing him?"
So, after promising "I'll try to do better," I proceeded to leave this gathering dust for four months. Because yes, wow, amazing, that makes sense. Maybe after this one, I'll wait a couple years.
I might advise re-reading the rest of the story- or at least the last couple chapters- to get back into the swing of things. I know I certainly did.
[]
From a logical perspective, I guess I should be surprised this doesn't happen more often.
"WHAT HAPPENED?! WHERE'D THE LIGHTS GO?!"
I sigh. "Mabel, the power just went out. It's no big deal." I mean, yeah, it's too bad it happened right in the middle of the premiere episode of Mustache Minotaur, but heck, we have candles.
"No!" She shrieks, and she must have jumped onto the couch next to me, because it's loud enough to give me a headache. "It's gone, it's all gone! It's never coming back!"
"What?"
"I mean it, Dipper." She slips into her dramatic voice, and I can't tell for sure, but I think she's standing on the couch cushions. "Some loco ghost or freaky monster has stolen away my eyes!"
"Your... eyes?"
"There is no doubt."
I carefully stand up, waving my hands in front of me. "Okay, look. I'm just gonna see if I can find the candles, okay? I think they're in the gift shop-"
"DON'T DO IT!" She tackles me.
...She actually tackles me. To the ground. In complete darkness.
"It's not safe, bro! Don't go out there!" she begs.
"OW. Mabel, we could have crashed into the TV or something."
She completely ignores me. "The monster took your eyes too, Dip! We have to be smart about this."
I scramble away, backing into what feels like the wall. "Mabel, come on. My eyes are-"
"You can't see anything, right?" I facepalm. It's obvious what's going to happen- I'll say I can't see, and she'll argue that I can't know if my eyes are really there or not, and I'll get sucked into an argument that's literally impossible. And we'll end up pretending anyway.
I decide to skip a few steps. "Fine."
Expecting a cheer, I'm surprised by a clipped laugh. "Excellent. Now then, Blind Prophet Dipper, what do you see in the future?"
"Um."
"Dip, this is simple stuff. When a magic monster makes somebody go blind, they get super-secret future powers. Duh."
Still sitting against the wall, I grin. And to think, other people worry about being bored when the power goes out. "Well, then you should too, right?"
I swear her voice jumps an octave. "Oh, yeah!" she squeals happily. "So, hm, I see..."
A spark flares in the darkness. It's not bright enough to illuminate the whole room, but just for a second, I can see Mabel's face. She's pretty excited. Happy. I think she's even deep in thought, seriously considering how to move this story forward.
Unfortunately, at that exact moment, I accidentally make some kind of sudden yelping sound.
"Heh. That was inspiring," Mabel chuckles.
"I wasn't expecting a spark, all right?" I say defensively. Then, trying to change the subject: "I should probably make sure nothing's wrong with the TV."
"No way, Doupée. You can't see the TV, because you are blind, and also who cares since there's a MONSTER HIDING IN THE SHADOWS."
...You know what? Why not.
"Whoa." I jump up, slowly moving a few steps forward. With a scared, goofy tone, I whisper, "Whatever can we do? The whole world's shadows now!"
She giggles. "Get a gander of the future, and see what happens next."
"If you insist." I take a deep breath, as if I'm preparing for some big ceremony. Then, "The monster finds us, and we both get eaten."
A whoomph sound tells me Mabel threw herself down on the couch. "Aw, that's lame! You can't let depressing stuff like that cloud up your destiny goggles!" I'm about to laugh, but she cuts me off. "And before you ask, I've decided that you have destiny goggles."
"You didn't let me finish. Our eyes give the monster wicked indigestion." She bursts out laughing, and I smile. When it comes to imagination, there's no contest between her and me- but once in a while, I get in a good one. "Besides, if we're gonna go up against this monster, we'll have to stay grounded. It's too important not to take seriously."
"Hmm..." Her voice trails off. "Yeah, but you can't only focus on the bad junk!"
I can't help it. I make my voice as snarky as possible. "You said he ate our eyes, remember? That's pretty bad."
"I didn't- I just meant- Ugh!" In mock frustration, she tumbles off the couch, landing with a thud. "That's not the point! If you don't think about the happy bits, why bother even being a super-magic-hero? Like, what the heck are you fighting monsters for? Trying to make stuff better, right? I mean, that's pretty basic."
Sensing that the couch is now vacant, I try to make my way towards it. "So, you're saying we fight the bad guys with the power of rainbows and unicorns."
"Duh!" She says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "If you're always thinking about non-rainbow whatever, you end up moping around all the time."
"Does that mean you're thinking about rainbows? Right now?"
The lights come back on.
Sure enough, Mabel is lying on her back next to the couch, blinking up at the ceiling. "Owowow!" She groans, moving her hand in front of her eyes. I drop onto the cushions, waiting for her to slowly stand up.
"My eyes are back," she announces. Then, dramatically pointing at me, she smiles. "Oh, and the answer is yes. Always yes."
[]
"Robbie?"
