Chapter Text
Dipper Pines was looking at a photo of his family while hiding in a corner - the family he created in Gravity Falls last summer - which included him, his twin, Mabel, and his great uncles, Stan and Ford. The young boy had to look away from the photo, his throat closing at the sight of the face of the person he admired the most. I was so wrong about him. I shouldn't have trusted him.
His hands were shaking, crumpling the paper, as he tried to calm his pounding heart. How could everything end up so badly? He thought desperately. They bonded over their interests, their love of the mystery. He admired the man's intelligence, his strength and abilities. He was his role model. Sure, he loves Grunkle Stan, but Ford was all he ever wanted to be. Not anymore, came the sad thought. He wasn't ready to see the other side of his Great Uncle. He wasn't ready to face reality. He never had any choice on the matter.
Taking a deep breath, Dipper took out a pair of scissors from his pocket - left there by Mabel. He was going to have to thank her when this was over. Another deep breath, and the boy began to cut the photo. Snipping, slashing, he ripped Ford's face apart from the family photo. The pain inside him burnt his hatred as he saved the rest of the photo back inside his pocket. Now all he needed was a pen or a marker, and next the candles.
Carefully, Dipper moved in a crouched position trying to avoid the creaking wood beneath his feet and hands. He looked around the room he was in, searching for Ford. He wasn't there. Swallowing his nervousness, the young Pines continued walking. He couldn't be found. If only Stan and Mabel were there... If only they would come back soon. The boy had to shake those thoughts out of his head as he had a mission to accomplish, and for that he needed to focus on the present. Thankfully, it didn't take him long to find a marker on the table, - left by Mabel, again. What would he do if he didn't have her?
Taking the cap out with his teeth, Dipper went down to the ground and began to cross out Ford's eyes. No more looking at him.
Grunting, he struggled to get up from the ground. When he finally stood up, he began running with a limp in the direction of the wax figure storage room. As time went on, Dipper was finding that getting eight candles was harder than he previously thought. However, he didn't have much choice, unless Mabel and Stan returned. The boy couldn't wait any longer. And really, that's the only place he could think of where he could find some candles. He only hoped there were enough. Unfortunately, he heard not far from where he was standing a door opening, sending him into a panic as he dashed into the storage room and closed the door shut behind him. He was too loud.
"Please, please." He begged, desperate to find all the eight candles he needed. He found five when he caught footsteps coming his way. With his heart racing, Dipper dropped what he was carrying and jumped towards the door, putting a chair under the door handle, and buying himself a few more minutes. With some luck.
Gulping down his fear, he started to look around for the three remaining candles as he heard Ford's knocking and shouting. When he found them, - one of them in the fireplace from the last time it what used - he could finally take the next step. The last one.
"Please, work. You can't fail me now." He pleaded, his brown shining eyes staring down at his work. None of the candles were lit. It was rushed, far from perfect, but it would have to do. He didn't have much time. "Triangulum, entangulum. meteforis dominus ventium."
And he waited.
He waited another second, dread sinking to the pit of his stomach.
The door was knocked down in front of the boy, but his attention was focused almost obsessively on the circle with the image of Bill Cipher in the middle. "What did you do, boy?" His great uncle's voice echoed in the room.
Time was running out.
"No." He said in a hoarse whisper. You were supposed to help me, he wanted to scream. Doubling over in anguish, Dipper let out a terrified whimper as Ford's shadow fell over him. Help me. He mentally cried out for the demon. Save me!