Hmm, I'm seeing a bit of a pattern here. Intentionally or not, I seem to be writing a lot of Little!Alan stories for this series. I must admit, I wasn't a great fan of the original Alan, but his updated version has really grown on me - he's just adorable!
So, here's another one, as poor Allie gets the night-time spookies. Yes, when you've got a big, nasty monster under your bed, who ya gonna call?
Enjoy!
Oh, Brother!
Chapter Fourteen - Trollbusters!
Stretched out on his bed, Scott Tracy knew that watching one of his favourite horror movies this late at night was just asking for trouble. Most of his popcorn had already been 'jumped' out of its bowl, and he was now so wired up waiting for the next scary bit that any handfuls that were left kept missing his mouth.
What bugged him even more was that he'd seen this movie dozens of times already, he knew where all those 'jump-out-your-skin' bits were, and -
"SCOOOOTTTTYYYYY!"
- no, in all the times he'd watched it, the blood-curdling yell that now startled the jeebies out of him hadn't come from his TV.
Through clumps of falling popcorn, Scott shot out of bed, and sprinted into the hall, running instinctively to its farthest end. It was an indescribable relief when he saw Gordon there already, sitting outside Alan's room - but still a shock when he saw his youngest brother huddled in his lap, so inexplicably terrified that not even he could coax him out. Instead, it was left to Gordon to try and explain these awful, heartbreaking tears.
"Allie's bed, Scott... there's a big nasty troll under Allie's bed."
Quite how he'd managed to translate all that from all those sobs and sniffles, Scott couldn't start to fathom. All he did know was that some imaginary monster had scared his baby brother, scared him enough to scream like he'd never heard him scream before, and - yeah. For any threat to his family, real or otherwise, that was a really, really, bad move.
"Oh, is there, now? Well, we'll soon see about that."
Intentionally or otherwise, that got his youngest brother's attention. Still huddled between them, and thankfully calmer, Alan was now all wide eyed wonder - reassured enough to reach across into Scott's arms, and snuggle against him for a much needed cuddle. Gordon, too, was staring up at him with a mix of surprise, relief, and sheer, hero-worshipping awe.
Smiling too, if for rather different reasons, Scott gave them both another encouraging hug - slipping easily back from Butt-Kicking Brother, to the one that both of them needed him to be.
"Okay, Gordy, you stay here, and look after your brother... I'll be right back to get this monster out the house, and make sure he stays out... okay?"
Answered by two, thankfully happier nods, Scott then rose to his feet again, and strode back to his bedroom. The last time he'd needed this little emergency kit had been for Virgil, when he'd been around Alan's age, and - aha! There it was, still tucked into his closet. And while it wasn't the coolest thing for a teenager to do, Scott just couldn't keep the grin off his face as he checked it over. One rather important part of it was a bit shabby now, but - well, no problem. He could soon fix that.
Five minutes later, he came marching back again - pillowcase in one hand, and spray can in the other. Still huddled in the hallway, Gordon and Alan traded glances. Yes, they'd both seen that glare on his face enough times to know what it meant, and... ooooh, Scotty looked real mad!
"Hey, Trollface? You in there?" he yelled, banging on the door while giving his can of 'Special Recipe Monster Spray' a nicely dramatic shake. "Well, start running, you hear me? 'cos no troll in the world gets away with scaring my little brother!"
Remembering he still had two impressionable little brothers beside him, Scott then turned to give them a reassuring grin.
"Right, Gordy? You stay here, and look after Allie... and whatever you're about to hear, don't come in after me... I don't want either of you to get hurt while I'm sorting out this troll... okay?"
Answered with two wide eyed nods, Scott squared his shoulders and, with one last shake of his pillowcase, opened the door and strode into Spook Central.
"Okay, buddy, you asked for it! I'm coming to get you!"
Closing the door behind him, he had to bite down a splutter of laughter. Yes, if ever there was proof that a three year old's bedroom could never be tidy, this was it. Toys, games and plushies covered the floor, while yesterday's clothes lay in a tangled heap beside Alan's bed. Still, that pile of socks would come in pretty handy as the body of one thoroughly trounced 'troll.'
Speaking of which - well, yes, he had to admit, he just loved this bit.
A few thumps and crashes to start with - courtesy of some gently flung pillows, and the ingenious use of a bathroom door.
*whack*
*boommf*
*ka-thump*
Oh yes, and sound effects too. No self respecting TrollBuster could forget about those.
"Gyaaaarrrrgghhhhhhh!"
"Whooooooeeeeyaarrggghhh!"
And last, but most definitely not least, the kind of yell that assured your little brothers that the good guy was winning.
"Hey, I told you to run, didn't I? Yeah, see what you get for scaring my little brother? Now, get in this sack!"
