Mystery Motel

Mabel stared at her hand. "Snow? How could that be?"

"I think it's a bend in space-time, a portal to a parallel world," said Dipper.

"A portal in the Mystery Shack? Who knew?" said Mabel. "And it leads our own private winter wonderland. We should totally go there and play in the snow, and beat the heat."

She started to follow the line into the gap, but Dipper held her back.

"Hold it, sis," he said. "I want to explore too, but we have to be equipped," said Dipper.

He went into their bedroom and grabbed several sheets of paper, "Let me make a list. Winter coats, snowshoes, boots..."

"Where are we going to get stuff like that in the summer?" asked Mabel.

"There's all kinds of things in the closets up here," said Dipper. "Whatever we can't dig up we can buy at a thrift shop. Off-season clothes will be cheap."

"Now you're thinking like Grunkle Stan," said Mabel.

Soon they had a pile of equipment ready.

"Pink snowsuit for you: check," said Dipper, consulting his list. "Gray snowsuit for me: check. Snowshoes: check. Flashlights, check. Duct tape: check. PVC pipe: check."

"PVC pipe?" asked Mabel.

"You can make almost anything from duct tape and PVC pipe. It pays to be prepared."

"Crazy prepared," said Mabel. "That's you."

Dipper packed the equipment into a large backpack, and both put on their winter gear.

"Ready, Mabes?" he asked.

"I'm always ready, Dipstick," she said.

Holding tight to the line that stretched across the attic, they moved into the gap.

There was a moment of disorientation, and then they passed into a dark, snowy forest. An icy wind whipped snow into their faces. They put their hands up to shield their eyes.

"Dipper, I don't think we're in Oregon anymore. This place is c-cold," said Mabel.

"Too cold," said Dipper. "Let's go back for now. Do you still have a grip on the line?"

"No, I thought you did," said Mabel.

They felt around in the dark for the ends of the line and found nothing.

"Oh oh," said Mabel.

"No! We can't be stuck here," said Dipper.

"What are we going to do?" asked Mabel.

"I see a faint light over there" said Dipper. "There must be civilization here. But what kind?"

"We've got to go for it," said Mabel. "We'll freeze if we stay out here all night."

"I'll keep close watch on our direction," said Dipper. "We'll come back here and find the line when there's more light."

Trudging through the snow, they soon found a road, and a dilapidated wooden two-story building with a sign reading simply "Motel" and below it "Vacancy."

"We're saved!" said Mabel. She ran to the door and knocked.

"Help! We're lost in the snow. May we stay here tonight?" Dipper called out.

The door opened and a figure appeared. It was hard to see his face because of the light behind him. He was wearing a black coat and a top hat.

"Aha, late-arriving guests for the motel," said the figure, in an upper-class British accent. "Come in, come in. Business is always welcome... even... pink monsters?"

The voice faltered as the motel owner got a look at their faces.

They looked back at him in dismay. His face was that of a lizard, with one glass left eye. It started to glow red, like a weapon preparing to fire.

"Please, Mr. Space Lizard, we're harmless," said Mabel. "We just need a place to stay for the night and we'll be on our way."

"We're visitors from... from a long way away from here," said Dipper.

The lizard man stared at them a few seconds longer, then nodded. "Very well. I would be lacking in hospitality to laser-blast paying guests, especially on Summermas Eve. I'm the owner of this fine establishment, Stanislavski Skink."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Skink," said Dipper. "I'm Dipper and this is Mabel. About paying..."

"It's only a shilling for the night," said Skink. "I'll collect from you tomorrow at check-out."

"That doesn't sound like much," said Mabel. "I'm sure we can work something out."

"I'm quite sure we can," said Skink. "Now please some in. My assistant will see to your luggage."

"We just have the backpack," said Dipper. "We don't need..."

Skink ignored this and rang a bell. He shouted "Bruce! Come here at once."

The person who answered the call was oddly familiar, a heavy man with the face of a bulldog. He wore a bowler hat and had a monocle in one eye.

'Allo, 'allo, 'allo," said the man, with a Cockney accent. He gave a start when he saw the twins. "Stan, do you want me to give 'em a stick in the puddin'? I got me stick around 'ere somewheres."

