Eerie, Indiana fanfiction: Hostage

[froodle]

The cult leader smelled bad, and there were long-dried stains down the front of his ceremonial robe. When he spoke, his voice was a sibilant and menacing hiss that sprayed his audience with fine drops of saliva. Marshall tried to turn his face away, but the two stinky acolytes gripping his arms held him firmly in place.

“No use struggling!” gloated the leader, his expression mercifully shrouded beneath the hood of his dirty cowl. “Your time has come, Marshall Teller! You and that pesky sidekick of yourstoo!”

Pinioned by a pair of malodorous minions right next to her brother, Syndi Teller raised an eyebrow.

“Excuse me?” she said, her tone outraged. “I’m not the sidekick! I’m the sister!”

The cultists ignored her. Syndi scowled.

“This is why Simon stays home on these missions,” Marshall told her apologetically. “These guys are super rude every time we meet them.”

“Gross,” said Syndi.

“I know all your secrets,” the leader continued, the dark oval of his face drawing closer to Marshall. “We see the world through your eyes!” He chuckled, a grotesque and phlegm-y sound, full of self-satisfaction. “We infiltrated your very vision and still you were blind to our machinations!”

Syndi raised a hand. The cultists who were supposed to be holding her looked at each other in alarm.

“Just to clarify,” she said. “Do you mean you were in his mind, as in reading his thoughts, or just seeing the world through his eyes?”

The leader rubbed his gloved hands together gleefully.

“We hold knowledge forbidden to the minds of mortal men!” he gloated. “The hidden truths of the universe are laid bare before us! We have no need of the thoughts of a boy.” His voice dripped contempt on the last word, and a flicker of irritation flashed across Marshall’s face.

“Wow,” said Syndi. “That must be so boring for you.”

“Hey!” her brother objected.

“Sorry, Mars,” she said. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just... what group of grownups is so interested in seeing what a fourteen year old kid gets up to? You spend most of your time going to school or delivering papers or doing homework. Even at peak weirdness, they can’t see inside your brain, so to them it’s just meaningless shots of a junk-filled attic.”

She stared at the leader.

“Can you even read his handwriting?” she demanded. “Because I can’t. I don’t know anyone who can.”

A burst of frantic whispering rustled through the assembled cultists like an autumn breeze through particularly stupid trees.

“I can read my writing just fine,” said Marshall, a little sulkily.

“Which from your perspective is the most important thing,” said Syndi. “But from the quite literal point of view of supposedly adult members of society, who invested time and energy in spying on you, is probably a bit frustrating.”

“It is a bit difficult to understand,” agreed one of the cultists currently failing to hold Marshall’s arms behind his back. Several of his companions nodded.

“I’m really sorry,” said Syndi, stepping away from her ineffective captors. “I just don’t see that there’s a story here for me.” She retrieved her backpack from where it had fallen when the cultists had grabbed her, and stuffed the pen and notebook back inside it, slinging it over her shoulders and adjusting the straps as she spoke.

“Aww, Syn...” her brother started, pulling away from his own set of guards. “Don’t be like that! They worked hard to set up this ambush.”

“I really, really believe that,” said Syndi. “And that’s what makes this so pathetic. No wonder Simon and Dash wouldn’t come with you. This is just embarrassing.”

The cult leader seemed to crumple in on himself, just a little. Several of the massed ranks turned away, their shoulders sagging in extravagant expressions of sorrow.

“Syn!” Marshall whispered. His eyebrows were knit in a grimace of awkwardness. “Come on, don’t be so mean!”

Syndi brushed her hair out of her eyes.

“I’m not being mean, Mars,” she said. “I came here to write an article on the seedy underbelly of Eerie’s religious institutions, and what I find are a bunch of idiots in un-laundered robes who can’t even kidnap a middle-schooler and a nosy reporter properly.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I know you think you’re being kind, letting them pretend they’re a top-tier weirdness factor, but how long can you keep it up?”

“I know,” Marshall muttered, staring at his shoes. He could hear the cult leader starting to snivel behind his robe and feel the hot damp sweat of contact embarrassment trickling beneath his Giants sweatshirt. “That’s what Simon said, too.”

Syndi pushed a couple of hooded figures back and reached for her brother. She gave his arm a comforting squeeze.

“Next time you should probably listen to him,” she said.





Teller Family History

First Date by froodle, in which a young Edgar Teller shows off one of his earlier inventions

Popcorn by froodle. Friday night is always movie night in the Teller household.

The Teller Home for Displaced Youth by froodle, in which Edgar harbours some doubts about his new home town

Lawn by froodle, in which Marilyn Teller contemplaces some yardwork

Tornado Day, Revisited by froodle, in which Syndi learns exactly what it means to be Miss Tornado Day

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

Culinary Delights by froodle, in which Syndi's terrible cooking may or may not have been an accident

Camping by froodle, in which Syndi cannot sleep

Artist in the Family by froodle, in which an immortal creature takes a liking to Syndi

Without Due Care and Attention by froodle, in which Syndi finally becomes mobile

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

Brunch by froodle, in which Marilyn does not appreciate Edgar's help in the kitchen

Handmade by froodle, in which the Tellers receive a Christmas package from Marilyn's mother

Poor Life Choices by froodle, in which Syndi loves her brother anyway

Lillian by froodle, in which Marilyn's mother has concerns

Visitor by froodle, in which Marshall's grandma comes to stay

Nap by froodle, in which Marshall has a quiet moment in the Secret Spot

Fresh Sheets by froodle

Tradition by froodle, in which Dash and Marshall decorate a Christmas tree

Hometown by froodle, in which Mars and Syndi visit New Jersey





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