Tintin: Because Today is Halloween
Title: Because Today is Halloween
Author: ArethaHelena a.k.a
retha_helena
Genre: AU (taken from He’s The Boy universe)
Fandom: Tintin
Rating: PG
Pairing: Haddock & Tintin (as friends and ‘siblings’)
Summary: Haddock was home on Halloween, and a three-year-old Tintin wanted to celebrate.
Prompt: The Adventures of Tintin: Haddock & or / Tintin, costumes
Disclaimer: Tintin © Herge. No copyright intended. Just own several OCs.
Note: This is for
smallfandomfest. Thank you for the prompt, I like it! It's a bit loose, but I hope it's fine.
Thanks a lot to Seer a.k.a
seerstella, who helped me a lot, although she wasn't my co-author in this story. She also gave the name for Haddock’s mother, based on our favorite rockstar’s wife, Adrienne Armstrong. About Haddock’s lack of swearing, it’s because he can’t swear in front of a kid. Actually this is an old story of mine, which has been done since last year, but decided to post it now. Sorry if it takes the prompter so long!
BECAUSE TODAY IS HALLOWEEN
ARETHAHELENA
It was strange that Archibald Haddock was able to reach Liverpool three days before Halloween. Usually he had to stay in the city of their destination, due of the dangerous storm. But this year, he was lucky enough. He had missed his childhood home. He had missed his mother, and of course he had missed…
"Captain!"
Haddock looked around the port and eventually found someone who had called him before. He was more than surprised to see him here, since his mother was a very protective type. How could he make it here anyway?
"Hey, little lad!" Haddock dropped his brown sack to hug him. The three-year-old boy smiled widely and ran into his arms. "Did you tell Mom that you go to the port?"
The lad just shook his head. His eyes showed fearfulness. "Mom won't get angry, right?"
Haddock sighed. She wouldn't like it. "This place is dangerous for little kids like you. Actually I don't like the idea you come here now. I'm not responsible if she is angry with you, Tintin."
Tintin pouted childishly. "Captain! Just wanna see you."
Haddock laughed softly as he picked up his sack, filled with his things, with his hand while the other held Tintin safely. He had done what Tintin did, though; he ever fled to the port to meet his father, but he was much older than Tintin at that time. And his mother had been beyond angry then; maybe Tintin wouldn't get much worse.
"Miss you," Tintin buried his face in Haddock's broad shoulder. "Mom read your letters and she misses you too."
"Well, why don't we give her a small surprise?"
Tintin didn't say anything, but he hugged Haddock's neck tighter with his small arms. They made their way into a small store and bought something for Haddock's mother. Maybe this could ease her anger, Haddock mused.
**
A day before Halloween, one of Tintin's friend, Albert, a seven year old boy, suddenly came to the house. Haddock never saw the redhead boy before, but then realized that he had to be Chester's nephew. Nobody had that redness of a hair, except his family line.
"Hello, Mr. Haddock," he greeted. Haddock only nodded at him. "Uncle Chester arrived yesterday too."
"Of course, he was in the same ship with me," Haddock said cynically, crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Now, what do you want?"
Albert looked up and smiled. Smirked, maybe, and his smirk was just like Chester's. "Is Tintin home?"
"Yes, you may come in."
Albert rushed happily into the house and met Tintin in the small living room. "Tintin! Tintin!" he called.
Haddock closed the door and saw the scene from the place he was standing. He was curious of what this boy would tell Tintin, because his feelings told him that it would be something important. Well, at least for them.
The sandy-haired boy looked up from the small puzzle he was working on. He tilted his head to show the redhead that he was listening.
"Tomorrow is Halloween, Tintin! Come with us!"
Tintin frowned, his face looked too serious in his age of three and a half. "What Hal-oh-win?"
Haddock walked into the living room and sat on a small, rusty so-called sofa. "Halloween, my boy, is a wonderful day. You can dress as a ghost and asks candies from people. You'll like it, Tintin."
Tintin looked at him doubtfully. "'host?" he asked. "Don't like 'host."
Albert patted his shoulder, and Tintin stared at the other boy now. "Not a real ghost, Tintin. You can be anything you want, not just ghosts. Wanna come?"
Tintin stared at Haddock again, but now his eyes filled with plead and excitement. "Oh, well," Haddock sighed, surrendered to the cuteness of Tintin's puppy blue-grey eyes. "I think you can come, as long as you're not alone."
"No, Mr. Haddock." Albert answered. "There are many of us will come."
"Captain, how about Mom?" Tintin asked. He knew that Haddock's mother wouldn't be that easy.
Haddock tsked. "I can handle her, Tintin. Go and have fun. We'll see a nice costume today, okay?"
Both Tintin and Albert squealed and hugged him from both sides. Haddock hugged them back, he was happy because he could make the kids happier. Maybe, just maybe, his mother had inherited her love towards children to him.
**
There would be a fair tomorrow night. Adrienne Haddock had seen their preparations and read the news about it in the newspaper. She looked around and saw her son, Archibald, holding Tintin's hand as they walked together to a small costume shop. She walked towards that shop too, so it looked like they unintentionally met.
"Hello, you two," she smiled at Tintin, who smiled back. "What are you doing out here?"
"Albert, Chester's nephew, asked Tintin to come for Trick-and-Treat-ing people tomorrow," her son answered. "We're looking for costumes."
Adrienne nodded curtly. She remembered when she was around the same age as Tintin, when she still lived in Brussels, she had dressed as a princess. And one of the boys tore her dress with his 'sword'. Since then she declared that she hated prince charming, and also Halloween with a passion.
"Oh, I see. Good luck for you two, then," she said flatly and preparing to left, carrying her things with her. She was not happy. To be honest, she was afraid. She lost her friend, who was kidnapped, in Halloween. The cops had found his body a month after, dead and drowned in a small lake near their neighbourhood. She didn't want this to happen to her second son.
"Er, Mom?"
She turned back and stared at her son. "Yes, Archibald?"
He blinked, just like every time Adrienne called him by his full name, every time she wanted to scold him. He shifted uncomfortably, but then whispered something to Tintin. Tintin smiled and ran inside the shop, leaving a mother and her twenty-two-year-old son.
