Work Text:
HALLOWEEN EVENING
ENGLAND
On the whole, Dana Katherine Scully knew she’d been born a decade previously on a U.S. Navy base in Annapolis, Maryland. She could even find her home state on a world map. Even all the countries that she’d visited with her family throughout her life. Dana was proud of herself on that account. All the same? Dana had not forgotten a certain significant fact about her life. As it presently stood.
She and her family were Americans, living on a U.S. Navy base, in England.
Her parents liked to say it kept herself, Billy, Missy, and Charlie grounded. Whatever that meant. The girl supposed it was a good thing. Because her parents would laugh about it. So did other adults. But Dana didn’t care. Especially today.
It was Thursday, October 31st. All Hallows’ Eve. Perfection.
Dana politely paid attention in Mass when her parents brought her and her siblings. They followed suit. No one wanted to get in trouble. As a reward for such splendid behavior, Dana, Melissa, and Bill were given permission to go trick-or-treating in the base neighborhood with all the other kids. Charlie, meanwhile, had politely declined an invitation because he’d already had his fun at school with trick-or-treating. He was content enough to stay home to sort through his own spoils of the day.
But the others noticed him watching them get ready. So they made a choice. One big one.
Six-year-old Charlie felt amazed when they gave him ten minutes’ notice that he was coming along. He even dropped everything to let Bill help him into his Batman costume. And his better walking shoes. But Charlie did remember his manners when Dana and Melissa showed him that his treats from school had been stowed for safekeeping and that his candy pail now stood ready with all of theirs. Now the boy was ready to join in with his big siblings.
Presently…
All four Scully siblings were ambling down Gladstone Way to Number 6.
That was their house. And it was only two doors away. But everyone felt pleased. Their tin candy pails were laden down with new trinkets and treats from generous neighbors. Charlie and his brother and sisters were also discussing plans to pool their loot together for one big sorting session while explaining to their parents that this was the perfect evening to order takeout from Lombardi’s, the new pizzeria, ten minutes from the base.
Other kids were still having fun.
The Scullys remained in their bubble. With Charlie in his Batman costume, Bill dressed as a cowboy, Melissa in a remarkably well-done Raggedy Ann costume, and even Dana dressed like a doctor, the siblings appeared for all the world to be a very hodgepodge crew. But they were pleased. Mostly.
Sighing more audibly than he’d meant, Charlie said to no one in particular, “Anybody? Do I still have my feet on?!”
Beside him, Dana did all in her power to not laugh. “Yep. And I promise we’re almost home.”
On Charlie’s other side, twelve-year-old (and three-quarters) Bill gently relieved Charlie of his candy pail so he didn’t have to carry it. “It’s only two more down. Okay? But you did a great job tonight. I’m impressed.”
All the way on Dana’s other side, twelve-year-old Melissa chimed in, “Yeah. So am I.”
Dana tacked on, “And me.”
The youngest Scully began perking up. His older siblings were not unkind. In fact, they were all his friends. But it always felt amazing when they told him something so kind. Charlie was on the verge of opening his mouth to thank everyone before double-checking about the pizza-related plans when multiple things quite suddenly occurred. Fast. Even consecutively.
A loud BANG! resounded through the immediate surroundings. It even caused the nearby neighbor children to briefly jump like spooked goldfish before they continued on in their trick-or-treating. Charlie himself jumped a mile. And Melissa dropped her candy pail. Nearly. But Dana? She just went rigid. Exactly like a board. Or something. It all happened so fast that Bill could only stare at them in bewilderment.
Pulling himself together after noticing a particular nearby detail, Bill assured the other three, “It was just Captain Browning’s car backfiring. Again. We are next to his house. I saw him driving away. Honest.”
Unfreezing, Charlie had a dark mutter. “Voltswagens should never be allowed…”
Electing to not correct her brother’s mispronunciation, Melissa decided, “I agree. Plus? They’re ugly.”
Nodding in his own agreement, Bill then shifted his gaze to Dana. Then frowned. She had not moved at all. Even an inch.
Bill spoke to her in surprise. “Dana? What is wrong?”
Dana’s words came out in a squeak. “Something is on my back. And, Billy? I am one hundred percent sure it’s breathing!”
But both Scully brothers cried, “What?!”
Rolling her eyes, Melissa was the one to circle around so she could stand behind her sister. The girl’s heart jumped into her throat. However, the surprise was instantly replaced by amazement.
Why? Because Dana had been correct.
A small coal-colored kitten had somehow appeared and subsequently attached itself to the back of Dana’s costume by way of its claws. The animal was also quaking.
