It's a quiet morning in the forest, the sun barely rising and the birds are only starting to stir. The only thing that disrupts the stillness is a little grey car, driving down the winding road. Inside sits a teenager, no older than 18, humming along to a familiar song. His family suggested he settle down for the summer, to pick up a job and spend a few months in one place. Previously, he had been driving around the country, taking in the beauty of it, as he discovered himself. But that journey started nearly a full year ago, and so he was advised to relax in one place before making a decision; to continue, or to go home. He wanted to find somewhere small; something quiet and simple. He had had enough adventures for one lifetime. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the teen turned left onto the road that would lead him to a summer full of strange and unusual things.
———
Steven had heard about this town from Connie. She had some family that lived in a neighboring city in Oregon, and when visiting them with Connie they mentioned it. It was a one off comment, just mentioning a strange tourist trap within the town, but for some reason it stuck with him. He decided to have a look, to see if this would be the place that he would spend his summer. He drove past a water tower with the name of the town painted onto it in dark red lettering: Gravity Falls.
Steven drove around the town, taking in the sight of things. It was quite small, probably smaller than Beach City. He noticed that the town was quiet. Sure, there was the ambient noise of people, but it was a lot quieter than Beach City, and basically everywhere else he visited. He watched as people went about their day, doing normal human things. That's something he had enjoyed during this trip; Human things. He had gotten more in touch with his human side within the last year; going so far as making a conscious effort to not use his powers. That took some time to get used to, and thanks to a little more than a full year of therapy, it now takes a lot to have him turn pink. He still gets panic attacks, usually at night, when his brain has time to overthink. But no one is around to see him glow.
He smiles at a woman he realized he had locked eyes with. Well, eye. One of her blue eyelids seemed to stay shut, stuck in a permanent wink. She waved at him, and he waved back.
He came to the edge of the main town area, where the road took a sharp turn into the forest. He passed my several signs, mounted on trees, all pointed down the road. They said various things, from "Amazing!" to "Beware!" The last one he saw was a sign that read, "This Way to the Mystery Shack!"
He kept driving, a sense of anxiety started rising in him as he got closer and closer. But it was a good kind of anxiety; the kind you feel on Christmas eve as a child, unable to sleep in anticipation for what the morning brings. He felt this now as the Mystery Shack came into view. It was an old house, probably 40 years old or so, and it looked pretty run down. On top of the house stood a grand sign that read 'Mystery Shack,' but the 'S' of the Shack had fallen, and was now resting on the roofing below the main sign. He drove past a totem pole, and pulled into a parking space. He got out of the car, and took a deep breath, the air smelled heavily of pine and dirt.
As he walked towards the Shack, he heard a voice. He saw a man in front of the entrance to the building, leading a crowd of people. As Steven got closer, he saw the crowd staring at a podium with something on it.
"And this," he whipped a small blanket off of the item on the podium, "Is the rock that looks like a face!" The man leading the group said.
At first glance, the man just looked like a guy in a suit, but the more Steven looked, the more things he noticed about the man's ensemble. He wore a fez, an eyepatch that was probably just for show, and held a cane topped with an 8 ball. He spoke with a booming voice, like an announcer at a sports game. Steven went to have a closer look. The man seemed to be trying to answer the confusing questions of one of the tour members. Steven joined the back of the group as they began to move to their next exhibit. As Steven passed by the man, he felt something grab at the back of the collar of his jacket.
"Woah, kid. Want to join the group, you have to pay. My tours ain't free," the man rubbed his thumb against his fore and middle finger in the universal sign for 'money.'
"Oh! Right," Steven pulled out a wad of cash he had in his pocket and handed the man a $50, "Here you go!"
The man looked at the bill in amazement. He looked back up at the kid and smiled.
"Welcome aboard kid! My name is Stan Pines, but you can call me Mister Mystery. And welcome to my humble museum for the strange and unusual!"
Mister Mystery put his arm around Steven and led him back to the group, which had now entered the building. Mister Mystery let go of Steven and resumed his position at the head of the group.
"Behold! The Sascrotch!"
The mad pointed towards what looked like a stuffed Sasquatch suit wearing underwear. Everyone seemed to be amazed at it, but Steven let out a small laugh. It was so obviously fake, it was funny. But, 'tis the nature of tourist traps.
As the group continued, so did he, lingering in the back and taking it all in. The exhibits appeared all to be fake, but they were entertaining nonetheless. Soon enough, he had found his way into the gift shop, and he bought a bumper sticker that said, 'What is the Mystery Shack?' As he was leaving, though, he noticed a small sign in the window.
'Help Wanted.'
And that when he decided that this would be the place he would spend his summer.