"He seems really happy for tomorrow," he whispered, hoping that Adrienne could catch the double meaning in his words. She did.
"I know what you mean," she said, her tone cold. "It's not wise to let go a kid like him out, you know that."
He sighed. "He told me that he will be fine. Besides, there will be Albert and his friends."
"And you have let him go already? You should ask me!"
"Why should I? This neighbourhood is safe enough for kids to wander around!"
"You don't have any idea!"
"I do!"
"You're sailing too long, Archibald! Do read newspapers!"
"You think papers coming daily in that cargo tub, don't you?"
"Not like that, you stupid boy! Try to keep up with the news, at least!"
"You won't allow him anyway, will you?"
"Yes!" Adrienne shrieked.
"Tell me why!"
"It's not…" she didn't have any chance to say anything, because there was a small voice interrupted them.
"Captain? Mom?"
Both Adrienne and her son stopped arguing like two kindergarten brats. "Blistering barnacles," Archibald muttered under his breath.
"What is it, Tintin?" Adrienne called lovingly. She could see a flash of jealousy in Archibald's eyes.
"Nothing nice," Tintin said sadly, pointing into the shop. "Mom? Can I go? Captain say I can. But no costum'."
Adrienne looked down at the pleading blue-grey eyes and realized that she had lost. She, just like her son earlier, had surrendered to the cuteness of Tintin's naïve eyes. She sighed.
"Alright, you can. We'll look for costumes later. Now, home. We have lunch to eat."
Tintin squealed all their way home. When she looked at her sons' eyes, she could see happiness and relief in them.
**
Haddock's mother had kept her promise. She took her son to the small attic, and Haddock had to take down a large chest. Haddock grumbled his usual pack of swears all his way downstairs, courtesy of his mother's command and the large, heavy box.
Adrienne clicked the chest open. Both Haddock and Tintin gaped at the lump of clothes, costumes inside the box. Tintin cheered and took every clothes he saw from the box, scattering them on the wooden floor.
"Where did you get these things?" Haddock asked, astonished. He turned back to face his mother, whose eyes darkened suddenly. "I've never seen this before… Mom?"
She coughed a bit, obviously tried hard to compose herself. Haddock frowned at her, wanting her to stop stressing herself, but his curiosity was bigger.
After a pause, she eventually said, "Never mind, Archie. These were my siblings' Halloween costumes. Sometimes, my brothers Laurent and Brice wore those for a play. Your uncle Clementine and I were going to sell them when… it happened."
Haddock gasped softly, but didn't ask anymore. He knew (from his late father's drunken, slurred words) that his mother had a dark past. She was from a large family, and she was the oldest girl, second child of the family. She lived a happy life. But in her age of sixteen, her parents and all her siblings were killed when their house was destroyed by fire. She eventually moved to Liverpool with her remaining sibling, her older brother, who died before Haddock was born.
"Mom! Captain!" Tintin suddenly yelled, snapping Haddock and his mother from their musings. "Found a nice one!"
Adrienne forced a laugh. "Tintin, that is not a Halloween clothes."
"Want 'his! 'His! 'his nice!"
"You want that?" Haddock joined in, as confused as his mother. Tintin had pulled out a blue, ordinary pullover, ¾ brown trousers, and a beige long coat.
"Tintin, Mom's right. That is obviously not a Halloween costume."
"Want 'his! Want 'his!"
**
Tintin had insisted, of course. Living with the most persistent people on the world also influenced the boy's demeanour. He was obedient, but stubborn, just like Archibald Haddock. He was stubborn, but also stoic, just like Adrienne Haddock. It seemed their personalities had blended in the lad's character.
"Okay, okay, boy," Haddock said softly, putting on the clothes to the boy. His mother had washed them, and repaired some parts so it would be nicer for Tintin to wear. She told her son that the clothes were her youngest brother's, Brice.
Haddock had helped Tintin to dress, of course. He found a white shirt in the cupboard and decided it would be a good match for the blue pullover. "You look much older now, my boy," he said.
Tintin giggled. "Like get old," he said. "Wanna get old."
"Believe me, lad, you won't say it when you're in the same age with me or Mom." Haddock laughed as he put some makeup to the boy's face. He wouldn't go off in Halloween without any make up, would he? "Well, since you want an older look, I'll give you one, Tintin."
Tintin giggled even more. When Haddock was in his first sailing, when he found Tintin in his ship, he had gone to South America. He met a little boy, around Albert's age at that time, with a quiff on his head. He really liked that hairstyle. Maybe it would look nice on Tintin's head.
"Captain?"
"Hm?"
"What 'his?" Tintin touched his new hair slowly.
Haddock took his hand away. "It's called a quiff, Tintin. I've seen someone like this, and I think it'll be nice if I style your hair this way today."
Tintin stared at his own reflection on the mirror. He didn't look much different with that quiff, only the fact that his forehead looked wider since there was no fringe covering it anymore. Haddock held his breath, afraid if he didn't like it. But suddenly he cheered. "Captain! Nice 'air! Nice 'uiff!"
Haddock patted his shoulder before he continued to put makeup on Tintin's face. After several minutes, Haddock yelled a "Done!" and spun the boy so he could see himself on the mirror.
Tintin practically gaped at himself. He looked much older, like a teenager with a too short body. He grinned, and his new 'laugh lines' deepened. "Captain! Look nice!"
Haddock smiled and picked the boy up into his arms. "Yes, my boy. You look nice indeed. But don't be scared of your friends' faces. They're supposed to be like that. You're the one who's weird, trying to look older instead of scary."
Tintin blinked at him. "'ird? What 'ird, Captain?"
Haddock laughed. "Never mind, now let's come out and surprise Mom with your new face."
**
Adrienne was more than surprised. But Haddock predicted that she also was relieved that the boy wouldn't look scary. That lad was too adorable to look scary. She even gave a small, old notepad and an unused pen to the boy. "Put this on your coat pocket. Now, you look like the youngest reporter in the world."
"'porter! What 'porter?" Tintin asked. Obviously he had learned many new words today.