Melissa told her sister, “Be still until I come back around. Okay?”
Dana squeaked, “Okay.”
After giving her candy pail to Bill for safekeeping, Melissa worked carefully to get the kitten to retract its claws. But this didn’t take much effort. Although frightened, the kitten relaxed within moments. It appreciated Melissa’s gentle aura. Even her kind touches. But it melted into Melissa’s arms when it finally decided to trust her.
Melissa gently rocked the cat in her arms as she returned to face her sister and brothers. “Hey. Look, everyone. It’s a tiny kitten.”
Charlie protested, “A black cat that we didn’t see on Halloween?! Is this good luck, or bad luck? I’m confused. Big time…”
Dana sputtered, “How did it get on my back?!”
Chuckling when Dana shook herself out, Bill mused, “I’ll bet it was hiding somewhere nearby and then got scared because of the captain’s loud Volkswagen.”
Speaking to no one again, Charlie said, “Oh. Now I get how to say the car name! Volkswagen…”
Melissa told Bill, “I agree that that’s probably what happened. But now I guess we have to be responsible. Or something. Billy? Can you see a tag on the cat’s collar?”
Answering positively after checking, Bill reported, “The cat is named Spooky.”
Allowing herself a laugh when she became amused by this announcement, now Dana said, “I like that name.”
Petting the cat, Charlie observed, “I don’t think he’s really shaking that much anymore.”
“Yeah. I think,” Melissa informed Charlie as she continued rocking Spooky. “That he’s all tired out.”
Watching Dana tentatively rub the cat’s back, Charlie now asked Bill, “Where does he live? Is it far? My toes are broken.”
But the door behind them at Number 4 opened before anyone could say even one word on Charlie’s remark. Two adults, a man and a woman, emerged. Both were old enough to be the Scully children’s grandparents. Admiral Harold Yancy and his wife Irene were beloved by all their neighbors because they were genuinely kind people. On the other hand… Both Yancys had panicked when they noticed Spooky’s absence.
Great relief swept through the Yancys at once when they noticed the Scully children in front of their house. Melissa was even holding Spooky.
Scrambling to not laugh because the Scullys looked like deer in the headlights, Harold said when they caught up, “Irene and I have so very many questions. But right now…”
“Harold and I are so exceedingly thankful and grateful that you all found Spooky.” Irene gently plucked up the cat. “Little guy got lost.”
The Scullys watched in amazement when Spooky gave a tremendous yawn before he curled up in Irene’s arms. And fell asleep. Spooky the cat was out like a light.
Now Dana murmured, “That’s crazy…”
Irene reflected, “Kittens really like to sleep.”
“And I,” Charlie sighed as he resigned himself to an incoming dull conversation. “Like to sit. On the ground.”
Watching the Yancys grow befuddled, Melissa told them, “He will be fine.”
“Yep.” Dana and Bill chimed.
Humoring the children, Harold asked them, “Will one of you explain? Please?”
“We were walking by, sir, because our house isn’t much further.” Bill shrugged. “However…”
Harold said, “You heard Browning’s car backfire. Again. But walking by… That’s all that happened with you four?”
“Yep. That’s right, sir.” answered Bill.
“What happened after that?” Irene wanted to know.
“M’am,” said Melissa. “I think Dana had a hiccup.”
“Or something…” Bill muttered.
Shifting her gaze to Dana, Irene said to her, “Please. What happened? After everyone heard Browning’s car?”
“Oh. M’am,” Dana gave a nervous laugh. “I told them I could feel something breathing on my back.”
“Which was my cat.” Irene realized. “Okay. I get it.”
Bill unceremoniously interjected, “I think he ran up her back.”
“Yeah. And, m’am?” now Melissa tacked on an extra afterthought. “I think he did everything because he was afraid of the noise Browning’s car made. But Spooky chose her…”
“On account of Dana was the first person he saw. Probably.” finished Bill. “M’am.”
Shaking her head in amusement at the boy’s moment of self-imposed course-correction, Irene turned back to Dana so she could ask, “Are you alright?”
Bobbing her head, the little girl responded, “Uh-huh. Spooky was just scared.”
The Yancys both heard their little neighbor. But her tone alone said she was leery of the cat. So did her body language. Especially when she shook herself out.
Irene asked, “Are you bleeding?”
“I don’t think so, m’am.” Dana answered truthfully.
“We are sorry that you had to meet Spooky like this.” Irene told her.
“It’s true. He is very fun when he’s more himself.” promised Harold. “Really.”
Irene said to Dana, “Even that’s true. But I have an idea that will make up for everything. Okay? Just hang on.”
