Plump Kings.

4. The Plump King’s Patch

#FanFiction #IAmInLoveWithTheVillainess
#wss366 #MastoPrompt

"Thump, thump." Something woke Claire and Rae in the middle of the night

Rae grabbed Claire, shivering. “Did you hear that? “Footsteps! On-on-on the roof.”

For once, Claire didn’t push her away. “There’s someone up there,” she hissed. “Go see what it is?”

Rae pried her arms off and got out of bed.

“Splash, squish.”

“There’s water!” Rae’s voice was shrill as she stepped into a puddle of water by the bed. “A ghost’s been here.” [Note: In Japan, ghosts are associated with water. When one visits you, it often leaves a puddle of water behind.]

Claire crept out of bed. “Squish, splash.”

In the moonlight, Rae could see Claire biting her lip. Her hand trembled as she grasped Rae’s.

“There’s something in the garden.” Claire’s voice squeaked.

“Garden?” Rae muttered to herself.

Claire tugged on Rae’s hand. “We need to find out what it is. The kids. We have to protect them.”

Rae followed Claire through the shadowy house.

“Rattle, rattle, bang.”

Claire shrieked as the pots and pans in the kitchen danced.

Rae chuckled to herself. This was going much better than she’d expected. Claire had swallowed the bait: hook, line, and sinker. She was even imagining things out in the garden. Rae hadn’t even put anything in the garden. This was a whole new #level of teasing!

Rae opened the door and stopped. In the garden, a ghostly head floated amid the weeds at the garden's edge. Its eyes and mouth flickered like dying candles. It was a face that was stamped indelibly in her mind, synonymous with villainy.

“Salas Lilium,” Rae muttered. “Returned for revenge, no doubt.”

She squeezed Claire’s hand and said in a low voice, "#Joint attack." Then, she charged out of the house shouting, “Team Claire!” The door slammed behind her.

Gales of laughter spilled out, not from the apparition but from Claire.

“Surprise,” Claire sputtered between peals of laughter. “You didn’t think you were going to fool me this time, did you?”

Under the pumpkin, which was carved to look like Salas, Rae found warm blankets and cushions.

Rae smiled. Claire was the kindest, loveliest bully she’d ever known.

#MicroFiction #TootFic #Serial #NMV366 #NMFic
#WataOshi #Pumpkin #Halloween #Spooktober

Plump Kings.

Chapter 3. Claire’s Plump Kin

#FanFiction #IAmInLoveWithTheVillainess
#wss366 #MastoPrompt

“Don’t #trip, Honey,” Rae called as Claire brought two jack-o’-lanterns into the bedroom.

Rae looked at them critically. “They’re not very scary. Even the kids didn’t think they’d keep ghosts away.”

Indeed, Claire’s pumpkins weren’t scary. In fact, they looked like her friends Pipi and Loretta. She’d even added hair to each one: long pink wool for one and short brown moss for the other. Cute would have been a better description. “Claire’s Plump Kin,” Rae had called them.

“I made them for the kids,” Claire said. “I didn’t want them to have nightmares or wake up terrified in the middle of the night. Yours almost frightened even me!”

“You did look rather pale.”

“I did not! I would have been happy to put yours in our bedroom if the kids hadn’t insisted on keeping it in theirs.”

“Be honest. You’re just jelly because the kids like mine better.”

“Am not!”

“I hope Pipi and Loretta are up to scaring off ghosts. It’s All Plump King's Eve, when ghosts and goblins walk the earth.”

“You made that up!”

“Actually, I didn’t. If I’m lying, I’m dying. It’s actually called All Hallows Eve. Why, I’ll eat a Thanksgiving dinner you cook if I’m making it up.”

“Same thing,” Rae thought. “Your cooking is a no-save instant death.”

Claire gave up. “Whatever, go to sleep.”

“Do I have to? Your Plump Kin give off such a romantic #ambient light.”

To be Continued in: "The Plump King’s Patch

#MicroFiction #TootFic #Serial #NMV366 #NMFic
#WataOshi #Pumpkin #Halloween #Spooktober

Plump Kings.

Chapter 2. Plump King Carving

#FanFiction #IAmInLoveWithTheVillainess
#wss366

“These are the ‘Plump Kings,’ ‘Plump Kin,’” Rae said, setting the last pumpkin down. "They come from a long, proud line of squishes."

On the table was a row of four pumpkins, one for each member of the François/Taylor household. Near the pumpkin seeds and innards, lay on a board ready to be washed clean and roasted.

Claire’s face turned scarlet as she waved her knife. “How often do I have to say it's pumpkin? You're a terrible example for the kids.”

Rae grinned. “I love it when you’re like that, but we promised not in front of the kids.”

“Mommy,” May said. “We know it’s pumpkin. Don’t be mad at Mother.”

“Don’t tease Mommy,” Aleah instructed Rae. She turned to Claire and added, “Count to ten when you feel angry, Mommy. That’s what Rae always says.”

“Sorry.” Claire gritted her teeth and spoke slowly, enunciating each word. “Don’t teach the kids the wrong word.”

May patted Claire’s knee. “We promise not to call them Plump Kings if it bothers you so much.”

“Yeah, Mommy. We won’t.” Aleah echoed.

“Claire, I solemnly promise never to call them Plump Kings again,” Rae said.

Patting the kids’ heads, Claire began smiling. “Thank you.”

“Okay, time to carve the Plump Kin,” Rae announced.

“I crown you the Plump King!” Claire said. Scooping up a handful of pumpkin innards—“splat!”—Rae was crowned.

#MicroFiction #TootFic #Serial #NMV366 #NMFic
#WataOshi #Pumpkin #Halloween #Spooktober #SliceOfLife