Long midnight tresses cascaded of the side of a dilapidated coffin. Inside, @Brisby’s cheeks were sinking in and her lips puckered, little “pft” sounds escaping as she made fish faces at the foggy ceiling. The clattering commotion in the room to her right shook her from her reverie. She smiled, at least she wasn’t the one wrecking the basement to relieve her boredom! Although that wouldn’t be a bad idea, she thought. Sitting up, she stretched and threw a question to the doorway, “How’s the escape coming fellow inmate?”
A muffled THUMP was quickly followed by an admonishing, “I’m not digging. Escape was your idea, my restless friend. I, however, am finding these four days of”, a pause “…encouraged recovery to be good for reflection and a bit of exploration.” There was a squeak of something hinged being opened. Then @F3nix let out a long, low whistle. “Hel-lo, treasure!”
“Fine for you to be jolly.” Brisby muttered, eyeing the ceiling with interest as familiar footsteps sounded overhead. “They didn’t take away your butterflies when @Whatisnew suggested to fumigate our basement. And twice at that! Like her litter hasn’t been just as pungent.” The sound of water rushing through the pipes spurred her to her feet as she rushed past the doorway and the emerging F3nix to the bathroom.
Arms full, he shook his head at his vampiric friend as she cocked her head to listen and then flushed the toilet with a triumphant flourish. The quiet of the upstairs was broken by an angry “AAARRGGHHH!!” The angry exclamations from a person’s shower raining frigid waters brought a grin to F3nix’s face while Brisby held her stomach, beset with giggles.
“I see,” F3nix laughed, crossing over to their coffins. “that you’ve discovered new ways to torture our beloved jailers.” Heavy steps pounded from above, the cursing that accompanied both creative and violent. A few spats of harsh Italian oaths perked his ears, mirth shaking his hands as he set about threading a ribbon into his finding. “Seems that I’m rubbing off on @Omra-Sky more than I thought. The teacher is most impressed!”
Brisby, wiping tears from her eyes, finally noticed the film reel and screen her friend had set up. “Was this your treasure? Whose is it?”
“No idea.” F3nix answered, hitting the switch on the machine and dimming the lights. “This beauty was in one of the trunks in our side room.” He settled down into his coffin, grimacing as another panel fell off. “It is past time these were replaced. We’re merely sleeping on boards at this point.” The gray on the screen flickered, followed by the scrolling of movie titles over the setting of a stately home.
“So you stole it.” Brisby said, lying carefully back in her own coffin, not wanting to lose any more pieces. She picked up a package of crackers that she’d been nibbling earlier. “Nice! It’s been a long time since I’ve watched a movie. Thanks!” Her arm stretched out, offering a snack.
F3nix’s eyes narrowed, “I didn’t steal it” He snagged the package, withdrawing crackers from the crinkling paper. “It’s in our basement and unlabeled. Besides, we’re merely using it. Now hush. It’s rude to talk during a movie.”
“I didn’t say that I was against the theft!” F3nix’s expression, coupled with the threatening wave of his extending fork, made her rethink saying anything else.
Moments passed quietly as the characters on the screen moved about, through a field and to a cliff. What looked to be a couple were having quite the argument. Exaggerated gestures and tears, breezes blowing hair wildly about, and a woman moving dangerously close to the edge of a deadly drop were drawing in the pair watching. There was only one problem.
“F3nix…where’s the sound?”
Punctuated chewing was her answer.
“Let me guess, when you were stealing the projector…”
A sharp poke from F3nix’s fork made her gasp and grab her shoulder. “I. Didn’t. STEAL. It.” he enunciated through clenched teeth.
“...you forgot to steal the sound for the movie.” Brisby finished, glaring.
He sighed. “Who needs it? We'll make our own dialogue.”
He turned to the movie, where the man was saying something earnestly to the woman. “No darling! Don’t leave me for the Finfolk! My indiscretions with the farmer’s wife were merely to get information on the pig races tomorrow! Rumming Ham will win us back our fortune!”
Smirking at his storyline, Brisby spoke for the distraught woman. ”Look at my perfectly manicured hands that I’m waving about! Do you think I’ll believe such lies from my fool of a husband?” Turning her back to the man, the woman dramatically put her hand to her forehead, “As if any other pig will beat Sugar Glazed!” Then she tipped forward, plunging out of frame.
”No!!!!!” F3nix cried out for the man who ran forward and looked down. Suddenly the woman, dressed now in white, floated in front of him, suspended in midair with thick, poorly hidden wires. Not seeing her, the man spun around and walked away, hands in his pockets. “I wonder how the farmer’s wife is looking today?”
”How dare you say Rumming Ham will win!” Brisby’s voice dropped low as the woman’s girth tested the shaking wires, “I shall haunt you for your stupidity!” The scene faded into one of the man sleeping, the woman now hanging about in his bedroom, watching him. The vampires sat in silence as the director decided to spend a long time on close-ups. “Your choice in movies sucks," the vampiress declared.
The poke from F3nix’s fork was blocked by Brisby’s gimlet tipped straw. “It was the only one in the trunk,” he told her through clenched teeth. Leaping out of his coffin, he assumed a fencing stance, the sharp fork prongs ready for action. “I challenge you, dear friend, over the honor of my taste and that of Rumming Ham!”
Mirroring his stance Brisby said tauntingly, “When I win, you’ll admit that Brown Sugar is the best!"
The two eyed each other, then began. Tinny clinks of silverware clashing filled the room as the two parried and thrust. They dueled around the room, jumping over tables and weaving around the projector. F3nix’s range with his fork was greater however and soon the straw went flying off into a corner.
”I am victorious!” He brandished his weapon with a flourish and demanded to his foe, “Bow now and admit defeat!”
”I’m not defeated yet Butterfly Man!” Brisby’s hands shot out, flinging a battery of crackers at her friend. “Have a taste of my ninja stars!”
F3nix opened his mouth to reply when a loud “WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?” sliced through the air.
At the top of the stairs, @Mariannewest was standing, hands on her hips and glaring as she surveyed the mess below. Omra-Sky and @Simgirl were behind her, shaking with laughter as tears streamed down their faces.
Sheepishly the two vampires stood and defended themselves the best way that they could. In unison, they simply said, “We were bored…”