"It's someone who searches for news, Tintin," she answered patiently, and gave him an ordinary, but obviously new, Halloween bag. Haddock had to hold his snort. His mother surely was spoiling the kid. "Now, this is your little bag for candies."
Tintin took the pumpkin-shaped bag, smiling thankfully to Adrienne who smiled back and left to the kitchen. He cringed when he saw the Jack-O-Lantern's face, but didn't say anything. Haddock sat next to him on the small sofa, embracing the small 'teenager'. "Have fun, my boy. Don't go to the fair. It's crowded and I'm afraid if you lost your friends."
Tintin grinned at him, which made him ten times creepier since he looked like a thirteen year old instead of three, and nodded. A minute later, there was a knock on the door and Tintin leaped down the sofa to greet his friends.
Albert (who dressed as a pirate, Chester obviously had something to do with that) and the pack of kids, consisted of five boys (plus Tintin) and three girls (one of them reminded Haddock of his old friend Dorothy), were more that shocked to see the sandy-haired boy. Of course they had expected something scary like usual, Haddock mused.
"Tintin!" Grace, the oldest girl, suddenly spoke. "You look… much older!"
"Thanks," he answered, his cheeks burning a bit.
"Well, all of you won't get any 'treats' if you keep standing here," Haddock drawled after a pause. The kids smiled sheepishly at him and prepared to go. But suddenly Albert walked forward and shook his bag in front of the young sailor.
"Uncle Chester said that you have candy," he said challengingly. "Trick or Treat?"
Haddock gaped at the redhead brat.
**
"Do you know why I didn't let him go earlier, Archibald?"
Haddock blinked at his mother. "Why is it, then?"
"This," she put a newspaper on the table and pointed on a certain article. Haddock took it, and gaped on the headline.
CHILDREN KIDNAPPER IN ACTION
Haddock didn't need to read the news. He paled immediately. "Then why you let him go anyway?" he asked, fear suddenly gripped the heart of the young sailor. Tintin and his friends might be in danger!
"His eyes are irresistible," she threw her arms in the air. "You did let him go too, remember?"
"Then I have to go," Haddock jumped off his chair, swearing uncontrollably. His mother lifted an eyebrow to him, but didn't object. "Crumbs! There has to be somebody to take care of those monsters!"
Just when Haddock reached the door, his mother called.
"Yes?"
"Take care of yourself too, Archie."
Adrienne could see her son's faint blush before he nodded and left. She was alone now, and slowly a devious smirk came on her lips. She locked the door and walked towards the table, where the newspaper was lying.
She took the paper and folded it. Now the paper showed her the date it published.
"Archie, my stone headed, stupid emotional boy," she said quietly, her loving tone belied her hurtful words. "You should see when this thing was published before you ran off like a madcap."
She put the newspaper on a small table, next to the telephone.
The paper was dated 31 August.
**
Haddock hid in the darkness, stared at the group of kids who were asking candies from the neighbourhood. He smiled to himself. At least Tintin was fine.
"Trick or Treat!" they cheered in front of the old Walters' house. The old man smiled at them and said, "Wait a sec, kids. They are many of you, and I think I have sweets this much."
Weird, Haddock thought, examined the kids more carefully. Since when the girls became four?
The last girl was even shorter than Tintin, and it seemed that she was dressed as The Red Riding Hood. But in the darkness, she became The Black Robin Hood, because she looked all black now. Her face was covered by the darkness, and she stood a bit behind the group of kids.
Margaret Haddock, his late sister, loved The Red Riding Hood. When she was still alive, Haddock-in his teenage days-liked to pretend as the Wolf and she was The Red Riding Hood, and he would 'eat' her. She, despite the fact that she didn't understand the story itself, loved it very much that Haddock had to repeat that scene at least three times a day.
Haddock was too busy with his own mind to see the girl's hard stare at him.
**
The kids were on the last house then, Haddock noticed. He had known that from Albert and James' (the other boy, who dressed as a vampire) chats. And then they would go to the fair. Their makeups were ruined and their costumes were messy already. Only Tintin who could manage to stay clean.
What had surprised Haddock was when Tintin had insisted to go home. He told them that 'Captain' had told him so. He didn't want to make Haddock and his mother angry at him. Haddock almost clapped hard in appreciation.
"What a kid," he muttered below his breath. "Being the youngest and still insisted. That's my boy, Tintin." He continued to stalk the kids, aware for anything dangerous, unthinkable and unwanted.
But Haddock had to swallow his relief when finally Tintin lost the argument, and they went to the fair anyway. Well, there's nothing he could do, Haddock thought as he followed the kids to the fair.
The fair was indeed crowded, and Haddock didn't like it. Since he was a little kid, he disliked the crowd of people. He loved a quiet place, a quiet life. He didn't like to meet people he didn't know well. But this time, he had to do it.
"Tintin!" he cried when he realized that the kids were gone. It went unnoticed, as they ran into the fair, Tintin obviously tried to keep up with them, ran as fast as he could without tangle his feet on his long coat.
Haddock pushed himself into the crowd. There was no way the kids could escape his view! He looked around for the pack, but he found nothing. There were only people, people, and people. Haddock started to hyperventilate. People, people, and people were crowding him, made him couldn't breathe.
Haddock's vision began to blur. He felt his body started to fall, but he stopped when he felt a tug on his trousers. He looked down, his world started to focus. He stared at a girl who, he realized, was dressed as The Red Riding Hood. He couldn't see her face, but he was relieved that he was seeing one of the kids.
"Blue blistering barnacles!" he exclaimed. "Girl, do you see Tintin?"
She didn't answer, but she pointed out the crowd. Haddock looked up and saw Tintin and several of his friends. He nodded his thanks and walked away from the girl, assumed that she was following him.
He did see Tintin, but several people bumped against him, and he lost Tintin again. He barely felt a pull on his arm, but he blinked when he realized that he was sitting on a chair. A woman smiled widely at him, her face was covered by a hard makeup. Haddock stared at her clothes, she obviously tried to be an imitation of Queen Elizabeth I, but in his opinion, her face looked more like Bloody Mary.
"Good evening, sir," she grinned cheekily at him. "It seems that you're the only one who doesn't have a Halloween spirit! Girls!"
