Shaddyr's Eclectic Collection > Challenges > Who's Gotta Catch Who?

Who's Gotta Catch Who?
Halloween story challenge
by Shaddyr
998 words

This was really HARD to keep under 1000 words. I had to keep chopping and hacking all those adjectives and adverbs I like so much - it was very sad. I may have to write another one just to make it up to all the words that got left out.

'Once upon a time I was happy' Parker mused to herself. 'For about 3 seconds over my morning coffee.' She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck to ease the knot presently residing there.

Before her was Jarod's latest package. It seemed to have no point other than to prove rat boy knew tonight was Halloween and that he had an addiction to sugar. The incredible assortment of candy, toys and chocolate made her teeth ache just by looking at it. She caught Broots fixating on a Mars Bar and gave him 'the look'. He went scurrying across the room.

Sifting through the box of confections, she spotted a familiar item. The corner of her mouth drew up into an unconscious smile as she lifted out the bag of Cracker jacks. She tore open the top and dumped the bag out on the table. Foil bags had replaced cardboard boxes, but there was still a prize in the bottom. Her eyes lighted on the little pink plastic toy laying amidst the popcorn. She picked it for a closer look.

Broots chose that moment to trip over his own feet and stumble into her. In a slow-motion moment of hellish clarity, she found herself falling backwards, his startled face inches from hers. She was somewhat gratified to see the recognition of impending death cross his features as he realized knocking his boss to the floor and landing on top of her was a seriously life-threatening move. As the impact knocked the wind out of her, she was intensely concerned as his expression changed to one of delight.

"A Mew! Wow! Debbie's been wanting one of those to complete her collection," he babbled, confusing her even more. The look on her face must have been frightening because he suddenly scrambled to his feet, solicitously helping her to sit up and get up. "I - uhm - I'm sorry Miss Parker, I, I, don't know-"

"Spare me, Broots," she snapped impatiently, snatching her hand back from him as she struggled to get her breath. "What the hell is a Mew?" she demanded.

He gestured to the figure she'd dropped when she hit the floor. "It's a Pokemon character from this TV show. except it used to be a game originally... you know, Nintendo? Debbie got an N64 for-"

Parker gave him a glare. "The point, sometime this year, Broots!"

He swallowed nervously. "Well, it's a rare pokemon. It's the hardest one to find, all the stores are sold out." He gave her a pleading look. "Debbie would sure love to have it."

Her eyes narrowed as she pursed her lips. "The hardest one to find, eh?" She picked up the little pink figurine and tossed it to him, then grabbed the box of candy and stalked out of the room like a woman on a mission.

Two hours later she sat at home, vodka in one hand, Nintendo magazine in the other, with a crumpled Hershy bar wrapper on the table in front of her. She was trying to figure out what Jarod's cryptic message was this time when she heard the doorbell. She frowned as she got up to answer it. If it was Lyle here to harass her again..

She pulled open the door, ready to snarl at her psychotic twin and found herself instead faced with a gaggle of costumed children. The young boy, who had buzzed her stood frozen, then took a step back before managing a hesitant, "Trick or treat?"

She forced a reassuring look and gestured for them to wait just a second while she raced back into the front room. Grabbing Jarod's package, she returned to the door and dropped an handful of candy in each proffered bag. The little group said their thank-you's, then wandered off back up the street. Looking down into the box, she finally recognized the little red and white ball for what it was.

"Oh, what the hell," she muttered as she walked into her bedroom and opened her closet door. She found a pair jeans, a black tee-shirt and a blue vest. She slipped them on, then took down a box of odds and ends from the shelf. In it she found an old red baseball cap. She twisted her hair up and around, then put it on backwards. Digging in the box again, she found an old pair of black gloves. She cut the fingertips off, then pulled on the gloves. Perfect. Only one thing left.

Walking back to the candy box, she fished out the bright plastic ball. With the key ring coming off the top she attached it to a belt loop on the front of her jeans. The doorbell rang again.

This time she opened the door with a smile. It froze in place as she found Jarod standing on her doorstep with half a dozen children decked out as characters from the pokemon game.

"See?" Though he spoke to the children, his eyes were locked with hers. "I told you Ash Ketchum lived here."

The excited voices of primary school children who'd just met their hero broke through the haze enveloping her.

"Where's Brock?"

"How'd ya catch a pokemon Ash?"

She smiled blankly at the kids as she tossed handfuls of candy in their bags. Momentarily they moved along, leaving her and Jarod facing each other.

"Gotta catch 'em all?" he inquired quietly, a grin playing about his lips.

"Just one," she replied tightly, reaching automatically for the gun that wasn't there.

He suddenly moved in closer to her, and she involuntary stepped back, but she was pinned up against the wall, with no where to go.

"Trick or treat Miss Parker?" he asked her, his voice mischievous.

"I. don't think I have a treat you'd be interested in," she replied unevenly, his proximity overwhelming her ability to think rationally.

"A trick then." As he moved in to brush his lips against hers he whispered, "Your trick, my treat... they're both the same to me."