#give me the Christmas supernatural horror

[ennaih]

Every Film I Watch In 2023:

236. Krampus (2015)

[thestuffedalligator]

I completely forgot Le Collège Noir was getting an animated adaptation, and oh my god this looks unimaginably cool.

[vermilionsun]

This post translates directly to @musas-sideblog's about how Touchstarved ties with Victorian horror and implicit/metaphorical sex, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so here is a lengthy theory. Enjoy :)

Note 1: Victorian era authors used an unholy amount of ways to imply sexual feelings/acts etc, so I here I will include only the ones that are of interest. Note 2: I've highlighted the "most important" parts. Note 3: I'm not an expert at this, so please bear with me and feel free to correct me. Note 4: Do I need to add a TW? I think it's obvious-

Overview: What is Victorian Horror?

Victorian horror refers to the genre of horror literature, art, and culture that flourished during the Victorian era, roughly from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, coinciding with Queen Victoria's reign from 1837 to 1901. This period was marked by a fascination with the macabre, the supernatural, and the dark aspects of human nature, reflecting the anxieties and societal changes of the time. 

Key Themes and Characteristics

Supernatural Elements:

Ghosts and Spirits: Tales of haunted houses and spectral apparitions were central to Victorian horror. Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" (1843) and Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw" (1898) are notable examples.

Monsters and the Gothic: The era's literature is filled with monstrous creations and gothic settings, such as in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (1818), Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (1897), and Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" (1886).

Science and the Unknown:

The Victorian period was a time of great scientific advancement, but also of fear about the implications of these discoveries. This is evident in works that explore the dangers of unchecked scientific experimentation, like "Frankenstein" and H.G. Wells's "The Island of Doctor Moreau" (1896).

Exploration of the Human Psyche:

Victorian horror often delved into the darker aspects of the human mind, including themes of duality, madness, and the hidden, sinister side of human nature. This is seen in "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" and Edgar Allan Poe’s works, such as "The Tell-Tale Heart" (1843).

Social and Moral Anxieties:

The literature frequently reflected Victorian society's fears and anxieties, including issues related to sexuality, class, and the role of women. Gothic novels often contained subtexts about societal norms and the consequences of transgressing them.

Urban Fear and Isolation:

The rapid urbanisation of the Victorian era contributed to themes of isolation, alienation, and fear of the crowded yet lonely cityscape. This is evident in the settings of many horror stories, such as Arthur Machen's "The Great God Pan" (1894).

Sexual Content: Victorian literature is renowned for its strict moral codes and conservative views on sexuality. Explicit depictions of sexual activity were considered taboo and were subject to censorship. Consequently, authors developed subtle and nuanced methods to imply sexual scenes or themes.

Literary Techniques for Implying Sexual Scenes

✧ Symbolism and Imagery:

Sexuality was often conveyed through symbolic imagery. Objects, actions, or natural phenomena could serve as metaphors for sexual activity or desire. For example, in "Dracula" by Bram Stoker, blood and biting symbolise sexual penetration and the exchange of bodily fluids, infusing the act with a sense of forbidden desire and eroticism.

Clothing and Undress:

Gloves: In Victorian culture, gloves were highly symbolic. The act of a woman removing her gloves in the presence of a man, or a man assisting her in this act, could signify a moment of intimacy or vulnerability. Similarly, a man giving a woman his gloves could be a sign of affection or a deeper connection.

Hats and Bonnets:

Corsets

Objects and Personal Items:

Locks of Hair

Jewellery

Books and Letters

Touch and Physical Contact:

Kissing Hands

Hand-Holding

Food and Drink:

Wine: Sharing wine or a meal in an intimate setting often suggested a prelude to deeper connection. Descriptions of characters drinking wine together in private could imply a romantic or sexual undertone.

Fruit: Certain fruits, like apples, grapes, or peaches, were laden with sexual symbolism. Eating or sharing fruit could represent temptation or indulgence. For instance, in Christina Rossetti’s poem "Goblin Market", the act of eating the goblin fruit is rich with sexual symbolism.

Flora and Fauna

Flowers and Gardens:

Roses: Roses were often used to symbolise love and passion. A red rose might suggest romantic or sexual attraction, while a wilted rose could imply lost innocence or sexual ruin.

Lilies: Lilies, especially white ones, represented purity but could also suggest a contrasting theme when associated with a fallen or tarnished character.

Garden Settings: Scenes set in secluded gardens or amongst lush, overgrown vegetation often hinted at secret or forbidden encounters. Descriptions of characters wandering through or tending to gardens could imply sexual exploration or awakening.

Flowers Blooming or Opening:  The blooming of flowers often represented sexual awakening or the act of losing one's virginity.

Nature Imagery:

Rivers and Water: Flowing water and rivers often symbolised sexual desire and the act of lovemaking. For instance, in "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy, Tess's encounter with Alec d'Urberville is often described with metaphors of nature and fluidity.

Storms and Weather: Storms, with their intense energy and sudden outbursts, were frequently used to symbolise sexual passion or climactic moments.

Birds and Beasts:

Animals, especially those that are wild or predatory, often symbolised primal sexual instincts and desires. The taming or interaction with these animals could imply a character’s grappling with their own sexuality.

Fire and Heat

✧ Phrases and Sayings

Euphemistic Language

Descriptive Phrasing

Dialogue and Confessions

Private Spaces:

Secluded or Dimly Lit Rooms: Scenes set in private, darkened rooms often suggested clandestine sexual encounters. The privacy of the setting allows authors to imply what could not be explicitly stated. In Wilkie Collins’s "The Woman in White", many key interactions happen in secluded spaces, hinting at secrets and hidden desires.

Dreams and Fantasies:

Dream Sequences:

Dreams and fantasies were used to explore a character’s subconscious desires and fears, often revealing their suppressed sexual longings. These sequences provided a socially acceptable way to delve into erotic themes.

Hallucinations and Madness:

Moments of madness or hallucination could serve as a metaphor for overwhelming passion or uncontrollable sexual desire. These states allowed characters to express forbidden feelings in a way that was metaphorically safe.

Physical Interactions and Horror

Touch and Proximity as Menace:

Unwanted or Forced Touch: In horror, touch that is typically a sign of affection or intimacy becomes a source of fear.

Physical Closeness in Horror Settings: Close proximity in dark, secluded places amplifies the sense of claustrophobia and vulnerability, turning what could be an intimate setting into one fraught with terror.

Undress and Exposure in Horror:

Loosening Corsets and Vulnerability: The act of undressing or loosening clothing, which can be a prelude to intimacy, in horror often leaves characters vulnerable to attack or exposure of their deepest fears.

Food and Consumption in Horror

Cannibalism and Vampirism:

Blood as Sexual and Vital Fluid: The act of consuming blood, as in vampirism, blends the themes of sustenance and sexual exchange. The vampire's bite becomes a metaphor for both sexual penetration and the transfer of life force.

Example: "Dracula" is a prime example where blood consumption is deeply eroticized, with Dracula’s victims often portrayed in a state of ecstatic submission as he drains their blood.

Food as a Lure: Food and feasting, typically symbols of pleasure and indulgence, in horror contexts can be used to lure victims into dangerous situations.

Example: In "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti, the goblins’ fruit is both irresistibly tempting and dangerous, representing a forbidden and potentially fatal indulgence.

Plot and Character Dynamics in Horror

Power and Domination:

Common Dynamics with a Dark Twist

Predators and Victims: Characters who prey on others are often literal monsters in horror, representing the loss of control or innocence.

Secrecy and Concealment:

Hidden Desires and Monstrous Revelations: Characters who conceal their true identities or desires often find these hidden aspects manifesting as monstrous or terrifying in horror narratives, suggesting that repression can lead to dire consequences.

Clandestine Meetings and Forbidden Encounters: Secret meetings and forbidden relationships, often tinged with sexual implications, add an element of danger and fear, suggesting that transgressing social norms leads to horror.

Common Themes in Victorian Horror

Duality and the Doppelgänger:

Theme: The concept of duality, where a character has a hidden, darker side, or encounters a double (doppelgänger), often symbolises the internal conflict between good and evil within individuals.

Connection: This theme reflects Victorian anxieties about identity, morality, and the consequences of repressing one’s darker impulses.

Gothic and Supernatural Elements:

Theme: Victorian horror is rich with Gothic elements such as haunted houses, dark landscapes, and supernatural beings. These elements create a sense of dread and evoke the mysteries of the unknown.

Connection: The Gothic setting often serves as a backdrop for exploring human fears, isolation, and the impact of the supernatural on everyday life.

Decay and Degeneration:

Theme: The fear of decay and degeneration, both physical and moral, is a recurring motif. This theme often examines the decline of individuals, families, or societies and the consequences of corruption and vice.

Connection: This theme mirrors Victorian concerns about the erosion of social and moral values amidst rapid industrial and social changes.

Madness and Psychological Horror:

Theme: The exploration of madness and psychological horror delves into the fragility of the human mind and the terror of losing one's sanity. This often includes hallucinations, obsessions, and the thin line between reality and delusion.

Connection: This theme resonates with Victorian fears of mental illness, the limitations of medical knowledge, and the impact of societal pressures on mental health.

Forbidden Knowledge and the Faustian Bargain:

Theme: The pursuit of forbidden knowledge and the resulting consequences is a central theme. Characters who seek power, immortality, or forbidden truths often pay a heavy price, reminiscent of the Faustian bargain.

Connection: This theme highlights Victorian anxieties about scientific progress, moral boundaries, and the potential hubris of human ambition.

The Uncanny and the Unknown:

Theme: The uncanny involves the strange and unfamiliar becoming eerily familiar, often unsettling the reader and characters. It blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural, invoking fear and discomfort.

Connection: This theme taps into Victorian fears of the unknown, the foreign, and the otherworldly, reflecting broader anxieties about social and cultural boundaries.

Death and the Afterlife:

Theme: Victorian horror frequently grapples with themes of death and the afterlife, exploring the fear of mortality, the possibility of an afterlife, and encounters with the dead or undead.

Connection: These themes reflect Victorian preoccupations with death, the spiritual realm, and the possibility of life beyond death, often intensified by the era's high mortality rates and interest in spiritualism.

Isolation and Alienation:

Theme: Isolation and alienation are prevalent themes, often highlighting characters who are physically or emotionally detached from society, leading to their vulnerability and descent into despair or madness.

Connection: This theme resonates with the Victorian experience of industrialization and urbanization, which often led to feelings of disconnection and loneliness.

Class and Social Anxiety:

Theme: Victorian horror often explores themes of class and social anxiety, including the fear of losing social status, the consequences of poverty, and the tension between different social classes.

Connection: This theme reflects the rigid class structures of Victorian society and the fears and tensions that arose from social mobility and economic disparity.

Moral Corruption and Hypocrisy:

Theme: Victorian horror frequently critiques the era’s moral standards and exposes the hypocrisy of societal norms. Characters who appear virtuous often harbor dark secrets or engage in morally dubious activities.

Connection: This theme mirrors the Victorian concern with appearances and the underlying tension between public propriety and private desires.

The Five Pillars of Victorian Horror & The Five Love Interests

The Supernatural and the Gothic (Ais)

Essence: Victorian horror often revolves around the supernatural, blending Gothic elements to evoke a sense of dread and otherworldly terror. This includes ghosts, vampires, haunted houses, and curses, which create an atmosphere where the boundaries between the natural and the supernatural blur.

Impact: The use of Gothic settings and supernatural phenomena provides a backdrop for exploring deeper themes of fear, mortality, and the unknown.

Psychological Depth and Madness (Vere)

Essence: Victorian horror delves into the complexities of the human mind, exploring themes of madness, obsession, and the psychological effects of fear and trauma. Characters often grapple with their sanity, facing inner demons as terrifying as any external threat.

Impact: This focus on psychological horror allows for a deeper exploration of character motivations and the impact of societal pressures.

Moral Corruption and the Double Life (Leander)

Essence: Themes of moral corruption and the duality of human nature are central to Victorian horror. Characters often lead double lives, presenting a veneer of respectability while concealing dark, sinful secrets. This tension between outward appearances and hidden truths reflects the era’s social hypocrisy and fear of scandal.

Impact: These themes critique Victorian society’s emphasis on propriety and the dangerous consequences of repressing one’s true nature. The idea of a double life or hidden self adds to the horror by suggesting that evil can reside within anyone, masked by a facade of normalcy.

Decay, Degeneration, and Disease (Kuras)

Essence: The themes of physical and moral decay, societal degeneration, and disease permeate Victorian horror. These motifs symbolise the fragility of human life and the inevitability of decline, reflecting the anxieties of a society grappling with rapid change and uncertain futures.

Impact: By focusing on decay and degeneration, Victorian horror underscores the transient nature of life and the ever-present threat of corruption and decline, whether through ageing, moral compromise, or societal breakdown.

Isolation and Alienation (Mhin)

Essence: Isolation and alienation are pervasive themes in Victorian horror, often depicted through characters who are physically or emotionally cut off from society. This separation heightens their vulnerability to external threats and internal fears.

Impact: Isolation serves to intensify the psychological tension and sense of dread, as characters confront their fears alone. It also reflects the era’s social and existential anxieties, including the fear of being disconnected or outcast from society.

Generally, I believe each LI connects with a pillair (as seen above). Perhaps by looking at the archetypes we could deduce propable endings and route elements.

Forgive me, for the following part is MESSY;

Ais

Vere

Leander

Kuras

Mhin

[tyrantisterror]

Say TT, what would be your top 10 T-rexes from media?

Ooo, tough one. I don't know if I can even rank them - I think I'll just share ten I love.

We'll start with the queen, the goddess, my inspiration, the T.rex(es) from Jurassic Park (and its sequels). An elegant design with so many iconic features, from the angry eyebrows to the overbite and of course the iconic roar. The franchise itself stops treating the T.rex with respect from the third movie on, but that doesn't stop it from being its flagship creature.

As villainous rexes go, I don't think any have surpassed that bastard Sharp Tooth, who channels the raw horror of the most fearsome fighting animal in the fossil record.

Every single moment of the T.rexes in Prehistoric Planet filled me with delight and childlike wonder - yes, even when one got chased away my quetzalcoatluses. It was just nice to see a dino documentary where T.rex doesn't die for once, and seeing rexes be tender and social was also something I deeply crave but rarely get to see in dinosaur media.

For dino documentaries that break my heart, the Walking With Dinosaurs rex reigns supreme. I know it's not a particularly accurate reconstruction (and in fact kind of mind bogglingly weird if you look at the details closely - what is going on with the area where her skull meets her neck?), but the story they tell with the rexes here is so tragic that it's burned into my mind. There's the one scene of a rex howling alone in the forest in search of a mate, where the narration notes that it's unlikely anyone will answer the call, that's just lodged into my memory as the ultimate illustration of romance-based loneliness. I feel that rex, man. I feel that howl into the empty woods.

I know it's not a "good" movie, but fuck it, I love The Last Dinosaur. I love the suitamation, I love how the T.rex is presented as this borderline supernatural threat in the vein of Moby Dick, I love that it actually gives us a T.rex vs. Triceratops fight (an odd rarity in dinosaur media despite it being a matchup that 1. happened a LOT in reality and 2. pits two of the most popular and fearsome dinosaurs against each other - "T.rex vs. Triceratops" is, like, someone who's so hot that no one ever asks them out because they think they have no chance).

There's a Japanese kid's movie about a girl who's trying to reconnect with her estranged paleontologist mother and ends up adopting a baby T.rex, and it's very cute and deeply emotional and has scenes of a baby T.rex in a Christmas cape and Santa hat evading the Feds because that's just what you have to do when you're a weird animal companion to a child. It love it. It's called Rex: A Dinosaur Story and I watch it illegally every year because there's no US release of it.

You Are Umasou is another Japanese piece of paleomedia aimed at children with a deeply emotional story about strained parent-child relationships that involves a T.rex - several T.rexes, actual, one of which invents the art of kickboxing to style over his opponents - and l also used to watch it illegally, but luckily Discotek Media released a blu-ray collection of it and its sequels (called "The Heart and Yummie Collection" in an atttempt to translate the pun of the original title that only kinda works), so now I can just watch it whenever, to my delight.

Fang from Primal is one of the most well-rounded T.rex characters in media and I love her so much, even if I can't watch the first episode of that show ever again. It's a shame that show never got a second season, I would have loved to see more of Fang's adventures in a prehistoric world full of dinosaurs and monsters. A damn shame that they didn't continue it - they certainly wouldn't have made the show be about ancient human civilizations with almost no monsters and a weird scene where a woman sleeps with a caveman covered in third degree burns.

Speaking of tyrannosaurs who get a great deal of characterization and team up with cavemen to fight dinosaurs and monsters in a fantastical prehistoric world, none have ever done it better than the original Devil Dinosaur. He lost all of that characterization and, like, any agency at all really when Jack Kirby stopped writing him, sadly, but at least he had a fun team up with Godzilla before he was reduced to a mindless brute and/or glorified pet in subsequent Marvel stories.

Finally we end with Gon, the star of the manga of the same name, a tiny little T.rex (well, arguments could be made he's more of a generic theropod, but he's been called a T.rex enough for me to count him here) whose anthology series tells some of the most dramatic, emotional stories about animals surviving in the harshness of nature without a single line of dialogue. Gon's stories range from the humorous to the downright tragic, and you can always tell what this little dinosaurs is thinking and feeling without him saying a goddamn word. Also he personally beat the shit out of every single fighter in Tekken, which basically makes him as powerful as twenty Gokus.

