Story 169: "In My Secret Life" by David Hearne

[amyhit]

I was originally considering something fluffy after last week's horror and gloom, but then this fic lured me in with its spare, eerie tone and the unique way it makes use of several important loose threads the series left us with

Comments

[estella_c]

amyhit, I meant to comment earlier. It's a shame everyone seems to be elsewhere. I blame the weather. Or possibly the House of Representatives.

This is indeed a powerful story. Much of the power comes from its spare, denotative (as you call it) style. I liked it better than that other William ghost story, which seemed a bit dulled by vague symbolism.

I think the confusing--and perhaps mistaken--line is "You also have two fathers and two mothers." One is forced to think of M & S versus the Van de Kamps. But really the puzzle unravels when we think of Mulder and Scully representing the two bloodlines, which is factually the case. Mulder's past is full of power and secrets; his whole life is devoted to finding their source. Scully is the product of marital and sibling love, plus religion. This actually makes Mulder the focus of love and power, and the speech would make a *little* more sense if he were the one hearing it.

I blame the writer. He was working too quickly. I hope he reappears to argue with me.

Nevertheless, I am a fan of IMSL, and it's verbal clarity and brevity set a good example for many fic writers.

[amyhit]

I liked it better than that other William ghost story, which seemed a bit dulled by vague symbolism.

Ah, right, Silver Bells and Cockle Shells. I really like SB&CS, but I find it ultimately insubstantial. There's a lot of intriguing ideas in it, but none of those ideas really attach to anything in the bigger picture. It was very intriguing for such a tiny fic, but I felt like contemplation was the whole point. Whereas IMSL has its root closely and directly in the broader XF story, which is something I find extremely valuable, considering how few fic really develop William's character in a way that's to my liking. To me IMSL feels so possible, and very connected to the XF universe. I've always loved the idea of William reconvening with Mulder and Scully at some point, to fight in the resistance, and I think I've always hung onto that possibility as my own personal canon, even though I've also always figured CC would never actually write it that way. IMSL makes me realize exactly how much I want this for the characters and for the story.

I think the confusing--and perhaps mistaken--line is "You also have two fathers and two mothers." One is forced to think of M & S versus the Van de Kamps. But really the puzzle unravels when we think of Mulder and Scully representing the two bloodlines

I think you're right about this. At first when I thought CSM was advocating for the colonists, I did presume the two bloodlines he was speaking of were Mulder's and Scully's. But then the "two mothers and two fathers" line confused me, as you said. the trouble with thinking critically about things is that a slight flaw can derail everything. I should have stuck by my initial impression, and am only too happy to get back to it, despite the small snag.