Chapter 12: The Night

After Wendy and Soos completed their shifts, Dipper went downstairs to eat, and managed to down half his plate. "This is why your so skinny! You don't eat enough. I swear, I can see your ribs through that shirt." Bill teased. Shut up, Bill. He thought, trying not to let the demon get on his nerves. But it was easier said than done. He emptied his plate in the trash. "No, seriously. You should eat more. It's really not that hard." Dippr ignored the voice, even though it was very annoying, and rinsed his plate. This was the rest of his life now, wasn't it? "Oh, it will be if you keep ignoring me, Pinetree!" Can't you give me a break? Go annoy someone else? "You know I can't, kid, I told you. Only you can hear me. And I'm not the only annoying one in this conversation you know!" "-pper? Dipper!" "W-what?" "I was asking if you decoded those clues and puzzles yet? They could help us, too." Ford said, raising an eyebrow. Stan and Mabel were gone. They were probably cleaning up the shack for tomorrow. "Uh, yeah, yes, I have. I have them right here." He dried his hands, and pulled out his notebook, then handed it to his uncle and sat beside him. Ford read every page, his expression unreadable, and mumbled to himself here and there. "This...." His uncle started, "This is outstanding! But how did you figure it all out?" Dipper couldn't tell him about Bill. Not yet. So, instead, he said, "I had a few books I used to translate. And I also have this!" He tapped his head, and Ford chuckled, ruffling his hair. "You are very intelligent, Dipper, I'll say that. I wouldn't even know how to go about translating and decoding all this." "Yeah, well, he got about half of them wrong, sixer. So, is he really intelligent, or stupid?" Bill said, trying to get Dipper to acknowledge him, but that wouldn't be happening anytime soon. Not if Dipper could help it. Which is why he said he was going to bed, but snuck out to the roof, and watched the night sky. "You can't keep staying up late, either. It won't help you." Dipper ignored the demon whispering in his ear, again, and drew his knees to his chest. Ignoring Bill wasn't too hard. He just needed to act like no one was there. But, when he looked up, he didn't see the night sky. Instead, he saw Bill, standing over him, scowling. "You won't be able to ignore me now! I'll follow you around all day, I'll annoy you to death, whatever it takes."