Her friends suddenly surrounded Haddock, makeup kit on their hands. Haddock gaped at them, but they were irresistible. He felt a brush of makeup on his cheek and he decided to calm down. He could wash them away later, though.
That was, until he saw Tintin in the crowd. He saw a man who was talking to his boy, much to Haddock's fear.
"TINTIN!" he exclaimed, looking to the left, making the makeup went out badly.
"Hey!" one of the girls protested.
"Let me go, you maudlin! Tintin! Ten thousands thundering typhoons! TINTIN!" he shouted once more as he hunched forward, making the powder fell to his shirt, making all of the girls shouted in condescension.
Tintin didn't even seem to hear it. The man patted his shoulder, and Haddock could feel his cheeks got hotter in anger. He snarled. A girl was giving him another makeup, and Haddock couldn't stand it anymore. "Get off me, you all Halloween-crazed!"
He finally launched himself forward and rushed out the lunatics. But Tintin was gone. Haddock's heart pounded twice faster. Where the man took his boy? He looked around but he couldn't see any child wondering in the fair. He only saw people with scary makeup, surrounding him once again, making him lightheaded.
Suddenly he felt a tug again. He looked down and saw The Red Riding Hood girl. With a startling strength, she pulled Haddock out the crowd. Haddock didn't have any time to be surprised of the facts that she was very strong and her hand was cold, because he was dragged to a dark street.
**
It seemed that all citizens of Liverpool were gathering in the fair, leaving the usually crowded street lonely and stranded. Haddock could see that the man was dragging Tintin swiftly to a small street. The girl released him so he could run and confront the man who was trying to kidnap Tintin.
Tintin himself didn't seem to notice that he was in danger. He kept laughing (much to Haddock's relief) as if he was taken to an amusement park. At least Tintin was oblivious, Haddock thought. He ran as fast as he could.
"TINTIN!" he screamed on the top of his lungs.
Tintin stopped walking. He looked back but Haddock was hidden below the darkness, so his boy couldn't see him clearly. When Haddock's voice was heard, the man pulled Tintin nearer to him, and they walked faster, towards the ugliest car Haddock had even seen which was parked in the end of the street.
Haddock stopped when he stepped on pebbles. He cursed loudly, but finally he got an idea. He scooped up the pebbles and continued running.
"TINTIN! You won't have him!" Haddock ran faster, throwing the pebbles to the man's direction, while he swears loudly, forgetting the fact that Tintin was there, and his unwritten vow to himself that he wouldn't swear in front of a kid, let alone his boy.
"Savage! Swine! Kleptomaniac! Cowards! Baboons! Pedophiles! Dunderheads!"
"CAPTAIN!" Tintin squealed (not screamed, thank goodness) and squirmed, trying hard to let go of the man's grip. They were standing below a streetlight now, so they were truly visible. Haddock was still throwing pebbles at them, and Tintin, oblivious as a three year old boy was, cheered happily as if this was a sort of parody.
The man eventually fled, maybe he was afraid of a madcap as the boy's brother. He ran away towards the car and they left, throwing fearful and annoyed stares at the young sailor. Haddock sighed in relief as he finally approached the boy, who was standing below the streetlight.
"Hey, my boy!" Haddock tried to take him into his arms, but Tintin suddenly screamed.
"What is it?"
"Captain! 'fraid!" the boy walked backwards.
"What's wrong with me?" Haddock asked confusedly. Tintin began to tremble. Haddock frowned at him before he realized something.
Between him and Tintin, there was a small puddle of water. He looked down to examine his face, curious of what the crazy girls had done to his face. And he screamed.
"Halloween lunatics! Nitwitted ninepins!"
**
They eventually made it home, of course. Haddock's mother was incoherent with worry, since Albert and his friends had reached home hours ago. After Tintin fell asleep, Haddock sat down in the living room and told his mother what had happened.
She gaped at him. "But Archie, it's impossible!" She took a newspaper, the one Haddock had seen before he went out, and showed him the date. "It's two months ago! They had been in prison since September!"
Then Haddock remembered a newspaper he glanced at in the fair before he ran and rescued Tintin. "Maybe, Mom, you're the one who should read newspapers. Today's news told me that they had escaped."
She still gaped at him. Haddock coaxed her to tell why she really persistent of forbidding Tintin to go. She eventually told him her past, when her friend was kidnapped and killed in Halloween. Haddock nodded in understanding. He would do the same if he were her, too.
"But how did you manage to get Tintin?"
"A girl helped me…" Haddock stopped. "Wait a minute, I totally forgot about her! I left her in the dark street!"
"What did she look like?"
"I don't know. She dressed like The Red Riding Hood!"
Adrienne gasped, and she suddenly launched her body towards her son. "Did she has surprising strength and never speak?"
Haddock nodded slowly. What did his mother was implying?
"Archie, I've met the girl. The Red Riding Hood. She helped me to find my lost bag. When I wanted to thank her, she was already gone, but I've seen her eyes."
"And?"
"Archie, she was your sister. Margaret helped you."
**
"I'm almost late because of his hair, Mom!"
"Well, you were the one who styled it as a quiff, you're the one who is responsible. Now get out of here, into that tub of yours!" Adrienne Haddock bellowed, but her son knew that she was only joking.
"Well, lad," Haddock turned to the boy. "Did you enjoy your Halloween?" He was going to sail again, and he wanted to say goodbye to Tintin and his mother.
Tintin nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Captain! Wanna again!"
Adrienne smirked. "Not until next year, dear," she said. "Now, say goodbye to your 'captain' and we're going home. When you'll come home, Archibald?"
Haddock frowned at the call of his first name. "Around February, maybe. I'm staying in New York for Christmas."
She nodded, and suddenly hugged him. "Good. Now, be careful, Archie," she whispered.
Haddock was shocked. His mother almost never told him such words. "Thanks, Mom. Bye, Tintin!" he kissed the boy's forehead and quiff, before stepped on the ship, Chester following behind.
Just when the ship was beginning to sail, he could hear Albert's words to Tintin. "Tintin! There will be a fair this Christmas! Let's go there!"
