The Trotting Dead

By the time they got to the farm there was a full moon in the sky. Mabel and Dipper where still wedged in between Ty and Bill in the front seat of the truck, though to be honest they didn't mind, if anything being closer to eachother made them feel safer. At the moment however, Dipper -who was closest to Ty- was asleep on his sissters shoulder. Mabel glanced over at Bill. He must be a good guy, right? she thought. Why else would he take us with him? At first she and Dipper where just glad to have anyone there to help them, but after the relief of not being alone had warn off they had both been left with a choice. Go with a total stranger, or Wait alone for Mom and Dad. Mabel was worried, though she tried her best not to show it. Worrying is Dippers job. She thought jokingly to herself. She looked up at Bill once again, this time catching his gaze and gave a friendly smile. Bill saw this and smiled back. He glanced over at Dipper asleep on her shoulder, and marveled at the fact that she didn't seem to notice his presence on her shoulder. They where close. He had only known them for about 4 hours at most, and even he could tell. He doubted even those monsters could tear them apart, and he admired that. And he already liked Mabels optimism and contagious smile, Dipper seemed more calm than his sister though. Like he wanted them to be safe more than anything, but he also wanted her to be happy. Yes. Bill could already see that Dipper was very protective of Mabel, and why shouldn't he be? Bill continued on with these thought while looking out the window, discovering that they had arrived at the farm. They pulled up to a house and got out. Bill waited for the twins to get out before he walked off. First came Mabel, then Dipper close behind her, mane even scruffier than usual, most likely due to Mabel waking him up. Then Rory spoke up, "Hey Ty? im gonna run on home, my mamas gonna be worried somthin' fierce." "No sweat man, ill catch you tomorrow night." Ty replied. Rory then turned to Bill and the twins, "It was nice to meet yall'." Bill simply waved a goodbye. He looked over at Dipper and Mabel only to find them staying close, and Dipper was slightly more awake than before. Rory walked off and we turned around just in time to see an old man walking out of the door. "Thank celestia you're ok " said the old man walking up to Ty. "I was worried it'd be bad here too." Ty said, hugging the stallion. "Been quiet as usual these past couple days," he said. "I wouldn't made it back without Rory." said Ty. "Well im glad you took em with you then." the stallion said in his heavy southern accent. Bill gestured for the twins to follow him, and they walked up to the old stallion and Ty. "Well now, i see you've brought a couple guests." he said. "We just need a little....... help. we wont stay too long." Said Bill. "Good" said the stallion. " you're welcome to say here, but just for the night, i dont run a  bed n' breakfast." he said. "so.... its just you and you're kids then?" he asked. Why does everyone keep saying that? Bill thought. We dont even look alike! Then Ty cut in, "Oh, not his kids.... hes...... well... just some guy who found em alone." Ty explained. The old stallion crouched down to there level. "Young ins, do you know this stallion?" he said gesturing to Bill. "Yes." they said in unison. The stallion got up and said, "Well ok then," Then he noticed Bills leg wound and sagging wing. "Well looks like you got yourself a broken wing, and a right good scar if im not mistaken." Bill glanced down at his leg and sighed. "Yeah... its there not doing to well...." he said. "I can help you out, Ty run in and check on you're sister. You-" he said gesturing to Bill "Take a seat up on the porch and ill go see what i have that might help those wounds of yours." he finished and went inside the house to look for bandages and medication. Bill went onto the porch and sat on the small bench. While he waited Dipper and Mabel where whatching him fron the other end of the fence serounding the porch. They where close together, like they where cold and Bill couldn't stop himself from thinking about how adorable it was. The stallion returned quickly with medicine and bandiges. He glanced at Dipper and Mabel, then knelt down in front of Bill. "Now lets have a look.... Yeah this is swollen, a lot." Bill sighed. He expected as much. He glanced at the twins for a moment and finally decided on saying, "It could be worse." The stallions looked at him, " Thats what it sounds like. seems like things got awful bad in the cities." He went back to wrapping didn't leg. "What did you say you're name was?" "I didn't." Bill replied without thinking. "Well nows the time" Said the stallion.Bill held back a sigh. "Its Bill." he said simply. "Well Bill, just Bill i take it? Im Tim Greene." he said Tim continued wrapping Bills leg. Bill cringed. "How'd this happen?" Tim asked. Bill thought for a moment. They dont need to know where i was headed. He thought. "Jumping a fence." "Runnin' from somethin'?" Tim said. It sounded more like a statment than a question. "Just like everybody else." Bill said. "And what type a' danger have the young ins' seen?" He said glancing behind him at Dipper and Mabel. "They're safe now." Bill said. "And you're serious about takin' care of em?" He asked seriously. "What choice is there?" Bill replied. He didn't want to sound like he felt obligated to take care of them, but what else was he supposed to say? "House is full for me, got another displaced family of three sleeping in the barn. You and you're kids are welcome to rest there, when we're done here." He then turned to Dipper and Mabel. "I didn't catch you're names darlins'" he said to them. Dipper looked at Mabel for a moment, usually she was the one to introduce them. She looked shyly at Tim, then at Dipper. Finally Dipper said, "Im Dipper, and this is my sister, M-mabel." he said quietly. "Cant imagine what you two have been through," He said. "Im looking after them until we, uh... find they're parents." said Bill. Right as Tim finished up with Bills leg, and began working on Bills broken wing, Ty walked out. "Hey Dad,so im thinnkin' first thing tomorrow we gotta reinforce the fence around the farm." He said. "That doesn't seem necessary," Said Tim. Ty looked at him seriously and said, "I dont know what you saw on TV or herd on the radio, but theres some serious..." He glanced at Dipper and Mabel. "...stuff hittin' the fan. I dont think anyone knows how big it is yet." Ty finished. Bill decided to put in his two cents, "You're son is right, you're gonna wanna fortify this place." "Stuff like that doesn't happen roun' these parts Ty," said the old stallion. "Dad, im serious... Bill come on tell him what you saw out there," Ty replied looking at Bill. "I got chased by a couple of dead ponys." said Bill. He could see Mabel shiver a little thinking about it. Then Dipper hugged her close to confort her. "Well do what cha' think ya should, we got plenty of chores out here already." Tim finally said. "Bill and those folks in the barn can help out in the morning, we gotta do it, really." Said Ty> If Bill hadn't been so tired he might've said something like, 'what makes you think we're gonna help?' but he had enough on his plate right now, especially with two foals he needed to look after. "I already said ok" Said the old stalion, a small hint of annoyance in his voice. He tied the last bandage onto Bills wing and said, "Im all done here, should start feeling' better tomorrow." Bill stretched out his wounded leg experimentally. "thanks" he said. "If you're leg gets hot, or the sweelin' doesn't go down, you're probably dealin' with an infection." "What do we do then?" Bill asked curiously. "Ill probably just have to shoots you." Bill widend his eyes, obviously not expecting that response. He could see Mabel and Dipper widen they're eyes too. "we'll clean it, and re-dress it and you'll be fine." Tim said, seeing their surprised faces. "ok, that would be preferable." Bill said jokingly. Tim gave a small smile, "Theres blankets and such in the barn. we'll ne seein' you bright n' early." He said "Come tomorrow, witch way you think you're headed?" He asked. Bill thought for a second. "Toward Oregon i suppose," he said. He nodded in understanding before turning around to leave. He gave the twins a small smile, and went inside the house. Bill got up, testing his leg a bit. "Alright then..." he said aloud, more to himself then to Tim.

