My Spook Me 2021 Fic
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These pieces are shorter than last year's, but make use of both picture-prompts instead of just one.
Prompts: Robot
Title: "Brass"
Fandom: Original Fiction
Characters: Aric, Darya, Hamish
Word Count: 168
Colorado, 1878
"It was only one little automaton--nothing but tubes and gears. I don't see why you had any problem with it," Darya huffed at Aric. Hamish resisted rolling his eyes at the pair of them. They were all experienced Pinkerton Mediums. The least they could do was act like adults.
"You weren't trapped in a tiny space with it!" The dragon rumbled defensively to the faerie. Hamish shushed the pair of them, "Would the two of you please focus? We're nearly out of this maze."
They did emerge from the maze into a clearing where they could see the child they'd been sent to rescue and another automaton.
"That isn't one little automaton," Darya conceded. Aric rumbled warmly, "And this isn't a tiny space. I'll get the machine. You two get the boy."
The dragon shifted from human to dragon as soon as he finished speaking and flew straight at the towering collection of tubes and gears. The faerie and water horse collected the boy more… quietly.
Prompts: Aquatic Monster
Title: "Beneath"
Fandom: Shadowhunters (TV)
Characters: Alec, Izzy, Jace
Word Count: 168
New York City Sewers, Now
"She's gorgeous!" Jace rumbled excitedly. Alec looked like he might agree. Izzy huffed at the pair of them.
"She's a siren. Unseelie? Breaking the Accords? Just back up," boys could be so dumb.
Izzy wasn't concerned about the immediate threat, but she wondered if it was there to distract them from finding the greater one. It didn't have enough teeth or tentacles to be the demon they'd come down into the sewers to find. As Izzy moved to pull the child from the siren's arms her form began to change.
"Izzy get back!" Jace shouted no longer distracted by the siren. Alec might have cursed softly at the siren getting away while taking a defensive position with his siblings.
"That's not a little girl," was the obvious statement from Jace.
"It's one very large--very toothy Eidolon," Izzy added for good measure.
"Nothing we can't handle," Alec reminded his younger siblings. They attacked the demon with their usual efficiency. They were a winning combination.
Prompts: Invader
Title: Beyond
Fandom: Avengers (Marvel)
Characters: Bucky, Nat, Steve
Word Count: 168
New York City, Near Future
There was some brief cursing in German and then a loud explosion behind them. Bucky might have laughed triumphantly. Steve definitely looked smug.
"I can't imagine how HYDRA thinks a floating tank can be that much harder to destroy than one with treads," Nat said looking back with a frown.
"The problem is you're imagining them thinking," Bucky patiently explained to her. Rather than contribute to the conversation between the super assassins in the jeep, Steve narrowed his eyes, spotting the flash of something very different coming up fast behind them, "Those aren't HYDRA."
Bucky turned to get a better look at what Steve had caught in the rearview mirror. As soon as he saw them he nodded agreement, adding, "They ain't Chitauri either."
Nat didn't bother to look before grumbling, "And this isn't a party."
"It isn't a party yet," Steve cheerfully assured her as he passed her a familiar pager. He knew just the captain to invite to this particular party.
Prompts: Vampire
Title: Bite
Fandom: X-Men (Movies)
Characters: Charles, Erik, Raven
Word Count: 168
Romania, Yesterday
"You didn't seriously miss the part where she had no reflection and fangs?!" Raven demanded of Erik in angry disbelief.
"She was… mesmerizing," he answered her wobbling a bit on his feet and waving one hand about vaguely. Charles tsked at him, "Stay with us, Erik."
He might have blinked more than once before he managed to answer, "Yes, Charles."
Raven was confident she'd dealt with Ms. Mesmerizing. The Bride of Dracula had promptly turned to dust when staked like vampires often did in movies and TV shows. She was less certain they had Erik out of the woods. They might need to find Dracula himself before the Master of Magnetism started sprouting fangs. As soon as she thought of Dracula there was a form taking shape out of the mist in front of them. Raven might not have been sure if Erik was back in control, but Charles wasn't surprised by the vampire that appeared from the mist getting an iron stake through the heart.
