The Quiet Kid

26. Forgotten

Bill was stunned.

Did Dipper just...talk?

But before he could question it, Dipper untangled himself from Bill and turned to Ford.

I'm ready.

Ford shook himself from the shock of Dipper speaking, and types Bill Cipher into the memory gun.

He locked eyes with Ford and nodded.

Ford slowly raised the memory gun and pointed it at Dipper. Dipper closed his eyes and Ford pulled the trigger.

Dipper could almost see the memories slipping from his mind. Scenes of his memories flash in his mind. The first day he met Bill, Bill buying Dipper coffee, Their first kiss, Bill emerging from the outside to save him from his father, their first date, and now their latest interaction. All those memories faded away.

Dipper was left in darkness.

He felt empty.

Who was he really? Without him by his side.

His happiness, his love, slipping away from his grasp.

He tried to grab hold of it, of him...

What was his name again....

But he was too far to reach.

And eventually...he wasn't there at all.

There was nothing for a moment.

Then all of his grief,

All of his sadness,

All of his loneliness came crashing down upon him.

Dipper felt his knees lock, and he sunk to the ground.

He heard voices, but he saw nothing but darkness.

What happened?

Why can't I see?

Where am I?

He did his best to recall what had happened.

But nothing was coming back to him.

Why can't I remember anything?

He felt something hot running down his face.

Tears? Am I...

crying?

Why am I crying? What happened?

Everything was still dark.

He couldn't see.

Why did Ford put me through this?

A small shimmer of light.

Ford...he hit me with the memory gun...

We were testing it out for Mabel...

He told me to pick a strong memory...

What did I pick?

Why do I feel like this?

Dipper opened his eyes and saw two faces staring down at him on the ground.

"Dipper, are you ok?" One asked, Ford, who helped him sit up.

Dipper opened his mouth and he managed a low, pained, "ye...es."

He had trouble speaking. His throat hurt slightly and he felt as if he hadn't had anything to drink in a long time.