Something Breathing Beneath the Patchwork
Note: I've started this series on my Wattpad, but thought it would get more attention on tumblr.
Description: A fanfic about the Watermans from The Walten Files Special 'Mystery House' and the MC, who GN of course for all readers to enjoy, and no, it doesn't get sexual. The most R-rated thing you'll see, reader, is Gore. I'll put up a warning for any chapter that might have one.
(Divider made by saradika-graphics on tumblr)
Intro
You didn't want to move to Nash-Lake, but your adoptive father, an ex-military snow fox, married a nice red fox about a year ago. She was kind and treated you well, unlike other critters...With how the staff at the orphanage looked at you when you asked about your parents, you decided you didn't want to know why they weren't around.
You weren't an animal; unfortunately, you were human. Either feared or disliked by other creatures. 'Animal cannibal,' they called you. Humans weren't very common; minorities like you were often massacred off the face of the planet. You've never eaten meat in your life, not slaughtered animals anyway, but you still ate some dairy products.
You planned to stay with your father through college until you had enough money to move out. You didn't want to waste your money on a small apartment, draining your resources for all eternity, hoping to pay in full cash (because back in the day, that was something that could actually happen).
"Are you doing okay back there, honey bun?" Your father glanced at you in the rearview mirror and halted at a red light. You were basically pressed against the car door, glaring out the window as if it offended you.
Huffing out a sigh, curling your knees to your chest, you murmured, "Are we moving here because of your job or because I got suspended for defending myself against that wolf pack?" You were weeks away from graduation before the attack; it was a miracle you lived to see your diploma in the mail.
He stayed silent for a bit, the light turned green, and he stepped on the gas with ease. "Baby, you know it for your own safety, plus Nash Lake is surrounded by lush green nature and clean air. You loved nature, remember?" You couldn't lie about that, after watching the movie Midnight, A love triangle between a wolf that turns human and a blood thirsty snow wolf fallen in love with the same sheep. The forest background really made you appreciate the isolation of nature. "Plus, aren't you excited for Halloween? It's your favorite holiday!" He gleamed, trying to lighten the conversation.
"Not as fun when there are no friends to celebrate." You yanked your hoodie over your head, hearing the deep sigh come out of his maw, uttering, "But... they can always drive in to meet me."
"Yeah...See? You'll adapt, I promise you. I won't let you walk on eggshells," he promised. "No one is gonna be laying any eggs near my child!" he says in a deep superhero-like tone. Raising his fist like he's gonna fight someone.
"Dad, the road!" The car swerved a bit, and he quickly turned his attention back to the wheel.
"Whoops- haha. Almost killed the mood...Get it? Geeet iiiit? I'm killing it," he snorted
"No."
"Well, look at that! Were here!" We were in a mostly isolated suburb. Pines and oaks surround the area's backyard. The house was nice, freshly painted white, a two-story, with the front door a dark red matching the metal roof atop. "Nice, right?"
Gazing at the mowed grass in the lawn, there is a ground dug up in the front. "What's with the dirt?" You unlock your seatbelt and get out of the car, stretching your limbs after hours of being in the cramped space of the seat.
"Martha wanted to plant some rose bushes in the front. Thought it would add color to this place," he placed his claws on his hips, staring at the house with hope in his eyes, at a new beginning. Before turning back to you, "I'm proud of how far you've come, y'know that runt..." He gave you a tight side hug before patting your shoulder, heading inside. sighing, looking around the property.
Noticing something on the light pole, you walk over to it, and a paper is taped over it. 'MISSING- Jose Miller', it was a 5-year-old horse...oh. poor parents. Now that you've thought about it, there were a lot of missing posters of kids on the same date. October 31st, Halloween
Chapter One
"But you promised my friends could come over for a Halloween party!" you protested to your father. He just sighed, slouched at the dinner table, sifting distractedly through the mail.
"Sweet-pea, Martha has to work, and I have to handle some tricky business with a client. We can't let Veda go out by herself," your father replied, rubbing his tired eyes.
"Why do they even let kids go out every year when some random dumb person goes missing?" A low growl escaped his mouth.