[newluvrs]

Halloween movies w/ Riize ₊ ⊹₍ᐢᐢ₎   currently listening to: OBLIVION - GRIMES bb note: Happy halloween everyone! I cried my fawking eyes out last night bc this month was ass, but here's to a much better November. n e wayz, here r some movies that I think suit the boys based off their personalities

Shotaro ... Kairo (2001) dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa This film is Japanese Techno-horror. A slower film but one that suits him a lot, it is also a film with one of my personal scariest scenes I have ever seen! He's the type of person to like trying to get people to jump, and because of the tension in this movie it serves as the perfect backdrop for one of his schemes lol. Personally I also just want to hear his interpretation of the ending! He seems like he would like the ominous vibe and open interpretation of the events. He would def want to chat about it after and he might even still be thinking about it days later.

Eunseok ... Incantation (2022) dir. Kevin Ko This film is Taiwanese folk horror/found footage. Arguably the scariest movie on this list, I truly believe eunseok is the only one that can handle it lol. He's said in the past that he likes horror, and I noticed that he wants there to be a plot beyond it just being cheap scares and this movie has one! I saw this movie once and can never watch it again but I love to recommend it to people, it's scary and somber at the same time and I think he would enjoy it. He doesn't seem like the type to talk during movies so he can fully take in what's happening so this feels like a really good movie to enjoy with him. He's also pretty brave which you definitely need when watching this film....

Sungchan ... The Conjuring (2013) dir. James Wan This film is American supernatural horror. I don't really know why but sungchan screams the conjuring to me.. like I feel like even though he's a scaredy cat he would genuinely enjoy it? He seems like he does fine with horror films (ex. the Christmas we riize ep.) and he seems to get really invested in them. I think he had even mentioned in that episode that one of the films they watched had a setting that reminded him of the conjuring. I can picture him wanting to watch all of the movies in the conjuring universe and begging to watch them with you after finishing the first one.

Wonbin ... Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) dir. Jung Bum-Shik This film is South Korean supernatural horror/found footage. While doing my research I noticed that wonbin is the type to completely deny that he is scared during a movie even though he is very clearly hiding his face lol. Because of that I personally would really want to have him watch this film, because it's kind of amusing to watch him pretend to not be scared. I think it would be funny to spook him during one of the jumpscares during this film.. only if ur feeling a little evil >:]

Seunghan ... House (1977) dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi This film is Japanese psychedelic comedy horror. Not your typical horror movie at all, this film is full of bright colors and silliness! An easy watch for my non-horror movie lovers, and even though Seunghan isn't really easily scared (ex. horrorland we riize ep.) I feel like he would enjoy something light-hearted over serious horror. He seems like the type to want to talk through it, and even though I am strictly against talking during movies, this one is a good one to do so during just bc of how absurd it is! Would definitely give you both a good giggle and bring some joy while still keeping up w/ the halloween theme.

Sohee ... Ringu (1998) dir. Hideo Nakata This film is Japanese supernatural psychological horror. Sohee is another who isn't particularly bothered by horror and seems pretty invested in the plot! He's the type of person to look for more in a horror film and to want to be scared, and because of that I am going with this very classic film. He seems like he likes some of the classic horror codes and there's nothing more classic than this film (i.e. pale girl, long black hair, supernatural circumstances). Also seems like the type to want to talk about it after.. though I will say after you watch the film he might want to sleep with a light on.

Anton ... Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) dir. Nick Park, Steve Box This film is Comedy/Parody horror. Let's be so serious after that we riize episode, I am NOT giving Anton a horror film unless you want him to cling to you for dear life & scream in ur ear. Because of this he gets what I think is still a classic halloween film, but a sillier one! Very nostalgic too, I feel like he would appreciate this more than an actual scary movie. He might even want to have it on in the background while doing some classic halloween activities like baking silly treats or carving pumpkins.... just for the love of god do not make this man watch an actual horror film.

[winterchimez]

Nightmare Before Christmas | Kevin Moon

SUMMARY: your uncle has always been a crime and supernatural fan and would often plan fun little games for your family to solve before Boxing Day. However, things have taken a turn this year as never would you and your friendly neighbour Kevin imagined that the both of you would actually have to solve a decades-old murder case, and eventually finding out the culprit behind all of this was someone much closer than you have expected.

PAIRING: neighbour!Kevin x f!reader

GENRE: horror, thriller, supernatural, crime, angst, some fluff

WARNINGS: nc-17, mentions about dead bodies & severed body parts (nothing too gory though dw!!), missing person case, haunted house, mentions of blood, supernatural (ghosts, black mass), yn's descriptive nightmare (about the ghost-like character she would often see in the past), kissing, betrayal, dual personalities, pet names (sweetheart, princess)

WORD COUNT: 4,465

A/N: so this was supposed to be released on the 25th....but we will pretend that never happened 🫡 massive thankiew to @from-izzy for beta reading and giving me tons of ideas (and just giving me the support bcs i was so done and upset with everything bjasnjsdn) tagging the kevin enthusiast aka @hyungseos-cafe for this 👀✨

“Sissy, wake up!” 

You were jolted awake by your little brother, who was violently shaking your entire body as you groaned in annoyance and lifted your bedsheets above your head in hopes that he would leave you alone. But you have forgotten that he was a wild and energetic fourteen-year-old teenager, and there was no way he was giving up that easily. 

As your brother pulled your bedsheet off you, your eyes squinted, and you were about to curse at him out loud before he eventually beat you to it.

“It’s Christmas Eve, sissy! Uncle Ben has already left a note on the dining table, and we must start before the clock strikes midnight!” Your brother announced out loud before running out of your room back to the living room downstairs. 

You sighed before pinching your eyebrows together, trying to make sense of your surroundings and what your brother had told you moments before. 

It was that time of the year for your annual family tradition. Your uncle has always been into supernatural and playing detective. He would often devise a different scenario where he would get you and your siblings to solve the puzzles or cases before you would eventually earn a Christmas present from him. He had a different scenario in mind every year and was full of ideas to ensure each year stood out. 

Not only were your siblings encouraged to participate in the hunt, but he would also get your neighbour next door to experience every year, and he had done so for the past decade. 

Your best friend, Kevin Moon. 

It was a joy to have him aboard, especially when he had the wits and brains to help crack and solve most puzzle pieces or clues in your uncle’s little game each year. Because of that, your uncle has taken a liking to him, eventually pairing you guys up, often thinking that you both would end up great as a couple. 

Which isn’t something you were totally against if you were to be completely honest. 

You liked him a lot, and he has been your best friend throughout middle school up till university. He has always been someone you could always count on and gave you the support you needed. 

You just weren’t sure if you liked him more than just a friend at this point. 

Trying to shake away all of the unnecessary thoughts, you quickly rushed down to your dining hall to find the letter that your uncle always left on the table the night before when all of you were asleep. However, you froze as you saw that your brother was already holding one in his hands, reading it internally while another was left on the table. 

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that uncle made two separate invitation cards and that on the table is specifically just for you and Kevin-hyung next door,” your brother said half-heartedly before he walked out with his invitation, getting ready to get all geared up before heading out the door. You suspected Uncle Ben had probably given him some scavenger hunt games again, given the looks of your brother’s outfit and the big shovel he had just brought out the door seconds ago.

As you diverted your attention back to the invitation card on the table, you slowly picked it up before opening the envelope and pulling up the letter tucked within. 

Oh, Uncle Ben, what exactly have you plotted for us this Christmas?

“Your uncle must be nuts going all out for Christmas this year. He must’ve been itching to get this year’s theme out as soon as possible, don’t you think?” Kevin questioned you while chuckling at the side, trying his best to hide his uneasiness. 

But that was when you didn’t respond and quietly began looking for clues; that was when Kevin knew that it probably wasn’t a joke this time. 

“There’s no actual dead bodies, right, Y/N?” 

When you quickly skimmed through the entire letter, your eyes widened at the envelope's contents. You wasted no time and hurriedly scurried out the door to Kevin right next door. With a few knocks, your best friend was out with a hot mug of cocoa, with his hair slightly ruffled, indicating that he had just woken up not too long ago. His eyes widened as he did not expect you to be on his doorstep this early in the day, and he was a bit embarrassed with how he looked. 

Deep down, you wanted to tell him how he looked absolutely adorable and how you would snuggle up on the couch with him for the holiday seasons, but there was no way you would admit you had a crush on him just yet. 

Shaking off your initial thoughts, you quickly redirect your attention back to the envelope, trying to fill Kevin in with all your uncle wrote on the invitation. He had the same initial response that you had, thinking that this was all some sort of sick joke. All while he was getting ready by changing his pyjamas into a cosy sweater sufficient to last till the destination, you couldn’t help but spare a few glances back at him a few times to take a sneaky little peak at his toned body.

He worked really hard during the summer anyway, and you have seen how he basically went from being all skinny and slim to being toned and bulky within the span of half a year, and you couldn’t stop ogling at the sight whenever you saw a little skin from him. 

But again, you would not admit that to him just yet. 

As soon as he was ready to go, you both took the pathway down to the written location as the sky quickly turned dark due to the winter season. By the time you both arrived at the entrance of the abandoned house, you needed to grab the torchlight hidden within your sweater and turn it on to navigate the place. 

As you both opened the front door with an awful creak, you were met with nothing but complete darkness. The power lights were completely cut off so there was no chance of even having a little bit of electricity within the premises. 

There was this eerie feeling in the air that neither of you could describe; it almost felt like a little haunted house, as much as you did not want to admit it. But given the details that Uncle Ben has written in the envelope, that spooky and sinister feeling you’ve had was valid, and it would probably remain this way until the both of you could crack the case open. 

“To answer your question, Kevin, I really hope we won’t be stumbling upon any dead bodies too. It’s the Christmas holidays, goddamit,” you spat, still thinking that Uncle Ben was totally out of his mind with this whole dilemma that was going on right now. 

“Well, we’ve lived in this neighbour for a good decade now, and never in my life have I heard about a Madam Nee Nee residing in a house right at the end of the road and was actually murdered without a trace,” Kevin replied worriedly, thinking that this whole situation is slowly getting much creepier by the minute.

As much as you wanted to agree with the male, you have heard something or two about Madam Nee Nee through your uncle’s stories. All you knew about her was that she was the one who would often bake cupcakes for the children across the streets and would pass them to Uncle Ben so that all of you were able to get your hands on them every Christmas. 

Those cupcakes were indeed one of the best you have ever tried in your entire life; they were not too sweet and were just enough to fit everyone’s liking and taste buds. It seemed as if Madam Nee Nee knew exactly what each child’s favourite television show was as she would make an effort to pipe and decorate each cupcake exactly as each character looked. You would often get your favourite Tinker Bell design, and she would alternate between the different fairies each year, while your younger brother often got his favourite DC superheroes. 

But there was only one problem: you had actually never met the baker herself, and each time you tried to bring it up, your Uncle Ben would often tell you that she was too busy delivering the goodies to the other children out of town. 

In other words, you didn’t really know if you could trust Uncle Ben’s words on whether such an individual really existed and if this whole murder case was actually a reality or not. 

Regardless, you were not going to get anywhere if neither of you was going to make progress in solving the riddles that your uncle had made specifically for you two, adding onto the fact that you really did want to get your hands on the presents as your uncle always knew exactly what you liked. 

Hence, you and Kevin moved forward and deeper into the house as you both tried to see where or what could potentially help you both get a kick start on the investigation. Suddenly, the doors behind you both slammed shut with a loud thud, and you both were now in complete darkness, heavily relying on the torchlight you brought to navigate the house. 

“We’re really doing this right, Y/N?” Kevin asked as he grabbed your wrist to drag you closer to him, making sure that you both stuck together, especially in the given circumstances. Not going to lie, your heart skipped a beat with that sudden gesture of his, and you prayed that he was unable to hear that loud thumping noise coming from your chest, given how silent the whole place was, to the point that you were able to hear a pin drop if there ever was one. 

“Y-Yeah… to face Uncle Ben and get our hands on the gift. And besides, we could always have a little fun mystery for the holiday season.”

After ten minutes, you both arrived at the house's second floor. You both tried your best to scavenge through the bottom floor, but there wasn’t much you found that could potentially help with the investigation. 

So here you both were, slowly taking your steps up the old wooden stairs that creaked with every single step, making the uncomfortable feeling you have had since stepping into the house a lot worse than before. 

Thankfully, Kevin stuck close to you and took the lead in front, where you naturally held onto his sweater from behind, which caused him to turn behind for a second and offer his hand to you instead. You stared at him blankly at first, blinking your eyes a few times to see if you weren’t hallucinating, but he eventually linked his hands with yours and pulled you slightly forward. 

You were thankful that the electricity was out in the entire house, and Kevin held onto the torchlight and shone the pathway in front of him instead; you definitely did not need the male to know how red and flushed your face was right now. 

As you both moved forward, you eventually stepped onto something firm and hard, causing you to stop in your tracks, nudging Kevin’s elbow to shine the light directly onto your feet. 

You truly wished you hadn’t done that at all.

A severed hand was situated right below your new pair of white shoes, and a little blood splatter was visible around the corners of your shoes. You immediately screamed and took a little jump back, causing you to cower into Kevin’s arms immediately. His eyes widened at the sight, and he tried his best to calm you down by rubbing your back with one of his hands while the other continued to shine the torchlight all around the room. 

And there it was: another severed hand, located close to what used to be the fireplace. 

“Th-This must be a joke…” Kevin muttered, not wanting to accept reality and thinking, ‘this was all a dream.’

It couldn’t be real. 

There haven’t been any reported murder cases around town for the last thirty years. In fact, your town has been regarded as one of the safest in the state for the past decades, and it is also known as the best town to reside in. Whatever situation you both were in now must be wholly made up by your uncle, who was always full of surprises.

…right? 

That was until Kevin redirected the light source towards the fireplace above, where there were clearly a few picture frames damaged through time or by someone. As you both began moving closer to examine them, you noticed they all had one thing in common. 

All of them had the same person cut out from the pictures themselves. 

Three picture frames stood above the fireplace, each depicting a family of five smiling brightly as if the world was free from all sorts of nightmares and misery. At least it was before. Something must have happened for whoever removed the person in question from the pictures—perhaps it must’ve been a bad memory for them, or that person is probably no longer associated with them. 

You slowly moved close enough for you to be able to examine it well, gently wiping off the dust from each frame with your thumbs to see who exactly was the family in the old pictures. You didn’t recognise them at first until you squinted your eyes and saw the famous signature on the bottom right of each frame. 

It belonged to the Jamaisons; the very first family that moved into this town many years ago. 

From what you have heard about the tales from your uncle, they were the ones to be grateful for as they built up and raised the town's reputation as it is known today. Their family have since then lived for generations, constantly passing down their legacy for years until the last heir passed on without a successor ten years ago. 

As everyone has been told, the very first generation of the Jamaisons was a family of four: a dotting father, a loving mother, and a set of twins. But then, who was the mysterious missing cut-out person from the pictures? Did they have another sibling they have kept secret for years, and nobody knew about them? And if yes, why did they do that? 

Countless questions are pondered within your mind, and you can’t help but want to dig much deeper to discover the truth. 

“Kevin…how much do you know about the Jamaisons?”

“As much as they have taught us in the textbooks. Why?”

“I have a bad feeling about this…” You muttered, slowly showing and telling Kevin about the missing person from each picture. 

His eyes widened too, and you could tell he had the same thoughts as you.

“You don’t mean…”

“I really hope it isn’t true. Why would Uncle Ben even want us to meddle with their history if it was? Does he think we were detectives that could solve a potential murder case that was decades old?” You questioned, tugging his arm around you even tighter. 

He pondered for a bit before answering. “Why not? I have always wanted to go to an actual crime scene.”

“Kevin Moon, this is serious,” you firmly reminded him. 

He sighed before giving you a little smile back. “I know, Y/N. Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out then.” 

Along with your friendly little neighbour, you both begin scouring through the bookshelves, hoping to find any potential records that could prove that they had someone else in the original line-up of the family. 

However, all of your luck was pointless as there was zero to no evidence proving that the missing person from the pictures existed. It was as if the family themselves had erased whoever it was to the best of their abilities. 

You groaned as you ran your fingers through your hair. “Ugh, I guess we’re back at square one again.” 

“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you,” Kevin responded, which caused you to turn your head towards him to see that he was pointing towards the empty room across the room, where the door slowly creaked open.

You were sure that the doors were closed tight when you both made your way up an hour ago, and now you were witnessing the door slowly pry open by seemingly nothing. 

Oh hell, there is no way ghosts are real. 

“Do not say the g-word, I swear,” you immediately placed one of your fingers directly onto Kevin’s lips, preventing him from saying it out loud. 

“Not until we go check it, Y/N.”

“Can we just…not…”

“I think you know what the answer to that is.” 

You rolled your eyeballs at Kevin’s words; you knew there was no way you both were leaving this place until you found the answers to the case. Without a choice, you reluctantly allowed Kevin to drag you along step-by-step as you both got closer towards the room.

If you were in an actual horror movie, you were pretty sure there would be creepy and high-pitched violin sounds playing in the background right now. The siren by your ear was beginning to resonate aloud, causing you to have a slight headache while you were trying your best not to shit your pants at this point.

As you were a step right before entering the room, your grip against Kevin’s arm tightened, giving him the signal that you were having second thoughts and would gladly dash right out of the house right now. But he returned a little rub on your palms with his, telling you that everything would be alright and that he was here with you. 

With one final gulp and nod, you both took that long-awaited step into the room, when you were met with your worst nightmare. 

You have never told anyone about how your deepest and darkest fear was about how you once had this dream where a black mass consisted of a white face with a lipped mouth paired with large black eyes used to lurk at the corners of your room watching you sleep. You eventually got terrified to the point that you would think about it all day, which then interfered with your daily routine. 

And it was the same nightmare that stood right in front of you, slowly expanding as it crept nearer towards you both as if it was going to swallow you up as a whole. 

“No…please don’t…” You whimpered. 

Before you could even think straight, the huge mass eventually engulfed Kevin, and he was gone within a second. Just like that, the mass turned in your direction, approaching you slowly as you took a few steps back each time. 

