Dipper Pines kept walking. It felt like hours on end, and his surroundings only got darker, but mostly stayed the same. Now, he was getting worried, as stars began to appear overhead, between the desolate branches of trees. Dipper didn't think that killer clowns were afoot here, but he couldn't be sure. After all, this was the Unknown. Even if there weren't killer clowns... There would be other monsters, he was sure.
A noise. Thwak! Dipper stopped, feeling unsafe. The sound came again, just as close. Thwak!
"Hello?" he called, and there was a thump, before heavy footfalls were heard, getting louder as they approached him. Every bone in the boy's body said run, but he stayed still, frozen in shock and fear.
"You?" asked an incredulous, familiar voice, as the owner's face came into view. It was Wirt, holding his lantern up, to light Dipper's face. "What are you doing out here? Don't you know the Beast is afoot here? You need shelter, and light... Come with me, I have a place." He offered his hand to Dipper, and the boy quickly took it.
They scurried through the dark of the forest quickly. Dipper almost tripped a couple of times, but Wirt usually warned him, "jump," or "duck," whenever there was a root or a branch that would cause him trouble. Wirt knew this forest like the back of his hand, the shorter boy noted. "Why can't we just leave?" huffed an out of breath Dipper Pines.
Wirt didn't answer. He continued, a little slower now, which Dipper was thankful for, but he would have preferred an answer.
Finally, light seemed to reach the trees around them. There it was, an old Mill, lit with candles inside. "This mill was used by the last woodsman, the same way I use it now. We grind the trees into oil to fuel the lantern," Wirt explained, as they entered the room.
"Thank you so much..." Dipper breathed, relieved.
Wirt nodded, closing the door behind him. "You may stay here until morning. Then, you must leave. There's a guest bedroom upstairs. I'll be just outside if you need me."
And he walked back outside, lantern in hand.