Dark Days (BillxDipper)

XXVI

     Finally the ride pulls back into the depot and halts to a jarring stop, rattling my brain for a second. My teeth were barred in a grimace, my eyes bugged out and hair standing straight up, I could feel the heat in my cheeks from the wind and drying tears streaked past my temples. Wendy nudges me, laughing and Mabel whips around and snaps a photo of me. My stomach roils, but it felt different, I didn't feel sick. Suddenly I feel my grimace twist into a wide grin and my body vibrates as I feel a loud laugh bubble out of me. That was exhilarating and I am wracked with shakes as we stand out of the car, my legs wobble and I feel ready to fall over but I actually want to go again. 

     Mabel runs her fingers through my hair and brushes it back down so it's not standing straight up and grins wildly at me. There's a stand at the end of the ride that has photos and Mabel laughs hysterically when ours come up. Grenda has her hands curled into fists on the left, her mouth open and her eyes intense with adrenaline, on the right Candy has her eyes closed and is screaming with joy, her hands against her cheeks, in the middle of them sits Mabel, her eyes wide and her mouth open wide with a smile, leaning forward her arms thrown up in the air, her hair flying behind her. You can see me and Wendy in the seats directly behind them, Wendy has her hands on the bar, her elbows bent as she's leaning as far forward as she can, her hair flying and you can tell she's whooping into the wind. My photo is, honestly, hilarious. My eyes are impossibly wide, my hair sticking up and you can very clearly see my constellation birthmark on my forehead, my cheeks look like they're rippling a bit from the wind, my mouth wide open, obviously shrieking, but my eyes, though they hold obvious fear i can see the excitement behind it, tears streak into my hairline, everyone else was leaning forwards, but i was leaning back, my hands gripping the bar like my life depended on it. I can't help but laugh too and we bought a copy for each of us. 

     I stare at the photo in my still shaking fingers, my body hasn't stopped vibrating from the adrenaline and it feels good actually. I find that I want more. I can't stop the grin that's spread on my face and Mabel grabs my shoulders and shakes me. "That was awesome!! I'm so proud of you Dipper!" She shrieks in my ear. Wendy punches my shoulder and grins. She wraps her arm around my shoulder and I wrap an arm around hers, I place my other arm around Mabel and in turn she wraps an arm around my waist since she's shorter and Candy and Grenda join, we walk in a row as if we own the place and laugh as people part for us while we stride in an attached horizontal line. When we reach the next line we unlatch ourselves and stand in a group. 

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     By now we had gone on every ride at least twice and I was starting to get woozy, unable to contain my stomach for even one more ride, thankfully the rest of the group was feeling the same so we went to go get some water and food to rest for a while. Every picture after the first I could see the transition from fear to joy on my face the more we rode. I suddenly wished that I had tried rides again years ago. They were terrifying but the adrenaline rush I received made up for it and it was thrilling. I'm glad, that at the very least I forced myself on that first ride, it was the best thing I think I've ever done for myself. I had an absolute blast on each one. Mabel ended up running away with the girls for a minute to go to the bathroom, leaving me by myself to guard the food. I chugged my water and felt my stomach calm before it growled. We had ended up getting all kinds of food, there was corn-dogs and nachos, Grenda got a burger and I have no idea where she found a stand for burgers. There was cotton candy, a funnel cake for us to share with strawberry syrup on top and extra powdered sugar, I got chili cheese fries and we all got a few beers. 

     I noticed that it felt like I was being watched and I turned around to look, and though there was a large crowd around me I couldn't see anybody that was looking at me. I shrug the feeling off and turn back to my greasy food as Mabel and the others finally come back. Mabel has something in her hand and as they all sit down she waves a stick at me and I roll my eyes when I realize what it is. She had bought a selfie stick and sets her phone up in it. I take a swig of my beer as she holds it up and twists herself so she's in the picture too. We all lean together, Wendy and I hold up our beers like a toast and I can't help but grin as I wrap my free arm around Wendy's shoulder and lean up against Grenda. Mabel holds up a peace sign with her fingers and grins as she snaps the photo. She snaps a few just to make sure she got a good one and then her fingers work quickly on her phone, sending us all the best one. 

     We sat for at least an hour talking, laughing and eating. Wendy and I had drank at least 3 beers each and the others had one or two but eventually we all got up to go explore the rest of the fair with full stomachs.  Wendy and I both bought another beer as we were walking around and we stopped by some vendors, Grenda did one of those strength games, slamming a hammer down on a lever to shoot a weight up into a bell, I thought she was going to break it. She won a giant panda toy and gave it to Mabel because it was covered in glitter and Mabel about lost her mind when she saw it. It was hilarious and I grinned. We were a loud group, always shouting and laughing, we didn't care about the odd looks we got at our conversations and noise, I was honestly having a blast. 

     It was a little past midnight and we were all starting to get tired though but Mabel had practically begged to go on the ferris wheel before we left and I couldn't say no, I didn't really want to leave yet regardless of how tired I was. The fair was closing soon anyway so we didn't have much choice but to leave, but they let us on the ferris wheel anyway, we were the last ones on. The breeze was warm and it lifted my messy hair as it tickled my forehead. I rested my head back but quickly lifted it again as Mabel nudged me in the shoulder and I noticed she had her selfie stick out again and I was able to muster a smile for the photo with everyone. Mabel took another one that was just me and her. Second only to the first ride photo, this was my favorite. She had been taking pictures all night and I had asked her to send me basically all of them, which she did immediately.

     I take another big swallow of what's left of my beer, feeling nice and light as I look over the edge and look at the fair and town below, it was fully lit up with multiple colored lights, the music blasted still even though they were closing, but honestly it was beautiful up here. I study each light and game stall, every person that was procrastinating leaving, just like us, every sound I memorized and committed to memory with a tired smile. Today was a really good day and I was sad that it was ending. I had heard a whisper on the breeze that sent a chill down my spine for some reason, it was garbled and didn't sound like actual words but for some reason it made my skin prick at the noise, but it was nothing so I ignored it. 

     Eventually we all went home and as I headed up the stairs to the mystery shack and said good night to Mabel, I suddenly wasn't near as tired as I was 30 minutes ago. I was tired still, but not nearly enough to fall asleep. I decide maybe I'll just read for a while. I take a quick shower and throw my jeans back on, but leave my feet and chest bare as I stalk down to the kitchen and grab just one more beer and sit on the front porch while I drink. I can still faintly see the last of the lights at the fair and I lean against one of the posts on the porch as I pull out my phone and scroll through the text messages full of photos that Mabel had taken that night. I smile as I take a swig of my drink and save each one of them. I make a mental note to get them printed out so I can have physical copies. 

     Almost too quickly I finish my beer and sigh as I head back in. My hair had almost dried completely but it was still damp. I closed my bedroom door and walk over to my bookcase looking for a good book to read for a while. Eventually I end up picking a murder mystery book and I start walking over to my bed, already reading the first page. But blue flames erupt in the corner of my room and I shriek, jumping back gripping the book tight by the spine and I stare at the flames as they dwindle. Bill stands where the flames had been and he grins at me, sporting those damn dimples. I stare, locked in a startled fighting stance. He walks towards me slowly and grips my chin. A cold shiver runs down my spine. "It's time, Pine Tree" He coos, his eyes glinting as he leans down till our noses touch and his other hand raises, I flinch, ready to be hit or something. Instead I hear his fingers snap loudly and everything flashes black as my feet leave the floor.