With one final huff from the mass, it quickly expanded one last time before jumping right onto you, slowly dissolving your entire body and turning it into the mass just like it was. 

You were helpless, and you eventually felt your entire body go numb as if it was all over and done for. 

Before you were taken over by darkness, you slowly peered your eyes upon the doors, noticing a bright white figure approaching you before everything was a blur.

“Sissy! SISSY WAKE UP!!”

You immediately jolted awake with that scream coming from the side of your ear, drenched in sweat, and your eyes widened as you tried to calm your fast breathing down.

“Whatever the nightmare you have been having since last night, it must have been a wild one I must say,” your brother responded as he slowly grabbed a cloth to wipe your sweat away. 

“N-Nightmare? What are you talking about?”

“Do you really not remember anything at all? You have been sleeping for the entire day yesterday! You have been tossing and turning in your sleep, mumbling incoherent words as you broke out in sweat.”

What? That can’t be. 

You slowly looked down to see your hands trembling before moving them to your face, trying to take in everything your brother had just told you.

“What about the scavenger hunt, then?” 

“Scavenger hunt? You mean Uncle Ben’s?”

“Y-Yeah…what happened to it?”

“Well, you were in bed for the entire day and wouldn’t wake up, so you actually missed the whole thing,” he bluntly replied. 

That can’t be true. You remembered walking down to the kitchen table and grabbing the envelope placed neatly on the dining table, which shocked you as you read the contents. 

“Uncle Ben came up to check on you, though; he said it was fine to let you continue to sleep since you were probably exhausted with finals.”

No…this is just not making sense at all.

Wait.

“Kevin! Where’s Kevin?!” You screamed at the top of your lungs as you grabbed your brother’s shoulders, shaking them vigorously. 

Your brother stared at you as if a ghost had possessed you because the next thing that happened was that you immediately jumped out from your bed and dashed towards the front door. 

You speed ran through your open gates right towards your neighbour’s front porch, banging on the door, not caring if you were creating a scene. You needed to know if he was doing alright and in one piece. 

After a few seconds, the doorknob eventually turned and the door was opened. There stood your best friend, exactly like he was the day before when you went up to him to talk about the strange envelope Uncle Ben had left specifically just for you both. 

Well, supposedly, at least. 

It wasn’t unusual for you to come banging at Kevin’s door in the middle of the day, as you have done it multiple times. What he did not expect was that you would immediately dive into his embrace and begin sobbing into his sweater. 

“Y-Y/N? What’s wrong? What happened?” 

You couldn’t even give him a proper answer as your tears poured profusely. You were glad to see that he was fine, still in one piece and unharmed. 

“Thank God…THANK GOD KEVIN!!!!” 

You were not budging an inch, and Kevin only did what he knew was best at the moment, returning the hug and slowly caressing your back as if to calm you down. He eventually rested his lips on your head, leaving you little kiss. 

After what seemed like a couple of minutes resting in his embrace, you eventually pulled away and cupped his face with your palms, gently caressing his cheek as you looked at him lovingly. 

“Kevin…promise me…you’re never leaving my sight again.”

He chuckled. “Why would I? Y/N, you know I would never—”

“Please, a little pinky promise?” You begged, and Kevin could never resist that little puppy doe eyes you have. 

He smiled before he eventually leaned down and connected your lips with his. Your eyes widened upon the contact before you eventually eased into the kiss seconds later, slowly wrapping your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. 

When you both eventually broke off for some air, there was this surge of adrenaline within you, and you felt your face heat up quickly, causing you to duck your head down as you cupped both cheeks to cover up the redness away from the man. 

Kevin could only laugh at that little sight. “Come on, Y/N. It’s not like I have not seen your iconic red-flushed-tomato-like face before.” 

“It’s not iconic, and whatever that was wasn’t necessary at all,” you pouted.

He took a few moments just admiring how you looked before leaning down and resting his palm on your head. “That kiss is a promise that I’ll always be yours.” 

“Even stronger than a pinky promise?”

“Absolutely.” 

With that, you reconnected your lips with his warm ones again, trying to savour them as best as possible before leaning your forehead against his. 

“Oh, Kevin. You truly are the best thing that has happened to me during Christmas this year.”

“Am I supposed to be flattered by that?” He teased. 

You sulked for a bit before slapping him on the arm. “Obviously, silly.” 

With a deep huff, you stretched out your arms before wrapping them back around Kevin’s arm, trying to drag him out of his house and head straight towards yours instead for a cup of hot cocoa.

“Say, why don’t we go find Uncle Ben? I’m sure he might have some other tricks to keep us occupied until unboxing night.” 

As you tried your best to pull Kevin with you, you were stunned by him standing still at the front of your doorstep, staring at you with a straight face. 

“Kevin? Is everything alright?” 

There was this odd ten-second silence before Kevin eventually spoke up, which actually sent chills down your spine.

“I’m afraid that Uncle Ben will not be coming anytime soon, sweetheart.” 

Within a swift motion, Kevin pulled you vigorously back into his embrace, locking you tight with his arms. You then noticed how his demeanour began to change and was completely different from before. 

You began to panic, shivering even, as you looked into his now-turning hollow eyes. 

“W-What are you talking about?”

“That little nightmare you had was a reality, princess. Your little Uncle Ben has been trying his best to warn you all these years, and who would’ve thought he would actually get you to head towards the murder site yourself to crack open the case.”

“K-Kevin…you’re scaring me…” you began pushing yourself away, but it seemed that his grip had then gotten a lot tighter, which was when you began to feel the pain that was slowly travelling across your whole body. 

“Let me tell you a little story, Y/N. A long time ago, a certain group used to think Christmas was all sparkly and bright. But what if I told you that things would never be the same? That the people around them now think that Christmas is a nightmare. After all, a sparkly Christmas can only happen if there is a drop of blood, right? I think that’s enough for you to figure things out, no?”

It was. As much as you didn’t want to admit it, you knew exactly what he meant. 

Not only was Kevin your Christmas, but he was also your Nightmare. 

Just like that, he slowly began leaning down as he pushed your hair on your shoulders towards the other side, leaving a clear opening for him to start rubbing your sensitive skin as he leaned down slowly to the point that his lips brushed against them.

“From now on, I’ll always be your Nightmare Before Christmas.”

A/N: a lil belated spooky Christmas to yall 😚

masterlist

taglist: @deoboyznet @kflixnet @k-films @flwoie @zzoguri @kyusqult @tinkerbell460 @cheonsafics @sulkygyu @jaerisdiction @lngwayup @hyungseos-cafe (join my permanent taglist here!)

[television-overload]

of our own making

(an X-Files fanfic)

Chapter 10/34 - new years rockin' eve

[Read on AO3]

After the pleasant, downright normal Christmas they'd had, Mulder wasn't surprised that their New Years Eve was spent being chased by zombies like something out of one of his bad horror flicks.

He did, however, get to spend it with Scully, which was all he really could have asked of the day.

Their first few days back at work had been pretty run-of-the-mill. The traffic in the hallways was a little lighter, with some agents taking additional days off until after the new year. They used their slow days to complete the adoption paperwork and send it in, which allowed them to put it out of their minds so they could finally focus on work.

Aside from Skinner briefly asking in passing if they'd actually done it (trying his hardest to appear only mildly interested), it was easy to forget the monumental step they'd taken over the holidays. Their rings remained safely tucked under their clothes while on the job, but when he was at home, Mulder liked to wear it in its intended place, finding it helped him focus his thoughts when he twisted it idly on his finger.

A mangled arm was a small price to pay for ringing in the new year with his partner by his side, all things considered. A happy ending for all, most especially for Frank Black and his daughter.

Scully watches as the older man wraps the girl in his arms, burying his face in her hair. It's a sweet sight, but something about it makes her grow pensive, her expression darkening.

“What kind of world would we be bringing a child into, Mulder?” she asks quietly, unable to tear her eyes away from the little family as they leave the room hand in hand.

Her words surprise him in their negativity, drawing a halfhearted chuckle from his throat. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Scully, but adoption usually means we’re getting a kid that’s already in the world, doesn’t it?

Her shoulders deflate a little and she casts an unamused glance in his direction, looking far more vulnerable than she typically allows herself to be.

“You know what I mean.”

He does. Of course he does.

“Well, it’s the same world people have been bringing children into for millennia,” he reasons. “And now we’re about to be in a whole new one.”

He nods back at the TV screen, tuned in to Dick Clark's coverage of Times Square. All those people, completely oblivious to the dangers lurking in this world that defy logic and reason. Zombies are the last thing on any of their minds as they count down to the new year. 

“But I believe mankind, in its essence, stays the same,” he finishes.

He'd faced this question months and months ago when Scully had asked him about IVF. Was this a life he could bring a child into? Was he a person worthy of being a father, even if only by genetics? The conclusions he'd come to had not been arrived at lightly.

“We can do this, Scully,” he says, softer. Sure. “We might have to make some changes, but… when it comes down to it, you and I are no different than anyone else wanting to raise a child.”

She gives him a disbelieving look, her eyebrow quirking into the air. He knows what she’s thinking; The reanimated corpses they'd just encountered would like a word.

“No, think about it,” he continues. “What's the one thing all parents—well, the good ones—have in common?” His question is semi-rhetorical, and she doesn't seem inclined to respond, so he answers for her. “They want what's best for their children, and they do all that they can to provide it to them because they love them. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty willing to do just that. And I think you are too, if these are the things you're worried about.”

Scully sighs, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes. “Mulder…”

“I promise to protect you and any children we may acquire from zombies and all other supernatural forces of evil, okay? Is that what you want to hear?” he adds, his joke finally drawing a smile out of her.

“Don't call it 'acquiring,’ Mulder,” she says with a breathy laugh. “That's weird.”

With the mood successfully lightened, he turns his attention back to the TV, where Dick Clark is beginning to count down.

“The world’s a-changing, Scully,” he says as he moves closer, tilting his head up to watch the broadcast. She mirrors him, standing close by his side.

“Thirty seconds, now. Thirty,” Dick Clark announces as the camera hones in on the Times Square ball, lit up in bright colors as it begins its descent. “Hug your friends and loved ones tight. What the heck, whoever that person is next to you. No time like the present!”

Now there's an idea…

“Here we go!” the announcers chant.

Ten!

Mulder looks down to his left. Well, she is standing next to him, after all. Why not?

Nine.

She's smiling. She has a beautiful smile, too. He's always thought so.

Eight… Seven… Six…

New Year's Eve is plausible deniability, right? If this doesn't work? Maybe there's a written rule somewhere he can check…

Five, four.

Well, it’s not like they haven’t done it before…

Three. Two.

Is this a stupid idea?

One.

Without further ado, Dick Clark's voice cheers, “Happy New Year 2000!” and Mulder makes his decision, leaning toward her with purpose. No turning back now.

She catches him at the last second, and by then it's too late to play it off. The only option is to follow through.

And follow through he does.

His eyes flutter closed as his lips make contact with hers, their touch light and tentative as it had been in the courtroom just a week before, only this time, he waits a moment longer to pull back. Her hand reaches up to cup his cheek, and it immediately sends his heart pounding into his throat, and he finds he can't speak. Auld Lang Syne is playing, but the sound fades from his ears.

The only thing his senses can hear, feel, taste, smell, is her.

When he opens his eyes again, she is staring at him, an unreadable expression on her face. Her hand hasn't moved, and neither does he.

“I—”

“Mulder, I—

Whatever words he was trying to conjure to explain himself die on his lips in an instant, and he can do nothing but gape at her. The air feels charged, and all at once he wishes he'd never done it and that he'd done it years ago.

His eyes flick down to her lips and then back to her eyes, desperate to know what words will come out of them next.

“I– got a call from the adoption agency,” she finishes, and his thoughts come crashing back to the present, his heartbeat pounding at an alarming rate. However he'd thought she might finish that sentence, that wasn't it. 

She's looking at him though, worry flickering in her eyes.

“Th– the adoption agency?” he asks, his good hand slackening its hold on her lower back.

She nods.

“What did they say?”

Suddenly he feels nauseous, like maybe the mixture of zombies, drugs, and potentially life changing news was a little too much for his stomach all in one night.

“They… said that our application looks good, and they want to schedule a preliminary interview.”

At this, even his fingers on his injured arm have to reach out to her, brushing against the fabric of her shirt at her waist and stretching his sling to its limit.

“What?”

She nods again in confirmation, looking equal parts scared and excited.

“Scully that's– that's great news! It's good news, right?”

He doesn't know what he'll do if she gets cold feet now. A crushing blow like that isn't exactly how he'd like to start out this century, much less the millennium. 

Her hand drops to his shoulder and she smiles, holding tight to him.

“It's good,” she confirms, though a trace of doubt still remains in her voice.

He pulls her into a hug, resigning his poor limp arm to be stuck uncomfortably between them, but otherwise holding her tight.

“Mulder, we're actually going through with this?” she asks into his shoulder.

He nods emphatically, a wide grin stretching his face. “Heck yeah, Scully!”

“They could still tell us no.”

His little pessimist. Good thing he's got enough belief for the both of them.

“Not until they've seen us and we've pled our case,” he says, pulling back to look at her. “Call ‘em back and make an appointment!”

Tears begin to pool in her eyes and she nods shakily again. “Okay,” she says, and releases his shoulder to wipe the wetness beneath her eyes. “Okay, I’ll– um… I’ll call them tomorrow.”

He wants to kiss her again. He wants to so bad, but he doesn't. Emotions are understandably high, and this entire situation is so confusing and complicated already, that he's not sure anymore where they stand.

One day, he thinks. One day he'll find the courage.

“Hey, Scully,” he says instead, placing his hand on the back of her neck to capture her attention. 

She looks up at him tearfully. He shrugs and smiles goofily, relief and hope shining in his eyes.

