The Haunted Love

Chapter 16

Bill had gone off to another spot in the forest with the little bit of rift. He chanted his ‘the world is finally mine’ before the rift triggered and formed the crack in the sky. All of Gravity Falls, watched as their sky turned demonic. Clayton and Dipper ran out of the shack, just as the crack appeared over. The wind was blowing every which way it seemed.

“What’s going on?” Dipper yelled over to Clayton. “What is that?”

“We’re too late.” Clayton replied. “It’s the end of the world.”

Sabrina appeared before them from the forest. Dipper was freaking out over finding Mabel when she finally got to them. “I hope you have a plan.” She said to them. Dipper instantly pressed himself into her jeans.

“Please tell me you found Mabel.” Half of Sabrina didn’t want to tell him. She met Clayton’s gaze, hoping he’d read what was in her eyes.

“Oh no.” Clayton managed to push out before eluding his expression from Dipper. He knew.

Dipper was eagerly waiting for an answer from anyone as his desperation was growing. “Guys, come on. Please. I’m begging you.”

Sabrina lowered herself until Dipper’s eyes were direct with hers, planting a firm hand on him. “I’m afraid Bill has her. Don’t know where exactly. But we have to stop him first. You understand me?”

Dipper pushed Sabrina’s hand off his back, walking back a few steps. “I have to save Mabel.” The boy was rebellious when it came to his sister, but it wasn’t quite melting into his head that they needed to end the problem first.

Clayton tried to push his way in, lowering also to his level. “Dipper, listen to me. She is right. We have to stop Bill first. But we will find your sister. I promise you that.”

“But can he be stopped?” Dipper asked.

Clayton glanced over at Sabrina. “I don’t know. But I have an idea that may.” So he has lied a little bit about finding a way to end Bill. But he still sounded confident that this could work. It is all they got at the moment.

Sabrina let out a deep breath before rising back to standing. “Then let’s try it.”

-

They climbed their way up to the bell tower in the church. Clayton had brought his quantum destabilizer and journals. Bill was just ahead of them a few yards, chatting it up with his fellow weird creatures. The destabilizer was built for this moment. Clayton stole pieces for it while they were in the multi-verse. It was the reason he was considered a criminal in there.

“We only have one shot.” He said to them, opening the case that held it. This was the first time both of them have seen it as it was massive. He charged it up, aimed and locked on. Dipper and Sabrina held their breath as his finger was on the trigger now. This was it. Then suddenly, a weirdness wave struck the tower and the bell behind them came alive.

“I’m alive now!” It yelled out, startling Clayton as his one shot beam hit Bill’s top hat instead of him.

“Oh no!” Clayton said instantly as Bill’s hat reformed its shape in a gross fashion.

“Well, well, well. And here I thought, today couldn’t get any better.” Bill aimed his finger and fired his own one shot beam towards the tower.

“Look out!” Sabrina cried to her companions, just a second too late though as it crumbled on them.

“Great Uncle Clayton! Sabrina!” Dipper yelled with singe marks and dirt all over him. Sabrina and Clayton looked about the same. They were however, wedged under a pillar.

“Dipper, take my journals!” Clayton cried to him after coming to. He slid the bag of journals over to him. His nephew took them without hesitation. “Listen, I know of one other way to defeat Bill its -” A noise cut him off as he instantly told Dipper to run.

“Clayton, what are we going to do?” Sabrina whispered to him.

His hand went over to hers, taking hold of it. “We’ll deal with it. Just trust me.” Sabrina nodded in understanding.

“Oh, look who it is! Old Claytonsie and Cupcake.” They felt themselves be lifted up into the air as they floated by some force. “Claytonsie, I’ve been waiting for an eternity for a face to face chat with you.”

“Do whatever you want to me. But let her go.” Clayton ordered as they floated alongside Bill to his friends.

“First things, first.” Bill said, putting Sabrina off to the side and bring Clayton forward. “Everyone, this Armageddon wouldn’t be possible without help from our friend here. Give him a six-fingered hand.” His friends all clapped for him surprisingly. “This brainiac was the one to build the portal in the first place. Aw don’t look so sour, Claytonsie. It’s not too late to join me.” He placed him in with the other creatures gently. “With that extra finger, you’d fit right in with my freaks.”

Clayton had looked down at his hands before making them into fists and shaking them. “I’ll die before I join you! I know your weakness, Bill!”

“Oh yeah? And I know a riddle. Why did the old man do this?” Bill did a weird stance.

“This?” Clayton copied it, only for Bill to turn him into gold a second later.

