The Other Gilmore

The End

After a successful summer of interviews and auditions, Frankie was just waiting to hear back from companies with offers of employment. As she walked home from Doose's Market one afternoon, she saw Petal, Kirk's pig, running through the street with a sign on her back reading 'Kick Up a Rumpus.' She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Petal as she continued running by the Stars Hollow Gazette office.

Just then, her cell phone rang, knocking her back into reality. Frankie looked down at the caller ID, confused when she saw a blocked number calling her.

"Hello?" she said, furrowing her brows. All she heard was heavy breathing on the other line, which freaked her out.

"Hello?" she said more forcefully. Again, only heavy breathing could be heard, and then the line went dead.

Frankie took the phone away from her ear and stared at it, perplexed. When she looked up, she saw Rory waving at her from her desk.

"Did you see the pig?" Rory asked, meeting her sister at the door of the Gazette office.

"Yeah."

"At least I'm not seeing things," Rory muttered, glancing around the town square.

"I just got a call from a blocked number, too."

"Really?"

Frankie nodded, pulling up her recent calls and showing Rory the screen.

"Weird. Did they say anything?"

"No. Just heavy breathing."

"Huh." Rory looked around the street one more time, then shrugged. "We still on for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah. Jess is watching the kids."

"Okay, cool. I'll swing by after I'm done here."

"Sounds good. See you soon."

A few hours later, Rory picked up Frankie, and the two went to dinner. On their way back to Frankie's house, Rory had to stop by the Gazette, so they headed to the office. As the twins walked down the street, they happened to glance up at the sign above the flower shop, when it suddenly changed from reading 'Flowers' to 'Tonight.'

"Did you see that?" Rory said quietly, staring up at the neon sign.

"Yeah," Frankie replied, gazing at the large plaque outside the store.

Shaking off the strange occurrence, they continued forward, but were disoriented, again, when a man on a unicycle rode past them.

"'By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.'"

"What the hell is going on?" Frankie whispered.

"Rory. Frankie."

The twins looked around, noticing an animatronic crow in the tree above them.

"Get ready, Rory. Get ready, Frankie."

"What the..." Rory rushed on, opening the unlocked door to the Gazette, Frankie following close behind.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Rory called into the dark office. "Hello?"

The twins turned around, startled by Esther, one of the Gazette employees, as she held a flashlight under chin.

"In omnia paratus," she said robotically.

"What?" the twins exclaimed.