You know the story of how two brothers venture too far into the unknown, with only one coming back alive?
Oh?
Is that not how you remember it?
(Gravity Falls Reader Insert)
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THE WIND WHIPPED through the thinning trees, sending a cascade of golden leaves swirling around my ankles. I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets, the worn fabric doing little to ward off the encroaching chill. It seeped in, mimicking the emptiness that echoed in my chest, a gnawing uncertainty that had become my constant companion. Months. It felt like an eternity since the police had found me, alone and bewildered, on the edge of the woods. Months, almost a year since Wirt... wasn't. Just... gone. The silence of the unknown stretched out before me, vast and terrifying, mirroring the hollowness that had taken root inside me.
My gaze snagged on the imposing figure of the garden wall. Towering pebble rock and green vines, it was a constant reminder of everything I'd lost. A twig snapped behind me, shattering the fragile bubble of despair I'd constructed. I spun around, a metallic tang of blood welling up in my nose from shoving the prickling tears back into my eyes with the heel of my hand. It was Sara, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders, her brow furrowed with concern."
"(____)? Daydreaming again?" Her voice, laced with its usual kindness, was a balm to the raw ache in my chest. I forced a smile, brittle and unconvincing. "Hey, Sara. Jason keeping you company today?"
Jason Funderberker, the bane of Wirt's existence (and unfortunately the namesake of Greg's cherished frog), trailed a few paces behind Sara, kicking at a pebble with a bored expression. "Just tagging along," he mumbled, not bothering to look up.
"Right," I said, my smile turning thin. Sara, bless her heart, always tried to include me in their outings, but the world felt muted without Wirt's constant, low-key worries grounding me. We continued walking in an uncomfortable silence, the only sound our footsteps crunching on the frosted leaves scattered across the path.
My gaze kept flickering back to the wall, a morbid curiosity gnawing at me. What became of Wirt on the other side? The urge to know, to see for myself, bloomed in my chest, choking off the familiar ache. It was a reckless, selfish urge, fueled by a desperate hope that defied all logic.
The silence stretched on, heavy and suffocating. Even Sara's cheerful chatter, usually a constant source of comfort, seemed to falter under the weight of the looming wall and the unspoken grief that hung between us.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I blurted out, "Why are we even out here?"
Sara blinked, surprise flickering across her freckled face. "Well, (___)," she began hesitantly, "we were just taking our usual walk."
"Usual walk?" I scoffed. The bitterness in my voice tasted like ashes. "This isn't usual. Nothing is usual anymore." I gestured towards the wall with a clenched fist. "Not since..." My voice trailed off, the familiar lump forming in my throat.
Sara's smile faltered completely, replaced by a look of deep sadness. "(___)," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion, "We all miss Wirt. But..."