Haddock groaned. Not again!
**THE END**
Author: ArethaHelena a.k.a
retha_helena
Genre: AU (taken from He’s The Boy universe)
Fandom: Tintin
Rating: PG
Pairing: Haddock & Tintin (as friends and ‘siblings’)
Summary: Haddock was home on Halloween, and a three-year-old Tintin wanted to celebrate.
Prompt: The Adventures of Tintin: Haddock & or / Tintin, costumes
Disclaimer: Tintin © Herge. No copyright intended. Just own several OCs.
Note: This is for
smallfandomfest. Thank you for the prompt, I like it! It's a bit loose, but I hope it's fine.
Thanks a lot to Seer a.k.a
seerstella, who helped me a lot, although she wasn't my co-author in this story. She also gave the name for Haddock’s mother, based on our favorite rockstar’s wife, Adrienne Armstrong. About Haddock’s lack of swearing, it’s because he can’t swear in front of a kid. Actually this is an old story of mine, which has been done since last year, but decided to post it now. Sorry if it takes the prompter so long!
BECAUSE TODAY IS HALLOWEEN
ARETHAHELENA
It was strange that Archibald Haddock was able to reach Liverpool three days before Halloween. Usually he had to stay in the city of their destination, due of the dangerous storm. But this year, he was lucky enough. He had missed his childhood home. He had missed his mother, and of course he had missed…
"Captain!"
Haddock looked around the port and eventually found someone who had called him before. He was more than surprised to see him here, since his mother was a very protective type. How could he make it here anyway?
"Hey, little lad!" Haddock dropped his brown sack to hug him. The three-year-old boy smiled widely and ran into his arms. "Did you tell Mom that you go to the port?"
The lad just shook his head. His eyes showed fearfulness. "Mom won't get angry, right?"
Haddock sighed. She wouldn't like it. "This place is dangerous for little kids like you. Actually I don't like the idea you come here now. I'm not responsible if she is angry with you, Tintin."
Tintin pouted childishly. "Captain! Just wanna see you."
Haddock laughed softly as he picked up his sack, filled with his things, with his hand while the other held Tintin safely. He had done what Tintin did, though; he ever fled to the port to meet his father, but he was much older than Tintin at that time. And his mother had been beyond angry then; maybe Tintin wouldn't get much worse.
"Miss you," Tintin buried his face in Haddock's broad shoulder. "Mom read your letters and she misses you too."
"Well, why don't we give her a small surprise?"
Tintin didn't say anything, but he hugged Haddock's neck tighter with his small arms. They made their way into a small store and bought something for Haddock's mother. Maybe this could ease her anger, Haddock mused.
**
A day before Halloween, one of Tintin's friend, Albert, a seven year old boy, suddenly came to the house. Haddock never saw the redhead boy before, but then realized that he had to be Chester's nephew. Nobody had that redness of a hair, except his family line.
"Hello, Mr. Haddock," he greeted. Haddock only nodded at him. "Uncle Chester arrived yesterday too."
"Of course, he was in the same ship with me," Haddock said cynically, crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Now, what do you want?"
Albert looked up and smiled. Smirked, maybe, and his smirk was just like Chester's. "Is Tintin home?"
"Yes, you may come in."
Albert rushed happily into the house and met Tintin in the small living room. "Tintin! Tintin!" he called.
Haddock closed the door and saw the scene from the place he was standing. He was curious of what this boy would tell Tintin, because his feelings told him that it would be something important. Well, at least for them.
The sandy-haired boy looked up from the small puzzle he was working on. He tilted his head to show the redhead that he was listening.
"Tomorrow is Halloween, Tintin! Come with us!"
Tintin frowned, his face looked too serious in his age of three and a half. "What Hal-oh-win?"
Haddock walked into the living room and sat on a small, rusty so-called sofa. "Halloween, my boy, is a wonderful day. You can dress as a ghost and asks candies from people. You'll like it, Tintin."
Tintin looked at him doubtfully. "'host?" he asked. "Don't like 'host."
Albert patted his shoulder, and Tintin stared at the other boy now. "Not a real ghost, Tintin. You can be anything you want, not just ghosts. Wanna come?"
Tintin stared at Haddock again, but now his eyes filled with plead and excitement. "Oh, well," Haddock sighed, surrendered to the cuteness of Tintin's puppy blue-grey eyes. "I think you can come, as long as you're not alone."
"No, Mr. Haddock." Albert answered. "There are many of us will come."
"Captain, how about Mom?" Tintin asked. He knew that Haddock's mother wouldn't be that easy.
Haddock tsked. "I can handle her, Tintin. Go and have fun. We'll see a nice costume today, okay?"
Both Tintin and Albert squealed and hugged him from both sides. Haddock hugged them back, he was happy because he could make the kids happier. Maybe, just maybe, his mother had inherited her love towards children to him.
**
There would be a fair tomorrow night. Adrienne Haddock had seen their preparations and read the news about it in the newspaper. She looked around and saw her son, Archibald, holding Tintin's hand as they walked together to a small costume shop. She walked towards that shop too, so it looked like they unintentionally met.
"Hello, you two," she smiled at Tintin, who smiled back. "What are you doing out here?"
"Albert, Chester's nephew, asked Tintin to come for Trick-and-Treat-ing people tomorrow," her son answered. "We're looking for costumes."
Adrienne nodded curtly. She remembered when she was around the same age as Tintin, when she still lived in Brussels, she had dressed as a princess. And one of the boys tore her dress with his 'sword'. Since then she declared that she hated prince charming, and also Halloween with a passion.
"Oh, I see. Good luck for you two, then," she said flatly and preparing to left, carrying her things with her. She was not happy. To be honest, she was afraid. She lost her friend, who was kidnapped, in Halloween. The cops had found his body a month after, dead and drowned in a small lake near their neighbourhood. She didn't want this to happen to her second son.
"Er, Mom?"
She turned back and stared at her son. "Yes, Archibald?"
He blinked, just like every time Adrienne called him by his full name, every time she wanted to scold him. He shifted uncomfortably, but then whispered something to Tintin. Tintin smiled and ran inside the shop, leaving a mother and her twenty-two-year-old son.
