Funk-N-Fiction

I love when our authors build bits of their ongoing worlds into their flash fictions for this event. Morgan Brice has done just that, sharing a story that will become part of her Fox Hollow world in a future book!

Moonlight
By Morgan Brice

(This is set in my Fox Hollow series and will be incorporated into the upcoming book, Necessities.)

“Don’t open the package on the kitchen table,” Justin Miller warned before he left for work.  “It’s a surprise for tonight.”

“Can I try to guess?” Scott Jefferson teased his boyfriend.

“No! That takes all the fun out of it,” Justin told him.

“I brought you a surprise, too. I’ll let you guess if you let me guess,” Scott joked.

“Nope. You’ll just have to suffer for a couple of hours until I get home,” Justin told him. “But I’ll give you a hint—it’s for the bonfire tonight.”

From the size of the package, Scott suspected that Justin had gotten him a t-shirt as a Halloween costume, which was the same ‘surprise’ Scott had gotten for Justin. Of course, what was written on the shirt was the important part.

“I got you something for the bonfire, too. So come home soon and we can end the suspense,” Scott teased.

“I have one afternoon flight, and then I’m done for the week.” Justin owned a seaplane and took visitors on aerial tours of the Fox Hollow area. “Sorry to leave you alone.”

“I have plenty to keep me busy. See you when you get here. Fly safe.”

Justin headed out. Scott looked at the pile of boxes that held everything he owned. He had driven up to Fox Hollow from Albany the night before with his car and a small rental trailer packed full. Then, it had seemed like a lot. Now it didn’t feel like much to show for the years he had spent working as a freelance editor and writer.

Which is one more reason it’s good to get a fresh start, Scott reminded himself.

He and Justin had been long-distance dating for over a year, long enough for both of them to realize that they wanted to stay together forever. Getting Scott moved up before the Adirondacks’ harsh winter set in knocked a big item off their list.

Settling in was the second step. Scott could work from anywhere, so at least that part was simple, and his frequent visits had let him get to know many of Justin’s friends and neighbors. It helped that Scott was a coyote shifter, a good fit since Fox Hollow was a shifter sanctuary.

He realized that taking a short run in his other form would help get rid of his jitters and quiet his mind. Scott stripped quickly, put the collar with his ID around his neck, opened one of the cabin’s back windows and made the shift.

His human self loved the scent of pine trees and the ever-present hint of campfire smoke in the air. His coyote took in much more from a few breaths, including the smell of three different cars and a whiff of what someone nearby was cooking chicken dinner. Sniffing the ground alerted him to the recent presence of squirrels, chipmunks, a raccoon and a fox. Some of those might be also be shifters, while others were ‘normal’ wild animals.

Scott set out for the tree line at a trot, then opened up to a full run once he was in the forest. He lost himself in the sounds of the forest, letting his human worries slip away. All too soon, he knew he needed to go back. Scott slipped into the cabin and shifted, dressing quickly.\

He felt a pang that shifting was something he and Justin didn’t share. He truly believed that they were compatible without that extra thing in common, but he couldn’t help being a little sad that Justin wouldn’t know the sheer freedom of being in his ‘fur self’.

People overcome all kinds of differences and make relationships work. It’s not a big deal if we don’t make it one.

Scott threw himself into making a dent in unpacking, and then made a cup of coffee, checked email and scanned the internet.

A post about bonfire magic caught his eye, and he clicked, curious. One of the highlights of the night’s festival was a huge bonfire in the park. Given Fox Hollow’s close connection with magic and the supernatural he wasn’t surprised to confirm that fire was seen as a protective power by many cultures throughout history.

“If you write your heart’s desire on a piece of paper and cast it into the bonfire, fate will grant your wish,” someone posted in the comments.

Scott paused, caught by the romance of the suggestion. On impulse, he found a piece of paper and wrote “I want happily-ever-after with Justin”, then put the note in his pocket for later.

It’s just a superstition. Then again, plenty of people think shifters aren’t real, either. Who knows? It can’t hurt.

By the time Justin got back from his flight, Scott had worked through half a dozen boxes.

