XVIII

                                    

                                          
AN: Full credit to the artist~~
                          
     Mabel had dropped off Candy and Grenda and we were back at the shack now standing in the middle of my wreck of a room. Mabel gapes at the symbols and drawings on the walls, the paper, books, ink and candle wax littering every surface, things pinned to the walls  with string leading in crazy directions. I had explained on the way back, after Candy and Grenda were taken home, that there was a demon who had been invading my mind for the past few weeks and had basically been setting my mind to ruins. I told her I needed help summoning him, I needed answers, I needed to get rid of him and she agreed to help. I showed her the book and the necklace, explained my progress and what all I knew. Not even an hour later Mabel had figured something out, something about hair? She refused to tell me as she worried that if I knew about it so would he since he's in my mind most of the time and she said she wanted to get the drop on him. I was tremendously curious and wanted to know, but she had a point so I squashed my curiosity.
                          
     Days later Mabel had figured out the last piece of the incantation and I couldn't even begin to thank her enough, I was finally going to get to the bottom of this. But she made me leave, she told me to go out and hang out with Wendy for a few hours or something so she could set up the summoning circle and something else. I tried to refuse, begging her to let me help but she refused. Told me I needed something good to happen today before we dove into this.
                          
     "You know I have to do this part by myself right? I don't want you anywhere near him, but most of all I don't want him anywhere near you" I had said, proud of the authority in my voice. "What? No! We're the mystery twins remember? We do everything together, always!" She shouted, throwing her hands in the air, "Not this time Mabel, please" I said back calmly. She argued with me about it for a while but thankfully she gave in and agreed that she wouldn't interfere as long as I went out for a bit while she set everything up. I eventually caved as well and we both agreed. I go out with Wendy for a bit, Mabel stays out of the summoning.
                          
     I had called Wendy and asked her to hang out for a bit, told her I needed a distraction and some cheering up, of course she jumped on board immediately even though it was getting dark out. We gathered some food into a cooler with some drinks and piled into her truck, she drove us to the lake and we built a fire. The threw me a metal poker to put some hot dogs on. Wendy cracked open two bottles of beer and handed one to me as I finished roasting the hot dogs and placed them in buns, handing one to her. We sat and ate and laughed for a bit, drinking beer after beer. I was working on my fourth, Wendy just finished her fourth one and grabbed for the next one. I miss hanging out with her like this. "So how have you been man?" She asks, the firelight playing across her freckles. "I've been better, but I'm working on it" I say, looking back into the flames avoiding eye contact. She punches me in the shoulder, "You know I'm always here for you if you need anything, seriously it doesn't matter what it is!" She laughs a little and I smile at the fire. I remember why I used to like her. She was literally the coolest person I have ever known and she always has room in her life for friends. I almost wish I had never gotten over my crush, but that was years ago.  When she had started to see girls I knew my crush was going nowhere, so it was time to grow up and honestly, we've become even closer for it so i wouldn't take it back for anything.
                          
     "So what's been going on? You look better, got some meat on your bones again, you were looking like a zombie for a while" She says, making a zombie face and groaning, holding out her arms towards me. I couldn't help but laugh and she joins in. I decide to tell her whats been going on, not in full detail, but the basics. Some jackass demon's been haunting me and tormenting me in my dreams and even in the real world on occasion. She sat silently through the whole story, listening intently. When I had finished giving her the run down she just blinks at me and takes a heavy gulp from her beer without breaking eye contact. "Holy fuck dude" Her voice is tinted with anger. 
                          
     "Mabel's been helping me, we just figured out the last pieces and we're going to summon him tomorrow night. Mabel's making preparations right now, she practically kicked me out" I laugh a little at the end. "Dude, why?" She gapes. I just look at her and take in the confusion on her face. "I need answers, I need to understand why he's doing this, maybe there's a reason" I say calmly. "Why would you want to summon this asshole into your room? Into your home? This is a bad idea Dipper, I don't like it" She says, taking another chug of her beer, growling a little when she empties it, and opens another. "What if I find a way to get rid of him Wendy?" I state. She pauses for a moment, considering my response. "Fine, but I'm helping" She says, its not a request. "I already told Mabel, I have to summon him on my own Wendy, I don't want him anywhere near the people I love" I say, looking her in the eye, my look is hard and final. She returns the hard look and says "Well i highly doubt Mabel is just standing by either, I'll stay downstairs with her, ready to come up if things go sour" She says, cracking her knuckles and I feel my resolve wither as I shake my head smiling. 
                          
     "Fine... But don't come into the room unless I call for you! I couldn't forgive myself if anything happened to either of you" I say, letting her know I mean it. She nods in agreement and we clink our bottles together. "Promise?" I ask, giving her a hard look. "I'll admit I'm not happy about it, but it's better than nothing so yeah. I promise" She says and i feel immense relief. I place some marshmallows on the pokers and make some s'mores for us as we easy into lighter conversation again and I allow Wendy to lift my spirits for the night. I can honestly say I'm very grateful to Mabel for making me go out and gather happy moments before I face Bill. I feel like I have a strength in me that wasn't there before and I know I have their support through thick and thin.