"The British Dog Man!" said Mabel and Dipper together.

"I beg your pardon. The name's Bruce, not Dog Man. I don't like bein' called names, not by little monsters that look like mini versions of a fat fellow I see in me nightmares."

"Bruce, these two are guests," said Skink. "You must treat them properly."

"Sorry, Bruce," said Dipper. "I'm Dipper and this is my sister Mabel. To us you look like someone a friend of ours sees in his nightmares."

"'E sees me and I see 'im?" asked Bruce. "Small world, eh?"

"Small worlds, Bruce," said Mabel.

"Your room is down this 'all," said Bruce. "Follow me."

"Goodnight, guest creatures," said Skink.

"Goodnight, Mr. Skink," the twins said.

They were halfway down a dark corridor, when suddenly Mabel said, "Ooh! I hear dogs!" and set off at a run down a side passage.

"Mabel, come back!" said Dipper, following her.

They came to a room with several dogs lying comfortably on mats. The dogs leaped up and barked happily when they saw Mabel, wagging their tails.

"Ooh, nice doggies," said Mabel. "I want to pet them."

The dogs surrounded her and she stroked them happily.

Bruce came into the room behind them. "These are the only other guests in the motel tonight, the Ice Dogs."

What are their names?" asked Mabel.

"Nanobot, Devil, Donald, Shoveler, Truck, Scratch, Yoda, and the Baroness," said Bruce. "They're resting up 'ere tonight for the big Summermas Dogsled Race tomorrow."

All were huskies except for the Baroness, who was a brown and white spaniel.

"The Summermas Race?" asked Dipper.

"You 'aven't 'eard of it? It's the biggest thing around, 'eld every year at the summer solstice."

"It's summer here?" Mabel asked. "But it's so cold."

"Summer's always the coldest season of the year, ain't it?" asked Bruce.

"I guess their Earth tilts the opposite way ours does," said Dipper.

"So what happens in the race?" Mabel asked. "Is there a prize?"

"A big one, ten thousand pounds," said Bruce. "The dog have to win to pay back what they owe Stan. Otherwise they'll belong to 'im until they work it off. Debtor's prison, you know."

"You have debtor's prisons here?" asked Dipper.

Bruce said, "It's the law."

"Well, I bet they win," said Mabel.

"Don't be too sure," said Bruce. "Stan's got 'is own team in the race. E's so fast they call 'im the Thunder Lizard."

After Bruce left them in a drab motel room with peeling paint, Mabel turned to Dipper.

"We could do something to help the Ice Dogs win," said Mabel. "We ought to, Dipper."

"It's not our world," said Dipper. "I don't think we should get involved. We have problems of our own."

"I know we have to get back, but still..." said Mabel.

"Listen, Mabel," said Dipper. "I don't know if we can trust Mr. Skink and Bruce. Don't the two of them remind you of Grunkle Stan and Soos?"

"Yes, and that's good. We trust Grunkle Stan and Soos," said Mabel.

"Only because we're Grunkle Stan's relatives," said Dipper. "How does he treat strangers?"

"He cons them," said Mabel.

"And to Mr. Skink, what are we?" asked Dipper.

"Strangers," said Mabel.

"We need to try to find out more," said Dipper.

They sneaked back up the corridor to the motel lobby and listened in on a conversation between Skink and Bruce.

"Bruce, my fortune's made," said Skink. "I don't think those pink creatures have any money. Tomorrow at check-out time they'll owe me a shilling they can't pay, and they'll be mine."

"What will you do with 'em, Stan?"

"I'll put them on display in a cage, as oddities. I'll make this place the Mystery Motel, world famous for its strange and curious attractions."

"Umm, that's just one strange and curious attraction," said Bruce.

"We'll fake up many more," said Skink. "And on the side we'll have a flea circus. Those Ice Dogs will help me raise the fleas. The creatures can, too."

"You're sure you're going to win tomorrow, Sir?" asked Bruce.

"I've made certain of it. The dogs don't know it yet, but I've bribed their driver to quit. They'll forfeit the race."

Dipper and Mabel sneaked back to their room.

"We have to help the Ice Dogs to help ourselves," said Dipper. "Don't worry, I have a plan."