“How’s it going?” Justin asked after taking Scott into his arms and claiming a ‘hello’ kiss.

Scott sighed. “I’m making progress. It’s going to take time, and we can move anything that ends up in the way.”

“I’m not worried,” Justin said with a laugh, stepping back and looking around at the stack of cardboard and the piles of items awaiting a new location. “I’m so glad to have you here for good that we can work everything else out.”

“Did you hear anything from the committee? Is there anything we need to do before the bonfire tonight?” Scott asked. Both he and Justin had volunteered for the Halloween Festival committee, one of several local events they helped support. Fox Hollow’s vibrant social life depended on the dedication and commitment of residents who signed on to make special events a success.

“Just that everything’s in place and we’re supposed to come and have a good time,” Justin replied.

“Now can I open my surprise?” Scott teased. He held out the package he had brought for Justin. “We can go at the same time if you want.”

Justin grinned and gave an exaggerated sigh. “Sure. I hope you like it.”

They both tore into the packages, and shook out the t-shirts inside.

“Oh my God,” Scott laughed. “It’s perfect!” He held up a green shirt with a coyote silhouetted against a full moon and the words ‘Howl at the moon’.

“We really were thinking alike,” Justin said as he looked at the blue shirt in his hands. It had a picture of a sea plane against a full moon and said ‘Fly me to the moon’. “I love it!”

“And it solves what to wear tonight,” Scott pointed out, since they had already ruled out traditional Halloween costumes. Scott wasn’t opposed to dressing up under normal circumstances, but figuring out something clever and assembling the pieces had just seemed like too much on top of his move.

Justin checked the time. “Speaking of which, we should head downtown soon if we want to eat dinner before all the events start. They were already prepping the bonfire when I drove home.”

Scott thought of the paper in his pocket, and chided himself for being silly, although a corner of his mind still embraced the superstition. It can’t hurt.

They changed into their new shirts and grabbed jackets, then headed downtown. Food vendors were already set up. Scott picked a steak hoagie and a soft pretzel, while Justin opted for a hot dog and fries. They split a portion of fresh cheese curd—a local specialty—and a sleeve of maple syrup-covered baked nuts.

“I love how everyone is so enthusiastic about Halloween,” Scott said as they walked around the festival area, greeting friends at every turn. The library had a reading area with ghost stories for kids. Nearby, a local charity offered face painting and a photographer had a line for people in costume who wanted pictures. Everywhere they looked local companies and organizations had found creative ways to add to the fun for children and adults.

Music filled the air from the first in a series of performances by local bands. Scott didn’t recognize the singers, but he found himself nodding along with the catchy tune.

“You’ll get to know the bands pretty quickly,” Justin told him, nudging his arm. “They rotate among the bars and restaurants. We actually have a pretty fun music scene for a town this size.”

The band switched to an old favorite, and the crowd sang along. Scott and Justin edged closer to the bonfire, and Scott reached for the paper in his pocket. He dodged forward, crumpling it into a ball and tossing it into the flames, then turned just as Justin did the same.

They stared at each other for a moment. “What did you do?” Justin asked with a grin.

“Made a wish,” Scott replied. “You?”

Justin laughed. “Yep. Guess we read the same clickbait article. Although I’m pretty sure my wish would come true without the fire but…why take chances?”

Scott welcomed Justin into his arms, and kissed him as the bonfire flames cast dancing shadows all around them and the band struck up a love song.

“Let’s go home and I’ll let you fly me to the moon,” Scott joked as they stepped apart, still  holding hands.

“Mmm. I was thinking the same thing, and wondering what it would take to get you to howl,” Justin replied in a sexy tone.

“I’ve got some ideas,” Scott teased. “Let’s go find out.”

CONTEST: Morgan is offering one reader a chance to win an ebook copy of the latest release in her Witchbane series, Cursed!
To enter – let us know your favorite Halloween costume. Something you’ve worn? This year’s look? Something you saw someone else wear?
** Entry for this contest will ALSO count as your entry for the overall HFF event contest. **