“The world didn't end.”

~~~

Should I? Oh, why not. One more chapter. It's the weekend.

Chapter 11/34 - confessions

The interview with the adoption agency is scheduled for Friday of that week, which Skinner happily approves time off for. That leaves less than six days to prepare, and Scully busies herself with making sure they have everything they could possibly need to maximize their chances.

The night before the big day, Mulder is ordered to come over for a last minute study session (not that he would have been unwilling if she’d asked nicely, but with the stress she’s under, it comes out as more of a command). It feels like Arcadia again, going under cover, making sure they both have their stories straight.

Only this time, their cover is more or less their real life, give or take a few necessary oversimplifications.

“So, we’ve covered employment, medical history, familial relationships…” Scully lists, kneeling beside an array of papers spread out on her coffee table. “Am I leaving anything out?”

She bites the tip of her pen, glancing over her notes with her brows furrowed in thought. Reviewing this stuff could mean the difference between a happily ever after and rejection, that’s the scariest thing. She just wants to be thorough, and Mulder—bless him—has humored her thus far, answering questions, finding solutions to explain their… less than ordinary pasts. 

It takes her a moment to notice when he doesn’t immediately answer, the silence dragging on just a little too long. Her first assumption is that he’s fallen asleep—which she wouldn’t blame him for if he did—but that assumption is quashed the moment she looks up at him on the couch, the serious expression on his face instantly shifting the mood.

“Mulder?” she asks, a worried crease appearing on her forehead.

"You know, we never talked about it," he says quietly, carefully, glancing across the coffee table at her. “Not really.”

"About what?" She’s starting to get anxious.

"The IVF."

And there they are, the three letters that still fill her stomach with dread and immense sadness anytime she hears them.

I. V. F. 

"Mulder..." she starts, but he only leans forward, reaching out across the coffee table for her hand.

"I want to. I really do, Scully. I need to talk about it. It could come up tomorrow."

"I don't really like... thinking about it,” she says softly, wanting desperately to look away from the pleading expression that she knows she can’t say no to.

"I know. But don't you think we should?” he argues. “I mean, we can't brush it away like it never happened, Scully, I won't do that. It was important to me."

She doesn’t want to hear this. Her heart twists painfully, and she slams her eyes shut to lock down the tears beginning to form, shaking her head. Sure, she knows he’d wanted it back then, had hoped it would succeed. But it’s too late. It’s in the past, and she’d like to leave it there, if at all possible. To hear him say, in as many words, exactly how much he’d invested emotionally in those tiny embryos…

She doesn’t think her heart can take it.

"Since when do you like talking about things like this?" she asks, trying once to pull her hand away. “Things that… cause you pain?”

He clings on tighter, rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand with both of his. "I can tell you the exact moment, Scully, and it’s when you knocked on my door in a dingy motel room and asked me what those bumps on your back were."

His earnest words stun her into silence.

Rain on the windows. A story of tragedy and determination. Honest words coming from the lips of a man she’d met only days before.

That trust had been there from the start.

He stands from his place on the couch and circles the coffee table, carefully pushing aside the papers in front of her to make a space for himself to sit. "The past hurts, but somehow—” he continues, “somehow you make it easier to face. To me, at least."

She sighs, turning her head so that she can muster enough strength to answer his heartfelt plea. Articulating something like this is not her strong suit, but for him, she’ll try.

"I– I've never wanted anything more in my life,��� she breathes, the admission one she has never spoken aloud. 

It’s the truth, though, and he knows better than anyone how difficult that is for her. Scully is not one for dreaming big, expecting rich blessings from the earth or her life. She, like him, has grown used to being disappointed, to having the things she wants taken away from her. He could make an itemized list, if he wanted to, of all the ways they’d been let down. Even the expectation of a clean, comfortable motel room has been slowly drained from her, and yet she had still allowed herself to hope in this.

“You know, for a minute, I really did think it had worked, that I was—" She pauses, leaving the word pregnant to hang in the air. Instead, she takes a shaky breath and continues. "Do you remember that day I got sick in the car on the way to a crime scene?"

She doesn’t have to specify which one, because it had only ever happened once, that was what was so odd about it.

"I thought that was it,” she says, “I thought that maybe—"

"I thought the same thing," Mulder cuts in.

Of course he had. She’d guessed as much that day, too, between bouts of heaving into a plastic bag in the front seat of their rental car. 

The way he treated her extra carefully, taking turns slower, making a point to turn on the blinker with every lane change on the highway, stopping at a gas station for some ginger ale… She had allowed it all, too—the special treatment—because what if she was? She couldn’t risk it until she knew for sure. If that was her only chance…

Her lower lip trembles and she ducks her head. "I tried to keep my expectations low, but..."

His finger lands on her chin, tipping her gaze back up to face his.

"It would have been pretty cool, huh?” he says, offering her a small smile for comfort. “Can you imagine telling Skinner out of nowhere that we combined our DNA in a petri dish? I think the vein in his head might have actually burst.” He laughs, and is graced with the smallest of smirks for his efforts.

"I'd have these dreams,” she continues. “What our baby might look like, what personality they'd have. Whether they'd… be more like me or like you."

His lips. Her hair. His passion. Her scientific mind.

"Well, hopefully you,” Mulder speaks, smiling at the thought. “I think you've got your hands full already with one of me. There are many who would say you were crazy even to ask me in the first place."

She looks up at him with her head tilted, her eyes softening.

"I knew what I was doing."

She can tell by the way he brushes off the compliment that he doesn’t believe her, so she doubles down.

"I'm serious, Mulder. You're brilliant, imaginative, bold, caring... I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't want my child to share those same qualities."

She loves Mulder. She loves every infuriating little thing about him. She'd have been lucky to have a son or daughter with his kind, gentle personality, his determination to keep fighting when everything in his life is telling him he can't win. Teena Mulder didn't know what she had, with Fox Mulder as a son. He should have been loved, cared for, nurtured, supported all his life. Instead, Scully has the sense that the first and only person he has trusted to give him all that is her, and that is not a responsibility she takes lightly.

"I pictured this little boy,” he says, his lips curled in a sad smile as he speaks. “Dark sandy blond hair with just a hint of your red. Blue eyes just like yours. Jeans absolutely filthy with dirt and grass stains on the knees."

She closes her eyes, allowing the picture to form in her mind. She smiles, but it's pained. Such a beautiful thought, never to be.

"How can I miss someone so much that I don't even know?” she asks, the hurt audible in her voice. “Someone that never existed?"

Mulder presses his lips tightly together in thought, his eyes trailing over the room. 

"They say that grief is the love we have that has nowhere to go, because that person has left us,” he starts, his voice reverent and pensive. “They never talk about how to love a person we never had in the first place, or a dream that’s just out of reach. But still, I think that love feels just as real as any other kind.”

He has a way with words, her Mulder. It has been the bane of their assistant director’s existence on numerous occasions, when such existential ponderings found their way into his reports.

But now… Well, it's just another thing she loves about him. She wonders if he's allowed himself to grieve for Samantha, or if his belief that she's still out there somewhere makes him fall into that second category.

"I just wish I hadn't put us both through that,” she says. “That I dragged you into it..."

"I'm glad you did,” he’s quick to assure. “Scully, that day you asked me was one of the happiest days of my life. The future is such a messy, terrifying thing, sometimes. You showed me that it doesn't have to be that way. That there can be hope. I'd forgotten what that felt like."

She's silent, unsure of what to say in response to that. He has all the right words, and suddenly, she has none of them.

"I don't regret it for one moment, Scully. We gave it a try."

She purses her lips, forcing back tears that are threatening to spill. "I don't think I could have done it without you," she says, shaking her head. 

"Well, obviously,” he says, the corner of his mouth quirked up in a cheeky smile.

She gives him a look. "Mulder…"

"I know, I know,” he says, turning serious again. “I'm honored that you let me be a part of it." 

That she would have let him be a part of so much more. A family. Everything, if he had wanted it.

"Well, listen,” he continues, “we ace this interview tomorrow, and we're back on track. Plenty of kids out there that need a home, right? Someone's bound to pick us."

His optimism emboldens her. "I hope so."

"We got this, Scully. They're gonna take one look at you and know for certain that you're meant to be a mother."

She distracts herself from his sweet-sounding words by focusing her attention on his loosened necktie, smoothing it down with one hand. "I'm picking out your tie,” she declares. “No alien decals or wild shapes and colors."

"I think it shows personality," he says in mock defense.

She can’t help the fond smile she flashes at him, glancing up into his eyes. "Not tomorrow, it doesn't."

-.-.-

The agency they ended up going with is out in Annapolis, so on the day of their interview, they drive out together, mostly in silence. Scully fidgets with the folder full of information and other documents they might need, picking at the corner of it while she goes over the important points in her head.

Mulder holds the door open for her when they arrive at the building, and she double checks that her ring is in place on her finger before approaching the front desk to check in. They’re instructed to take a seat in the small waiting area, and Mulder follows and sits down beside her. On the coffee table in front of them are a stack of brochures, the same one she found on Mulder’s desk what feels like forever ago. That had been the catalyst for this entire affair, and now look where they are.

She never could have imagined it.

A few minutes later, a plump older woman appears from behind a door, smiling at them warmly. 

“Alright, Mr. and Mrs. Mulder?” she says, checking her clipboard.

Scully stands, followed by Mulder. “I, uh– I go by my maiden name. Scully,” she corrects.

“My apologies, Ms. Scully,” the woman says, leading them into her office and taking a seat behind a wooden desk. 

They sit down in a pair of chairs opposite her, taking in their surroundings. There are dozens of thank you cards lined up on the windowsill behind the woman’s desk, presumably from families who have benefitted from the services offered here. It fills her with a cautious hope, though does nothing to quell the restless feeling that has plagued her since she woke up this morning. Mulder has kept his cool, so far, and she wonders how he does it.

“My name's Brenda Koske,” the woman continues, introducing herself. “I’ll be your case manager throughout this process. Should we just get right into it, then?”

They nod, unable to do any more than that at the moment.

“Okay, then,” Brenda says with a beaming smile, opening up a file folder on her desk. “So, tell me about yourselves, what made you look into adoption?”

"Well," Scully says, looking at Mulder for approval. "I– We found out a few years ago that I am unable to have children. We tried in vitro fertilization last year, but... it wasn't successful."

The woman at the desk nods and jots some information down in a notebook. Scully suspects their story, so far, is a familiar one. 

"And how long have you been together?"

Scully's mouth drops open, but she isn't sure what she'll say. Before she has a chance to stammer something out, Mulder answers, "A little over seven years, now." He’s confident. Sure of his answer, despite it being a lie, or at least an egregious stretching of the truth. 

The case manager writes down some more.

"And I see here that Ms. Scully has petitioned for the adoption of a child before. Emily Sim?" she states, checking her notes.

Scully tenses, and Mulder puts a calming hand on her knee.

"It's a long story," he says, answering for her, "but Emily unfortunately passed away from her chronic illness before the adoption proceedings could get very far."

Brenda nods. "I understand that this is a difficult subject, Mr. Mulder, I'm just trying to get all the information I need. From what I see here, this child was the biological child of Ms. Scully. I'm afraid I need more of an explanation."

She knows Ms. Koske doesn’t mean any harm by asking these questions—after all, they’d prepared for them last night. But it’s still hard to hear them come up.

Thankfully, Mulder was paying attention and is more than willing to take the lead.

"My wife was treated for her infertility by a doctor we couldn't trust,” he explains. She still finds it odd to hear him refer to her in that way, but it makes sense that he does it now. He can’t very well call her ‘Scully’ in front of the woman they’re trying to convince to give them a child. 

Now comes the next part of their explanation. 

“Her ova were stolen and used without her knowledge or consent, and Emily was a result of that. It was complete happenstance that we even discovered what happened."

"I'm very sorry you went through that, Ms. Scully," the woman says, looking genuinely sorry for her. "Quite a world we live in."

You have no idea , Scully thinks, and nods in recognition of Ms. Koske’s expression of sorrow.

"And you're married?" she asks next, her pen hovering over a checkbox on the form in their file.

"Yes, just recently,” Scully answers. The box gets checked.

"Congratulations! Why the long wait, if I may ask?" Brenda says.

“I ask myself that every time I look at her,” Mulder says while leveling her with his adoring gaze. He’s dialing up the married man act, which he is definitely within his rights to do, but it still catches her off guard. She hopes he doesn’t overdo it, risking tipping off their case manager.

"It, um– It never really seemed like something necessary for us to do," Scully answers, ignoring his sickly sweet comment and hiding her blush.

Mulder turns back to Brenda and adds, "But we figured, if adoption works out..."

"We'd like to make it as simple and straightforward as possible," Scully finishes.

"It certainly will help," the agent says, nodding as she jots down another note. "Where would the child be living?"

"I– We have an apartment in Georgetown.” Scully’s heart flutters anxiously at the close call, thankful she was able to correct herself before misspeaking.

"An apartment," the woman says as she adds that to her notes. It's impossible to tell if she means it in a good or bad way, and Scully can’t make out her handwriting enough to tell.

"I have money set aside from my father's estate," Mulder cuts in, causing Scully to look at him in confusion. "We'd eventually like to buy a house, if this works out." This wasn’t something they’d talked about in any of their previous discussions, nor has he ever mentioned it before, so she doesn’t know where it’s coming from. When she catches his eye, he gives her a subtle shrug.

They’ll have to talk about this later.

"I'll put down the Georgetown address for now," Brenda says, smiling encouragingly at them. "Just a couple more questions for now, you guys are doing great." Scully exhales in relief, her shoulders relaxing just a little. "I have to ask about your work. Your medical history tells me that your jobs put you in some pretty dangerous situations. What are your plans should a child be placed into your care?"

Mulder nods and squeezes Scully's hand, encouraging her. They'd planned for this, too.

"I plan to take a step back,” she answers, “I've spoken with our boss, and he's assured me that I could return to a teaching position at Quantico while serving part time in my current department as a consultant."

"Mr. Mulder?" Brenda says, turning to him next.

"I will be doing the same."

Scully looks at him incredulously, which the woman thankfully misses. 

"It's time for us to settle down,” he continues, avoiding her questioning stare. “I think we've accomplished most of what we set out to do with our work, and we can't keep doing it forever, especially if we want to start a family. I've talked to our director about seeking out replacements for the both of us. Someone else will take over the department, while we lend our expertise as needed to the new agents."

This is the first she’s hearing about this too, but she wisely keeps her mouth shut, letting him say whatever he needs to say. Starting an argument about this now would not tip things in their favor. 

But he can’t be serious about giving up the X-Files, can he? It hadn’t even crossed her mind to ask. Arguably the main reason he started the unit was to look into the disappearance of his sister, and that case remains unsolved. Would he just walk away? Would he resent her for it eventually, if he did? 

"I'm glad to hear you're making strides in that direction,” Brenda comments, a pleased smile gracing her lips. “I was afraid we wouldn't be able to consider your application on account of your chosen field of work, but it sounds like you’re serious about starting a family.”

She writes some more and it falls silent. Mulder wraps his other hand around Scully's, bringing comfort and reassurance to them both.

"Last thing—and I'm sorry to keep bringing up difficult topics—” Brenda starts again. “Ms. Scully, you were diagnosed with cancer three years ago. Is there any chance it could return? You understand why I have to ask, don't you?"

"Yes– I understand,” Scully nods, swallowing nervously. “Um, no, I've been told there's little reason to think it will ever come back. I've been in remission over two years now."

Brenda nods and makes a final note, her pen leaving the paper with a flourish. "That's great, I'm so happy to hear that." She closes her notebook and file and smiles. "Well, you two, it sure sounds like you're overdue for a happy ending. Hopefully we can do something about that." 

She shakes each of their hands in turn, standing up from the desk to escort them out. 

"It was a pleasure to meet you, we'll be in touch as soon as your application is approved, and then we'll start looking for potential matches."

"Thank you very much, Ms. Koske," Mulder says, the perfect picture of a responsible adult worthy of becoming a parent.

Scully mumbles her own "Thank you," too overwhelmed to manage more words than that.

Mulder places a hand on her back and leads her out of the office and into the hall, standing closer to her than he usually does when they walk this way. His neck bends so he can see her face, and he whispers, "You hear that, Scully? She said when our application gets approved!"

Scully shakes her head, not wanting to get ahead of herself quite yet. 

"She said 'as soon as', not when,” she corrects.

"Same thing,” he argues. “Come on, that went well, don't you think?"

"I hope so," she says.

His stride is confident and energetic. "It did, trust me. We had all the right answers."

"I was so nervous. I knew she would ask about my cancer," she states, shaking her head in disappointment.

"She was just being thorough,” Mulder assures her. “Cheer up, Scully, the part we had to worry about is over! I'm taking you to lunch."

"Mulder, we really should just get back to work—” Scully tries. She’s supposed to be the responsible one, after all. Reining him in. Wasn’t that why she complemented him so well?

"We're celebrating. One step closer to being parents, right Scully?"

It’s time she admits it to herself: she failed at reining him in years ago.

Now, she just goes with the flow. The best surprises are around the corner when she does so. 

She hopes that this time is no different.

~~~

Lovely tag list ♡: [if you would like to be added or removed, let me know!]

@today-in-fic @ao3feed-msr @agent-troi @angegova @baronessblixen @calimanc @captainsolocide @clo-thespin @cutemothman @danasculls @deathsbestgirl @edierone @enigmaticxbee @figureofdismay @frogsmulder @gillian-anderson-in-the-tardis @hippocampouts @invidiosa @monaiargancoconutsoy @numinousmysteries @primrose19 @randomfoggytiger @skelavender @skylarksong @stephy-gold @teenie-xf @the-redhead-in-a-dress @vincentsleftear

[twistedtummies2]

Top 20 Portrayals of Frankenstein's Monster

I talk about Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” a lot on this page. There’s a good reason for that: it’s one of my favorite horror novels, as well as one of the most classically renowned. However, there is one other famous horror classic, arguably even more celebrated, that I don’t discuss as often, with a title and characters just as infamous in the world of Gothic literature as the undead Count. I speak, of course, of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus.”

It’s fairly obvious where I stand on the “Dracula vs. Frankenstein” competition, so I won’t go into that mess. However, while I do prefer Bram Stoker’s novel between the two, I do still have great respect for Shelley’s work. “Frankenstein” is essentially the first example of sci-fi horror ever created. First of all, while Victor Frankenstein’s exact methods of bringing his creation to life are left somewhat ambiguous in the novel (I believe it was Universal’s 1931 movie that first came up with electricity being the device), it is made clear that science, not magic, is the process used. Second of all, the ethical and moral questions of the novel are the kinds we find more commonly in science fiction than supernatural horror (like “Dracula”). I’ll get into those dilemnas in the future, with another list, however; for now, let’s focus on the most iconic figure from this story: Frankenstein’s Monster, also called “The Creature.”

The Monster is a great character who has been reimagined and referenced almost as much as his rival in Gothic literature, the aforementioned Count. There are essentially three things that make the character so approachable and interesting to reinterpret. First, the visual elements: in the book, Shelley states that even though Frankenstein chooses the most “beautiful” items of assembly for his home-made man, the end result is still somewhat grotesque and ghoulish. This gives artists of all sorts ample room to pick and choose elements of both appealing humanity and monstrous morbidity and find their own ways to balance them out. Second, there’s the moral ambiguity of the Creature: in the book, the monster does do terrible things, but they’re essentially all acts of retaliation. Different versions make the monster more or less culpable for his actions, thus changing his alignment on the good-evil scale according to each interpretation. However, perhaps the most noteworthy point of variation is the Monster’s intelligence. In Shelley’s novel, the Monster does start off as a shambling, childlike brute, but this is only at the start, when he’s freshly made. It soon becomes clear that the Monster is not only intelligent, but capable of being articulate, eloquent, and intellectual; arguably even more academic in personality than his creator. However, things changed when the story was adapted in later interpretations: most blame the Universal films, again, for making the Monster more of a naive innocent or dumb animal, but in truth, this was something that predated those films by at least twenty years. It’s understandable why: while seeing the Creature become more of a man is certainly symbolic and fascinating, it is equally interesting - and arguably even more tragic - when the Monster is essentially a big puppy that doesn’t really understand the danger he can pose to others. With so many ways to interpret the character, in so many varied directions, it was EXTREMELY hard to cherry pick my favorite versions, and even harder to organize them into a solid ranking. However, I think I finally achieved an at least acceptable listing of my favorite renditions of this arguably most empathetic of horror icons. Also, QUICK DISCLAIMER: I decided not to include Rocky from “Rocky Horror (Picture) Show” or Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” While other Frankenstein-Monster-analogous characters WILL appear here, I felt they were a little too much their own thing for me to include them, if that makes sense. So, without further ado (I’ve rambled quite enough), here are My Top 20 Favorite Portrayals of Frankenstein’s Monster!

20. Chad Michael Collins, from Once Upon a Time.

Yep. “Once Upon a Time” handled Frankenstein. And yes, it was as bizarre as it sounds, and the series kind of makes it clear that’s the point. How DO you take a Gothic story of science-gone-wrong and reinterpret it in a world of fairy-tales and fantasy, where love is the central theme? Well, they found a way, and I’ve always had mixed feelings about the result. Enter Chad Michael Collins as Gerhardt Frankenstein: the elder brother of Victor Frankenstein. Gerhardt is supportive of Victor’s passion and vision as a scientist (at least until the whole “grave robbing thing” pops up), and often defends him from their pompous father. When Gerhardt ends up accidentally getting killed, Victor decides to put his theories to the test not simply to create life, but to try and bring back his brother. However, when Frankenstein brings his Creation to life, what he gets isn’t the brother he once knew: instead, he gives life to a dumb, aggressive, childlike brute, who ends up murdering their father in a misguided attempt to help his brother. Now, all this is a REALLY cool start to a new version of the story…but unfortunately, that’s also sort of where Gerhardt’s story ends. Victor considers destroying his Creature, but finds he just can’t do it. Vowing to one day find a way to “fix” his brother, Victor thus abandons his creation in his castle to go and seek a “cure”...and that’s it. We sadly never saw Gerhardt again. Victor was a recurring character throughout the show’s run, but his brother/monster never really had any closure. As a result, I don’t think I can give Collins’ Creature any higher placement…but this is such a unique interpretation, and I love the show itself so much, I couldn’t neglect it.

