Zombie Falls (A Gravity Falls Fan Fic)

Just a matter of time

I came back to my senses when I heard Mabel sobbing. "Mabel." I moaned.

She was having another one of her nightmares. I rubbed my tired, achy eyes and sat up in the bed. Her cries were loud and it was very rarely that I slept through them. I looked down at her and couldn't stop the sympathy from coming. I didn't want her to continue her nightmare any longer.

"Mabel." I said. "Wake up. It's just a bad dream." I shook her shoulder gently. In the darkness of the room, I felt her suddenly jerk her body upwards in the bed, until she was sitting up, like me. As she did, she let out a terrified gasp. She inhaled air in huge gulps, but it came out in short, breathy sobs. I hushed her and pulled her into a hug. I knew she needed it. "It's okay. You're safe. You're with me. It's just a bad dream." I kept reassuring her.

As always, I cradled my sister in my arms and brushed her tangled, knotty hair with my fingers. She cried on my lap until I knew she was beginning to calm down. Reaching for my bag, I reached for a water bottle. "Here." I said, handing it to her. She gladly took it and quaffed it down until it was halfway full. I couldn't help but chuckle as she tried to catch her breath, which she had wasted on drinking too quickly. She looked up at me as if I had surprised her, probably because I did. For the past couple of days, Mabel had been trying to make me laugh-or at least snicker. I guess she was surprised her lack of breath from gulping down water would break me. She laughed hard, despite the fact she had just been crying a couple of minutes ago.

"What?" I remarked, laughing along with her. I knew she was laughing because I was, too. Mabel let out a snort from her hard laughter, which only made me laugh more. My stomach began to hurt and I knew this was the best I've felt in a very, long time. The room filled with the noise of us, chuckling.

"Stop!" Mabel pleaded. "You're making me laugh more, ya' big dork!"

As our giggling died down, I felt sleep calling me. I was exhausted, thanks to Mabel. I guess she felt the same way, considering she had fallen asleep before me.

The next morning soon came, promising more frightening events. Mabel was not lying beside me on her side of the bed. Her bag was gone, too. She took everything, even the candles that we left on the side tables. "Mabel?" I asked to the empty room. I got up, feeling my stomach becoming uneasy. My heart was beating in my ears. If Mabel was in danger, it could be all my fault for not noticing her absence in the hotel room. I tried to stay positive and tell myself she was fine. She took her bag with her, which could be a good sign that she left voluntarily and not by force. Through every window, the sun made its appearance with bright rays of light. Finally able to take in the hotel's scenery, I found it to be quite messy. Windows were shattered, chairs and sofas were flipped or torn, and the ground was littered with papers and other debris.

During the outbreak, the FBI has been constantly on everyone's backs, searching for the infected. If they found anyone who had the symptoms of the infection, they shot them out of their own cold blood. Unfortunately for Mabel and I, they had come to our home too late. They came to our home to find us gone and two, murdered parents. I sighed, trying to get the thought of all the families being torn away from each other by a bunch of mindless, cold-hearted FBI swat teams out of my head. It's just not fair.

Why did all of this have to happen to me?

No. I shook my mind out of my daydream and began searching for my sister.

"Mabel?" I called out. In response, I got a giggly girl's voice. "Boo!" She screamed, leaping out from the corner and nearly knocking me to the ground. I let out a screech that made Mabel chuckle. "You sound like a little girl." She said.

"Do not." I proclaimed, straightening myself out, trying to act casual.

"Sure do."

"No. I don't."

"Whatever. But, hey! Look what I found!" She said, holding two separate objects in her hands - walkie-talkies.

"Woah! Where did you find these?" I asked her, taking one out of her hands to test it out. I held down the button and it gave static feedback.

"I found them behind the front counter. I'm guessing they used to belong to some security guards."

I decided to have some fun for once and took this opportunity to do so. "Dipping Sauce to Mabelton: do you copy?"

Mabel giggled and answered through her own walkie-talkie. "Mabelton to Dipping Sauce: I read you."

We both chuckled in unison. "You might want to save the battery." I said. "I don't think we will constantly need them, unless we separate. Got it?"

"You got it, Dip."

I went to reach for my bag and found it not there. "Awe, man." I said out loud. "I forgot my bag in the other room. I'll be right back. Stay close." I told my sister as I trudged back to the hotel room. Mabel wondered off, as I knew she would, being the curious girl she is. I tried to pack up and be quick so I could catch up to her. Leaving each other alone is probably one of my biggest fears in this apocalyptic earth. Without Mabel by my side, I feel unprotected - exposed. Without her, I feel scared. It's especially the most worst feeling when she somehow finds herself far from me. I fear for her safety like she is a puppy and I am her mom. She will walk away from me, without knowing it, and suddenly get a knife held to her throat. She will wonder around in a hotel lobby and suddenly get hurt.

That's the last thing I would ever want for her. She's my twin sister, afterall. Being the same age as her, having two hearts that beat as if they were one. She is the sun and I am her moon. Sure, I have my gloomy, dark moments, but, she will guide me with her light. It was and always has been that way. She has been that way ever since we were born, I guess.

"Hey! Mabel, wait up!" I called to her. I finished shoving my blanket into my bag and attempted to catch up with her. As I got into the hall, I began to wish I paid attention to which direction she had went. Swinging my bag over my shoulders, I went right, to the lobby. I suggested to stay on the fourth floor of the hotel to make sure no zombies could reach us the night before, to keep Mabel's anxiety down. Guessing she couldn't have gone far, I peeked around the corners of every room, hopefully searching for her. I continued to call her name loudly, until she answered back. When I began to worry, I shouted her name clearer and with more strength. My heart nearly burst out of my chest and I swear, I could feel sweat forming on my face. At one point, I even overheard something light fall from the staircase all the way on the other side of the hotel. The noise sounded as if someone had knocked over a bucket. I froze and listened for the sound again, to know if I had heard correctly.

Mabel's blood-chilling scream came from all the way on the other side of the building - to my left. Me, being the idiot I was, continued going in the wrong direction from where I thought she had gone - to the right. I kept mentally cursing to myself, knowing if Mabel really was going to be hurt by the time I got to her, it would be all my fault. I shouldn't have left her alone. It was a bad decision in the first place. I followed her voice to where she was. "Dipper! Dipper, help! Dipper!"

"Mabel! I'm coming!" The monstrous, evil growl of the beasts, themselves, were coming from the same direction. It was the infected. No doubt about it. Mabel was in danger and had no weapon to defend herself. I ran like hell to get to her, almost tripping over my own feet from the adrenaline rush I got. All I could think was if she was even still going to be breathing if I was able to reach her in time.