Eerie, Indiana fanfiction: Construction

[froodle]

Written for Day 16 of the 31daysoffandom challenge. The prompt I used for this one was "dead"



For the last two weeks, a deep grinding roar had been heard periodically from the deep and shadowed corners of the Eerie Cemetery. Every morning, as the first pallid traces of the winter dawn were creeping through the black bare branches of the stripped trees, Euclid Daganfort emerged from his tiny grounds-keepers hut, blew out a great coffee-scented breath that plumed in the frosty air, and stumped off in the direction of the tumble-down wall.

He was swathed in bulky layers of well-worn clothing, and the heavy rubber tread of his great black work boots stamped a warding charm into the frosted grass as he passed. He carried a stained and dented shovel over one shoulder, and he clenched a disreputable corn-cob pipe beneath his long yellowing teeth. Multiple times in the course of the working day, Euclid Daganfort would trudge back to the little shed, emerging with a packet of sandwiches, or a thermos, or great bundles wrapped in sacking that flopped about awkwardly as he carried them back up the path. A few moments later, the grinding roar would resume.

The tumble-down wall abutted the bank of a river that was home to at least one Jenny Greenteeth, a particularly nasty and carnivorous subspecies of mermaid, and so surveillance on the elderly gravedigger was complicated. Still, Marshall and Simon were undeterred as they skulked between the raised family crypts of Eerie’s more prosperous residents, binoculars in hand and scarves wound tight to dispel the icy touches of the restless dead.

“Oh,” said Marshall, and beneath his padded and waterproofed winter anorak, his shoulders slumped. Simon used the base of a robed angel to gain a few more inches of height and followed his friend’s gaze.

Euclid Daganfort was shovelling sand and gravel into a steadily whirring cement mixer that stood at the centre of a dirty tarpaulin. The edges of the fabric were weighed down by chipped grey stones, left-overs from the tumble-down wall’s most recent stage of ongoing collapse. Beside the mixer, a fresh pallet of square-edged red bricks was open, the first row missing.

“You’re kidding,” said Simon.

“I was so sure he had a rock golem back there,” said Marshall sadly.

Simon snapped a few pictures (”for our records”) and they collected up their notebooks, the plaid picnic rug they had been sitting on, and the remains of their packed lunches.

In the shadows by the tumbledown wall, Euclid Daganfort placed a sharpened stake into a freshly-prepared brick recess, scraped away the excess cement, and tapped it sharply with a mallet to fix it in place.





Trusted Associates, Inc.

Halloween by froodle, in which Mars and Simon celebrate a Von Orloff-free All Hallows Eve

Surprise by froodle, in which Mars tries to make sure Simon's birthday goes a little better this year

The Glade by froodle, in which Simon and Mars visit a place that only exists on February 29th

Egg Hunt by froodle, in which Simon and Mars partake of some traditional Easter activities

Boardwalk by froodle, in which Simon and Mars are swayed by radio advertising

Lady in Red by froodle, in which Simon experiments on the old-fashioned radio in the Secret Spot, and horror ensues

Waiting In by froodle, in which there is an ice-storm and a handyman does not arrive

Seafoam by froodle, in which Simon and Marshall go to the seaside

A Night at the Circus by froodle, in which a carnivale comes to town, and Marshall and Simon do not enjoy themselves

Taking a Break by froodle, in which Simon and Marshall enjoy some much-needed R&R

Model Railway by froodle, in which a new business prepares to open in Eerie

Shoreline by froodle, in which Simon and Marshall investigate strange happenings on the shores of Lake Eerie

Parade by froodle, in which Mars takes issue with the Eerie Beekeepers Association's choice of mascot

Homestead by froodle, in which Marshall finally gets something useful out of shop class

Hound by froodle, in which Simon makes a friend

Errands by froodle, in which Simon has a to-do list

Slyboots by froodle, in which a certain corporal of the infernal regions comes to Eerie. Crossover with Johannes Cabal the Necromancer.

Waterlogged by froodle, in which Eerie experiences heavy rainfall

Festival by froodle, in which Eerie's local businesses celebrate the summer

Strawberry by froodle, in which there is unauthorised hubbub in Eerie

Wildlife by froodle, in which Simon and Marshall go to the beach

Facilities by froodle, in which the Eerie Bus Station and Supper Club has a problem with the men's toilet

Anticipation by froodle, in which Simon and Harley look forward to the Equinox

Castle by froodle, in which there is unexpected architecture in Eerie

Visitor in which Marshall's grandma comes to stay

Euclid by froodle, in which Marshall and Simon investigate strange events at the Eerie Cemetery

The Hut by froodle, in which Simon takes on the forces of Eerie solo