Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

Ghost-Phobia

They only stepped searching when dusk had fallen over town, and they could barely see two feet in front of them. Wirt had given up fifteen minutes into the search, but he hadn't said anything as he followed Norman around, who, for the record, also looked liked he'd given up. They'd spent most of the day wandering around, and when the other groups came near them, they tried to look busy.

They met up again at the town hall, and without the sun lighting up every shadow, their bravo was significantly dampened. Each face that filled the main room in the town hall were filled with nervous anxiety. For a minute, no one actually spoke, instead staring down at the table, and listening to the sounds outside. Mira had been kind of right before, there did seem to be a storm rolling in.

"...We can't find it if it doesn't want to be found," Mira eventually spoke up. "If it doesn't want us to know where it is, it won't make itself known."

"I didn't feel any cold spots," Kai spoke up.

"And it didn't levitate anything..." Dipper said thoughtfully. "But why did it show itself earlier?"

"To scare us?" Tulip offered.

"He wasn't that scary..." Norman muttered.

"Well, I don't think we can do anything at night, anyway," Mira sighed. "If we can't see anything in the daytime, I don't think we'll find anything when it's pitch black. I think we should save this until morning."

"But wouldn't be asleep with a ghost running around?" Mabel pointed out.

"That doesn't sound like a good idea...." Kai said nervously.

"It'll be fine," Dipper said. "Before we go to bed, let's each put a ring of salt around our beds, so we'll be safe. Remember, don't leave any hole in it, or the ghost can get you, alright?"

"...I don't know... but it's as Mira said, right?" Tulip said. "There seems to be nothing we can do if the ghost doesn't want us to find it. But maybe instead of us all going to sleep, we have a stakeout?"

Wirt could practically hear everyone holding back their groan.

"I... guess thar's a good idea," Mira forced out, but she didn't sound like she agreed. "Who wants to stay up first? I don't."

"I definitely don't," Kai added quickly.

"I guess I should go first, since I offered it," Tulip offered unhappily. "Does anyone want to stay with me?"

The room stayed quiet at that suggestion.

Suddenly, Mira groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I guess I will, since you shouldn't stay up alone..."

Tulip had the sense to look guilty, but she couldn't stop a tiny smile from slipping through. "Thanks, Mira!"

"Uh huh." Mira looked up from her hands. "We'll split the night hours up for our three groups. Twelve divided by three is four, so four hours... each."

"Huh?!" Kai cried. "So I'm staying up, too?!"

For her part, Mira looked like she was suddenly regretting her decision. "Yes. Who wants to get up next?"

Wirt and Dipper exchanged a glance.

"Rock-paper-scissors!" Mabel shouted, and she stuck her hand out at Norman.

After a quick game of rock-paper-scissors (that Mabel won. Yes, a real shocker), Wirt, Norman and the Pines twins went back to their houses, leaving behind a very disgruntled trio moving around salt. Wirt didn't envy them.

"You look distracted, Norman," Dipper suddenly pointed out.

"Are you sad that you couldn't hang out with your ghost friend?" Mabel asked, and Norman gave her a wild look.