"He seems really happy for tomorrow," he whispered, hoping that Adrienne could catch the double meaning in his words. She did.
"I know what you mean," she said, her tone cold. "It's not wise to let go a kid like him out, you know that."
He sighed. "He told me that he will be fine. Besides, there will be Albert and his friends."
"And you have let him go already? You should ask me!"
"Why should I? This neighbourhood is safe enough for kids to wander around!"
"You don't have any idea!"
"I do!"
"You're sailing too long, Archibald! Do read newspapers!"
"You think papers coming daily in that cargo tub, don't you?"
"Not like that, you stupid boy! Try to keep up with the news, at least!"
"You won't allow him anyway, will you?"
"Yes!" Adrienne shrieked.
"Tell me why!"
"It's not…" she didn't have any chance to say anything, because there was a small voice interrupted them.
"Captain? Mom?"
Both Adrienne and her son stopped arguing like two kindergarten brats. "Blistering barnacles," Archibald muttered under his breath.
"What is it, Tintin?" Adrienne called lovingly. She could see a flash of jealousy in Archibald's eyes.
"Nothing nice," Tintin said sadly, pointing into the shop. "Mom? Can I go? Captain say I can. But no costum'."
Adrienne looked down at the pleading blue-grey eyes and realized that she had lost. She, just like her son earlier, had surrendered to the cuteness of Tintin's naïve eyes. She sighed.
"Alright, you can. We'll look for costumes later. Now, home. We have lunch to eat."
Tintin squealed all their way home. When she looked at her sons' eyes, she could see happiness and relief in them.
**
Haddock's mother had kept her promise. She took her son to the small attic, and Haddock had to take down a large chest. Haddock grumbled his usual pack of swears all his way downstairs, courtesy of his mother's command and the large, heavy box.
Adrienne clicked the chest open. Both Haddock and Tintin gaped at the lump of clothes, costumes inside the box. Tintin cheered and took every clothes he saw from the box, scattering them on the wooden floor.
"Where did you get these things?" Haddock asked, astonished. He turned back to face his mother, whose eyes darkened suddenly. "I've never seen this before… Mom?"
She coughed a bit, obviously tried hard to compose herself. Haddock frowned at her, wanting her to stop stressing herself, but his curiosity was bigger.
After a pause, she eventually said, "Never mind, Archie. These were my siblings' Halloween costumes. Sometimes, my brothers Laurent and Brice wore those for a play. Your uncle Clementine and I were going to sell them when… it happened."
Haddock gasped softly, but didn't ask anymore. He knew (from his late father's drunken, slurred words) that his mother had a dark past. She was from a large family, and she was the oldest girl, second child of the family. She lived a happy life. But in her age of sixteen, her parents and all her siblings were killed when their house was destroyed by fire. She eventually moved to Liverpool with her remaining sibling, her older brother, who died before Haddock was born.
"Mom! Captain!" Tintin suddenly yelled, snapping Haddock and his mother from their musings. "Found a nice one!"
Adrienne forced a laugh. "Tintin, that is not a Halloween clothes."
"Want 'his! 'His! 'his nice!"
"You want that?" Haddock joined in, as confused as his mother. Tintin had pulled out a blue, ordinary pullover, ¾ brown trousers, and a beige long coat.
"Tintin, Mom's right. That is obviously not a Halloween costume."
"Want 'his! Want 'his!"
**
Tintin had insisted, of course. Living with the most persistent people on the world also influenced the boy's demeanour. He was obedient, but stubborn, just like Archibald Haddock. He was stubborn, but also stoic, just like Adrienne Haddock. It seemed their personalities had blended in the lad's character.
"Okay, okay, boy," Haddock said softly, putting on the clothes to the boy. His mother had washed them, and repaired some parts so it would be nicer for Tintin to wear. She told her son that the clothes were her youngest brother's, Brice.
Haddock had helped Tintin to dress, of course. He found a white shirt in the cupboard and decided it would be a good match for the blue pullover. "You look much older now, my boy," he said.
Tintin giggled. "Like get old," he said. "Wanna get old."
"Believe me, lad, you won't say it when you're in the same age with me or Mom." Haddock laughed as he put some makeup to the boy's face. He wouldn't go off in Halloween without any make up, would he? "Well, since you want an older look, I'll give you one, Tintin."
Tintin giggled even more. When Haddock was in his first sailing, when he found Tintin in his ship, he had gone to South America. He met a little boy, around Albert's age at that time, with a quiff on his head. He really liked that hairstyle. Maybe it would look nice on Tintin's head.
"Captain?"
"Hm?"
"What 'his?" Tintin touched his new hair slowly.
Haddock took his hand away. "It's called a quiff, Tintin. I've seen someone like this, and I think it'll be nice if I style your hair this way today."
Tintin stared at his own reflection on the mirror. He didn't look much different with that quiff, only the fact that his forehead looked wider since there was no fringe covering it anymore. Haddock held his breath, afraid if he didn't like it. But suddenly he cheered. "Captain! Nice 'air! Nice 'uiff!"
Haddock patted his shoulder before he continued to put makeup on Tintin's face. After several minutes, Haddock yelled a "Done!" and spun the boy so he could see himself on the mirror.
Tintin practically gaped at himself. He looked much older, like a teenager with a too short body. He grinned, and his new 'laugh lines' deepened. "Captain! Look nice!"
Haddock smiled and picked the boy up into his arms. "Yes, my boy. You look nice indeed. But don't be scared of your friends' faces. They're supposed to be like that. You're the one who's weird, trying to look older instead of scary."
Tintin blinked at him. "'ird? What 'ird, Captain?"
Haddock laughed. "Never mind, now let's come out and surprise Mom with your new face."
**
Adrienne was more than surprised. But Haddock predicted that she also was relieved that the boy wouldn't look scary. That lad was too adorable to look scary. She even gave a small, old notepad and an unused pen to the boy. "Put this on your coat pocket. Now, you look like the youngest reporter in the world."
"'porter! What 'porter?" Tintin asked. Obviously he had learned many new words today.
