Volume 1:Act 1 – Chapter 1 | She Answered with Silence

It was so warm. He did not know exactly where he was, but he knew he was dreaming. Everything was dark, shifting around on grey colored corners. The warmth around his body made him feel safe, like he didn't want to move an inch, not even a single muscle. A sweet sensory overload with oranges and yellow quickly took his entire view. He wasn't sure what he was looking at but the smell, that smell was so familiar.

It was full of nostalgia and fleeting memories, when times were simple, running through trees and lost trails in search for adventure and adrenaline. He could feel the small scratches and knicks biting at his skin, telling him he was hurt. But he couldn't feel more alive.

Now he was running through the woods. The pines trees whipped by him in such a blur of motion that it made him sick. That feeling of embrace and freedom has been replaced. Replaced by something far more sinister. He felt so stressed, like there was an immense weight on his shoulders. Whatever was behind him was staring so hard into his back he thought that if he would look at this chest, there would be two gaping holes.

He heard a voice, it was so familiar and distinct, yet absolutely foreign to him in the moment. His? No, it couldn't be, right? It was getting louder, and more bitter.

You Can't Run

"…pper?"

You Can't Run

"Dipper?"

YOU CAN'T R-

"Dipper!?"

Dipper was shaken awake. All he could see for a few seconds was a mass of brown curly hair. A smile then protruded from the brown curly mass. It was unsure yet firm.

"Are you okay bro-bro?"

Mabel's voice had an edge of worry about it.

"Yeah…I'm fine why?"

"You seemed pretty roly-poly."

Mabel fluttered her arms in her sweater with a vertical motion. Dipper stared at her, jaw agape. He thought to himself, What is she talking about? Whatever worry that was etched on Mabel's face soon disappears as she reset herself on Dippers beside.

"Anyways, you HAVE to get up! Today is THE day remember?"

The worry in the back of Dippers mind had already began to work his brain into overtime. What could that dream mean? So much happened in it?

Where was he? Was he back there? Was there any deeper meaning to it? Whatever it was it could wait. A smile grew on Dipper's face. He looked at Mabel with a glow of anticipation. He could feel the anxiety and worry leave his head as it began to fill with child-like excitement.

"Of course I wouldn't forget Mabel!"

He playfully shoved her down the bed. What he didn't realize was that she slipped her hand behind his back and grabbed one of his spare pillows.

"Well DUH, todays RANDOM-PILLOW-FIGHT-DAY!"

Yeah exa- wait Wha-"

Dipper was cut off by the full fluttering force of Mabel hitting his face with a pillow. He flew back down on his back slightly agitated as Mabel began laughing in the background. She bellowed.

"FINISH HIMMM!"

Dipper was assaulted by more attacks of his own pillow while he grabbed his other one to defend himself. Within minutes they were laughing at each other and their goofy little sibling game. Mabel would always do these things and sometimes they would make Dipper annoyed, but she would never disappoint.

A stern knock followed by a slight giggle could be heard from the door to Dippers room. Both of them froze and immediately turned around.

" Mabel, you could really hurt Dipper like that honey."

"Come on Lauren, Dipper can take it."

She stared back at the man in the doorway, Dipper and Mabel's father. Her face was stern and firm. Her eyes were a soft and angelic brown like her hair, with such a set and round jawline. She rolled her eyes after a few seconds and turned her glance back to the twins.

"Just because school is over doesn't mean you two can turn the house upside down again."

She seemed stern enough to lecture, but her face visibly softened as she saw Mabel tap Dippers head with the pillow and throw it back on the bed.

"Sorry Mom, we were just really excited!"

"Yeah, of course! I mean I've been waiti-"

Dipper's father cut him off with a slight chuckle.

"We know Dip, I can tell you two have been excited for this. The bus leaves later this afternoon. Me and your Mom will be preparing breakfast downstairs so you two start getting ready, okay?

Dipper and Mabel made noises of pure excitement and acknowledgement at their father's request. He turned to Dippers dresser across from his bed. Their Mother glanced at them and started to walk out of the doorway. Dipper's father grabbed the glove and baseball off Dippers dresser. He smiled at Dipper, and enthusiastically waved the ball in his right hand.

