Chapter Text
9 14-5-5-4 20-15 2-18-9-14-7 8-9-13 2-1-3-11 6-18-15-13 19-20-18-5-14-7-20-8...
Panic washed over him as he assessed her leg, the jagged wood having left a deep gash. "You're hurt!" he exclaimed, urgency lacing his voice. She winced but forced a smile. "Just a scratch," she lied, trying to mask the pain. He gripped her shoulders, searching her eyes. "We need to get you out of here." The shadows of the room seemed to close in around them, and he knew they had little time. With determination, he helped her to her feet.
Night was creeping in fast, and they really needed to find Mabel before it got too dark. The Shack was getting creepier by the minute, making them wish they'd never stepped inside in the first place. Shadows outside stretched longer and darker, and the whole place felt like it was closing in on them. With every tick of the clock, the pressure kept building; being stuck here after dark was not a good idea. The fading light slipped through the cracks in the wooden walls, casting weird shapes that twisted and turned, making the whole place feel even more unsettling.
They could hear the wind howling outside, almost like it was trying to warn them. The chill in the air sent shivers down their spines, and each creak of the floorboards felt like a ghostly whisper. It was hard to shake off the feeling that they were being watched, as if something was lurking just beyond the shadows. If they didn't hurry up and find Mabel—or at least get out of there before everything went pitch black—they knew they were in for a long, tough night ahead. The darkness outside was thickening, and with it came a sense of dread that they couldn't ignore. They had to act fast.
But how? With Pacifica's leg all messed up and no way out except for a crazy two-story jump, they felt stuck. Dipper's heart pounded at the thought of what was waiting for them down there—broken branches, junk scattered everywhere, and who knew what animals might be lurking. Just when he thought all hope was lost, he heard a familiar voice cut through the panic. "Dipper! Pacifica!" It was Mabel! Relief washed over him. She was alive! He whipped around to the blocked exit. "Hold on, Mabel!" he shouted, bolting toward the rubble. They had to figure out a way to get out of there; together, they could handle whatever came next.
Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted from outside, slicing through the stillness of the night. It echoed like a jet engine, a deep, guttural rumble that reverberated in his chest and sent icy chills racing down his spine. The sound was so overwhelming that it momentarily drowned out the rustle of leaves and the distant hum of the city, leaving him in a heightened state of alert, heart pounding in sync with the ominous growl that seemed to resonate from the very ground beneath him. Almost like a—no. It can't be!
His heart was racing as he rushed to the broken window, the sharp edges catching the faint light. When he looked outside, he couldn't believe what he saw: a giant ten-foot wave barreling towards them. The roar of the water was overwhelming, flooding him with a wave of panic. It felt like time had stopped as he realized there was no way out of the chaos that was about to crash down on them.
The next few minutes were a total whirlwind as Dipper, Pacifica, and Mabel got tossed around by this huge, icy wave that came out of nowhere. Seriously, in Central Oregon? This made no sense—there weren't any big bodies of water around, just trees and roads. It felt like something way out of the ordinary was happening, and Dipper's heart raced as he realized it had to be some sort of supernatural tsunami. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone was trying to take over Gravity Falls again. Was Bill Cipher back to stir up trouble? Was someone trying to bring him back? The thought made him freeze with worry, and he knew they had to figure out what was going on fast.
He struggled to keep his balance in the icy water, the cold biting at him as he heard his friends shouting in the distance. Panic bubbled up, but he knew he needed a plan; whatever was lurking beneath the surface wasn't going to wait.
Glancing around, he spotted a floating door sticking out of the water nearby—his best chance to regroup with his friends. Ignoring the cold numbing his legs, he started kicking towards it, each stroke driven by a desperate need to escape whatever threat lay beneath. He had to act fast; time was running out.
Dipper somehow managed to climb onto the broken door that was floating around in the water. It felt wobbly under him, but he couldn't shake the thought that even if he found any survivors, they might not know how to deal with the weird stuff going on. What about Ford? And Stan? He had to figure this all out. If he didn't, there was a good chance that everyone in Gravity Falls would be done for.