"They aren't just people. They. are. children. You know my sister was one of those victims! And you know why she isn't around?! Because I stepped away for the same reason....What matters more to you? family? or friends," he barked back, claws digging into his thigh as he bit back some other emotions.
Your jaw shut tightly, and your hands hugged your body. You stormed up to your room, stomping up the stairs, slamming the door like you were back in high school getting over a breakup. Flinging yourself on the bed and staring out the window, you ignore the tiny paddling of feet and the grunts of the kid struggling to get onto your bed.
"Please, please! PLEAAAAAASE!" Your 10-year-old step-sibling, Veda, a white fox with slight hints of red, begs, tugging on your sleeve. "I want my new friends to think I'm cool. Please come trick-or-treating with us!" You couldn't resist the pestering from her in that homemade Annie doll costume.
Inhaling slowly and exhaling, you sat up, rubbing your face before ruffling the red strings of yarn covering their head. "Okay...Okay. I'll come. only because I don't want anything to happen to you."
gasping dramatically and jumped on the bed. She dropped to her knees on the bed before hugging you tightly. "Thank you, thank you! I love you so much!" tail wagging.
"Let's just try to get it over with before the storm starts..."
____
You didn't dress up; you were only wearing a white t-shirt with 'Costume' scrawled on it.
"Really?" your father sighed, scratching his head.
"It's a costume. Am I intimidating?" you asked, stretching out your arms to make a point.
"You look like a dimwit. But I forgive you," he said dramatically, acting like an old woman reluctantly accepting her child for who they are, as if it was a struggle, while placing a hand on his chest.
Your eyes roll to the back of your head as you fold your arms. "I'd disown you by now if I weren't on your insurance," you grunt.
"I could take you off any time~" he sang, as you and your sister are hauled out the door.
You stood on the porch for a while, turning your head and gazing at the festive embellishments for Halloween with awe. Some houses have cheap plastic skeletons in different poses, and others have paper leaves hanging off the house.
"What's in insurance?" she questioned you.
"Most of what I know is money you get when someone dies or gets hurt," you answer.
"If I hurt my friend, do I get money?"
"No, you pay them."
"Aw," she whined with disdain. You couldn't help but snort, placing a hand on her back and guiding her from the house into town, meeting up with your sister's friends. One was a small white duck draped clumsily in a blanket with holes cut for its bright orange beak and round black eyes. Another was a purple creature... with pointy ears, a fluffy tail, and a mashup of cat and fox features that you couldn't quite place.
The parents beside them draw back once they glimpse me. I could hear them gossiping: the duck's hen mother, feathers fluffed in suspicion, sneered, "You didn't inform me it was one of those hairless things."
"Mom, please!" he begged, tugging at his mother's feathers. Reluctantly, she nodded, but not before giving you the death stare; the kids skuttle over happily. Instantly, they start bomb barding you with questions:
"Is it true your hair never stops growing?"
"What colors can you see?"
"How long do you live?"
"Is it true most of your is down-"
"Okay! Who wants to go trick-or-treating?" You changed the subject and dragged the kids to a random house.
____
"Aww-man ! This year's Halloween sucks, we barely got any candy!" Duckie soughed, looking down at his Halloween basket."
"Maybe it's because your costume looks cheap and basic. What kind of ghost looks like that? You didn't even try!" Tammy scoffed, pointing at his cover
"Kids, be nice," you try to butt in.
Duckie stomps his feet. "At least I have a costume!"
"You know I hate dressing up for Halloween!"
You get in between them. "Alright-Alright. let's stop fighting, there is still plenty of time to get candy, we just gotta find a good house."
"Yeah!" they cheered.
"The night is not over yet." You walk along the suburbs for a while until you come across another missing poster on a wooden light post showing, 'MISSING- Johnny Bear, ' who was last seen on October 31st, 1978. You tighten your jaw while skimming through it, brushing your thumb over the photo "poor parents," you remorsed.
____
You stand before a field with a Bus stop at its edge, surrounded by pumpkins.