19. Dogga (a.k.a. Riki), from Kamen Rider Kiva.

“Kamen Rider Kiva” is the first Kamen Rider show I ever saw, and it remains one of my top three favorites. (Its chief competitors are “Drive” and “Gaim,” so far.) For those who don’t know, “Kamen Rider” is a Japanese franchise that focuses on the exploits of various motorbike-riding superheroes doing…exactly what you would imagine Japanese superheroes riding motorbikes would do. Facing giant monsters, defeating them with terrible CGI effects and a ton of martial arts, that sort of stuff. (For those of you who are KR fans, I am only generalizing this briefly for the sake of expedience; the franchise is awesome, and I love it as much as you do, trust me.) “Kiva” focuses on the titular hero of the hour - whose real name is Wataru - facing characters themed around classic Universal Monsters. These include Dracula, the Wolfman, the Creature From the Black Lagoon…and, of course, Frankenstein’s Monster. The analogous character to the Monster is Dogga (also called “Riki,” in his human form): the last survivor of a race of electricity-manipulating beings called…what else? Frankens. Dogga is a sort of gentle giant; once a savage creature, he was “tamed” by Wataru’s father, Otoya, and now is one of the great monsters living in Castle Doran, helping Wataru on his journey. While a bit cynical and stoic, he nevertheless does his best to make sure Otoya’s son has all the power he needs to defeat the vampiric Fangires threatening humanity. The character’s human form was played by Eiji Takigawa, who also provided the voicework for his true form. (The Monster costume was worn by famous Japanese stunt artist, Eitoku.)

18. Glenn Strange, from Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Boris Karloff was not the only actor to play the Frankenstein Monster for the classic “Universal Monsters” film universe. His followers included Bela Lugosi (who had actually been originally slated to play the character back in 1931), Lon Chaney Jr. (who handled pretty much all of the great monsters at some point or another, with varying degrees of success), and this fellow, the more unknown Glenn Strange. Of the three, I would argue that Strange was the most successful. At the very least, he had the longest lifespan: he first played the Monster in the “monster mash” movie “House of Frankenstein,” then reprised the role (albeit for little more than a cameo appearance) in the sequel, “House of Dracula.” While Strange certainly carried off the costume and makeup well, however, neither movie really gave him a chance to stretch his legs in the part properly. Thankfully, the actor got a better shot in the vaudevillian riff “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein,” in which the famous comedy duo - playing the role of a pair of bumbling baggage handlers - had to cross swords with multiple monsters at once. In the film, the Monster is once again an innocent, dumb child, tricked into serving Count Dracula. The vampire lord, however, fears the Monster’s power, and decides to transplant the brain of one of the comedy pair with the Creature’s, in the hopes this will make the Monster more obedient. Strange would play the monster a couple more times later on, but his was by far his best outing in the role.

17. The Version from “Disney’s Frankenstein, Starring Donald Duck.”

A.K.A. "Duckenstein." In the past, I’ve mentioned that Disney made their own graphic novel adaptation of “Dracula” - starring Mickey Mouse as Jonathan Harker - which I admired not only for its daring and general oddness, but also because it was clear the people who made the comic also were really big fans of the original novel, sticking true to the source and providing a lot of in-jokes that only readers of the book would really get. Well, at the same time Disney made their Dracula comic, they also made one of “Frankenstein,” featuring characters from the Donald Duck universe. (The Monster in the story, however, appears to be an original character.) As well as making various in-jokes to the novel, the comic also serves as a sort of twisted homage to Disney’s primary medium: animation. Donald Duck as the mad doctor starts off not interested in science, but in art, and and wishes to find a way to bring inanimate art to animated life. This inspires him to create a monster not out of used (body) parts, but out of painted cardboard. The Creature in this comic is a lot of fun, and - because this is a Disney story - the comic actually ends by giving the Monster a happy ending, though one that still has a slightly bittersweet side to it, all without ever ruining the ideas present in Shelley’s novel. While I personally liked Disney’s Dracula more, this was still a fun reimagining, and the nods to animation itself definitely helped give it more credit.

16. Victor Von Gerdenheim, from Darkstalkers.

Yet another Monster-analogous character, and arguably the most tragic of such examples. In the universe of Darkstalkers, Victor is the creation and “son” of Professor Von Gerdenheim. Unlike in the novel or the Universal movie (the latter of which is the main source of Victor’s inspiration), Von Gerdenheim does not betray or abandon his creation purposefully. Instead, due to a small miscalculation, the Professor was tragically killed by the same lightning storm that gave his creation life. Victor - “born” with no real concept of life or death - mistakenly believed his father’s unresponsive state was due to him ignoring him, and vowed to grow stronger and more powerful in the hopes he could get his father to care. In later games, Victor finds out he has a sister: Emily, a sort of “prototype” Von Gerdenheim created. Unlike Victor, she is a beautiful young lady, and the two care for each other very much…so, when Victor’s sister malfunctions and she suddenly shuts down (not exactly “dying” so much as falling into an almost fairy-tale like sleeping state), her brother changes tactics from seeking his deceased father’s approval to trying to save his sister’s life…an attempt that, by all accounts, could be just as fruitless. Truly, a hopeless creature whose story is one of the most disturbing and sorrowful of any Darkstalkers character…and yet he literally uses his fat butt to clench his enemies to death as one of his special moves in combat. No, that is not a joke. This is why video games were made, folks, clearly.

15. Gabriel Dell, from “Famous Monsters Speak!”

Here’s an obscure one that a lot of you probably don’t know about. “Famous Monsters Speak!” was a two-part audio production, ostensibly aimed at children, in which performer Gabriel Dell - a noted impressionist - played both the Frankenstein Monster and Count Dracula. Originally released on record, the first part of the production is Frankenstein themed. The premise is that a team of researchers have discovered a mysterious bunch of recording cylinders, on which it’s revealed the thoughts of the Frankenstein Monster - starting from the moment of his birth - have somehow been put down. We thus hear the voice of the Monster, getting the Creature’s perspective on things as he wanders through the world, seeking vengeance against his creator. In a change of pace, this version of the Monster is actually depicted as an inherently evil being: it’s indicated that, having been made from the bodies of seven dead criminals, their evil nature has infected the Monster from birth. Later in the story, the Monster DOES start to develop more humanity, as he falls in love with a beautiful woman - despite her fear of him - but when he accidentally kills her, and the Doctor refuses to save her life, the Monster returns to his dastardly ways. While this is far, FAR from the pathos-infused, tragic being so many other versions - including the novel - depict, I will give it this: this version still scares the bejeezus out of me. I heard it as a kid, and let me tell you, it’s AMAZING something this genuinely scary was marketed to children. It may not be the most sympathetic or accurate version, but it’s arguably the most frightening I’ve ever encountered. On a side note, Dell’s Dracula half of the production is also pretty good; I very nearly included him in the Honorable Mentions the last time I did a “Re-Count” of the character, but…well, frankly, I had to stop somewhere. :P

14. Sparky, from Frankenweenie.

If there’s one surefire way to make the Frankenstein Monster sympathetic, it’s to make him into an adorable little puppy dog. Tim Burton attempted this very early in his career with the 1984 live-action short subject, “Frankenweenie.” In 2012, following contract negotiations with his old employers at Disney, Burton released a feature-length remake of his old short project, this time produced via stop-motion animation, with a style similar to “Corpse Bride.” In both versions, the “Monster” starts life as a bull terrier named Sparky, owned by a young boy named Victor Frankenstein. When Sparky is tragically killed, Victor decides to bring his pet back to life. What’s great about both versions of this story is that, after being repaired and reanimated…Sparky is still Sparky. He’s still the loving, playful, frankly cute-as-a-button pup that Victor always loved, he just…looks a little different now. More than any other version, this one really isn’t a monster at all, which makes the tragedy and horror caused by the misunderstandings of others all the more sorrowful. Seriously, how could anybody be scared of a sweetheart like this? Proof that the love between a boy and his dog can transcend life itself, Sparky is the most precious Frankenstein Monster you could ever give treats and belly rubs to.

13. Fran, from the Fate Series.

For those unaware, the “Fate” series is a Japanese-created franchise in which various Mages, or “Masters,” summon Heroic Spirits, or “Servants,” in a recurring quest to capture the Holy Grail. These Spirits/Servants take the forms of various famous figures from history, literature, and mythology. (There’s a LOT of convoluted lore beyond that, but that’s the basics of things.) A common running gag (if you want to call it that) throughout the series is the interpretation of traditionally male characters as female ones: sometimes the explanation is that history mucked things up, sometimes it’s because they masqueraded as men in their lifetime, and sometimes it’s something much, MUCH more complicated. Examples of this trend include King Arthur (and Mordred), Leonardo DaVinci, Sir Francis Drake, Emperor Nero…and, of course, the Frankenstein Monster - also referred to as simply “Frankenstein.” She, however, prefers the name “Fran.” This version of the character essentially mingles elements of past versions together: her backstory is fairly close to the Shelley novel, but the way she’s depicted in terms of personality is typically more akin to that of the Universal creature: a childlike innocent with limited speech ability and an almost puppy-like demeanor. (This is specifically in her common Berserker form…it’s complicated. XD ) I really love this version of the character, and the explanation for why Fran is female to begin with actually makes a lot of sense, although it still doesn’t quite explain why the story we know today ended up the way it did. Still, the Fate series is nothing if not thoroughly insane. In Japan, Fran is voiced by Ai Nonaka; in English language releases, she’s voiced by Sarah Anne Williams.

12. Christopher Lee, from The Curse of Frankenstein.

Before he played Dracula (or the Mummy), Christopher Lee’s first great monster role was also his big break in movies. Lee had performed in several things before he was cast as the Creature in Hammer’s loose adaptation of “Frankenstein” - entitled, most likely for the sake of unique variation, “The Curse of Frankenstein” - but it was his performance in this feature that really put him on the map. With a visual design apparently inspired by Cesare from “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” Lee played an even more grotesque and dangerous version of the Monster than perhaps any seen on the screen before. In the film, the Creature isn’t quite the childlike innocent of the Universal films, nor is he a mindless killing machine: it’s indicated that (much like in the Universal film) the brain that was put into this monster was damaged, and as a result, the Creature has come out wrong. The Creature has an extremely violent temper, and seems ready to kill at the slightest provocation, but there’s a touch of pathos as you get the sensation the reason the monster lashes out so violently is because it doesn’t really know how else to process things. Later Hammer films would show Frankenstein creating new Monsters, some more grotesque and nasty, others more sympathetic and even pleasing to the eye…but, since this was the first film of the Hammer Frankenstein series, and the only one more or less based on the novel proper, I felt Lee’s was the version of the Monster most worth crediting. He set the trend for a whole new wave of man-made men, and it was the success of this movie, and it’s Monster, that first put both Lee and Hammer in the annals of horror fame.

11. Shuler Hensley, from Van Helsing.

Stephen Sommers’ 2004 schlockbuster, “Van Helsing,” was a tribute to classic “Monster Mash” movies of the past, like the aforementioned “House of Frankenstein.” It starred Hugh Jackman as the titular monster hunter, and was intended to start a whole new reboot for the Universal Monster lineup. Ultimately, however, it ended up failing both critically and at the box office. (2017’s Mummy looks on in sympathy.) While the movie is admittedly very, VERY flawed (and absurdly over-the-top), I actually enjoyed it a lot growing up, and I still have a soft spot for it. It’s a guilty pleasure, if nothing else. One of my favorite aspects of the film is Shuler Hensley as the Frankenstein Monster. (Incidentally, Hensley had performed onstage with Hugh Jackman in the past, most notably as the sinister Jud Fry in “Oklahoma.”) While the design of the Creature - referred to as both “the Frankenstein Monster” and simply “Frankenstein” throughout the picture - owes much to the classic Universal movies, the actual portrayal is slightly closer to the original novel, as the Monster is a well-read, eloquent creature, despite his immense strength and bad temper. In the film, Dracula actually funds Dr. Frankenstein’s experiments, leading to the creation of his “son;” it’s revealed that the Count plans to use the Monster as a sort of “battery,” allowing him to give life to his undead vampire children. With them and the Monster, Dracula can then - of course - take over the world. It’s thus up to Van Helsing and his allies to try and keep the Monster out of Dracula’s grasp. Most people probably wouldn’t rate this version so highly, but again, I just have a soft spot for this film, as well as this Creature design.

10. Bo Svenson, from Dan Curtis’ Frankenstein.

Dan Curtis was the creative mastermind behind the famous soap opera, “Dark Shadows”...which I’ve never really seen. (I did see the Tim Burton film based on it, for the record, but a.) I don’t think it’s very good, and b.) to my understanding, it follows the show about as well as Universal’s Frankenstein follows the book.) Needless to say, the man was a major fan of Gothic literature and old-school horror stories, and during his time he put his spin on several of them. One of them was an early 1970s TV miniseries adaptation of “Frankenstein”: at the time, it was - I think - the most accurate interpretation of the story put to screen. (Later versions followed the story even more closely.) Svenson’s Creature, appropriately, is a bit closer to the book; not a dumb animal, but instead a tortured soul who is capable of understanding the world and intellectualizing all he takes in, but cannot symbiotically exist with other human beings. The ending is where things really take a different turn from the novel, but I won’t spoil it here. This version can be hard to track down nowadays in good copy, at least from what I’ve found, but if you’re able to do so, definitely give it a watch.

9. Tom Noonan, from Monster Squad.

A common trope I’ve seen with the Frankenstein Monster is what might be termed “the friendly monster.” Basically, the Monster starts off as an antagonistic presence, but then befriends the main heroes of the day and becomes a hero by the end of the story, usually with much adorableness and silliness abounding over the course of this development. While I can’t be sure of where this idea really started, I think my favorite example of this, and one of the first I’m aware of, was in the 1987 film “Monster Squad.” This was yet another Monster Mash movie, accurately described as a combination of “The Goonies” and “Ghostbusters,” focusing on a bunch of child heroes having to save their town from Dracula and his monster minions. Once again, the Frankenstein Monster is depicted early on as a pawn of Dracula’s, and seems to be the fellow Monster the Count is most close to…which makes things all the more interesting when, instead of killing the heroes for the vampire king, he ends up befriending them, and eventually helps them defeat the Count at the climax of the picture. Tom Noonan had played the much-less-savory role of Francis Dolarhyde in the horror/crime film “Manhunter” the year before; he was offered the role of the Monster as a result of his performance. I find this sort of ironic, since the two characters really couldn’t be any more different. Noonan evidently had a couple of projects to choose from, and went with Monster Squad because he wanted to play something lighter and more sympathetic, to contrast the darkness of Dolarhyde. He delivers excellently: of all the Karloffian Monsters on this countdown, few have quite as successfully followed in the original’s footsteps with the same level of sweetness and sensitivity. Plus, seeing the Monster boom “Bogus!” right into Dracula’s face before IMPALING him, is…something I’m SO glad exists in the same universe I live in.

8. Benedict Cumberbatch & Jonny Lee Miller, from the National Theatre Production.

Ever wanted to see two Sherlocks for the price of one? In something that is not even Sherlock-related? Well, first of all, you’re a very weird person. (So am I, this is a good thing.) Second of all, then perhaps you’ll enjoy the 2011 production of Frankenstein, adapted by Nick Dear and directed by Danny Boyle. Produced at England’s National Theatre, two performances of this show were filmed…which is good, because the big gimmick of the play was the double-casting of its two lead actors. Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller both played the Monster and Dr. Frankenstein…but not at the same time. The actors would alternate performances, with Cumberbatch playing the Creature and Miller playing Frankenstein one night, then the two swapping roles the next, and so on and so forth. The story in this version is told mostly from the Monster’s point of view, as the play starts right off the bat with the birth of the Creature, and - like in the book - leaves it ambiguous how it was brought to life. There’s a lot of things to admire in this play, frankly, but I think it’s the gimmick of the two actors, and who those actors are, that gives it the most draw to see it. Both Cumberbatch and Miller handle their twin roles slightly differently, but there’s still some obvious similarities, for obvious reasons. If I had to choose which of them I like most as the Creature, I’d probably say I like Cumberbatch in the role more. His voice is a bit clearer, and he puts a LOT more movement into his body motions and actions, compared to Miller’s work. Both, however, do an amazing job in each role. Definitely look this production up and watch both versions, if you can.

7. Robert DeNiro, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994).

Released in answer to Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” two years before, this film tried to achieve the same success using similar methods; following the book more closely than any film before that, while also still making some significant changes, and also going much more wild with the gore and sensuality than any version prior. While the resulting film wasn’t bad, most people agree that it isn’t and wasn’t QUITE as successful as the Coppola feature…but this doesn’t mean it’s without merits. DeNiro’s Monster is definitely one of those merits: DeNiro is really very surprising in the role. I would never have pegged him to be a perfect piece of casting for ANY version of the Monster, but he really does pull it off, and at times it’s hard to remember who it is behind the scarfaced makeup. The way he handles his body, his voice, his expressions, and everything else for the role really is magnificent. I honestly feel bad for not placing him higher in the ranks. While not a great success in its time, the film does seem to have grown a cult following over the years, and I think it’s mostly well-deserved: this is probably one of my favorite DeNiro performances, alongside “The Godfather Part II” and “Taxi Driver.” If nothing else, his work here has earned more praise and attention than it likely gets.

