From: k.morse@ntlworld.com   
      
   > Title:  Haunted   
   >   
   > Author:  Starfleetofficer1   
   >   
   > Summary:  Mulder is trapped in a 'haunted house' on Halloween.   
   > Written for the VS.   
   >   
   > Category:  X-file, Mulder in peril, Scully in peril   
   >   
   > Rating:  PG-13   
   >   
   > Two weeks exclusive with VS15.   
   >   
   > Disclaimer:  no copyright infringement intended.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > BASEMENT OFFICE   
   >   
   > WASHINGTON, DC   
   >   
   > TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 2007   
   >   
   > 1400   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Mulder, why are we here?" Scully asked with a sigh, staring up at the   
   > pencils embedded in the ceiling as she leaned back in her chair.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Because there have been reports of unexplained phenomena in this   
   > particular house, in the suburban neighborhood just outside-"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "I've listened to that explanation for the past hour and a half," Scully   
   > said, sitting up straight now and looking him in the eye. "And I fail to   
   > see how we have any real evidence of an X-file here.  What we have is a   
   > children's newspaper article-something you picked up entirely by chance,   
   > that is most likely made up to scare their friends at school."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "The Hillside Elementary School's newspaper won awards for its   
   > credibility," Mulder said. "They reported on Presidential elections, the   
   > stock market, current affairs.not to mention a highly developed video game   
   > review section and comic page."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "They're eight years old."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Some of them are ten," Mulder said.  He put the child's article down on   
   > his desk, and stood up. "Scully, the evidence presented in their article   
   > may sound juvenile but it all checks out.  It doesn't matter if their   
   > writing style is childish-they're children!  It doesn't mean they aren't   
   > credible. I've checked out every sighting they mentioned in the article,   
   > and they were all established with the local police."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "A local police office in Hillside, Virginia, that has less to do than   
   > Andy Griffith."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Come on, Scully, it's worth checking out."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "It's Halloween."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "And you're already here, so why not go trick-or-treating with me?"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > She gave him a 'look'.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Like you said, it's Halloween!  Let's have a little fun with it!"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > She stood up, and sighed. "Mulder, I swear, if I didn't love you I'd have   
   > killed you by now."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "I knew you'd see my side of it," Mulder said cheerfully, apparently   
   > ignoring her implied threat.  He stood up and grabbed his coat, and   
   > started out the door.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Scully reluctantly followed, and said, "If this turns out like the last   
   > haunted house, Mulder, it won't matter if I love you.  I will shoot you."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Mulder looked behind him, and smirked. "I thought you didn't want it to   
   > turn out like last time."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > She rolled her eyes, and barged in front of him. He grinned, and followed.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > HILLSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL   
   >   
   > HILLSIDE, VA   
   >   
   > TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 2007   
   >   
   > 1430   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Walking through the halls, the agents were bombarded by a stream of   
   > giggling eight-year-olds in the third grade section of the school.  One   
   > little boy tripped and Mulder feared he would be stampeded by his   
   > classmates, so he helped the third-grader to his feet.  The thanks he got   
   > was a screeching cry, "Stranger!  Stranger!  Help!  He's got me, help!"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Mulder let the little boy go, and a teacher ran out into the hallway.  The   
   > kids made way for the adult, who looked like she was about to punch   
   > Mulder.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > The agents quickly drew their badges. "We're here with the FBI," Scully   
   > said before the woman could ask. "And we're investigating suspicious   
   > activity near 435 Westbury Street."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "A little girl named Ashley Burns wrote a detailed article on the subject,   
   > and we were wondering if we could speak to her about her sources."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > The teacher looked taken aback. "Um.of course.  She's in my class.  I hope   
   > you understand that the 'suspicious activity' is nothing more than   
   > teenagers playing pranks around that area."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Yes, we've considered that option," Scully said, aiming a pointed glance   
   > at Mulder.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Mulder quickly covered his tracks. "But in the event that it wasn't   
   > teenagers, and illegal activity has been occurring in the location, we   
   > need to investigate," he said.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > The woman nodded comprehensively and led them into her classroom. A bell   
   > rang, and the little children ran toward their classrooms to take their   
   > seats.  "I'm Pam Wells, by the way," the teacher said.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Agent Mulder, and this is Agent Scully," Mulder said.   
   >   
   >   
   > "Pleased to meet you," Pam told them, and approached a little girl sitting   
   > at a desk.  "Ashley, these people are here from the FBI.  They're   
   > interested in your newspaper article."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > The little girl's eyes grew wide. "Did I break any rules?" she asked.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "No, Ashley, we just had a few questions," Mulder said kindly.  "Want to   
   > step out into the hallway?"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Ashley nodded cautiously, and Scully offered her hand to the fearful girl.   
   > When Ashley took it, they moved into the hallway and could hear the   
   > classroom explode with chatter as soon as they were gone.  The door shut   
   > behind them, and Ashley looked up inquisitively.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "We understand you checked out the Westbury house, for your newspaper   
   > article," Scully said. "We were just wondering how you made sure all the   
   > things you put in the article were true.  Could you tell us that?"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "I talked to the police," Ashley said, "And I brought them a big list of   
   > things that people had seen.  I wanted to make sure everything I wrote had   
   > a police record, 'cause people report things like that.  And they had   
   > records of everything.  So I put it all in my article."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Could you tell us if you've ever seen any of the things you'd written   
   > about?"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "I saw the lights going on and off, and I knew the house was contempted,   
   > so no one lived there."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Condemned," Mulder corrected with a small smile.  "Do you live near the   
   > haunted house?"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "I live about two blocks away.  I ride my bike down there all the time."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Mulder nodded, his facial expression still passive and non-threatening.   
   > "So I'll bet your friends and you sometimes want to go inside, huh?"   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Sometimes we dare each other, but no one's actually done it.  The sign on   
   > the front says you can get in a lot of trouble if you cross the fence.   
   > But a lot of teenagers have come really close.  Most of them were   
   > arrested."   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "They were arrested right away?  Before they got into the house?" Scully   
   > asked.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Ashley nodded. "The police sit right around the corner, and sometimes   
   > right out front.  If anyone goes near it, they arrest them.  That's why   
   > not many kids make it past the back yard fence.  And no one goes in the   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)