Bill and the twins settled in on top of some hay in the barn. They insisted on sleeping together even thought there was room for them both to have individual beds, and still be close. Bill admired their will to stay together. Then Dipper spoke up "It smells like..." "Doo-dee" Mabel finished for him. They both giggled at the word. Bill smiled at them. There was a few moments of silence before Mabel spoke up again, "I miss Mommy and Daddy..." she said. "I bet..." said Bill sympitheticly. Dipper patted her back comfortingly. "How far is Oregon?" He asked. "pretty far...." Bill replied. "oh..." Dipper said sadly. "ok" Mabel said. The two sat up, Bill watching to see what they'd do. They stared at each other for a second before Dipper swipped Mabels headband off. Then Mabel swipped Dippers hat off with equal speed. They both smiled, and hugged eachother before setting they're things upove their pillow. Bill gawked an eyebrow at Dipper curiously. "Our Mom used to do that when we forgot to take our hat and headband off, then she wouls switch them and ruffle our manes." Dipper explained smiling foundly at the memory. Bill smiled, happy that they could comfort eachother.

A mares laugh. A sweet voice calling, " I love you honey" These memorys ecoed in his dreams. Then, broken glass. The same happy laugh comming out as a mares terrified scream. "AHH!" he yelped as he sprang up from the hay he had been sleeping on. He panted hevily. He looked over to find that dipper and Mabel where still asleep. Good. He hadnt woken them up. He sighed once more, and slowly laid back down on the hay.

He woke up to a large white stallion with 5 oclock shadow in a fez saying, "Hey, wake up." Bill sat up. He looked over to see Dipper getting his hat on and Mabel stretching. "Im itchy." she said. "Well you slept in a barn sweetie, lucky you dont have spiders in your mane." Mabel yelped and jumped onto Dipper. Dipper, obviously not expecting it, fell over with Mabel on top of him. "Not to worry," said the stallion with a chuckle. "I bet you're Daddy scared all away huh?" Mabel got off of Dipper, offering an opiligetic smile. Dipper merly laughed and handed her her headband. "Im not they're Dad, names Bill." Said Bill. "Im stan" Suddenly a little colt, who looked to be about Dipper and Mabels age, trotted into the barn. He was wearing a grey plad flanel shirt with a white tshirt under it, and had a short black mane and a white coat. "Dad, we're gonna buil a fence! theres a trctor and everything!" The colt said excited. Stan smiled a little and turned to Bill, "We'ed better get goin' or we wont hear the end of it." he said. Bill walked along stans side on they're way to work. "Thats mah bot stan jr. we call him Duck though." "Doging or quacking?" asked Bill. "Quacking" Stan answered. "DAAAAD!" ca,e the voice of Duck from somewhere far off. "See?" Stan said. They got to where Duck was and he was talking to a mare, who Bill gussed was his mother. She had a hot pink coat, a brown curly mane, and a flower in her mane. She wore a Darker pink blouse with a white belt and purple short shorts. "Word is you were on you're way to oregon." said Stan. " My familys from there," Bill replied. "well oregons on the way and personally id appericiate the company of a guy who can knock a couple of heads together if he has to." Bill thought for a second. "Ill see what the kids want," he said. "ah, gotta consult the ones incharge huh?" he gave a joking wink to Dipper and Mabel. They laughed. "I understand." he finished. He then turned to his wife and child, "Duck, Honey this is Bill and uh... what are the kids names?" he asked. "Dipper and Mabel." He answered gestering to each foal as he spoke. "Right, Dipper and Mabel." Said Stan. "Mabel" Said the mare. "That is a very pretty name." Mabel smiled proudly. "Thanks!" She exclaimed happily. Then Ty walked up. "well we should get to work, we've all seen what those things can do."