Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

Accused of Snitchcraft

"WHAT?!"

Kipo leapt out of her chair, staring at the screen intensely. Her arms shook, and her hands were clutched onto the side of the table so tightly it looked like it was going to break under her, but Kipo hardly noticed, all her attention was on the face on the screen underneath her, the face of a friend.

Gale gave Kipo an annoyed look, before sighing. He seemed to decide to wait this one out quietly.

Eventually, Kipo gulped, and found her voice enough to talk. "W-What happened here? What happened to Norman? Why is he on trial?"

"I don't know," Gale told her. "I'm right with you, aren't I? I don't know what he's been doing."

Kipo opened her mouth again, prepared to ask more, before she swallowed her questions. Right... there was probably no point in asking Gale anything. Anything he didn't know, he couldn't tell her, and anything he did know, he wouldn't tell her.

Kipo sat back down in her chair, despite how hard it was. She just felt so angsty and worried that sitting down felt like the wrong decision. Kipo hadn't realized, but she'd already accepted the worst. That Norman... Dipper... Wirt...

Kipo shook her head. "He's okay... I guess I should just be happy that Norman's alive and probably alright, that means the rest of them probably are, too! I just need to keep them alive..."

Gale didn't say anything in response. He just started up the screen again.

"That's Norman!" Mabel whispered way too loudly, but thankfully it was lost among the whispers in the church. "But he isn't like any of the things that Father guy described! Why's he up there?!"

Kris shook their head. How should they know?

"Quiet, please, people!" Father Arlen called out, and he waited until the church was at least mostly silent before continuing. "Mr Grier, if you could give us the charges, please?"

"Of course!" Grier announced, urging Norman the finally couple of steps before locking it to the statue. Norman, for his part, looked mildly annoyed, but he didn't fight back. He seemed to crouch on into himself timidly.

"I," Grier continued boldly, stepping forward and waving his arms like a showman, the opposite of Norman. "Am accusing this boy of witchcraft, satanism and not paying his tab on time."

"Thank you, Mr Grier," Father Arlen said to the young man, before turning to address the rest of the people. "Now, there is-."

"This boy came in the dead of night and brought with him HELL unlike we've ever seen it-!" Grier continued dramatically, and Father Arlen visibly grit his teeth before turning back to Grier.

"Mr Greir, please, we have another person to call to the stand," Father Arlen said, continuing with upmost politeness despite the visible irritation on his face. Grier looked appropriately chagrined. He took of his hat in apology.

"Of... Of course, Father, my apology, Father," he said, mostly sincerely, and Father Arlen shook his head before continuing.

"There is another to call to the stand, another with different accusations," Father Arlen told them. "Mr Fraser, if you can come to the stand, please, and announce your charges."

Another man walked in, one that looked a little older than Grier, who was giving Grier an odd look as he walked in. He seemed nervous, but he walked nonchalantly and relaxed. It didn't look like the worry was because of the crowd or for himself.

"I can, Father," Fraser said. He surveyed the crowd as he spoke. "Well, Father, I don't know about, er... 'devils' and all that, but as we were holding Norman, waiting for trial, he tried to escape. Nearly did, too. I don't know how he managed it, honestly."