Fear

Rated: PG

Author: Joanie M.

Email: chakotayslove@msn.com

Disclaimer: Not mine

The dark haired boy walked slowly to the stage with trepidation, his dinosaur tail bobbing up and down as he approached. He stepped up to the podium and looked around the room nervously, his palms sweating. It was his turn to speak before the assembled crowd. There before him in the very first row, sat his worst nightmare. Goblins, and witches, pirates and princesses, they were all gathered here to hear the stories written for the Halloween Festival. Only the three who sat right before him were no ordinary ghouls and goblins, because underneath the scary costumes were even scarier kids. Tim Lewkowski was one of those goblins and the two ghouls on each side of him were Jake and Paul. They were the bullies, the one that kept picking on him, and his friends.

“Please don’t let me screw this up,” he silently begged the gods. He was tired of being picked on because he was smart. It wasn’t his fault he was smarter than the other kids, it just came naturally to him. He saw the belly dancer in the second row smile up at him, the ridges in her brow bone making her look even more exotic. He smiled back relieved to see the face of a friend. She was not alone, next to Miral, sat her brother Tommy, his best friend. Taya, his own little sister sat next to Tommy, wearing her pink ballerina costume. She smiled up at her big brother on the stage, and waved. “Hi Eddie,” she mouthed. He looked further back into the audience seeking out the faces of his parents. He was met by two sets of loving eyes. It strengthened his reserve. If they could conquer things so real and so frightening, then he could do this, there was nothing to fear. They were all just people, ordinary people. He cleared his throat and began to speak.

“This is a poem I wrote for Halloween,” he said.

He could hear Tim say “poem, gees, that figures. What a geek.” That was followed by Paul and Jake’s snickering. Let them snicker; maybe this poem would change their opinion of him. Eddie thought it turned out pretty darn good, scary, too.

“It’s called, 'Fear'.”

“Oooooh, I’m scared already,” Mike murmured rudely.

Eddie ignored him and continued on.

“Halloween is filled with both fear and great fun.

Trick or Treating, and parties and candy, oh yum.”

“Oh, brother,” Paul said, “how corny.”

“While ghost and goblins are scary, I’m sure.

There is nothing more frightening than a Borg at your door.”

There was no more snickering now, just rapt attention.

“‘Resistance is futile’ you will hear it say.

Then watch in horror, as it beams you away.

You’ll stand before the queen

She’ll be both judge and jury.

She’ll look down upon you with scorn

While she revels in her evil glory.

She will make you scream.

She will cause you great pain.

And you know that your body

Will never be the same.

Off with your arm.

Out with your eye.

You scream from her torture,

And wish that you’d die.

The thoughts once your own,

All alone in your head.

Now belong to ten million,

A new drone has been bred.

Hard black carapace

now covers your body.

Your complexion now gray,

And really quite spotty.

Mottled and moist

Like the belly of a slug

Watch out for my tubules

Or in your neck

They will plug.

‘Resistance is futile’

I will hear myself say

And know that I’m one

With the Borg on this day

I’ll be sent back down

To assimilate others

 Your parents, your sisters

 or maybe your brothers.

You will hear her voice in your head

As I make you scream

And you’ll realize too late

You’ve become a Borg

on Halloween.

The audience was deadly quiet; you could hear a pin drop. That is until the chestnut haired belly dancer stood up and started clapping. She was followed by a ballerina and a ninja. But most surprising of all was the trio of goons who stood and cheered. Soon all of the kids were on their feet cheering for Eddie, and his poem. He left the stage to the well wishes of his friends, both old and new.

Eddie’s poem was the last story of the day. People now milled about enjoying punch and cookies.

“Eddie did a damn good job of changing their minds,” Tom said, pointing to the group of kids now all hanging out together.

“That he did. Spirits… for a minute there I thought he tanked with the poem,” Chakotay said.

“Don’t be ridiculous Daddy, with your story telling skills passed on, how could he have not won them over?” Kathryn asked her husband as she slid her arm around his waist. Chakotay smiled at his wife and kissed her on the lips.

“Actually I think it probably helps to have a mommy that has a way of turning enemies into friends.”

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t really too happy about Eddie hearing all the horrible details of assimilation, but he seems to have put that knowledge to good use.” They looked at their son now happily playing with his former tormentors. “I just hope it doesn’t give the kids nightmares.”

“No way… the kids will be fine. All kids love scary stories, I think it’s the parents who where frightened the most,” Tom said with a laugh before moving off to get some punch.

“Hey, Mom,” Eddie yelled excitedly as he ran towards them. “Can Tim and Paul and Jake sleep over with me and Tommy tonight? We want to have a camp out and tell scary stories after Trick or Treating.”

It was much too hard to resist the smiling brown eyes and the little dimples. She looked up to see the older version of that face watching her. He nodded his consent to his son, and winked at his wife.