"It's someone who searches for news, Tintin," she answered patiently, and gave him an ordinary, but obviously new, Halloween bag. Haddock had to hold his snort. His mother surely was spoiling the kid. "Now, this is your little bag for candies."
Tintin took the pumpkin-shaped bag, smiling thankfully to Adrienne who smiled back and left to the kitchen. He cringed when he saw the Jack-O-Lantern's face, but didn't say anything. Haddock sat next to him on the small sofa, embracing the small 'teenager'. "Have fun, my boy. Don't go to the fair. It's crowded and I'm afraid if you lost your friends."
Tintin grinned at him, which made him ten times creepier since he looked like a thirteen year old instead of three, and nodded. A minute later, there was a knock on the door and Tintin leaped down the sofa to greet his friends.
Albert (who dressed as a pirate, Chester obviously had something to do with that) and the pack of kids, consisted of five boys (plus Tintin) and three girls (one of them reminded Haddock of his old friend Dorothy), were more that shocked to see the sandy-haired boy. Of course they had expected something scary like usual, Haddock mused.
"Tintin!" Grace, the oldest girl, suddenly spoke. "You look… much older!"
"Thanks," he answered, his cheeks burning a bit.
"Well, all of you won't get any 'treats' if you keep standing here," Haddock drawled after a pause. The kids smiled sheepishly at him and prepared to go. But suddenly Albert walked forward and shook his bag in front of the young sailor.
"Uncle Chester said that you have candy," he said challengingly. "Trick or Treat?"
Haddock gaped at the redhead brat.
**
"Do you know why I didn't let him go earlier, Archibald?"
Haddock blinked at his mother. "Why is it, then?"
"This," she put a newspaper on the table and pointed on a certain article. Haddock took it, and gaped on the headline.
CHILDREN KIDNAPPER IN ACTION
Haddock didn't need to read the news. He paled immediately. "Then why you let him go anyway?" he asked, fear suddenly gripped the heart of the young sailor. Tintin and his friends might be in danger!
"His eyes are irresistible," she threw her arms in the air. "You did let him go too, remember?"
"Then I have to go," Haddock jumped off his chair, swearing uncontrollably. His mother lifted an eyebrow to him, but didn't object. "Crumbs! There has to be somebody to take care of those monsters!"
Just when Haddock reached the door, his mother called.
"Yes?"
"Take care of yourself too, Archie."
Adrienne could see her son's faint blush before he nodded and left. She was alone now, and slowly a devious smirk came on her lips. She locked the door and walked towards the table, where the newspaper was lying.
She took the paper and folded it. Now the paper showed her the date it published.
"Archie, my stone headed, stupid emotional boy," she said quietly, her loving tone belied her hurtful words. "You should see when this thing was published before you ran off like a madcap."
She put the newspaper on a small table, next to the telephone.
The paper was dated 31 August.
**
Haddock hid in the darkness, stared at the group of kids who were asking candies from the neighbourhood. He smiled to himself. At least Tintin was fine.
"Trick or Treat!" they cheered in front of the old Walters' house. The old man smiled at them and said, "Wait a sec, kids. They are many of you, and I think I have sweets this much."
Weird, Haddock thought, examined the kids more carefully. Since when the girls became four?
The last girl was even shorter than Tintin, and it seemed that she was dressed as The Red Riding Hood. But in the darkness, she became The Black Robin Hood, because she looked all black now. Her face was covered by the darkness, and she stood a bit behind the group of kids.
Margaret Haddock, his late sister, loved The Red Riding Hood. When she was still alive, Haddock-in his teenage days-liked to pretend as the Wolf and she was The Red Riding Hood, and he would 'eat' her. She, despite the fact that she didn't understand the story itself, loved it very much that Haddock had to repeat that scene at least three times a day.
Haddock was too busy with his own mind to see the girl's hard stare at him.
**
The kids were on the last house then, Haddock noticed. He had known that from Albert and James' (the other boy, who dressed as a vampire) chats. And then they would go to the fair. Their makeups were ruined and their costumes were messy already. Only Tintin who could manage to stay clean.
What had surprised Haddock was when Tintin had insisted to go home. He told them that 'Captain' had told him so. He didn't want to make Haddock and his mother angry at him. Haddock almost clapped hard in appreciation.
"What a kid," he muttered below his breath. "Being the youngest and still insisted. That's my boy, Tintin." He continued to stalk the kids, aware for anything dangerous, unthinkable and unwanted.
But Haddock had to swallow his relief when finally Tintin lost the argument, and they went to the fair anyway. Well, there's nothing he could do, Haddock thought as he followed the kids to the fair.
The fair was indeed crowded, and Haddock didn't like it. Since he was a little kid, he disliked the crowd of people. He loved a quiet place, a quiet life. He didn't like to meet people he didn't know well. But this time, he had to do it.
"Tintin!" he cried when he realized that the kids were gone. It went unnoticed, as they ran into the fair, Tintin obviously tried to keep up with them, ran as fast as he could without tangle his feet on his long coat.
Haddock pushed himself into the crowd. There was no way the kids could escape his view! He looked around for the pack, but he found nothing. There were only people, people, and people. Haddock started to hyperventilate. People, people, and people were crowding him, made him couldn't breathe.
Haddock's vision began to blur. He felt his body started to fall, but he stopped when he felt a tug on his trousers. He looked down, his world started to focus. He stared at a girl who, he realized, was dressed as The Red Riding Hood. He couldn't see her face, but he was relieved that he was seeing one of the kids.
"Blue blistering barnacles!" he exclaimed. "Girl, do you see Tintin?"
She didn't answer, but she pointed out the crowd. Haddock looked up and saw Tintin and several of his friends. He nodded his thanks and walked away from the girl, assumed that she was following him.
He did see Tintin, but several people bumped against him, and he lost Tintin again. He barely felt a pull on his arm, but he blinked when he realized that he was sitting on a chair. A woman smiled widely at him, her face was covered by a hard makeup. Haddock stared at her clothes, she obviously tried to be an imitation of Queen Elizabeth I, but in his opinion, her face looked more like Bloody Mary.
"Good evening, sir," she grinned cheekily at him. "It seems that you're the only one who doesn't have a Halloween spirit! Girls!"