"I still owe you that game of catch, remember?"

Dipper looked at his father with a warm but unsure smile. Hopefully, he could catch the ball this time.

They ate their breakfast quickly, which was to be expected by their parents. Their mother washed the dishes as their father checked on the Twin's laundry.

"Go Upstairs and make sure you two are packed, okay?"

Their mother squatted down to the twins, ruffling their hair. They both ran upstairs, treating it like a race (or something like that). Their mother sighed with a smile of fondness. She turned back to their father, who was folding clothes on the living room couch. Her gaze was neutral, but seemed distant and unsure.

"What's up?"

This reply quickly took her out of her trance as she looked back at the dishes in the sink waiting to be loaded. Their breakfast had been quiet the feast.

"I don't know what to tell them."

She trailed off, her voice wavering with doubt and a sense of sadness. She stared at the sink watching the water drip from the faucet slowly, like a metronome. She was so focused that the hand on her shoulder startled her. She turned.

"Lauren, it's alright. I'm sure they can already tell, or, at least get an idea of what's going on."

He turned to look at the stairs, staring fondly at the top. They could hear the twins shouting playfully at each other about what they're going to do when they get back. Their voices were filled with innocent excitement, talking about all the things they wanted to do when they got back. Were they really discussing a gnome?

"Besides, just because they are fifteen doesn't mean they don't understand what is going on. I am sure Dip understands it the most."

Lauren looked at him with such a desperate plea. Her face filled with a type of remorse. The sunlight of the suburban sky traced itself through the window, landing on Richard's nose. It reminded her of Dippers nose. So similar, so alike.

"Rick, look I know that-"

Richard paused Lauren. His jawline relaxed. The edges of his styled and fluffy hair were caught in the sunlight. He looked at Lauren with a soft smile and chuckled.

"Save your breathe, we can talk about it later." He paused.

"I don't want to ruin this day for them, okay?"

Lauren simply nodded. She watched Richard smile and head back to folding the clothes. Her mind began wondering as she looked him up and down.

Where had all that time gone? She used to be so happy with him. She was ecstatic when they found out they were having twins. So much love and care between them both, determined to raise such a small and happy family. But then a memory resurfaced, one that was far from fond. She remembers it so vividly. The talk she had with Richard and how calm he looked. His hands simply laid on the table. They were so pale and sweaty, slightly shaking.

Deep down, she could tell she broke something inside of him that night.

Long nights of talking and desperate pleas. They had a tough time figuring things out. What would they tell the Twins? So much was uncertain, things lie bare and unprotected. Everything felt so vulnerable, so unrepairable. They decided to make a call. Their Uncle Ford had graciously offered to have the kids stay for a summer. It was a fresh start, or at least it seemed so at the time.

When the Twins were picked up from the bus stop, they seem to have grown. Same- yet different in their demeaner. They speak of that place with such fondness and excitement. Lauren envied it. Gravity Falls. Where had the time gone? Why did she feel this way? She was happy and scared that they had done so much growing up without her. They were still hers, but she felt undecided, still back in the same room as she was with Richard when the Twins left earlier that year.

"I'll finish signing them after they leave."

Richards voice brought her back to the present, a pang of uncertainty shot through her. She swears he can read her mind. His face remained set and determined as he finished his task on the couch.

"Then we can figure out the tough part. Who goes where."

His voice did not sound as hopeful and relaxed as it usually does. It carried such an uncertain edge to it, causing her to choke up a tiny bit in the back of her throat. The kitchen was filled with the sound of the water droplets splashing against the dishes in the sink, slowly trailing down the plates and forks into the drain. It shook her mind. All she could do was muster a small reply.

"Of course."

Turning back to the sink, her thoughts wandered. How had it come to this? She could still see Richard's hands on the table that night, pale, and tense. Picking at his nails, trying to find something to grasp at.

"What will we tell them?" he had asked.

She answered with silence.