Get It Through Your Head

Flashbacks and Nightmares

*Dippers Point of View

We storm the kitchen with our fiercest battle cries. Great Uncles Ford and Stan are, baking?

I stop. Mabel doesn't. She launches herself at the nearest person. Great Uncle Ford. Bad idea. His reflexes are REALLY quick for an old guy. Before anyone could comprehend what was going on, Mabel went flying into the wall.

It was a really hard hit, but being Mabel, she got right up again.

"Mabel! I'm so sorry! I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow! Why are you early?" Grunkle Ford exclaimed, rushing to check her pupils. She was beaming. I know my sister. Shes fine.

"Remember? We got out of school for Winter Break a whole Month Earlier then normal people do because we both got diagnosed with PTSD and were practically told to go to our 'happy place' so we can try to recover. I'm fine of course." She boasts. We all know I'm the messed up one.

"HA! I told you, Poindexter. But no. The great Stanford Pines never makes mistakes!" Stan laughs pointing. Behind them are two giant 3D cakes. One perfectly frosted sculpture of a shooting star, and one almost complete of a pinetree.

Pinetree. PINETREE!PINETREE? Pinetree.
Ya can't stop me. ALL Pinetrees fall and burn! MAHWAWAHAHAH!!!!!!! The voice echoed in my mind. I collapse, holding my head. Get him out! I plead in my mind. But its not him. Ford even checked back in summer. Bill is in Hell. Its not him

Great Uncle Ford is at my side in an instant. He presses two fingers into a pressure point on my neck. My mind goes blank and my body slack. My head clear I look up at him.

"Thanks" I squeak. Yep. Still got that annoying puberty voice going on. Ow, everything kinda hurts but is numb. Like when you sit on your foot for too long.

"I'm sorry Mason. I should have thought. It's my fault. I'm sorry." He says helping me to my feet.

"Its uh, still Dipper. And don't worry. Just another little flashback. It never even happened to me so I have nothing to worry about." I smile. My hands stop shaking. Thanks to some spells last summer this almost never happens. I'm actually grateful. Now the inevitability of a panic attack is off my shoulders, but I'm sure there's more. Nothing I can do. I take a deep breath.

"Smells great! Is it ok if we eat mine now?" I ask, both wanting chocolate cake and wanting the expertly crafted 3D stand up cake to be gone. Everyone sees right through me. We eat cake and catch up.

Soos is a dad now. He is the proud father of- you guessed it- twins. I think its just ironic. How many twins are in this town? Not counting the clones and stuff. Two baby girls. Amy and May. He thought it was clever since its the same letters. Melody thought so to I guess. They sure moved fast. But the names Amy and May are going to be confusing. Not more then Stanley and Stanford I guess. Funny how Wendy thought my parents hated me.

We went to the pool, which froze over. Stan broke us in and we ice skated all over. Some poor kid apparently was still locked in solitary confinement since before weirdmageton!

He obviously lost it. Great Uncle Ford had a ray gun and blasted the kid out. He thanked us and mumbled something about getting back at the demon lifeguard. No idea... Wait. Poolcheck. My first boss. I wonder if the kid wants help.....

We skated until Mabel went to the center after specifically being told not to. She fell straight through and we had to go home. Great Uncle Stan fussed over her like an old lady does with cats.

We were forced to listen to that show Mabel likes with the stupid High school romance and the guys were in her bubble. You would think it would make her hate the movie but number 18 has new actors. I think I'd rather be dead then listen to this. At least its not her VERY favorite anymore.

I know both of our Great Uncles love us, but they each have obviously chosen favorites. Not like Mabel was offered an apprenticeship or anything... Just saying.

Soon its almost 1:00 am. I am forced to retire to bed. I tremble as I wait. This is it. If Bill is back again I'll know. Instead I don't sleep. Again. The next day is just blurry, but Great Uncle Ford gave me some sort of drink to force me asleep at dinner, around 6pm.

I take a sip and recognize the taste of magic. I try to spit it out but they're all in on it. Forcing me asleep. I try to fight it, to tell Grunkle Ford I don't need it. But Grunkle Stan and Mabel back off and eventually walk away as I struggle. Only Grunkle Ford stayed with me.

I slump back in my chair. My head rolls around. I manage a glare in his general direction before sleep washes over me.

I have a dream. Like usual. But as I feared, Bill was waiting.

"What took so long Pinetree? I've missed ya, have ya missed me?" He asks then starts chasing me down a neon hallway. I try to wake up but the spell is too strong. I need to wait for it to wear off. The neon hallway empties into the room from last summer, the gold and glossy black blinding me. I still can't wake up. I have nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

Bill straps me to the table, just like before. I feel the spell fading. I'll be able to wake up soon! Bill lowers his burning finger and places it on my chest, right over my heart. I wince in pain. This can't be real. Its a dream!

"Its as real as me kid. What do ya say we have some fun?" He throws me in the air and all of a sudden im lost in a corridor of mirrors. I break them and go straight yo get out. I need to get out.

"Now don't be a poor sport." Bill huffs and the world flips and now I'm back at the Mystery Shack. In our room. Theres some sort of curtain or something keeping me and Bill away from Mabel. Great Uncle Ford and Stan come into the room in slow motion. Bill sags a bit when he sees them. They'll kick his butt!

"Real shame you're leaving. Cya real soon kid. Real soon." He laughs. He pushes me backwards with his red hot hand on my chest again. It hurts bad. My arms pinwheel and I fall onto my bed. I jolt awake. Tears stain my face. I was crying. My entire family is around me. I'm in my bed. In Mabel and I's room. Like in the dream.

"Whats wrong Bro-bro? Is he back? Are you hurt?" Mabel asks, brushing back my hair. It's nice to have her with me. She's always there for me.

"In my dream, he was there. But guess what? That was the best dream ever! You know why? Because it was in color. He's gone!" I can't help laughing in relief. Its 4 am but we're still up. We go down for a nightmare of a breakfast. Stancakes and Mabel juice. I feel bad for forcing our Uncles and sister out of bed so early but I need people right now. Not just one. My family.

It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. I tell myself over and over as the blender whirs in the other room. The smell of melted plastic and dog milk invade my nose. I think I'm gonna puke. But if it wasn't real, then why is my chest still red and burning?