Eerie, Indiana fanfiction: Upgrade?

[froodle]

The imitation leather upholstery was cracked and faded. Once the dark green of old-growth spruce trees sodden with snow melt under a twilight sky, in places it had paled to watery pea-soup, too thin for vomiting on the set of a horror movie and relegated to school dinners in unpopular school districts. Jagged tears ran like jack-o-lantern smiles across the seat cushions, and something with huge claws had gouged great furrows in the arms and along the back. Peeling duct tape covered the worst of the damage, the silvery adhesive glittering strong and bright against the sad and tattered fabric of the original covers.

Marshall Teller gave the can of Scotch Guard a vigorous shake, aimed the nozzle at one coiling tentacle of darkness seeping up from a split seam, and pressed the trigger.

"We can afford a new couch, you guys," said Simon, his voice muffled behind a protective face mask.

Marshall brandished the can back and forth, coating the emerging tentacles with a fine spray of air-born droplets. The shadow fingers twisted and recoiled as the moisture hit them, retreating back into the gloom between the sofa cushions or dissipating into a greyish film with a sad 'pfft' noise.

"No, we can't," he said. "Not if we want to keep the cable on."

Dash rolled his eyes.

"I can steal us cable," he said. "I'd rather have a sofa that doesn't eat me than have HBO with nowhere to sit and watch it, anyway."

Marshall ground his teeth.

"You don't get a vote," he said, his voice tight. "You are the one who lost a cursed penny down the back of this thing and opened an inter-dimensional rift in the fabric of space, time, and our sofa cushions."

"If we had a better sofa..." Dash began, but Simon put his hand on his arm and he subsided into silence.

Simon rummaged in a bulging paper grocery bag, emerging with half a dozen more cans of Scotch Guard.

"The label on the can says it repels water, dirt, and fluctuating realities," he said, reading. "The couch will be fine. Probably."

"As long as someone remembers to empty his pockets when he gets back after a job," said Marshall, discarding the first can and reaching for two more even as the tentacles reached for him.

Dash rolled his eyes.

"You two can do what you like," he said, heading for the door. "I'm going to ask your mom if she still has those beanbag chairs in storage from when your sister had her flower-child phase."

Simon made a face. He remembered sitting on those shifting, uncomfortable, patchouli-scented sacks for six months while Syndi played sitar music in the Teller's living room. Given the choice, he'd take the haunted sofa.

"Seriously though, Mars," he said, as behind him the apartment door opened and banged closed. "We can pick up a new settee at Eerie Thrift for less than what you just spent on inter-dimensional Scotch Guard. This one is more duct tape and packing cases than it is couch, anyway."

Marshall pulled his own surgical mask down around his neck.

"I know," he admitted. "But this was the first piece of furniture I ever bought. If I get rid of it, I want it to be because we replaced it with some amazing L-shaped monstrosity with matching recliners, not because some uppity smoke-demon got jammed in there trying to steal our loose change."

"Ah," said Simon, picking up a couple of spray cans and giving them a shake. "Well, okay. As long as you have a good reason, I guess."





Microwave-verse

Bonfire by froodle, in which Pinocchio is ruined forever

Gingerbread by froodle, in which there is a witch in the Eerie Woods

Leaves by froodle, in which plantlife finds Marshall entirely too enticing

Offspring by froodle, in which there are dragons

Based on Your Previous Purchases by froodle, in which Mars should really pay attention to Amazon's reccomendations

Housework by froodle, in which a rota cannot be agreed upon

Breakfast by froodle, in which Dash's attempts at cookery do not go well

Ghost in the Machine by froodle, in which a new laptop opens an old wound

Consequences by froodle, in which an encounter with leprechauns leaves the boys very tired indeed

The Microwave by froodle, in which Andrea Fantucci returns to Eerie after a considerable absense

The Eldritch Abomination in the Room by froodle, in which the microwave is most definitely not discussed

Basic Household Maintenance by froodle, in which manticores are inconsiderate houseguests

Torrential by froodle, in which there is a storm, and the boys eat ice-cream

Linens by froodle, in which Dash X makes a bed

Night Music by froodle, in which Simon is woken by a nocturnal visitor

In For The Night by froodle, in which Dash refuses to leave the house

Hound by froodle, in which Simon makes a friend

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

Waterlogged by froodle, in which Eerie experiences heavy rainfall

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

Rainbow by froodle, in which Dash fails to properly appreciate Michael Flatley

Jackolantern by froodle, in which the local pumpkin patch has a problem

Comments

[deifire]

Oh, Marshall! <3

I totally sympathize, but sometimes you gotta let stuff go. Also, think about how long the amazing L-shaped monstrosity would be likely to survive Simon's pets. Or Dash.

[froodle]

Yeah,how much more heartwrenching is a lost penny curse when it's on a really beautiful sofa instead of the piece of crap youv e had since you were a student?

[evilinsanemonkey]

I love this

[froodle]

:D