Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@tvo.org
In The Shower...by Sheryl Martin
Dana Scully leaned back, letting the hot water spray over her face and run down her body. It had been a long, boring, annoying day at work... and all she wanted to do was curl up with a glass of wine and a good book and relax and forget about the X Files and the FBI for a few hours. Maybe the new Anne Rice she had picked up last week...
The scratching sound hit her ears gently; like a soft caress. She jerked her head around the side of the shower curtain quickly, scanning the room. Nothing. Frowning, Dana turned around.
A low murmur came next; coming from just outside the bathroom... in her apartment. Ripping the curtain to one side, she paused to listen - and heard nothing.
ÒMulder, IÕm going to kill you...Ó Images of Janet Leigh in Psycho ran through her head, and she cursed the day she had disobeyed her parents and stayed up late to watch it. With Melissa, of course. And all she could think about now was some crazed killer waiting outside her bathroom... not that that was anything new.
Her pistol was on the living room table; by her purse. Great. She listened again; straining to hear... Nothing. Okay... make a note to hurt Mulder tomorrow for making her so paranoid...
The last bits of shampoo drained from her hair when she heard it again - a low thud. Quickly clearing her eyes; she stepped out of the shower stall, wrapping a large towel around her. Maybe she could scare the guy to death by flashing him...
Opening the door quietly, Dana peered into the living room. Empty. She could see her weapon on the table. This was good.... Taking a few tentative steps, she walked into the centre of the room.
The thump came from the kitchen, just behind her...
Grabbing the pistol from her holster, Scully swung around and aimed...
... At a bemused Fox Mulder, grinning from behind the counter.
ÒHi, Scully...Ó He tried not to laugh at the image; Dana Scully holding a thick white towel around her body with one hand - the gun in the other... and not knowing which one to let go first... ÒYou do remember that I said I was going to drop over with those movies, right?Ó From the look in her eyes, she hadnÕt...
ÒMulder...Ó She dropped the pistol on the couch, grabbing the edges of the towel as it began to slip. ÒI thought you were some sort of burglar... I could have shot you.Ó Dana said accusingly.
He pondered this, his lips pursed. ÒScully, I think youÕre getting too paranoid... Maybe I should ask Frohike to enrol you as a Lone Gunwoman...Ó
She lifted a hand to point accusingly at him... and the towel began to slip. Swearing under her breath, the redhead dashed into the bedroom; listing various torture methods planned for a certain FBI agent.
Inserting the first movie into the VCR, he waited for the inevitable explosion; knowing the routine even before she started it... With a grin Mulder sat down on the couch, reaching for the remote control as a low chuckle escaped him. Well, there were some benefits to this job - SheÕd been so concerned about confronting the bad guy that she hadnÕt noticed the mirror behind her...
*****************"If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats."Richard Bach -- "Illusions"