Come Wayward Souls

Worth

"Are you sure, dears? You know you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like."

"Thank you so much Mrs B, but no. It's time to go home."

Wirt appeared in the doorway in his shirt and trousers, bare footed. Dipper looked up at him. His bandaged hands grasped the door frame tightly, and his hair was tousled. Dipper smiled softly at him, walking over. Mrs B left them to give them some privacy.

"You too, Wirt, " said Dipper. Where's the lantern?"

"I've got it!" Cried Greg happily, jumping off the table on which he had been stood. "Here you go, bro."

He shoved the broken lantern, which somehow was still alight with it's pale, flickering flame, into Wirt's shaking arms.

"What do you want me to do with this?" He asked, shocked and embarrassed.

Dipper took his by the shoulders.
"Blow him out," he whispered. "It's time."

"I... I can't," Wirt said. "I- you do it."

"No!" Dipper said sternly. "It's got to be you."

"But... Dipper, how can I blow out someone that was a part of me?" Wirt shook his head. "I just can't."

"Wirt, when you were in that tree, you weren't a part of the Beast," Dipper said.

"No- you don't get it-" Wirt shoved the lantern into Dipper's hands and backed away. "All that time- I was sure I was going to die- and the Beast was always there, constantly, talking to me, reassuring me... comforting me... He persuaded me to give in. I- he sung to me. The same song you heard, that changed you for a moment, it made you push me. He promised no more sorrow fear, he promised they would be forgotten easily, if I just submitted to the soil of the earth. And he explained that there's a difference between giving up and giving in. I'll never give up, but I think I submitted a part of myself to that tree, to the Beast, and that's what's stopping me."

Dipper let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"Wirt, listen to me. Isn't there anyone at home worth more than this? Worth more than that part of you in that tree?"

"Worth more than you?" Wirt said, looking up shyly and meeting Dipper's eye. "I'm not sure."