Chapter 24

Never in his life had Dipper felt awkward around his twin sister. She was just being so quiet, and didn't even try to start a conversation like she usually did.

"Mabel... I'm starting to think this is more than 's going on?" he asked finally.

"I'm just thinking," his sister replied plainly. They arrived at a restaurant and seated themselves according to the sign. A waiter came to take their orders and as Dipper was ordering, Mabel saw out of the corner of her left eye a flicker of movement. Whirling around, she saw the dark haired girl; her eyes boring into Mabel's chocolate ones. She blinked quickly, and then she was gone.

"I have to go." Mabel whispered, standing up and walking out the door in a trance-like walk, ignoring Dipper's startled cries of protest.

...

Mabel walked into the forest, trying to rid her brain the image of the girl. She couldn't get that forever serious gaze out of her mind, or the dream. The late evening sun flashed a final ray, and disappeared behind a darkening cloud. Now Mabel wished she could go with the sun; she really wanted her brother to be safe. She contemplated for another hourwatching the sun slowly set and the world turn to darkness. As she got up to head home, she heard a static crackling noise. A terrified deer sprang into her path, rearing ita hooves on her calf.

"Ouch" Mabel shouted, and her cry echoed through the woods. Investigating the area, Mabel crept quietly among dead tree limbs and fallen leaves. She noticed fresh footprints in the wet soil, obviously imprinted earlier that hour. A sudden feeling of uneasiness wasked over Mabel, and she turned around quickly so there were no sudden attacks from behind. After another static crackle, Mabel turned and tried to run. But a sort of invisible force held her back. Flailing her arms and legs, she tried silently to get away. But she was stuck. Limply, she dropped her arms and continued forward. There was no way out. The static was louder now, and ir gave Mabel a peculiar negative feeling. She didn't want to walk forward. She wabted to go home. A bright light suddenly shone in her faceand her arms flew up, shielding her eyes. Squinting, Mabel saw jagged rocks as tall as small hills arranged in a lopsided formation, all the way down a steep slope. Mabel's heart was beating out of her chest. A strike of lightning lit up the dark sky, and seemed to land and hold between two of the rocks. More static crackled, and a shape seemed to form from the lightning. It was suspended in the air between the rocks- flickering in and out weakly. Mabel screamed, and once more failed at an attempt to run backwards. The shape crackled, growing stronger and more definate. It was a girl, her body glowing and wavering as if it were on fire. Instead of where her eys should have been, there were two huge, gaping pitch black holes that looked like a skeleton's and seemed to be endless as they stared straight into her soul. Her gaunt cheeks and mouth were curled into a hideous, yellow grin like a deranged jack-o-lantern. Mabel shrieked at the horrific sight, slamming her eyelids shut. A cackle sounded in her ears, and she felt a sharp, bony finger as hot as fire lift them up so she could see. The girl's grotesque grinning face was inches away from Mabel's. She squirmed, and turned her head away as far as she could. The girl, seemingly satisfyed at traumitizung Mabel, returned to hover between the rocks, her glowing, crackling body so bright it lit up not only that clearing, but ten others as well. Mabel hurled a rock at the girl, and as it hit her mouth, she screeched in anguish as her mouth sagged like it wasn't connected to her face. Horrified, Mabel watched as the girl moaned as she snapped it back in place. The awful grin returned, and Mabel shuddered at the sight. Finally, the girl spoke. It was a purely horrible voice, sounding like grinding metal and a young child, a man, and a woman speaking all at once.

"At last," she rasped. "Sweet Mabel. Pretty Mabel. I've got you now." The girl outstretched her arms, inviting Mabel in.

"Who are you?" Mabel squeaked.

"I am the dark haired one, whom you think of often. We look different, but really we are alike. Really we are one."

"I've never seen you before in my life!" Mabel shouted. The glowing flared as the dark haired girl spoke again.

"Maybe not like this, Mabel. But trust me. Come here, Mabel." She outstretched her arms again. "I love you, best friend. Come, Mabel. Come with me!" she persuaded. Mabel screamed and ran forward. The girl tried to catch her, but Mabel was too fast. As she was running, Mabel tripped over a root and was sent tumbling head over heels down the slope. Even the thorn bushes couldn't break her fall. They just ripped off flesh and tore her clothes. A sleeve of her sweater tore off, making her bare shoulder vunerable to any other obstacles. The still-throbbing bruise from the nervous deer was purple and bleeding. Mabel cried out as she turned another backwards somersault over little sharp rocks. Mabel fell to the bottom of the slope, which was a shallow pond, and fell unconcious as her head slammed into a boulder in the freezing water.

So I think the moral of this chapter is don't trip when you're running down a steep slope... ;) Please review!