6. Ian Holm, from “Mystery & Imagination: Frankenstein.”

Earlier, we spoke of a production where the actors for Victor Frankenstein and his Monster were played by the same two alternating actors. All very well and good…but what about a production where both are played by the same single actor? This was the case with “Mystery & Imagination,” a 1960s UK television program that adapted many famous, dark stories. I sadly have not been able to find and view most of these, but my favorite of those I HAVE seen was their adaptation of Frankenstein, mostly because of the gimmick of having both the Monster and the scientist played by the same performer. Editing and camera trickery allowed the production to work beautifully, in an age and on a budget where most common special effects that would allow such a thing easily now were not readily available. While Ian Holm is largely best known today for his work as Bilbo Baggins in the Peter Jackson “Lord of the Rings” films, he was a performer with a long and varied career. Even knowing this, I never expected to see him play the Frankenstein Monster, and he does a brilliant job, bringing a sort of nervous softness and steely fury to the role in equal measure. I actually am highly tempted to place him higher, but there’s only room for so many in the top five.

5. Peter Boyle, from Young Frankenstein.

Alongside the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” I’m fairly certain this movie was my introduction to Peter Boyle. And for as great an actor as Boyle might have been, I sometimes feel like his actual performance as the Monster in this satirical classic often gets overlooked. I tend to find more people talk about Gene Wilder’s work in the title role. And while, yes, Wilder’s Frankenstein - actually a descendant of the original, but I’m still counting things here - is truly fantastic, Boyle’s work as the Karloff-inspired Creature is just as great. What I love about Boyle’s work is, in fact, what I love about Karloff’s most of the time, but now with a totally different sense of mood and style: both are able to do so much with so little, as their eyes, facial expressions, and body movements are largely where the delivery of their performance shines through. But while Karloff plays things for sincerity and danger in the original…Boyle’s Monster is just flipping HILARIOUS. Honestly, that sums up what makes “Young Frankenstein” so great, in general: it keeps the general themes and ideas of both the novel and especially the Universal pictures, but twists them from tragedy and horror to farce and wit. Great movie, great monster, an all around great choice for my top five.

4. Herman Munster, from The Munsters.

“The Munsters” was a 1960s sitcom, supposedly inspired by the success of “The Addams Family,” which focused on the darkly humorous shenanigans in a household made up of characters inspired by the Universal Monsters. The main protagonist of the series was the family patriarch: the Frankenstein Monster himself, Herman Munster, played by Fred Gwynne. In the early days of the show, Herman was a fairly normal “sitcom father” type, but as the show went on, Gwynne and the creators developed the character more. Herman became a loving father, a doting husband, a hard worker who always tried to do his best…and also a complete, bumbling clod. Essentially, the idea of the overgrown child inherent in the Universal films was given a voice and a more contemporary spin, as Herman was often more kid-like than his own son in his attitudes and antics. Herman always meant well, but his dimwitted nature and overblown clumsiness constantly got not only himself, but most of the family, into trouble. Still, he’d always try hard to pull things back from the brink of disaster, and owned up to his mistakes and tried to learn from them in the end. Frankly, he was arguably the most loveable character in the series. (Interestingly, Gwynne also got to play a more “traditional” version of the character in the episode “A Visit From Johann,” where it’s revealed Herman’s creator made a twin brother for him, who lacked even Herman’s meager levels of intelligence.) Unlike the Addams Family - who have successfully been reimagined more than once - it seems like every attempt to bring the Munsters back to life has been a dismal failure. I think this is largely because of the fact so much of what made this particular series work came from the actors: Fred Gwynne’s Herman has been imitated multiple times, but there was a lightning-in-a-bottle quality to his work and to the series that has never been duplicated. The role dogged Gwynne to the end of his days: perhaps most notably, in a production of the play “Arsenic and Old Lace,” where he played the role Boris Karloff had originated. This was by no means a coincidence, especially not when one of the most famous lines in the show has the character claiming, “They said I looked like Boris Karloff!”

3. Luke Goss, from Frankenstein (2004 Miniseries).

This is quite possibly the single most Shelley-accurate adaptation of the story put to the screen so far. At a hardy length of three hours, split into a two-part television miniseries, it was able to not only take everything from the original novel, but also expand on a couple of things in interesting ways. Appropriately, Luke Goss is probably among the most screen-accurate interpretations of the Creature we’ve ever gotten. This version was made for the Hallmark Channel. Interestingly, throughout the late nineties and early 2000s, in particular, Hallmark made a bunch of film and miniseries adaptations of popular works of fiction; virtually all of them became noteworthy largely because of their faithfulness to the source material. However, most people agree that a lot of these interpretations were a bit stiff. While this miniseries has gotten some similar criticism, I actually think it does an extremely worthy job with the work; most of the weaknesses it has I would offer are really due to the weaknesses of the material. Goss as the creature turns in a delightfully sensitive, tender performance, while still able to deliver on the darker, more dangerous parts of the story, where the Monster’s bitter and cruel side has to come out. This version of the story and the character often gets overlooked in favor of more popular renditions, but it’s one I highly recommend checking out.

2. Rory Kinnear, from Penny Dreadful.

Of all the more or less Shelley-faithful versions of the character on this countdown, Rory Kinnear’s is by far my favorite. “Penny Dreadful” was a series that combined elements and characters from various pieces of Gothic literature, with multiple sub-plots sort of crashing together throughout the course of the show. Kinnear’s Creature was usually a fairly peripheral figure, his story largely separate from the main plot of the program; however, this meant that the moments where his story and those of the other main characters DID collide became more special by default, and his own side story was arguably the most emotionally intense part of the entire show to begin with. The Creature goes by two “proper” names during the show: in season one, he was referred to as “Caliban,” taking his name from the Shakespearean character. Later seasons had him take on the name “John Clare,” after the famous poet. (I personally preferred Caliban, for various reasons.) Kinnear’s portrayal of the Creature is hauntingly touching and tragic, as he constantly seeks some form of family and acceptance, and it always gets robbed from him, slipping through his fingers. The Frankenstein characters were my favorites from the series, and Caliban/Clare’s tragic tale gave much of the heart to this dark and fright-filled melodrama. Keeping true to the source of the character, only really changing the story he was in, Kinnear’s Creature was ironically perhaps closer to the novel than almost any other.

1. Boris Karloff, from the Universal Monsters Franchise.

From two of the most accurate-to-the-book versions of the Creature, to the one who made inaccuracy to the source VERY popular. I know a lot of fans of the original book are going to be swarming me like an angry mob for this choice, but I’m sorry: as much as I love the work in the original novel, Boris Karloff’s star-making portrayal of the Monster is still beloved and popular for a darn good reason. If the Universal film did one thing right, it was take the tragic and sympathetic qualities of the Creature in the book, and bring them to their absolute xenith: Karloff’s Monster is not even remotely villainous, when you really look at things. While he does do some terrible things, it’s always either in justified retaliation, or because he’s being manipulated by a more terrible power, or even because he genuinely doesn’t realize what he’s doing is wrong. In the first film, the Creature is done with almost pure pantomime, and Karloff brings so much gentle life to this shambling, undead puppet, who just wants to be loved and understand the world around him, only to find misfortune at every turn. In “Bride of Frankenstein,” the Monster starts to go through more of the beats of the original book - learning to speak (albeit nowhere near as eloquently as in the novel), seeking a mate, and so on - but remains just as sorrowful a figure. While the third film, “Son of Frankenstein” - Karloff’s final turn as the Monster - sidelined the character in favor of focusing on the conflict between the title character and the malevolent Ygor, Karloff still gets several great moments of pathos, despite regressing once more to a mute beast. While the Creature has become an icon of horror, he is perhaps the most unlikely of such candidates, as you really do feel sorry for him more than you feel scared of him: he really is like an enormous pet animal, you just want to take care of him and help him, and you wish others would see he really isn’t so bad and would do the same. While only barely resembling the figure conjured up in the book, Karloff’s original monster remains iconic not only because of the eye-catching makeup and costume, nor even simply because the films are so long-lasting, but because his performance and the direction of the story made us truly feel for the monster, both literally and figuratively. He has more than earned my personal seal of approval and my number one pick. Case dismissed.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

Grant Moninger, from TMNT (2012).

This one very nearly made the cut. This version of the Monster appears in a four-part story arc where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles face the Universal Monsters. Moninger voices not only the Monster, but also Dr. Frankenstein. (He also provides the voice of the Mummy, but that’s another story.) Very fun stuff, but I just don’t have a lot to say about this one.

David Warner, from Frankenstein (1984).

This rather obscure TV movie outing has a great cast (alongside Warner as the monster, you also have such names as Carrie Fisher, Sir John Gielgud, and Robert Powell), but is sadly brought down by it’s shoestring budget and heavy truncation of the story. Warner’s performance is great, but the script and his, in my opinion, visually lacking makeup job keep him from making the cut.

Charles Stanton Ogle, from Frankenstein (1910).

The first screen version of Frankenstein ever known. A very interesting piece of history, and the look of the creature is kind of cool, but I feel the story misses the point of the story in some ways (the creature is depicted as more of a supernatural construct than a scientific one), and the film is only about 15 minutes long.

Kamran Nikhad (as Adam the Firstborn), from V Rising.

A somewhat more evil pastiche of the Monster, Adam is one of the toughest and most iconic bosses in this game, alongside Dracula himself. Interestingly, Nikhad voices both Adam AND the Count in this version. Lucky guy.

[the-blossica-fan]

Been thinking about Christmas and had the thought; "Oh Jessica would definitely assume Santa is a horror movie character because -insert 'Santa Clause is Coming to Town' here- makes him sound like your archetypal Horror 'Stalker Killer' with a side of Supernatural Horror mixed in."

Blonney is stuck between immediately correcting her vs wanting to see if Jessica could morph herself to look similar to Santa and climb down through a chimney. So instead of telling Jessica she's wrong (cause Jessica's ears droop by a centimeter when she gets corrected sometimes), she tells Jessica about Krampus and explains that the two often get confused. (So here's a quick convo)

"It's the hooves," She explains. "Santa's got his reindeer, and Krampus has goat legs. They both carry sacks except Krampus kidnaps naughty kids with his, and Santa leaves them coal."

"Oh! How horrible, but don't worry, Jennifer, I won't let Krampus take you, and I'll even give you my gifts from Santa!"

"... sure, okay, thanks, Jess - hold on! What makes you think I'm on the naughty list?!"

"Because you always say you're one of the 'bad girls' that dies first in a horror movie! I won't let anyone hurt you, but I don't know how to stop Santa from leaving you coal..."

"... *sigh* it's whatever. It's not like you care about that kind of thing anyway."

"Of course! I love you no matter how you choose to act!"

Which then leads to blushy cuddles and hot chocolate while they watch Christmas-themed horror movies together.

I swoon every time someone sends me a Blossica ask. My sweet babies 🥹

THIS IS SO THEM!!

Though, I have to give it to Jessica. She might be right. (I would be so concerned if someone told me about Santa without me knowing this American tradition)

An immortal old man that stalks people, knows everything you have done, has a list of people who have been good or bad in his eyes, breaks into peoples' houses from their chimney (I unironically can't believe people do have those and that they're not just in movies) and eats their food. That sounds like a criminal to me.

But, if Jessica went around spreading rumors about Santa, that would be troublesome.

Though, I think we all know who would be whispering horror stories into innocent childrens' (Jessica is a special one) ears, so all Blonney can do is change Jessica's perspective on it.

Hey, now that I (FUCKING FINALLY) have some free time, maybe I could make this a fanfic...

[shay-the-writer]

October Writing Prompts

After the repeated fails of the last several months, what possesses me to make this month's prompt thing ... fuck if I know. But, let's go with it. It's a long one.

The prompts are both Halloween and Autumn-themed.

Playing a game of Trick or Treat. It's a bit like Truth or Dare with the Trick being like Dare. The type of story rating is up to you.

Trick-or-Treating with the kid(s). Nice, wholesome content.

Costume Party.

Going to a haunted house (a real one or a set up). <> Person A says haunted houses don't scare them but they end up freaking out at every turn and Person B holds onto them.

Raking up leaves and having fun in them.

A trip to the cider mill/apple orchard, pumpkin patch, Fall Festival. Apple-picking, cider and donuts, hay bale rides, hay bale/cornstalk mazes.

Hay bale/cornstalk maze adventure. (family event / Horror-themed and set at night / a couple getting lost [intentional or not] and taking advantage of a dead end or secluded spot).

Carving/painting pumpkins.

Pumpkin Spice food/beverage items. Person A loves it. Person B hates it with a passion.

Taking a walk through the park where the air is crisp but not too cold, it's cloudy but a bit of sun peeks out and makes the color of the leaves stand out. Leaves are falling around them, and the ones on the ground make a rustling/crunching sound when they walk over them.

The smell of cinnamon. This is usually a Christmas thing for me, but some places I've been to recently have had cinnamon-scented things in their fall decor, so I guess it works here, too.

Halloween night always seems to bring out the crazies. This one is probably crime show-specific.

Person A decided to take a walk with Person B, thinking it wasn't too cold outside to wear a coat, but Person B notices A is looking cold and gives them their coat because B planned ahead with their wardrobe.

INSPIRED-THE-PLOT: Adaptation of Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow. (this story freaks me out, even a kids book I once had, with innocent kid-friendly illustrations, scared the crap out of me.)

INSPIRED-THE-PLOT: Surviving scary moments/disasters together. Alien invasions/attacks (Independence Day), natural disasters like tornadoes/volcanoes/earthquakes/etc. (Twister/Dante's Peak/etc.), dinosaurs run amok (Jurassic Park/World), or something supernatural (ghosts, demons, vampires), or psycho maniac serial killers.

Relationships between a human and a: Alien, Monster, Warlock, Witch, Sorcerer/Sorceress, Vampire, Ghost, Werewolf (or any animal-specific shapeshifter), Demon, Devil/Satan, Dark Creature (Fae, Imp, etc.).

Relationships between: Aliens, Monsters, Warlocks, Witches, Sorcerers/Sorceresses, Vampires, Ghosts, Werewolves/Animal Shapeshifters, Demons, Dark Creatures, a demon/devil/Satan with an angel/a God or Goddess.

MOVIE QUOTES

These are random and not necessarily Halloween-themed, but when put into a Halloween context, gives them a whole new meaning.

Rapunzel: Do you have magic hair? / Vanellope: No. (Ralph Breaks the Internet)

Principal Carol Newman: I want you to look into my eyes. What do you see? / Student: It's dark ... and it's cold. (The Santa Clause 2)

Lilly: Satan has finally left my body. (Pitch Perfect 3)

Billy Butcherson: Go to Hell! / Winifred Sanderson: Oh! I've been there, thank you. I found it quite lovely. (Hocus Pocus)

Gordo: Wow, evil and smart. / Kate: Embrace it. Fear it. (The Lizzie McGuire Movie)

Dorothy Gale: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain? (The Wizard of Oz)

Patty Tolan: Okay, room full of nightmares. (Ghostbusters [2016])

A.J. MacInerney: I feel a nightmare coming on. (The American President)

Sophie Piper: It's the bad thing. (Halloweentown)

Olaf: Hands down, this is the best day of my life, [he begins to melt] and, quite possibly, the last. (Frozen)

Olaf: Oh, look at that. I've been impaled. (Frozen)

TV QUOTES

Like the movie quotes, these ones change meaning when put in a Halloween-context.

Regina Mills: She got sucked up by a vortex of evil. (Once Upon a Time)

Chilli Heeler: (after Bluey and Bingo's fight led to a broken gnome) This is what happens when you're unhappy with what you've got. Someone's husband [the gnome] eventually gets it! [killed] (Bluey)

Gnome: Hee-hee-hee. I'm flammable! (Big City Greens)

Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold: To the end of the world. (Once Upon a Time)

Spike: If you tell anyone we had this conversation, I'll bite you. (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

John Munch: (while playing a video game) Damn it, I died. (Law & Order: SVU)

Princess Anna: What a funny-looking world. / Queen Elsa: Right?! (Once Upon a Time)

Lorelai Gilmore: That's the last time I buy anything just because it's furry. (Gilmore Girls)

Cyber Knight: Respawn, you fool! Respawn! (Big City Greens)

Bluey Heeler: He was not a funny clown. (Bluey)

Olivia Benson: It could use a splash of color. [Elliot Stabler points to a painting with blood on it] Blood red wasn't what I had in mind. (Law & Order: SVU)

Alice Green: Oh, an ominous message written in red liquid. (Big City Greens)

Vicki Nelson: Well, unless you have a demon GPS around here somewhere, this is all we have. (Blood Ties)

Vicki Nelson: You actually have a demon GPS? (Blood Ties)

Tilly Green: I have seen danger. And, I love it. (Big City Greens)

Casey Novak: I've had this nightmare before, only I was naked. (Law & Order: SVU)

Melinda Warner: If you bite me, I'll hurt you. (Law & Order: SVU)

Oz: (about a zombie cat) It looks dead. It smells dead. Yet, it's moving around ... That's interesting. (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Angela Montenegro: Things in a toilet bowl should not move. (Bones)

Raymond Ettinger [guest character]: I can't find my head. (Law & Order: SVU)

Fin Tutuola: Your heart's bleeding all over my shoes. (Law & Order: SVU)

Fin Tutuola: I don't see a cat. / John Munch: They're freaky little creatures. They lurk. (Law & Order: SVU)

Rafael Barba: Cue the apocalypse. (Law & Order: SVU)

Weezy: Cryptids give me the creep-tids. (Big City Greens)

C.C. Babcock: Good God, it's multiplying. (The Nanny)

Alice Green: Go back from whence you came, Prince of Darkness! The girl's soul is mine! (Big City Greens)

Karen Walker: I'm not good or real. I'm evil and imaginary. (Will & Grace)

John Munch: Oh, there you are, you demonic little furball. (Law & Order: SVU)

Kate O'Brien: Well, that takes care of the heebies, but I still got the jeebies. (The Drew Carey Show)

Peter Griffin: (during a Brit cut-away) Oh, dear ... I've spontaneously combusted. (Family Guy)

Dorothy Zbornak: (to Sophia) You're a furry little gnome and we feed you too much. (The Golden Girls)

Yakko Warner: Wait, you're forgetting something. / Umlatt: What? / Yakko Warrner: Well, being an evil villain, you are contractually required to explain your plan before you get rid of us. (Animaniacs)

[leatafandom]

Leata's Master List 2024

It's almost the new year, and I've posted my last stories of the year! So I thought it was time to post my 2024 master list before we ring in the new year. Thank you all for reading my works and all the inspiration you guys give me <3 I'm so excited for writing next year.