Her friends suddenly surrounded Haddock, makeup kit on their hands. Haddock gaped at them, but they were irresistible. He felt a brush of makeup on his cheek and he decided to calm down. He could wash them away later, though.
That was, until he saw Tintin in the crowd. He saw a man who was talking to his boy, much to Haddock's fear.
"TINTIN!" he exclaimed, looking to the left, making the makeup went out badly.
"Hey!" one of the girls protested.
"Let me go, you maudlin! Tintin! Ten thousands thundering typhoons! TINTIN!" he shouted once more as he hunched forward, making the powder fell to his shirt, making all of the girls shouted in condescension.
Tintin didn't even seem to hear it. The man patted his shoulder, and Haddock could feel his cheeks got hotter in anger. He snarled. A girl was giving him another makeup, and Haddock couldn't stand it anymore. "Get off me, you all Halloween-crazed!"
He finally launched himself forward and rushed out the lunatics. But Tintin was gone. Haddock's heart pounded twice faster. Where the man took his boy? He looked around but he couldn't see any child wondering in the fair. He only saw people with scary makeup, surrounding him once again, making him lightheaded.
Suddenly he felt a tug again. He looked down and saw The Red Riding Hood girl. With a startling strength, she pulled Haddock out the crowd. Haddock didn't have any time to be surprised of the facts that she was very strong and her hand was cold, because he was dragged to a dark street.
**
It seemed that all citizens of Liverpool were gathering in the fair, leaving the usually crowded street lonely and stranded. Haddock could see that the man was dragging Tintin swiftly to a small street. The girl released him so he could run and confront the man who was trying to kidnap Tintin.
Tintin himself didn't seem to notice that he was in danger. He kept laughing (much to Haddock's relief) as if he was taken to an amusement park. At least Tintin was oblivious, Haddock thought. He ran as fast as he could.
"TINTIN!" he screamed on the top of his lungs.
Tintin stopped walking. He looked back but Haddock was hidden below the darkness, so his boy couldn't see him clearly. When Haddock's voice was heard, the man pulled Tintin nearer to him, and they walked faster, towards the ugliest car Haddock had even seen which was parked in the end of the street.
Haddock stopped when he stepped on pebbles. He cursed loudly, but finally he got an idea. He scooped up the pebbles and continued running.
"TINTIN! You won't have him!" Haddock ran faster, throwing the pebbles to the man's direction, while he swears loudly, forgetting the fact that Tintin was there, and his unwritten vow to himself that he wouldn't swear in front of a kid, let alone his boy.
"Savage! Swine! Kleptomaniac! Cowards! Baboons! Pedophiles! Dunderheads!"
"CAPTAIN!" Tintin squealed (not screamed, thank goodness) and squirmed, trying hard to let go of the man's grip. They were standing below a streetlight now, so they were truly visible. Haddock was still throwing pebbles at them, and Tintin, oblivious as a three year old boy was, cheered happily as if this was a sort of parody.
The man eventually fled, maybe he was afraid of a madcap as the boy's brother. He ran away towards the car and they left, throwing fearful and annoyed stares at the young sailor. Haddock sighed in relief as he finally approached the boy, who was standing below the streetlight.
"Hey, my boy!" Haddock tried to take him into his arms, but Tintin suddenly screamed.
"What is it?"
"Captain! 'fraid!" the boy walked backwards.
"What's wrong with me?" Haddock asked confusedly. Tintin began to tremble. Haddock frowned at him before he realized something.
Between him and Tintin, there was a small puddle of water. He looked down to examine his face, curious of what the crazy girls had done to his face. And he screamed.
"Halloween lunatics! Nitwitted ninepins!"
**
They eventually made it home, of course. Haddock's mother was incoherent with worry, since Albert and his friends had reached home hours ago. After Tintin fell asleep, Haddock sat down in the living room and told his mother what had happened.
She gaped at him. "But Archie, it's impossible!" She took a newspaper, the one Haddock had seen before he went out, and showed him the date. "It's two months ago! They had been in prison since September!"
Then Haddock remembered a newspaper he glanced at in the fair before he ran and rescued Tintin. "Maybe, Mom, you're the one who should read newspapers. Today's news told me that they had escaped."
She still gaped at him. Haddock coaxed her to tell why she really persistent of forbidding Tintin to go. She eventually told him her past, when her friend was kidnapped and killed in Halloween. Haddock nodded in understanding. He would do the same if he were her, too.
"But how did you manage to get Tintin?"
"A girl helped me…" Haddock stopped. "Wait a minute, I totally forgot about her! I left her in the dark street!"
"What did she look like?"
"I don't know. She dressed like The Red Riding Hood!"
Adrienne gasped, and she suddenly launched her body towards her son. "Did she has surprising strength and never speak?"
Haddock nodded slowly. What did his mother was implying?
"Archie, I've met the girl. The Red Riding Hood. She helped me to find my lost bag. When I wanted to thank her, she was already gone, but I've seen her eyes."
"And?"
"Archie, she was your sister. Margaret helped you."
**
"I'm almost late because of his hair, Mom!"
"Well, you were the one who styled it as a quiff, you're the one who is responsible. Now get out of here, into that tub of yours!" Adrienne Haddock bellowed, but her son knew that she was only joking.
"Well, lad," Haddock turned to the boy. "Did you enjoy your Halloween?" He was going to sail again, and he wanted to say goodbye to Tintin and his mother.
Tintin nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Captain! Wanna again!"
Adrienne smirked. "Not until next year, dear," she said. "Now, say goodbye to your 'captain' and we're going home. When you'll come home, Archibald?"
Haddock frowned at the call of his first name. "Around February, maybe. I'm staying in New York for Christmas."
She nodded, and suddenly hugged him. "Good. Now, be careful, Archie," she whispered.
Haddock was shocked. His mother almost never told him such words. "Thanks, Mom. Bye, Tintin!" he kissed the boy's forehead and quiff, before stepped on the ship, Chester following behind.
Just when the ship was beginning to sail, he could hear Albert's words to Tintin. "Tintin! There will be a fair this Christmas! Let's go there!"
Haddock groaned. Not again!
**THE END**