“No!” Sabrina yelled out. It seemed Bill had forgotten about her as she was put in the spotlight now.

“Oh hey, almost forgot about – you.” He booped her nose. She slapped his hand away to his surprise. “Feisty as always. I see why Claytonsie likes you.” He shook Clayton in his hand. All of his friends cooed at the fact as if to mock her.

“Yeah? Why don’t you add me to your people trophy collection then? Huh? Or am I not important?” Sabrina snapped back.

“Oh Cupcake. You are important.” Bill replied. “Let me tell you a story.” He said cheekily, making Clayton float around her. His expression of horror was haunting her as he passed by. “About a pathetic little man who thought he could find the answers. And he stupidly opened a portal and was never seen again.” His friends were chuckling around them.

Sabrina huffed and crossed her arms. She was upset. For her whole life, she had been searching for answers to her father’s disappearance. He and Clayton would probably have been best friends, if they ever were to meet. But his screams for help also haunt her at night. Unlike Clayton, she had been searching the multi-dimensions for most of her life. Every second she spend inside, she’d look for any signs of him. Bill had known of father for years before she was even born and over time, he became intertwined with her family. He then would move on to Clayton, taking his interests to his head and using him.

In a way, they were both similar. Even when she tries to tell Clayton, he was more invested in his research. But she is afraid he won’t accept her the same if she did. Bill on the other hand, was only letting her live cause he felt for her in his own twisted way. Her father had taught him many things. He too was manipulated by his tricks.

“What are you going to do with me?” Sabrina came back to reality with the very demon staring her down.

He tapped a finger below his eye. “Hmm, well Claytonsie wanted me to let you go. So-” He suddenly snapped his finger, Sabrina felt gravity taking hold of her as she fell to the earth below. Thankful, it wasn’t too far below. She still landed hard though as she grunted. “One out of two ain’t bad.” He sang song.

Sabrina slowly rose to her feet, rubbing her pained back. “You seriously letting me go? Why?” She wanted to know what was going through the triangles head.

“Cause I want to watch you fail.” Bill remarked darkly. Clayton was circling them the whole time. She knew he was doing it on purpose. It was his way of getting into her head.

“Hey Bill!” They heard as his eye rolled over to that direction. It was Dipper, standing on the platform Nathaniel once was. “Let my uncle go! Or else!” He revealed Journal 3 to the crowd.

“Now this is getting more and more interesting!” Bill exclaimed as he appeared before him instantly. He grew another arm and grabbed Clayton with it. “You want to stand up to me? Then show me what you got, Pine Tree.” He put his fists up in a mocking kind of fashion.

“I – I.” Dipper started falling on his words as he scrambled to find the Bill page in the journal. He used his black light on it, only to find that it had no more answers.

“I-I. Come on, Pine Tree.” Bill copied, sounding bored. “Everyone is waiting. Just do it!” Without warning, Dipper jumped and aimed a punch for his eye.

“Dipper, don’t!” Sabrina yelled out from in front of the crowd. He learned very quickly from his mistake. Bill instantly slapped him away like a bug with his palm as he flew and hit a tree nearby. He groaned on impact as Bill slow clapped.

“That was – absolutely pathetic!” Bill commented. “Nice try. I’ll give you that, kid.” Dipper struggled to move, lifting himself to standing. The bag containing the journals spilled open, revealing them. Bill took his chance as he used his ability to gather all three of them, lining them up above his pointed finger.

Sabrina ran to Dipper who just looked up at her with unreadable look. “Are you going to be ok?” She whispered to him. He put his head down, letting his hat cover his face as if he was ashamed.

“You want to know something?” Bill interrupted. “In this story, the heroes don’t win.” He lit the journals ablaze as both Sabrina and Dipper could only watch. Dipper gasped deeply as it dissolved into a pile of smothering ash. Bill then maniacally laughed at his triumph.

“We have to move – now.” Sabrina said to Dipper, pulling on his arm. But he wouldn’t budge. “Come on, Dipper.”

“But – But Mabel. I have to find her.” Dipper countered with a fury in his eyes. Sabrina knew she wasn’t going to win this fight.

She sighed before letting his arm go. He looked up at her confused. “Then go. I’ll head back to the shack and see what the situation is.”

“What about Great Uncle Clayton?” Dipper pointed towards his now golden uncle, dangling in Bill’s hand.

“We’ll rescue him. But we need more hands first.” She replied with a spark in her eye. “Now go! Before I change my mind. Please.” Dipper gave her a confident nod and fixed his hat before running off. She had never seen a boy change in so little time. That was the last time she saw him as she headed the opposite direction. All she hoped is he would come back.