Chapter one: The Drive

Chapter one of Madness Falls

It was high noon In the small town of Gravity Falls as the small rusty red car trundled down the road past the town’s not-so-welcome sign, leaves were whipped up in a flurry behind the wheels before laying to rest once more on the side of the road. Stanley sat at the wheel, eyes sagged and half lidded as his shoulders sagged and his arms hung from the steering wheel “well kid, there you have it” he said as he glanced at the rear view mirror, sitting, or rather sleeping, in the back seat was Dipper, his hair was messy and his clothes scruffy, his eyes looked almost as weary as the old man’s “welcome to gravity falls” he sighed. It had been a stressful two months, with the accident leaving Dipper in Stan’s care there wasn’t much he could do but watch the poor boy spiral into darkness, Stanley dared to blink and a second later there was a loud thud and the car shuddered “woah!” Stan wrestled with the wheel for control as he screeched to a halt, Dipper stirred in the back “gruncle Stan? Are we there?” he asked sleepily, yawning and stretching as he sat up straight. 

“Nearly kiddo, just sit tight” Stan said as he unbuckled his belt and stepped out of the car, he winced as he saw the red tire marks staining the road “damnit” Stan cussed as he adjusted his bow “Stan? What’s going on?” Dipper called out as he looked back “oh…” he said and shrunk back. Lying on the road several metres behind the car in a small pool of blood was a deer, a foal, it bleated weakly as it struggled for breath, “stay in the car Dipper, I won’t be a minute” Stan said. Dipper shrunk further into his seat as he covered his ears, there was a sudden sickly snap and dipper looked up to see Stan getting back in the driver’s seat “you ok?” he asked, the boy nodded in response and they set off again. The moon began to shine through the sparse clouds now as they drove through town, the faces were varied, but familiar, Stan hadn’t been back here in 30 years yet barely anything had changed, even the people were the same, even if there were a few new additions, Stan glanced back at dipper to see him huddled with his knees up to his chin as he stared out the window “seeing anything Dipper? Is he there?” he asked, concern laced his voice.

Dipper sighed as he turned away from the window “no, he’s not… but there was a group of gnomes by the pub” he said, Stan tried a small chuckled “boy, they think they’ve had a bad day huh?” his humour was almost genuine this time, but still Dipper remained as detached and dreary as he had been since the accident. Stan scratched his chin “look, Dipper, try and cheer up ok? You think Mabel would want you looking like that?” he asked, Dipper’s gaze dropped “Mabel’s not here” he said, Stan made to reply but as he did there was a sudden pop next to him and a man appeared sitting next to him in the car “maybe not Pine tree, but I am!” he said, Dipper yelped and Stan panicked. The car swerved slightly and Stan pulled over “jeez kid are you trying to make us crash?” he turned back to see Dipper cowering in his seat, his hat pulled down over his face and his whole body squashed against the door, as if there was something beside him, Stan reached back and tapped Dipper’s shoulders “its him isn’t it?” he asked solemnly, Dipper nodded shakily and Stan turned back, he wiped his face and puffed “ok” he muttered “ok, ok, ok, Ford you better be waiting for me” he grumbled under his breath. 

Stan drove a mile above the limit the remainder of the journey through town and out into the woods, the leaf covered path winding and curving through it until it came out at a large open clearing, a gleaming white building stood in the middle, with high walls surrounding the complex. The car pulled up at the gate and Stan reached over and pressed the buzzer “who is it?” asked a female voice, she didn’t sound too enthusiastic at all, “Stanley Pines, I’m here to see my brother” he replied, the girl on the over end appeared to be chewing gum, suddenly there was a pop and the mumbled “head on through”, Stan gripped the wheel and drove through the gates. “Alright, you got your bags?” Stan asked, Dipper nodded “those journals?” he nodded again “Bill?” Stan raised an eyebrow; Dipper shrunk and lowered his cap, “beside you?” Stan asked, Dipper nodded and Stan hummed “what would happen if I did this?” he took Dippers cap as to force him to look up, as soon as the boy did he saw Stan reel back and take a swing, to Dipper Stan’s fist connected with the man’s face and it sent him sprawling on the ground “hey!” Bill growled, Dipper laughed faintly and Stan smiled “ok kiddo, let’s get you inside” he said.