Yep. Releasing his own inner child had never been such fun! Too much fun, in fact, for it to end so soon.
"Groooooarrrryyyrrrr!"
"Don't you 'groooooarrrryyyrrr' me, you big ugly heap! Now, GET IN THIS SACK!"
Whoa! If he said so himself, that was pretty impressive - enough of a yell to scare off every troll in the Pacific, let alone the ones on Tracy Island. Just to make sure, though, Scott lightly kicked the edge of Alan's bed, adding a few more thumps along his closet, before tossing that handy pile of socks into his 'sack.' And for his own, personal indulgence - yeah, one more yell wasn't going to hurt, was it?
"Gyyyyyeeeee-owwwwwwwlll!"
Catching sight of himself in a nearby mirror, the goofy grin of an overgrown child turned into an 'uh-oh' frown. Oh, he was still a strikingly tall teenager, all big blue eyes and adorable dimples, but one that was - well, a bit too handsome for a troll-busting hero who'd just fought all these dastardly demons.
Still, that was easily solved. He'd never liked this T shirt much anyway, and he'd always preferred his hair to look all tousled and mussy. One ripped sleeve and double-handed ruffle later, and - oh, yes. Much better.
The fight wasn't over yet, of course. No, for its full effect, and for Alan's benefit especially, that pesky troll had to try and escape. Time to put those wannabe actor ambitions to good use. Yeah, you could keep your alligator wrestling. Pillow wrestling was much more fun.
Taking a few more moments to get that giveaway grin under control, Scott then opened the door and, for the benefit of his audience outside it, gave one nicely loaded pillowcase the mother of waggles.
"Yeah, you can fight all you want, you creepy little critter... but one way or another, you're getting out of this house!"
No self-respecting troll would give in so easily, though - and for two spellbound little boys, the sight of their eldest brother fighting a monster inside an old pillowcase was one of the strangest things they'd ever seen. Really exciting, though. Much more exciting than some babyish cartoons. And against their big, brave brother, whatever was in that sack didn't stand a chance.
For Scott, of course, it was all part of the game - hence the flash of alarm he felt when Alan, like every curious toddler in the world, tried to steal a quick peek at it. Still, if there was one thing that growing up with four little brothers had taught him, it was the art of quick thinking. Or, in this case, very quick thinking.
"Oh, no, Allie, you can't look at it, kiddo, 'cos... well, if you do, it'll just scare you again... and you really don't want that, do you?"
Breathing a real sigh of relief when Alan shook his head and waddled away again, Scott then grinned and winked at him, before carrying his still gently waggling quarry along the hall, to the nearest door that led outside.
"Yeah, you heard me! Out! Out! And STAY OUT!"
A few more thumps and crashes later, he returned to a well earned, and thoroughly deserved hero's return - more than happy now to open up his sack, and show Alan that, yes, the monster inside it really was gone.
"And he isn't in here either, Allie... see?" he grinned, opening the door to Alan's room again, and carrying him inside to let him see how nice and safe it was. No monsters anywhere, not even in his closet.
When he'd done the same for Virgil, of course, his middle brother had been reassured enough to go straight back to bed, and back to sleep. From the way that Alan was still clinging to him, though, his baby brother wouldn't be so easily placated. And wherever Alan went, you could be sure that Gordon wouldn't be far behind.
Like two peas in a pod, Scott thought fondly, studying them both in turn as he settled himself on top of Alan's bed and snuggled them against him. Only that tint of copper in Gordon's hair, and those amber brown eyes, stood as any real difference between them. And when it came to causing mischief and mayhem, running rings around their long suffering big brother - yes, these Terrible Twins more than lived up to their name.
Not at the moment, though. No, curled snugly against him, they were just two very sleepy little boys, who were still too excited by the night's adventures to give into it. Luckily, he had the answer to that, too, because - well, big brothers had the answers to everything.
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I am so tired... all ready to bunk down," he said at last, adding such a long and loud yawn that Gordon could almost see right down to his toes.
Settling back into the pillows behind him, Scott gently kissed each tousled head in turn, then closed his eyes, and yawned once more - knowing from the sounds and movements beside him that both Gordon and Alan were doing exactly the same. Yes, he thought through an approving smile, no better way to get two tired little brothers to sleep than to pretend you were doing it first.
As always, it worked like a charm. Lulled by the best comforter in the world, Gordon and Alan soon fell into a deep, carefree sleep. Once sure that they'd settled, and not daring to disturb them, Scott then stretched himself more comfortably along the length of Alan's bed, and closed his eyes - more than ready to go to sleep himself for real this time. Fighting all these trolls and monsters really took it out of you.
Almost at once, though, his eyes blinked open again - turning to stare in a puzzled frown towards Alan's closet. That creak he'd just heard - he had just imagined it.
Right?