Eerie, Indiana fanfiction: Unsuitable Substitute

[froodle]

Simon Holmes woke from a night of broken sleep to find his backyard covered in fairy rings. He sighed, pulling on a faded blue-check dressing gown that had once been Marshall's. Tying it tight about himself with a chain-link belt studded with charms of cold iron and blessed silver, he went to check on his little brother.

The changeling lay motionless on top of Harley's worn-out bedspread, it's eyes huge and black and expressionless in Harley's pink, freckled face.

"Hey," said Simon. He patted the thing's hand, small and curled and hard like granite under his fingers. "I'm gonna go get you something to eat, okay?"

He shut the door quietly behind him and edged across the landing to the narrow stairway. Sticking close to the edges, careful to keep his exposed skin clear of the splintery wooden bannister, he made his way downstairs and into the dingy kitchen. Using the bottom of his over-sized pullover as a makeshift basket, he lifted down dented tins of out-of-date spaghetti hoops, tucked a jumbo-sized packet of stale cornflakes under one arm, and headed back to the thing that had taken his brother's place.

"Oh, dang it," he said, "I forgot the can opener. Wait he-"

He trailed off as the changeling dug Harley's short, neat nails into the metal can and with one swift motion, pulled it apart. It shoved the cold, slimy pasta into a mouth too wide for the human face. A second later, the jagged remains of the tins followed it down the red, tooth-ringed gullet.

"Never mind," said Simon. He glanced out of the window, where the spotted toadstools that formed the fairy ring were already melting back into the patchy lawn.

Next door, the walkie talkie crackled. Simon started at the sudden noise, stumbling over his own feet as he struggled to stand on a bedroom carpet gone slick with tomato sauce and treacherous with shredded metal pieces.

"I'll be right back," he promised, slipping through the adjoining door that led to his own tiny bedroom and grabbing the radio from it's hiding place under his narrow bed.

"Hey, Mars," he said, pressing the talk button.

"Hey," said Marshall, his voice muffled by static. "Is everything okay? Mom and Dad made breakfast, are you coming over?"

Simon perched awkwardly on the ancient radiator beneath Harley's bedroom window, his eyes fixed on the changeling as it devoured Harley's collection of half-melted plastic army men.

"Sorry," he said. "I don't think I can make it. Something got into my house last night and kidnapped Harley, left one of those black-eyed monster babies in his place. I'm stuck here 'til they show up to undo the trade."

Marshall whistled.

"Holy corn," he said. "I didn't think they'd make the same mistake, not after last time."

"Yeah," said Simon. "Some poor fairy emissary is probably going to lose their wings over this."

"Do you want company?" asked Marshall.

Simon nudged the changeling away from the row of battered metal toy cars.

"No!" he said to the stone-skinned thing. Then, "Sorry, Mars, not you. Sure, come by. I could use a hand here."

"I still have that cold-iron safety gate if you need to keep it contained," said Marshall. "I'll get it and be right over. Do you need anything else?"

Simon watched as the changeling pried up the stained carpet in one corner of the room and began to eat it. Huge puffs of dust and dirt rose from the dingy fabric as the changeling ate.

"Do your folks have any of that experimental coffee cake left?" he asked.

He was pretty sure he heard Marshall shudder over the airwaves.

"A whole pallet full, out in the garage," he said. "Dad'll be thrilled someone else is finally eating it."

Simon took another look at the churned mud of his parent's garden. A handful of pale lilies were sprouting where the mushrooms had been.

"Never mind," he said. "Incoming fairy ring, twelve o'clock."

"Damn," said Marshall. "See if you can get them to take the cakes with them anyway."

"Will do," said Simon, setting the walkie down. In the backyard, the soil began to steam as something pushed it's way through from an adjacent reality. Something gorgeously arrayed in a gown of finest gossamer, with dark circles under it's eyes and wine-dark tresses caked in a sticky mixture of jam and blood.

Harley, his wrists encircled with bands of fairy fire that did absolutely nothing to constrain him, waved at his big brother. Simon waved back, then shot a sympathetic smile at the exhausted Fairy Queen at his side.





Holmes Brothers

The End by froodle, in which Simon reads Harley a bedtime story

Drains by froodle, in which clowns are evil, murderous sacks of shit, and Simon is having none of it

Kaleidoscope by froodle, in which Simon has cause to regret buying cheap toys at the World o' Stuff

Sneakers by froodle, in which the latest Sky Monsters are released

Reception by froodle, in which Simon has problems with his mobile phone

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

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

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

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





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

Comments

[froodle]

Thank you :D