Chapter Nine

It was a prison almost like Mel's. Mabel guessed this house was pretty old to have a prison. Maybe it was a basement. But nothing could hide the fact this room was used for torture. Mabel remembered a documentary she was shown in class when she was about thirteen about torture chambers like this room. She recognized the strappado, which was a rope and pulley system. With the pulley attached to ceiling, the lifting rope was tied to the wrist of the victim, whose hands were tied behind their back. The victim was raised to the ceiling and then lowered using a jerking motion causing dislocation of the shoulder joints. She noticed a head crusher in the corner (you could imagine what that would do), the Cat's Paw on the side wall (the Cat's Paw was used to rip and tear flesh away from the bone), Juda's Chair (it was shaped like a triangle; victims were dropped from up high down onto it), and countless others that brought shivers onto Mabel's spine. Would Sorcha inflict these gruesome levels of torture on her?

Right now, she was dangling from her arms in rusted chains. She tried to remember if she'd gotten her tetanus shot recently. Her arms were unbearably sore, and she was feeling rather distraught over seeing her brother. She'd thought he was dead until a few days ago. And now she was the one to be dead.

Dipper was very confused. There was Sorcha, walking right past him, not even acknowledging him. And she was headed for the trap door beneath the rug he'd discovered a few days ago. He knew something was up. Slowly, he followed her.

Sorcha entered loudly by clambering down a rope hanging from the trap door on the ceiling. When she reached the bottom, she turned and stared at Mabel.

"You look a lot worse than when I last left you," she said, not seeming to care. Mabel rolled her eyes.

"Whare you going to do with me?" she asked.

"I've come to answer all of your questions," Sorcha answered, and leaned against the Juda's Chair.

"I don't have any questions!" Mabel snapped, but she did. For starters, how did she not die from the fatalis flower's poisoning, when everyone else did?

"How did you not die from the fatalis' poisoning?" Sorcha asked. "That's an easy one."

"How did you-"

"How did I read you mind? I can read everyone's minds. I'm really very good at it," Sorcha said.

"Just get on with it."

"Anyway, Mabel, you were destined to live… for me. Many years ago I found you in the seeing stone. I was always watching you, even when you moved from our neighborhood, visited Gravity Falls… I knew, after looking in that seeing stone, you were the one to help me. I had to make sure you lived. It was only when you had that dream two years ago I started appearing to you. As I told you, we were always connected. Always one. And, I know you're wondering the biggest question of all- how and when will you destroy the fatalis flower. Well, Mabel, the time is now. And how will you destroy it? By letting those thorns enter your body for good. That's right. You're going to die now. Tom Jhonston had the right idea on telling us three about the flower. But- poor man. He told us that we had to destroy it to receive its power. But he never told us how. He almost gave the power to your brother. Almost. But I knew it was you who had to die in the end. I was the one who sent Mori in at that exact time to save him. And, my dear, get this. I was the one who sparked the idea in young Melodie Jhonston to come and visit the Mystery Shack. Without me, this mess would've never happened. That's right. I destroyed your life, Mabel. And now, I'm going to end it," Sorcha explained, then drew forth a bowl. Inside was the fatalis flower.

Now Dipper was even more confused. He sat above the trap door, watching everything. Who was this girl Sorcha was threatening, and what did it have to do with him? Suddenly, she brought forth a bowl with some flower in it. Dipper squinted, and leaned in closer to get a better look. Then it hit him with a jolt like lightning. The fatalis flower. In the back of his mind, he heard shrill screams, and in a split second, his mind created a vivid memory that was so strong he had to squeeze his eyes shut.

Tom came back with the electric knife.

"Ready?" he asked.

"No! Stop! Let us go!" Dipper shouted. Tom and Mel ignored him.

"Put Mabel in the other chair." Tom said calmly. Mel thrusted Mabel into another chair on the other side of the room. The bars strapped Mabel down crudely and left angry red bruises that would last forever. Tom drew the knife to Dipper and Mabel burst into tears. She watched, though, to keep him strong. It was a hopeless, gruesome day, and Dipper was bloodstained and tearstained and was nearly knocked unconscious himself. I'll die anyway, even if he doesn't stick me with the thorns. Too much blood will be gone, he thought.