Please read the Ratings and Tags associated with each work as most of my work contains smut, violence, gore, and other adult themes. Individual tags and warnings per work are listed within each below link.

Note that all of my stories on Ao3 are locked for registered Ao3 users, talk to me about getting an Ao3 account.

Other Master Lists Links: 2019-2020. 2021. 2022. 2023.

Leata's Master List 2024

Original Works - Horror Stories

Morning Light - Merlin BCC - Merthur, Rated Explicit, word count 1,846

Spike/Winifred "Fred" Burkle: Rethinking Labs, Rated Explicit, word count 4,233

Supernatural

All of Your Firsts, Rated Mature, word count 798 (Loki/Gabriel)

Breakfast and the Sniffles, Rated Teen, word count 965 (Human Archangel Au - Gen)

Chef's Reward, Rated Explicit, word count 2,511 (Debriel)

Gabriel and His Lady, Rated Explicit, word count 1,780 (Gabriel/Tentacle Creature)

Maybe Next Year, Rated Teen, word count 1,107 (Loki/Gabriel)

Some Poison Pie, Rated Explicit, word count 1,097 (background Sabriel)

Speakeasy Blues, Rated Teen, word count 3,172 (Gabriel centric)

Under Your Tongue, Rated Explicit, word count 1,478 (Debriel)

Supernatural- Sabriel

Cabin in the Woods: A Visit from the Devil, Rated Explicit, word count 5,631 (Horror AU)

Cannibal Sam/Monster eater verse: Demons and Houses, Rated Explicit, word count 16,084

Cannibal Sam/Monster eater verse: Let's See a Show, Rated Explicit, word count 7,260

Cannibal Sam/Monster eater verse: Merry Christmas, Sammy, Rated Mature, word count 4,446

Cannibal Sam/Monster eater verse: Who Are Monsters Afraid Of?, Rated Explicit, word count 22,111

Choke Me Like It Matters, Rated Explicit, word count 6,661

Cleaning Out the Closet, Rated Explicit, word count 2,942

Conversations in the Dark, Rated Teen, word count 2,894

For Love and Lilies, Rated Mature, word count 3,673

Learn, Rated Explicit, word count 159,044

Need You Like Air, Rated Mature, word count 1,573

Seasonal Healing Tale: Somewhere Between Everywhere and Nowhere, Rated Teen, word count 1,532

Taste of Cherry, Rated Mature, word count 27,211

Various DC Universes

Clex

A Night In, Rated Teen, word count 669

Chef Clark, Rated Teen, word count 1,092

Cooling Down, Rated Explicit, word count 3,571

Feeling Nostalgic, Rated Explicit, word count 6,148

Homemade, Rated Teen, word count 827

I'll Brand You, Rate Mature, word count 936 *This is an Earth-2 story meaning: Clark Luthor/Lex Luthor

The Ugliest Sweater, Rated Mature, word count 2,055

ColdFlash

A Long Time Coming, Rated Teen, word count 8,079

Sunburn Sundays, Rated Explicit, word count 2,925

SuperCorp

It's Always Something in Smallville, Rated Explicit, word count 1,950

Red and Green, Rated Mature, word count 2,738

What's Wrong with the Cat?, Rated General, word count 1,441

[0-r-a-y-0]

MASTERLIST(?) AND REQUEST BOUNDARIES

—Heyy I’m Ray (not my real name) I write Nick centric oneshots (romantic, platonic, etc.)

I like music (specifically rock music but I also LOVE Mitski, Lana feel Rey, Melanie, etc.), I obviously love the triplets, art, writing, Supernatural, Bojack Horseman, horror movies, cats, and many other things

My fav songs <33

How you remind me— Nickelback

I don’t like my mind— Mitski

Nausea— Violet & Dave Grohl

Doll— Foo Fighters

Duvet— bōa

Shandi— Kiss

Comfort Crowd— Conan Gray

Avalon— $uicideboy$

Song about me— Tv Girl

Killing me— Conan Gray

Kill yourself (part lll)— $uicideboy$

Black Hole Sun— Soundgarden

Break— Alex G

Covet— Basement

Breathe (in the air)— Pink Floyd

Carry on wayward son— Kansas

When the sun hits— Slowdive

Plan B— Megan Thee Stallion

Hallie’s song— Eminem

Decode— Paramore

Black Star— Radiohead

Just— Radiohead

And a million more :) (I can talk about music for hours)

— I’m a Leo (July 28 is my bday if you care)

— I’m bisexual (MAJOR preference for girls but I got a boyfriend)

— Proud Nick girl (if that wasn’t obvious) ︎

— My favorite color is navy blue (obsessed with ANYTHING that color)

— Also obsessed with anything related to stars

— Single but MADLY in love with a girl that’s taken by an ugly ass guy (she’s bisexual and totally wants me back I got proof)

What I WILL write about:

- fluff, suicide, eating disorders, self harm, alcoholism, smoking, mental health issues, pretty much anything

What I WON’T write about

-smut, ROMANTIC Nick x fem reader, Nick x reader in general (UNLESS it’s platonic), rape, cancer/any serious illness

—For some reason it won’t show “ask me anything” button on my phone but apparently you can see it so request anything or just ask me some questions. But if you can’t see the button then just send me a message or comment and give me the request!! Also put if you would like to remain anonymous or not!! Thank you <33

︎

ROMANTIC…❤︎

Hickeys (Only 1 with Max)

Party (The start of Jasper)

KISS

Morning Cuddles

Hair Dye

Bad Day

Insomnia

Sick Day

Clean Up

Smoke Session

Clean up (part ll)

Hair Play

Christmas Tree

Flustered

Wisdom Teeth

New Year’s Kiss

Overwhelming

Baked

PLATONIC…⤶

Period

BROTHERLY LOVE…☽

Sick Day

Text Messages (TM)…☠︎

Stoner!Nick x Jasper

Headcanons…꩜

Romantic (headcanons #1)

NSFW Headcanons #2

NSFW Alphabet

SFW Alphabet

[musicforastylesrestaurant]

Welcome to Fictober!

Get ready for a series of enjoyable stories leading up to Halloween.

Every Saturday, a new story will be released, offering you a dose of Halloween spirit. With a special story posted on Tuesday 31st October.

From nostalgic trick-or-treating to the joy of pumpkin carving and the thrill of watching classic horror films, and even a few different things that you totally won’t be expecting. These fics will capture the essence of the season, offering a few tricks as well as a few treats.

So, mark your calendar and join us on this journey to make your Saturdays a little more special in the run-up to Halloween.

Forever At The Pumpkin Patch. [ 7th October, 2023. ]

in which, your boyfriend knew that halloween was your favourite holiday of the year, you went all out, dressed up in extravagant costumes, decorated your shared house more than you did at christmas and made little goody bags to give out to the children that knocked on your door. after being together for a total of four years, you lover boy organises a candle lit picnic at your favourite spot, the pumpkin patch where he asks you a very important question.

The Masquerade. [ 14th October, 2023. ]

in which, your friend drags you along to a high school reunion halloween party, which you one hundred percent do not feel in the mood to attend, but his nagging doesn't hold off, so being the good friend you are, you give into his nagging. a shocking revelation occurs when your ex walks through the door who you as well as everyone else didn’t expect to turn up leading to a confrontation that's nothing but emotional.

Halloween Movie Marathon. [ 21st October, 202. ]

in which, of your first halloween where all of your children finally understand the concept, after having taken them out trick or treating, the four of you all cuddle up on the sofa, hot coco in one hand whilst your other dips in and out of there sweet bucket, a movie marathon where the films are child friendly halloween films which both you and your husband can’t wait to show your children, creating not only a family tradition but memories to last a lifetime.

The Impossible Miracle. [ 28th October, 2023. ]

in which, what you thought would turn out as a fun filled halloween evening with your fiancé turns out to be anything of the sorts, you collapse in pain, coughing up blood as your body convulses where your rushed to the hospital via your fiancés car where the a trip to the witches inform you of something you never thought would be possible given your lover is a creature of the night.

A Love Beyond Time. [31st October, 2023. ]

in which, in 1864, a serene town was the canvas for your budding love story, as you joyfully prepared for a life together with your beloved fiancé. However, the tranquility shattered in one heart-wrenching moment during an unexpected town assault. Witnessing your fiancé's lifeless body crumple to the ground, your world came crashing down, forever altering the course of your existence. You were left haunted by that fateful day, struggling to piece together a life in the aftermath of the tragedy, while whispers of a supernatural twist and the possibility of a reunion with your once-lost love lingered on the edges of your consciousness, marking the passage of years and bringing an enigmatic undercurrent to your existence.

If you would like to be added to the taglist, let me know, either in through my asks, messages or comments.

Whose ready…?

[yume-fanfare]

mitsuba's deaths and almost deaths: my ranking!

he has died 3 times in canon, and has had some other close calls in both canon and aus, so it's ranking time! this will of course contain several spoilers under the cut!

CANON DEATHS

number 3: his severance death

this one has a LOT of potential! it had been a while since his last death! he broke into pieces right in front of kou, and just as he was having the most peaceful cutest sleep! was vanishing physically painful? who was more emotionally hurt by it, kou or mitsuba? how did it feel Falling Apart into pieces later? i need to know! but unfortunately we haven't yet gotten an actual severance chapter from their pov, only vague flashbacks. we don't even quite know what natsuhiko told kou and it's haunting me. can we go back to the kou becoming a supernatural plotline please. but anyways yeah this is why it is the worst (in terms of thematic importance and story focus) death to me. need those extra details

number 2: his first death

car accident. when he was buying potatoes. on his mom's birthday. when curry doesn't even actually need potatoes. need i say more. there's even the extra irony in the fact that kou's earring, which he so hates, says "traffic safety" in it. it's simply so perfect. it aligns so well. it's an everyday tragedy, yet it somehow is the cause behind the plot of the entire manga. has led to some of the most heartbreaking official art. like the one where baby kou is holdin g an empty uniform whose owner has vanished into a pile of flower petals. fucked up.

number 1: the death of m1tsuba

PERFECT. SHOWSTOPPING. HE DIED IN KOU'S ARMS!!!

the scene that actually got me Invested in this manga. ive watched it around three hundred times, in the anime, the manga and the musical and it can still bring me to tears. while death number 2 hangs heavier, this one ranks higher for me because it is. a cataclysm. this event seriously changed the trajectory of kou's life forever. HAS THE "this... this isn't you, mitsuba! the mitsuba i know i-is... sassy. girly. sarcastic. selfish. and... and his voice was annoying. obsessed with cameras. went emo sometimes and was only fake-nice. and... and he was my friend!" LINE AND and it cut to the shot of their first meeting as first years but with mitsuba getting up and leaving and! man. it is so good. i wouldn't change a single detail. something important to me... maybe

ALMOST DEATHS (CANON AND NON-CANON)

only the ones i remember off the top of my head and wanted to talk about sowwy

if you have not read any of the aus i mentioned you Definitely should check them out they are SO good!

honorary mention: the times he's (almost) been turned into a mokke

didn't know whether to count this one but i really like it it's so funny. his pyon pyon pink bunny era. the most mokke-coded character. i did cringe a little in that christmas event where his gift was being turned into a mokke because come on. horrors for him again? on christmas? but no one had that great of a time then so ill forgive it

number 5: his transformation into a familiar in hanako-kun of magic

he didn't die at all in this one, yes, but it's supposed to parallel his becoming a supernatural, so it's going into the ranking. it was kind of lame though 😭 ik it was public voting yadda yadda but like it only happened like that to fill aidairo's monthly quota of bad things happening to mitsuba. the alicorn concept and clothes were cute though ill give them that. can we get a colored front-facing ref

number 4: his almost-death in chapter 98

it sucked so bad. like ok. when i was reading the chapter i was not surprised by it at all. this is a horror manga so something bad Had to happen, and like hell he was actually going to die Again in that moment. and it was executed in a really cool way! kou's single page that only had a "SQUELCH" speech bubble was bone-chilling and there is almost a eurydice flavor to the whole fleeing and turning around to see the ghost of the person you love and finding that you're holding Only their hand.

but as much as ive joked about this manga inventing a new level of bury your gays, there Are some unfortunate implications to two boys having a cute date and then immediately almost-killing one off them. (this could indeed also be applied to mitsuba's death in a way too). im usually not too harsh w this stuff because even if the implications are there i have faith that this wasn't quite meant like that.

but ultimately this scene was there only for shock value to end the chapter in a cliffhanger so! not ranked very high

number 4: his afterlife as a mummy in the ghost hotel café

ok we barely have anything on his death here so it's not too high but just those four lines are so funny. guy who owns the land but is too scared to act out on it. is secretly planning on taking over the hotel. has cried when kou bit him. is his pastissier apprentice. i hope he's better at baking than mit2uba is at cooking. the idea of them having a silly afterlife baking together and chasing after each other is so funny i love them

number 3: his youkai transformation in the bakeneko ryokan hanakotei

his most recent almost-death! we don't know much about it yet but it is such a cute concept!!! he turned into a kitty youkai and now works at the hot springs! it's just like spirited away!!!! super invested on this one i want more so badly

number 2: the time he got poisoned in hanako of the opera

chef's kiss! this one is Almost perfect, if only because the number 1 spot is my favorite scene in any manga ever. mitsuba drinks poisoned peach juice and thanks to the subsequent investigation and hanako's intervention, he is able to escape from the oppressive opera environment with kou! but here is the catch: every night, natsuhiko left a glass of juice for him, and mitsuba never once drank it. what changed this time? why did he drink it? well, the one who left the juice and poisoned him was not natsuhiko, but kou. did mitsuba know? kou. poisoned mitsuba, who in this au is his Childhood Friend. to see if, by taking him out of the opera, he'd be able to help him regain his love of music. and mitsuba willingly drank the poison. probably knowingly. he trusted kou not to kill him. and then they elope. there are sooo many levels to this one i love it

number 1: chapter 48, picture perfect arc

EVERYONE GIVE IT UP FOR THE BEST ROMANCE EVER!!! SHOWSTOPPING!!!! BREATHTAKING!!! NO ONE DOES IT LIKE THEM!!!

it's so perfect. the way the the page where kou jumps off the building is angled and composed so that the panels themselves are falling with them too. kou's promise. the way he literally jumped off a building just to have a chance to understand mitsuba better. and then they'd work their way back to life together! it gets me every time. no one does it like them. i love them so much. <333

and that is all, thanks for sticking by!

but how about YOU guys? what is Your favorite mitsuba death? how would you change my ranking? im always up for talking about mitsuba!

[acmoorereadsandwrites]

An Interview with Genoveva Dimova, Author of Foul Days

Genoveva is a Bulgarian archeologist living in Scotland and loves void cats, metal music, cheese, and Voice-y fast-paced books

Read here or on my substack

AC: Where did the inspiration for the witches’ shadows being linked to magic come from?

GD: Shadows are a common motif in Bulgarian folklore, and the idea that a person’s soul (or power, or essence) resides inside their shadow appears again and again. It is believed, for example, that stepping on someone’s shadow would bring the person ill health. If you’d like to get rid of an unwanted guest, a surefire way to do this is to sweep their shadow through the door. One of my favourite folkloric beliefs is the ritual of embedding, which is something that features prominently in Foul Days: the idea is that in order to make a structure, like a bridge or a wall, as solid and long lasting as possible, you need to embed someone in it, so that their spirit would protect it from evil. In some folk stories, the builders embed a living person, and in others—only the person’s shadow. It doesn’t matter which one of the two they choose, as a person without a shadow would grow ill and die within 40 days.

AC: The Foul Days are linked to the veil between worlds growing thin, which is present in Japanese, Irish, and Mexican traditions. Are there any cultural traditions in Bulgaria with similar ideas?

GD: I love this question! The short answer is—yes, absolutely. The long answer is that Foul Days is based around a real belief: in Bulgarian folklore, the Foul Days are the twelve days between Christmas and St John the Baptist’s Day, after the new year has been born but before it has been baptised, when the barriers between our world and the supernatural realm are thinnest, and therefore, evil spirits are free to roam the land. It was believed that during those twelve days, people should keep away from anything that would function as a doorway between worlds—all the mirrors in the house had to be covered, and washing had to be avoided, as water is a well-known method for transportation between realms. People also had to avoid going out after dark, hosting weddings or funerals, or conceiving, as any baby conceived during the Foul Days was sure to become a drunk or a rascal.

AC: Are there any writers writing Balkan speculative fiction you wanna give a shout-out to?

GD: This is a difficult question as very few Balkan authors have been translated into different languages, and their works are therefore inaccessible not only in the West, but within the Balkans themselves. There are more than a dozen languages spoken on this fairly small piece of land (Google tells me it’s roughly the same size as Texas), which means that we, too, have to rely on translations to read authors from other Balkan countries or cultures.

Anyway, with this caveat, here are some of my favourites:

For people who like literary fiction with a speculative twist, I’d recommend Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov. For a book that reads like a folk tale, Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugrešić. There is a new Croatian publishing house called Shtriga, which specialises in sharing speculative literature by Croatian authors with the rest of the world—they have a great selection of ebooks, some of which are free, so definitely check them out. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is a novel about vampires that takes us on a journey through the Balkans. Finally, Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato is a dark fantasy blending folklore and gothic horror in a setting inspired by the Eastern Adriatic, and I can’t recommend it enough.