*
These pieces are shorter than last year's, but make use of both picture-prompts instead of just one.
Prompts: Robot
Title: "Brass"
Fandom: Original Fiction
Characters: Aric, Darya, Hamish
Word Count: 168
Colorado, 1878
"It was only one little automaton--nothing but tubes and gears. I don't see why you had any problem with it," Darya huffed at Aric. Hamish resisted rolling his eyes at the pair of them. They were all experienced Pinkerton Mediums. The least they could do was act like adults.
"You weren't trapped in a tiny space with it!" The dragon rumbled defensively to the faerie. Hamish shushed the pair of them, "Would the two of you please focus? We're nearly out of this maze."
They did emerge from the maze into a clearing where they could see the child they'd been sent to rescue and another automaton.
"That isn't one little automaton," Darya conceded. Aric rumbled warmly, "And this isn't a tiny space. I'll get the machine. You two get the boy."
The dragon shifted from human to dragon as soon as he finished speaking and flew straight at the towering collection of tubes and gears. The faerie and water horse collected the boy more… quietly.
Prompts: Aquatic Monster
Title: "Beneath"
Fandom: Shadowhunters (TV)
Characters: Alec, Izzy, Jace
Word Count: 168
New York City Sewers, Now
"She's gorgeous!" Jace rumbled excitedly. Alec looked like he might agree. Izzy huffed at the pair of them.
"She's a siren. Unseelie? Breaking the Accords? Just back up," boys could be so dumb.
Izzy wasn't concerned about the immediate threat, but she wondered if it was there to distract them from finding the greater one. It didn't have enough teeth or tentacles to be the demon they'd come down into the sewers to find. As Izzy moved to pull the child from the siren's arms her form began to change.
"Izzy get back!" Jace shouted no longer distracted by the siren. Alec might have cursed softly at the siren getting away while taking a defensive position with his siblings.
"That's not a little girl," was the obvious statement from Jace.
"It's one very large--very toothy Eidolon," Izzy added for good measure.
"Nothing we can't handle," Alec reminded his younger siblings. They attacked the demon with their usual efficiency. They were a winning combination.
Prompts: Invader
Title: Beyond
Fandom: Avengers (Marvel)
Characters: Bucky, Nat, Steve
Word Count: 168
New York City, Near Future
There was some brief cursing in German and then a loud explosion behind them. Bucky might have laughed triumphantly. Steve definitely looked smug.
"I can't imagine how HYDRA thinks a floating tank can be that much harder to destroy than one with treads," Nat said looking back with a frown.
"The problem is you're imagining them thinking," Bucky patiently explained to her. Rather than contribute to the conversation between the super assassins in the jeep, Steve narrowed his eyes, spotting the flash of something very different coming up fast behind them, "Those aren't HYDRA."
Bucky turned to get a better look at what Steve had caught in the rearview mirror. As soon as he saw them he nodded agreement, adding, "They ain't Chitauri either."
Nat didn't bother to look before grumbling, "And this isn't a party."
"It isn't a party yet," Steve cheerfully assured her as he passed her a familiar pager. He knew just the captain to invite to this particular party.
Prompts: Vampire
Title: Bite
Fandom: X-Men (Movies)
Characters: Charles, Erik, Raven
Word Count: 168
Romania, Yesterday
"You didn't seriously miss the part where she had no reflection and fangs?!" Raven demanded of Erik in angry disbelief.
"She was… mesmerizing," he answered her wobbling a bit on his feet and waving one hand about vaguely. Charles tsked at him, "Stay with us, Erik."
He might have blinked more than once before he managed to answer, "Yes, Charles."
Raven was confident she'd dealt with Ms. Mesmerizing. The Bride of Dracula had promptly turned to dust when staked like vampires often did in movies and TV shows. She was less certain they had Erik out of the woods. They might need to find Dracula himself before the Master of Magnetism started sprouting fangs. As soon as she thought of Dracula there was a form taking shape out of the mist in front of them. Raven might not have been sure if Erik was back in control, but Charles wasn't surprised by the vampire that appeared from the mist getting an iron stake through the heart.
*