A Guide to Conspiracy Falls

Snapshots: Dead Ringers

An update of the Conspiracy Falls guidebook? In 2020? It's more likely than you think.

I've been thinking a lot about my Conspiracy Falls kids over these last few weeks (hope everyone's staying safe and healthy!), and I've had the mental image of this opening scene stuck in my head, so I decided to write it out.

This takes place during the episode "Dead Ringers", if you wish to swing over to that episode chapter to refresh before reading this. There are also references to the events of the previous episode, "Gideon Descends", if you wish to refresh yourself on that one as well. I'll probably write one or two more follow-ups to this scene because "Dead Ringers" is one of my favorite Conspiracy Falls storylines to think about, if not my absolute favorite, but don't hold me to that. Hope you enjoy!

~~~

"Got any sixes?" Gideon asked.

Pacifica shook her head. "Go fish."

Gideon drew a card from the crooked stack that sat between the two of them in the middle of the bathtub.

Make no mistake, Pacifica had not planned on spending this night sitting in her bathtub with Gideon Corduroy as they played their fourteenth round of go-fish. She was supposed to be downstairs at the official bed-and-breakfast reopening party that her family was hosting and hanging out with her best friends (and of course, with Gideon Corduroy, who had majorly damaged said bed-and-breakfast back when he had been corrupted by an literal, actual demon, but bygones were bygones and Gideon had already apologized exactly 203 times over the course of the summer).

But then he-who-must-not-be-named showed up with that stupid, snotty look on his face that clearly meant that he had no intention of apologizing, and Pacifica found herself offering to keep Gideon company after he meekly asked if there was anywhere he could go to avoid he-who-must-not-be-named.

Not that Pacifica was avoiding him, of course. She just didn't feel like gracing the biggest jerk this side of the hemisphere with her presence, that's all.

"Got any ones?" Pacifica asked after checking back over her cards.

Gideon sighed, passing over two of his cards, just as there was a rhythmic knock at the door.

"Not it!" Pacifica cried, but Gideon already had a finger on his nose and a small smile on his face. She stuck her tongue at him before setting down her cards and climbing out of the bathtub, almost knocking over her bottom of lilac-scented shampoo, to go unlock the door for Candy or Grenda or whichever member of the newspaper crew it was.

"Is he gone yet?" Pacifica asked as she slowly opened the door.

"Nope," Priscilla Pines said, hands on her hips. Grenda stood at her side, a paper plate full of chocolate-covered strawberries and brownies in her hands. "But you're still marching yourself downstairs for the rest of this party."

Pacifica's eyes darted to Grenda. "Traitor!" she hissed.

"I'm sorry, but she figured it out after she saw me sneaking up food for you guys for the fourth time!" Grenda said. "Here you go, by the way."

Pacifica grumbled her thanks and accepted the plate as her mother pushed open the door and marched into the bathroom. Gideon sat up to attention upon her entrance, straightening his bow tie.

"Hello, Mrs. Pines," Gideon waved awkwardly with his cardless hand. "Your strawberry cake tastes delicious."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Priscilla replied. "Remind me to get you the recipe later. This conversation doesn't apply to you, by the way."