When it comes to short stories, I loved the collections Mars by Asja Bakić and Impossibly Blue by Zdravka Evtimova, as well as the individual short stories 'The Language of Knives' by Haralambi Markov and 'The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Reporter' by Daniela Tomova.

AC: I will second the shout-out for Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato. A strong fantasy-horror debut that deserves way more love.

AC: Is the hair being connected to a witch's power also connected to Bulgarian folklore?

GD: Yes, definitely – like in many traditional societies, a woman’s hair was a way to communicate her status. A respectable unmarried woman would always wear her hair braided in public, and a woman who was married would not only braid hers, but also cover it. Female mythical creatures, on the other hand, like samodivas and yudas (forest spirits) or chumas (the personification of the plague) were often depicted with long, loose hair, indicating that they were wild and dangerous. There are a lot of rules surrounding women’s hair: in some parts of the country, cutting it with scissors is forbidden, and a flint has to be used instead. Hair that was cut was never disposed of lightly—it was collected, made into braids, and either burnt, hidden within the walls, or buried with the woman after her death. I’ve also heard of a belief that if a woman lets her hair grow too long, she’s tempting the evil spirits from the underworld to pull her down by it. Essentially, hair was seen as a symbol of the woman’s femininity, which, when uncontained (braided) can be dangerous to the social order.

AC: Growing up in the US, we so strongly associate the Berlin Wall with Germany and perhaps not how the Iron Curtain impacted the Balkans. When you sat down to write this book about Bulgarian folklore, was it a personal goal to connect it to Bulgaria's more recent past?

GD: I suppose, in a way. I grew up with my grandparents’ stories from the early years after the Berlin Wall was built, and for them, it was always a symbol of division, loss, and entrapment. It was essentially the physical manifestation of the Iron Curtain, and therefore, of the totalitarian regime. It was not only a physical barrier, but because of the strict censorship and the ban on anything too Western on the Eastern side of the Wall, it became an intellectual prison, too. I come from a family that had a lot of friction with the regime—one of my great grandfathers was sent to a working camp, another lost his job shortly after the communists came to power, for no other reason than the fact he was educated in Germany. My grandmother, whose mother and grandmother both went to university in France, and who spoke fluent French, was never allowed to travel close to the Bulgarian border—they were so scared she’d defect. It was her dream to see Paris, and she finally got to do it after the Wall fell. This was what I tried to do with the Wall in my book: recreate that feeling of being trapped, of having nowhere to go, no matter how bad things got. I thought it fit nicely with my folklore-inspired setting, because what is worse than having your city attacked by monsters every year than having your city attacked by monsters every year and having nowhere to escape.

AC: Kosara and Roksana's names almost mirror each other and contain almost all of the same letters. Was that an intentional way to signal that they are foils?

GD: The short answer is ‘no’. The long answer is that the naming convention of Foul Days is a bit of an Easter Egg that would only register to Bulgarian readers. Most characters from Chernograd are given Bulgar names (the Bulgars were a tribe that settled on the territory of what is now Bulgaria in the 7th century, establishing the First Bulgarian Empire – prior to this, they were semi-nomadic, living in the steppes of Central Asia). During this period, Bulgaria was pagan, with the Bulgars known for being excellent horse riders and fearsome warriors—and, according to sources from neighbouring Byzantium, barbaric and bloodthirsty.

The characters from neighbouring Belograd have names associated with the Second Bulgarian Empire (established in the 12th century), which was Christian, deeply influenced by Byzantine culture, and in general, seen as prosperous and civilized.

Anyway, the issue with this is that while we know of plenty of male Bulgar names, since historical sources have recorded rulers and nobles, there are only a few female names preserved, mostly from a slightly later historical period: most contain an ‘r’ sound, many contain a ‘k’ sound, and they all end in a vowel. This is why the two names sound similar.

AC: Foul Days has zmey, kikimora, houses with feet, witches, and more. What was your favorite part of Balkan folklore to bring into the story/world?

GD: It has got to be the zmey! I'm a dragon girl at heart (like some people are horse girls, I suppose) and I think zmeys are so cool, especially with their dual nature of both friend/lover and foe. In Bulgarian folklore, zmeys are often presented as benevolent creatures, guarding villages against other, evil types of dragons, like halas and lamias. Despite their generally nice demeanour, they have the habit of taking on their human form of handsome, blond men with blue eyes, and using it to seduce women, marrying them, and taking them to their underworld kingdom. It is believed that when a zmey falls in love with a woman, she'll grow ill, pale, and sad, which is seen as a folkloric allegory for depression. The trick to avoiding marrying a zmey is checking your handsome blond lover's armpits, as it's believed that even in their human form, zmeys have tiny wings under them.

AC: Dragon Girls unite!

AC: There's all kinds of advice out there in regards to the writing process, but I've found that the best thing to do is experiment with a lot of authors' processes until you find a combination that works for you. What's your drafting process like?

GD: I agree with you completely, and I’m actually still in the process of experimentation to try to find a process that works best for me. My drafting process for Foul Days was fairly chaotic, especially since it started with drafting the book in Bulgarian before half-translating, half-rewriting it in English for the second draft! I don’t do that anymore, even if it’s an excellent way to see the text through “fresh eyes” – it’s way too time consuming. What I do nowadays is:

1)    Come up with a pitch, in the style of a back cover blurb or a query letter, to make sure the fundamentals of the idea are there;

2)    Note down a handful of scenes I’m excited to write – those are usually the midpoint, the ending, and a scattering of fun scenes in between. I use those as motivation to push myself to draft, since it’s not my favourite part of the process (that’s revision)

3)    Start drafting!

4)    Get to the end of the first act, pause, and revise until it makes for a good foundation on which to continue building the narrative;

5)    Finish drafting!

6)    Revise, revise revise;

7)    Send the manuscript to a handful of trusted beta readers (usually 3-5)

8)    Revise, revise, revise;

9)    Send the manuscript over to my agent or editor;

10)    Revise, revise, revise;

11)    The end?

AC: Is it ever the end?

AC: Can we expect more dragon or shadow magic books in the future?

GD: Probably! I have a few ideas for books inspired by various other aspects of Bulgarian folklore, so I think I’m going to take a wee break from dragons and shadows, but given how much I love both concepts, I suspect they’ll continue to creep into my writing in the future.

AC: What's next on the horizon for you?

GD: So, Foul Days is completely done and out of my hair for the first time in six years, and I’m currently finishing up the revisions for the sequel, Monstrous Nights. Both are coming out within a few months of each other, Foul Days in June and Monstrous Nights in October, so I suspect I’ll be quite busy during that period. In the meantime, I’m working on a new story, which is likely going to be a standalone, set in a world inspired by the myths and legends of my hometown of Varna on the Black Sea coast – I don’t know if you find that where you’re from, but I always think coastal communities have their own separate culture, different from the in-landers, that comes with its own quirks, beliefs, and, of course, a tonne of sea monsters. So, I’m hoping that will become my next book—fingers crossed.

AC: Not sea monsters, for me, but aliens. And Big Foot. We love Big Foot in West Coast parts of the US.

AC: Some authors focus on food, others on clothes. What's your favorite way to worldbuild?

GD: You’re going to hate me for that answer – but it’s the vibes. Or, to use less wishy-washy terminology, it’s the atmosphere. I take a lot of inspiration from real-world places, and I like to stop and think about how they made me feel, and what I can do to translate this onto the page. As I’ve said above, for Foul Days, I really wanted to recreate the gritty, oppressive atmosphere of Cold War Eastern Europe, so I chose clothing, food, technology, celebrations, traditions—even weather—that in my mind, calls back to it. As an archaeologist, I’m very aware of how interconnected every element of a culture is with each other—how certain elements of clothing develop in tandem with access to certain foods, which is all related to trade, contact, technology level, and environment. So, when I worldbuild, I tend to start with a single high concept idea – like “fantasy Berlin Wall” – and attempt to find the elements that go together with that.

AC: Author as Brand gets thrown around a lot in some circles and not everyone likes it but it's impossible to stop the train at this point. What do you want your Brand to be?

GD: I’m in two minds about ‘author as a brand’, because I think it’s a phrase that gets used to mean two very different things. The first is, the brand of your writing, and I’m all for that – I’d like it if when readers see my name, they expect something based on Balkan folklore, with magic and witches, and probably monsters and murder, with flawed characters and lived-in settings. The second way I’ve seen ‘author as a brand’, used, however, is more like ‘author as an influencer’, and that is something I can’t get on board with, I’m afraid—it comes with an awful lot of expectations about you “curating” your online presence, and it also involves a lot of hard work and time, which is time that is ultimately spent not writing. So, I suppose what I’m saying is, I’d like my “brand” to come across through my writing, not through me as an individual.

AC: I couldn't agree more. Writers need time to actually write and edit and make the best books they possibly can. If they like social media, that's great, but if they don't, then it becomes a chore and perhaps a source of anxiety. 

AC: Is Kosara a metal fan or does she listen to bubblegum pop?

GD: What a cool question! As someone who’s really into music (I am, in fact, a metal fan), I actually spend quite a bit of time coming up with what kind of music various characters would be into – so I can tell you with absolute certainty that Kosara would tell you she only listens to old-school punk, but if you go searching around her record collection, you’ll discover she’s more into pop rock.

AC: We talk a lot in writers spaces about how you have to read modern authors to be part of the conversation going on in our genres. What books is your book in conversation with?

GD: I love reading recent books - I truly believe we're currently in the golden age of fantasy, when so many different voices are finally getting the chance to add their contributions to the genre. Some of the books Foul Days is in conversation with are recent novels inspired by various Eastern European folklores, like Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale. These books showed me that Slavic folklore is something readers enjoy which, as silly as it sounds, I previously wasn't sure about. They inspired me to write my own take, shining light on the folklore of smaller, South Slavic Bulgaria, and I really enjoyed playing with similar tropes, but adding my own twists to them, inspired by my own culture. One of the things I noticed about that modern "Slavic fantasy" movement is that it often features a romantic subplot between a young woman and an older, supernatural being - so, I couldn't resist but to turn this trope on its head, making my book also include such a romance, except it occurred in the past, the supernatural being never redeemed himself, and the relationship ended badly. Another book inspired by Eastern Europe I recently read and loved was The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin, which similarly looks at the fallout at the end of an abusive relationship and the way some people become monsters.

AC: The Sins Upon Their Bones was wonderful. I think it's the first book I ever read exploring Ashkenazi Jewish folklore and I've recommended it to all my friends at this point.  

AC: Thank you so much for your time, Gen! 

Where to buy:

Mysterious Galaxy (and get a signed book plate while supplies last)

Waterstones

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes and Noble

Macmillan

Preorder Monstrous Nights:

Amazon

Kobo

Macmillan

[hello-nichya-here]

Who would Michael Jackson vote for, in your opinion?

Ah, I see we were recommended the same clickbait video XD

Until the Bad Era (so around 87-89, aka Michael's late 20s) he was a very devoted Jehovah's witness, meaning he had to follow certain rules. No christmas, no blood transfusions - and no voting, for anyone of any political party, ever. You were not gonna see him being too overly patriotic either, because things like saluting the flag are seen as a form of WORSHIP, and are thus unnacceptable in their eyes.

There's a reason the song of USA for Africa had no flags around, just the artists singing "We are the WORLD." Why his biggest hits about injustices tackled it in a GLOBAL scale. Why he always responded to accusations of racism by showing love to people of all different races and nationalities.

It wasn't just because he was a nice guy with love for everyone (but don't get me wrong, that was part of it). He literally did not have permission to get too into US politics. Even when he was next to freaking presidents he was always polite and friendly - but never expressing any explicit support or disapproval of him, his political allies, or political rivals.

Now, the Jacksons were known for ignoring their religion when it was convenient (the brothers sleeping around with groupies, Joe having a whole other family, The Jackson 5 having a christmas album, etc) but Michael notoriously had a problem with all that. The song "Superfly Sister" is basically him judging his family, with lines like "Mother's preaching Abraham, brothers they don't give a damn."

He almost didn't release the Thriller video and wanted every copy of it destroyed because he "got in trouble" for the supernatural, horror-movie theme. Even when he decided to go for it, he still felt the need to start with a disclaimer on how it was just a music video, not an expression of his religious beliefs (and ending with a cheeky "This is fiction, any similarities to events or people, living, dead or undead, is purely coincidental" because Michael's gotta Michael).

He only stopped being a Jehovah's witness/was kicked out by them because he didn't like how they were interfering with his art - he was literally told to try dancing without moving his hips, because it was "obscene." He realized he got to a point where anything and everything he did would make someone mad, and dediced to just do as he pleased instead of fighting a losing battle.

He still continued living pretty much the same lifestyle and expressing the same beliefs (the only big differences I've seen is that he became a lot more okay with the fact that he was a horny straight guy like any other, and that according to his daughter he's one of the few people in the Jackson family that doesn't treat people not being straight as a huge taboo and treated her attraction to women as fully normal right away).

Even after he had spent YEARS looking into other religions, including lots of talks with his brother Jermaine, who had converted to Islam, Michael was still pretty much behaving like nothing had changed and he was still a Jehovah's witness - hence his family basically burying him as one because everyone knew that was still Michael's religious belief, even if he had been shunned by them.

I am honestly going to be very surprised if it turns out he ever voted for anyone, as that seemed to be one of the beliefs he never let go of - for God's sake, the man cried after celebrating Christmas for the first time, in his 30s, because he felt he was doing something wrong.

Now, please don't misunderstand what I'm saying, Michael had VERY strong feelings on lots of things that were/are relevant in political debates - but whenever he expressed his concerns on a topic, he'd often go out of his way to DISTANCE it from any political affiliation.

For exemple: Earth Song is all about the planet being destroyed and all the suffering it leads to, which, yes, is an issue that is more left-aligned, but once again, Michael deliberately chose to make it a UNIVERSAL thing, expressed it through MUSIC, and while he donated a lot of money to help the cause, he never showed support for any politician that had a simmilar concern as part of their campain. The music video even ends with the planet being healed through a miracle after everyone affected falls to their knees and prays in the midst of their grief. It shifts the focus from any possible association with some kind of anti-captalism sentiment to make it simply about a devout man's own spiritual belief that humanity doesn't have the right to destroy what God created. It blurs the lines so he can do something that the left will cheer for, without angering the right.

The most openly political thing he ever did was show full support for Nelson Mandela (aka a foreign leader) as well as respect and admiration for MLK and Roosevelt in the song "They Don't Care About Us" (aka two important figures of America's past that were already dead) - and remember, that song in particular had videos both in the US and in Brazil. Once again, he makes it all about GLOBAL issues, trying to be, in a way, "bigger" than US politics so no one can figure out who he's supporting, assuming he supported anyone at all, which is unlikely.

Now, I know someone is inevitably going to ask "But weren't Michael Jackson and Donald Trump friends? Doesn't that mean he'd make an exception on his 'no voting' rule and likely support him over both Hilary and Biden?"

Michael hung out with Trump casually many, many, MANY times and has been to several of his properties (if I'm not mistaken he even lived at Trump Tower for a while). HOWEVER he explicitly told a friend, in a private phone call that he had no idea was being recorded, that he warned his father to not get Trump involved in any of the Jacksons business because he was NOT a smart, competent business man like Joe said.

Worse yet, at the end of his song "Money", Michael mentions a few important names, like Rockefeller and TRUMP, making his thoughts on their character crystal fucking clear through it all (and keep in mind, this was AFTER Trump defended him of the false accusations of pedophilia):

"I'll never betray or deceive you, my friend, but If you show me the cash, then I will take it If you tell me to cry, then I will fake it If you give me a hand, then I will shake it You would do anything for money Anything, anything, anything for money Would lie for you, would die for you Even sell my soul to the devil"

To me, it's pretty clear that, while Michael was clearly willing to be friendly with Trump, he was not blind to the fact that the guy is far from a saint, is no mastermind, and is very greedy, to the point that Michael did NOT fully trust him - and was willing to say so both in private and in public.

Any republican that tries to say he would 1000% be one of them just because Trump (who did not even have a political career when Michael was alive) is constantly telling stories about "My good friend Michael Jackson" is as delusional as any democract that thinks "Earth Song" means he would never ever support him.

If Michael Jackson ever bothered to vote for anyone, he kept quiet about it. At most, he'd let his music do the talking - "Slave To The Rhythm" was him being sympathetic to the struggles of women, "Little Susie" was about how neglectful families can full on kill their children, "Song Groove" was him making it clear he was pro-life (though he said he wanted to be careful with how he'd approach it because he didn't want it to be a guilt-trip or offend anyone, and the song didn't come out until 2012, three years after his death, despite being written in the 80s), "Black or White" was about not being racist, "They Don't Care About Us" was speaking out against police brutality/people in power neglecting their responsibilities and/or abusing said power, etc.

Considering "This Is It" was meant to be his final tour so he could solve all his money issues and chill somewhere with his family, I doubt that he'd say a word about who, if anyone, he'd voting for in this election if he were alive today. He was done with being a public figure.

Not to mention: Michael was NOT stupid. He always went out of his way to be the artist everyone could like (again, see him not wanting the anti-abortion song to offend or guilt-trip people, and it eventually being shelved to avoid the headache). He would not openly support a democrat and piss off the conservative half of his US fans, and he'd not be crazy enough to think people wouldn't drag him through the mud if he supported mister "We'll build a wall and make Mexico pay for it" and then went on to sing "The world must come together as one." It'd never fucking happen, he had more than enough problems to deal with already.

Plus, he very famously did not like being told what to do, so if either side tried pressuring him into supporting their candidate because he HAS to vote for SOMEONE, they'd be met with whatever the polite, super nice euphemism for "Fuck you, I'm Michael Jackson, I do whatever I want" is, because I'm pretty sure he had one.