Mystified, the Scully children watched Irene Yancy reentered the house. Just momentarily.
When she returned, she was catless because hers had been secured. But what was the most interesting? Now Irene Yancy had a tremendous bowl of sweets and novelty toys in her arms. She and her husband had been passing them out to the trick-or-treaters throughout the evening. What happened next surprised all the Scullys. Carefully and evenly, their neighbor distributed the remainder of the bowl’s contents into everyone’s candy pails. Harold helped.
None of the Scully children forgot to thank both Yancys for their generosity.
Two doors down…
Maggie Scully and her husband, Bill Senior, left their home at Number 6 Gladstone Drive to find their children. Both initially trusted that they would return home from trick-or-treating in due course. But both she and Bill Senior knew their neighborhood layout well enough that Junior, Melissa, Dana, and Charlie should have been home by now. Or almost.
The timing mattered tonight because the older Scullys had a surprise for their younger versions. But they’d only just thought of it.
All the same… Both Maggie and Senior felt amused when they found everyone.
“Admiral. Irene.” Senior greeted them as he picked Charlie off the ground when they reached them. “Everything alright? Were the children a bother?”
Shaking his head, Harold said, “Mm-mm. And you can call me by my name here.”
Now shrugging, Senior joked, “Habits are habits.”
“Be that as it may,” Irene said before anyone could get distracted. “I daresay that the children had an adventure.”
“Mhm.” Harold bobbed his head. “I agree.”
The older Scullys chorused, “But what even happened?!”
Both Yancys responded together, “Ask your children.”
Both of the older Scullys watched as all four of their younger versions immediately lapsed into a chaotic overlappening, but nevertheless thoroughly informative explanation. How them.
After they’d finished, Senior told his offspring, “I’m so pleased and proud that all of you did the right thing by returning Missus Yancy’s cat to her.”
“Yes. And the same can be said about getting the cat disentangled from Dana’s back.” Maggie shifted her attention to her third-born. “Hey. Are you alright? No blood?”
Choosing her words carefully so she didn’t confuse herself in the process, Dana answered, “I am well. But I’m ninety-nine percent sure that I’m not bleeding.”
Maggie arched her eyebrows. “Only ninety-nine?”
Dana sassed, “I can’t see my own back!”
Maggie worked quickly to not laugh. Senior, Harold, and Irene, too. Charlie just focused on thinking in a straight line. He was hungry. But Bill and Melissa double-checked the back of their sister’s costume.
Standing under the lit streetlight with Dana, Bill and Melissa soon chorused, “No blood!”
Exhaling noisily, Dana responded, “Thank goodness.”
Chiming in with a more-interesting-to-him tidbit, Charlie informed his parents from the harbor of his father’s arms, “But the admiral and Missus… The Admiral? Both of them gave us the rest of their candy.”
His older siblings chimed, “All of it.”
Their parents pressed, “But did you remember to thank them?”
Obediently and truthfully, their younger versions answered, “Yes.”
Pleased, Maggie turned to her other half. “I think that is that…?”
Senior nodded before addressing the Yancys again. “I’m glad your cat has been returned. My children can always be counted on to do the right thing. You have our word on that. We are also grateful that Dana came out relatively unscathed.”
“Yes.” Maggie tacked on. “And thank you both for keeping everyone company…”
The Scully children tuned out as the adults wrapped up the conversation on their own. But they still politely thanked the Yancys for everything. And said good-night.
On the way back to Number 6, Maggie told her children, “We’re glad all of you have had a memorable time.”
Senior gently relieved Bill of all the candy pails he was carrying as he added, “Your mother and I have news for everyone.”
Promptly unimpressed, Junior said, “Two of us have heard that before.”
“Yeah.” Melissa groused. “Twice.”
Jumping the gun, both of the younger Scully children asked their mother, “Are you having another baby?!”
The matriarch said in both truth and amusement, “No.”
Dana and Charlie said adamantly, “Good.”
Bill and Melissa both laughed.
“Your father and I,” Maggie also laughed. “Have an idea that all of you are going to find splendid. Really.”
Her younger versions asked, “What is it?”
“After a costume change…” Senior paused while his children giggled over the phrasing. “How’d it be if we all went for dinner at Lombardi’s Pizza? Yes? Or no?”
Bill, Melissa, Charlie and even Dana in particular cheered, “Yes!”
Everyone proceeded to chatter excitedly about how the rest of the night had just become even more exciting.
Personally, Dana felt that she would not be fond of cats again for a good long while. Probably until adulthood. Maybe. But she wouldn’t worry about it. There was a promise of pizza on the horizon.