"Wow! That was fun! We got a lot of candy." Duckie squeals, Veda bobbed her basket, the sound of wrappers music to her ears.
"Yes...But it's late, I need to get you kids home before your parent's cursifie me. I don't want you guys to get caught up in the storm."
Tammy tugs at your shirt. "One more house! Please?!" she dropped to her knees and cried out like she was in an opera, "I'll do anything!"
"Alright! One more...One. But then I take you home. final."
"Hmmmmm," She turns back to Duckie while pointing in the other direction. "Oh, what about that one?" a house with boarded-up windows and the paint peeling off the walls outside."
"Does anyone even live there? I don't trust it." You pull the kids close, Tammy slinks out of your grasp and skips over to it, and the rest follow suit.
Banging on the door, they all sang "TRICK OR TREAT!"
The door opens, showing a tall sheep. Her fur is a dark grey, with a lighter grey stomach. Horns stick through her wool atop her head, just under her ears. Her arms, hands, neck, and joints are all colored chocolate brown. She was dressed up as a witch, which made you and the children feel safer. She opened her mouth to speak. "Why hello there, little children. Are you looking for candy? Then come in, come in, we have candy for you too, silly bunnies!" she turns, disappearing inside.
You all walked in and looked at the decor. The house looked better from the inside than out. Duckie gleamed, "Wow, this house looks neat!" You nodded with a hum of agreement.
"Thank you, I'm so glad you kids like it. Now allow me to introduce my friends...This is Billy." he had red hair, black eyes, white pupils, white face paint, and a red clown nose. He wears light blue face paint over his eyes, save for his eyebrows, and wears a smile in red face paint. Around his neck, he wears a yellow and purple ruffle.
"-TVA," he was a tall robot with a television for a head. He has a larger mouth with jagged teeth and has big eyes and eyebrows. He also has two antennae sticking out of the top of his head.
"HeLlO"
"-and The Pumpkin Rabbit."
"..."
You stare at the enormous bunny man, who has an orange coat of fur, with lighter orange undersides to his ears and belly. Frankenstein-like stitching covers his body. His yellow mask depicts a twisted smile and a yellow snout. His arms, neck, and legs are dark green, and he wears a purple bowtie around his neck. Something about him left you feeling like a fly caught in a web.
"Pleasure to meet you!" Tammy greeted them with normalcy.
"Ohh, little children, we have plenty of candy for you." While he spoke, Veda and her friends stuffed the candy from the bowl into their bucket. TVA is taking a picture of that moment. "Sorry about that, we like taking pictures of our guests every year, so that we will never forget them. Go take a look, little children." You glance at the wall where the pictures are hung, the first one depicting a man, a golden retriever in an angel costume. You gave a wholesome smile...Guess you shouldn't judge too soon.
"Well, thanks for the candy, uh...Yeah, it's getting very late, we should go home now." You usher, beginning to push the kids towards the door
The sheep's face drops, shifting to worry, concern, and a slight hint of displeasure. "Ohh, really? Don't you think it's a bit dangerous for you to be wandering around the streets at this hour?" It was as if on cue, lightning struck nearby, making you and the kids jolt, and the rain started heavily.
The bunny stepped forward, extending his sharp claws to rest on your shoulder. Nippy sensation crept up your spine as he proposed, "I have an idea, why don't you stay here for the night?"
"A-are you sure?, We still need to go home. You sure it's a great Idea?" You gave an awkward laugh, showing your disdain, which they seem to pass off. Squeezing your little sister's shoulder, stepping back to maybe loosen the man's grip.
"I think it's a great idea, besides, it will just be for one night," He expressed it, squeezing your shoulder, trying to come off as reassuring, but it just felt like he was pressuring you. Gazing down at your sister, you saw her look back at you with an unbothered face. You considered her safety. It would be riskier to travel out there than to linger here with strangers, plus...what alternative did you have?
With a deep inhale and exhale, you force yourself to relax and agree, looking out the window to the raging storm, "Alright, I guess you're right."
He gave a long, pleased grunt, tapping his claws on your shoulder before taking it off. "How delightful," he purred