Dipper's eyes flew open. Rage burned inside of him like fire. This was the last time anyone would try to hurt his sister. Then, the fury and hatred for this evil exploded like a dam, and he charged through the trap door, ready to kill.

Mabel stared at the boy who had just jumped from the trap door. When he came into the light, she gasped. Dipper. He had come to rescue her.

"SORCHA!" he screamed. "GET AWAY FROM HER, AND LET ME KILL YOU!" Sorcha stared at him in surprise. How had this happened?! She watched, dumbfounded, as he ripped the fatalis flower from her bowl, and smashed it.

"Dipper!" Mabel cried, unable to control herself. "Help!" Dipper ripped the bar off the Cat's Paw and slashed her chains off quickly. She jumped up after she crumpled to the ground, then stood beside Dipper.

Only then did Sorcha seem to process what had happened. She let out a shriek of rage. Her flower was crushed. She'd have to get a new one. She waved her hand, and another appeared.

"You WILL die today, Mabel!" she screeched, and lunged for the girl. Mabel hadn't expected this sudden attack. Sorcha had her down in a second, the flower and a knife in her hand. Quickly, she plunged the knife into her skin, and Mabel screamed in pain.

"Here you go, sweetie. Six inches long. And, what was it?" Sorcha said softly, trembling with rage. "Four. Inches. Deep!" She turned to stare at Dipper. How would he react. He seemed to be listening to something. But what? She looked down. Mabel was muttering something softly. She could barely hear it.

"Please protect me."

What was this nonsense?! She whipped around to Dipper, who mouthed back confidently,

"On my life."

An inhumanlike scream erupted from Dipper's throat. He charged at Sorcha, landing squarely on her back as he began to claw her with his fingernails. She let out a short wail, but retaliated with a harsh cuff on the neck. Dipper didn't fall off though, and continued to punch Sorcha everywhere he could. Mabel finally got over the shock of Sorcha's attack, and stood up weakly to help Dipper fight. But he held out his hand. This battle was all his.

"Dipper!" Sorcha panted. "You- you don't have to do this!"

"Yes, I do," Dipper answered furiously. "I'm going to put a stop to you and your wicked ways if it's the last thing I do!"

"It will be," Sorcha said through clenched teeth, then let out a squeal as Dipper clubbed her with the bar from the Cat's Paw. The two rolled around on the floor violently, hitting and punching and smacking. Dipper was winning, thought. He could see it. Sorcha looked awful, bloodstained, bruised, and getting weak. She wasn't giving up, though. Dipper almost admired her determination.

Then, Sorcha's foot slipped. She crashed into the strappado's pulley, the ropes and crushed bars trapping her. She struggled, but knew there was no use. Dipper ripped the knife out knife out of her hands, and raised it above his head. This was it. He was finally going to end this. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned took the knife from him, and Dipper understood. This wasn't his battle. It was Mabel's. She prepared to take the final blow that would take Sorcha's life.

Then, she faltered. Was that fear in Sorcha's eyes? Was it regret? Mabel was about to murder her childhood friend. But she deserved it. Then, she took the knife up again, and stabbed Sorcha Miller in the heart.

For a moment, all was quiet. Then, Sorcha let out a strangled cry.

"I'm sorry," Mabel whispered, laying the knife in the dying girl's hands.

"I'll never forgive you, Mabel. Never. Just wait. I'll be back!" And with that, she took a ragged breath, and died.

Mabel slumped to the ground, weak with fatigue. It was over. She felt Dipper help her up. After a while, the twins stared at each other in disbelief. Then, Mabel let out a cry of joy and engulfed her brother up in the biggest and tightest hug she'd ever given. He did the same, and Mabel was absolutely shocked, when, for the first time in two long years, tears began to well up in her eyes. As they fell, she sobbed harder than she'd ever done.

Her twin brother, who was dead, was alive. Sorcha-Leigh Miller was gone. Her troubles and grieving were over. Joy surged in her chest, and she wiped the tears from her eyes as she let go of the hug and grinned at her brother.

"Now, ready to have a good old leisurely summer?" she asked mischievously.

The End.

A/N I hope to write more for you all. Remember, good ALWAYS wins against evil in the end; never forget that. Ciao for now and lots of xoxoxo's,

-Beatrice Gold