“Yes… as long as it’s okay with their parents. I want to talk with them before we leave,” she said with a smile to the happy boy. She went to seek out the crowd of parents across the room.

“Thanks Mom… you’re the best,” Eddie called out to her. “Oh…” he said stopping short. “Do you think you two could tell us about the Hirogen, too?” he asked hopefully.

Kathryn laughed and shook her head.

“Chakotay,” she said admonishing her husband. He had obviously been telling the boy all sorts of stories. “We’ll see Eddie, we’ll see,” she said and kept going.

Chakotay crouched down next to his son.

“Eddie, I’m very proud of what you did today. I know you didn’t want to get up there in front of the others and make that speech. But you did a wonderful job. That was very brave of you.”

“Thanks, Dad. At first I was really scared to talk in front of all those people. But then I thought about the poem. Fear is not standing up in front of some people and talking. Fear is your inability to do something about the situation. I may not be able to control a Borg attack like Mom, but I could control my fear. I could choose to do something to change their minds about me, by continuing with the poem. Now we’re all friends, and they think I’m cool,” he said smiling up at his father. Chakotay ruffled his son’s hair.

“I’m glad you changed  their opinions and turned your enemies into friends, Ed. Just like Mommy did with me.”

“Oh, you’ll have to tell them that story, too,” he said excitedly. Then he thought of something his father had mentioned. He knew Mike and the others would love to hear all about it. “Daddy, were you really a soldier in the army? Was Mommy really a secret agent spying on the Nazis?” he asked not quite sure if his father had been joking. The other kids had stopped playing to listen to the conversation.

“Yes, that’s right, Eddie, Mommy even blew up their headquarters with a bomb.”

“Oh, boy… I can’t wait till you tell them the story.” He threw his arms around his father’s neck and hugged him tightly. “Thanks Dad, for helping me. You know… with my story and everything,” he said happily before running off to join the others.

“They said 'yes',” he shouted to his new friends.

“Your parents are so cool,” Tim said.

“Yeah, my parents have never done anything like that,” Paul added in awe.

Kathryn made her way back to her husband’s side.

“So is everything okay with Edward? He seems to have overcome his fears.”

“Yes, he’s fine, and he and his friends think he has superheroes for parents.”

“For now, you mean. Just wait till he’s a teenager. Then we will suddenly become a couple of clueless idiots, who are best ignored.”

Chakotay chuckled at his wife’s comment.

“Well, for now, I’m happy that he seems to be fitting in. It’s not easy being the odd man out.”

She smiled up at him wryly, one eyebrow rose slightly.

“Oh, really… and here I was thinking that you were just happy to have a new audience for all of your stories,” she said, poking him in the chest playfully. “Don’t think for a minute that I didn’t hear the conversation about the bomb. You shouldn’t be telling him such things.”

                        “It’s getting late,” he said looking all around him.

“Chakotay, what are you looking for?”

“Your broom stick, so you can fly away home,” he said with a laugh.

“Witch, you’re calling me a witch? That’s just great, you tell him stories that could give him nightmares for years to come and I’m a witch,” she huffed. The tiny up curve of her lips gave away her true feelings.

“Okay, so you’re not a witch. But you still have me under your spell. How can I make this up to you?” he asked with a knowing smile, and a kiss. Kathryn felt herself shiver. This was no Trick, it was definitely a Treat.

“Well, Eddie and the boy’s will be sleeping outside in the tent tonight,” she said with a purr.

“And Taya does like staying over at the Paris’,” Chakotay added with a sexy grin. “It’s been quite a while since we had the entire house all to ourselves. What do you think?”

“I think I’ll ask Tom and B’Elanna if they would mind babysitting.” She stood on tip toe and kissed him on the lips, before walking away.

“Sounds like a plan,” he said as he admired her retreating form.

“Is everything set?” Chakotay asked as he helped round up the kids belongings.

“Everything is fine. The Paris’ would be happy to have her stay, but, of course, now we owe Tom one,” she said with a laugh. “Nothing gets by him, you know. But hopefully, by tonight, after the boys have settled down, it will be just you and me. Then you can apologize properly.”

“What for? Calling you a witch? Sorry, but I can’t apologize for that. It’s true.”

“Chakotay,” she whined and pouted.

He laughed and then kissed her quickly.

“You have had me under your spell since the moment I met you. If that isn’t the work of a witch, I don’t know what is.” Kathryn brightened considerably.

“Well, in that case, if you’re still under my spell, let’s see if I can have you baying at the moon by midnight,” she said with a wink. Then she motioned for the kids to come over, so they could leave.

“I have to say this Kathryn, I like Earth holidays. Halloween love spells, Christmas mistletoe, kisses and champagne at midnight on New Year’s Eve. And then, there’s Valentines Day,” he said eyeing her body hungrily.

“Oh, my god…” she said with a smirk as she loaded the kids into the hovercar. “I’ve created a monster.”

The End

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