Nothing's wrong. The echoes from his name fade, and the bird on the branch flies away. I can hear my heartbeat.
I'm being paranoid. It's all under control. There's no way he-
He's still not saying anything. I'm running around the walls, breathing hard, yelling his name.
There's no way. It can't happen.
He can't leave. They CAN'T TAKE HIM.
...The twilight almost tricks me. For a second, I think he's gone, but then he's crumpled on the ground, and one of those things is standing over him. It's holding a circle, some piece of metal, like the one I found last time. The creature pulls it up, away from Robbie's face, and part of my mind wonders if it can force people to fall asleep. Easier to kidnap, maybe. No yelling.
The rational, logical side registers all of this. The rest of me is frozen in place, simply staring.
Its back is to me. Another triangle, muted and pale yellow, is barely visible in the dim light, and the figure's dark clothes bleed into the shadows. But when it moves, when it stands up slowly and turns around, it's all I can see.
The hood, still drawn low, doesn't move. I hear a low voice, whispered and airy. "Hurry."
No time to be scared. No time for confusion, or hesitating, or anything else. I'm running, I don't know why but I'm running, and when I grab the book from my vest I don't feel anything.
It can't happen.
I swing the book forward, just like last time. It's ready, though- it jumps away, and now I'm huddled over Robbie, holding the book out in front of me.
It's just standing there, unknowable as ever. I almost think I can catch a glimpse of its face, but it lowers its head further, almost like it's planning what to do next.
I don't think- it just slips out. "Well?"
The light makes it hard to tell, but the figure seems to look back at me.
It's gone, moving, flying from side to side, so fast I can barely keep up. It darts past on one side, then switches directions, and it's all I can do to move so I'm still in front of the still body on the ground. At some point, my hat must have fallen into the grass, and the book- as far as I know, the only thing keeping this entity from taking me, too- is trembling in my hands. The figure is still moving, flying past in a circle, getting closer.
Too fast. I blink.
It's in front of me, inches away.
Where the face should be, I can't see anything. Even this close, there's only the hood and shadows. Startled, I bring up the journal, instinctively holding it between us, and it leans even closer, and I hear its whisper again.
"The name."
Just for a second, I flinch. A primal, childlike fear grips me, and all I can think of is the desire to hide, to shield my face behind the book and close my eyes until the dark gaze is gone.
So... I do. I don't try, but it happens.
In that second, it's quiet. I don't hear the creature's voice.
Dark. I don't see the light change when it moves away.
Still. I can't feel any motion, not even a breeze.
No.
I realize my mistake too late.
NO.
It doesn't hit me, not all at once. When I open my eyes, the first hint of dread seeps in. When I turn, looking through the grass for a form that isn't there, the fear grows. It's not until I drop the book, falling to my knees and mindlessly pulling at my hair in disbelief, that I start to understand.
First, the futility of the plan realizes itself. What was I going to do? Even with Robbie, what could I do against something like this? Fight? I had nothing but a book, and I meant to go up against monsters that could be anywhere, do anything. Impossible.
The blame crashes in, too. This was... my fault. In every way. If I'd kept the journal close to Robbie, if I'd stayed near him, I could have stopped this. But I should have stood my ground anyway, and kept the shadows from taking him. Even then, though, the plan- my plan- backfired. The reporter was supposed to be the scapegoat. We were supposed to be ready.
But the impossible plan and my own guilt pale in comparison to the gaping, shattering realization that's clawing at my mind.
I'm alone. Again.
I fall on my side, curling up, and I already know it's happening again. Just like before- it's all the same as before, only this time there's no one to help. No one to bring me back.
Of course it's nearly too dark to see. Of course it's getting colder, and my breathing is more strained, and just like before it's all happening at once. Robbie's the only one who gets it, who knows what all this insanity is like, and now he's gone too, and I have nothing, no way of trying to get him back.
I can't move. I can't see anything except the questions, racing back and forth in my head- what can I do? Where do I go? Who will- what can- how-
What now?
My eyes are burning. Trying not to cry, I...
...
...
...
A phone is lying in the grass.
I slowly reach forward, closing my fingers around the case. He must have... before he was taken, he had to have grabbed the phone from his pocket, throwing it away.
In the reflection of the glass, my face is looking back at me. My eyes are wide, shining, and I look like I'm about to fall apart.
There's a memory in the back of my mind. "I freaking dare you."
No. No, not a chance. Robbie won't be the reason I lose it again.
It's a stupid thought. I know it is, but somehow my head's clearing. I'm not shaking- I can even breathe normally, and it's fairly easy to get to my feet. It's not peace, but there's something filling me up, angry and quiet and determined. As much as I'm trying to focus on the good things- how much I miss my friends, and the hope of seeing them again- I can't do it. All I can feel is mad.
Scowling, I look up at the first emerging stars. "Hurry." "The name." Already, I'm working, thinking, analyzing the words. A new mystery. I slip my hat back on.
I cried for my sister and the others. There's no way I'm crying for Robbie V.