Story Recs: Things that Go Bump in the Night

It’s Halloween and not a Hallow in sight! Pam is under strict instructions to leave the razor blades alone and very much away from the candied apples, Eric is rather fond of those teacup humans after all; all efforts to make her smile at said teacup humans, however, went pointedly unnoticed. So, if like Pam, you are stuck at home in the name of teacups and cavity-inducing nightmares, we here at The Directory have a spectacular array of stories in all sorts of exciting flavors to sample. Just remember to listen for that doorbell now and then!  😉

 

If the offerings below aren’t enough, we have to give a special shout out to the Queen of all things Halloween, Carroll E. Stewart, at the very least  check out her somewhat recently finished “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”!

The angst oh the angst… it’s a miracle we still have fingernails left.

 

“System of a Down” by Terri Botta

 

A story about why Eric had a set of pink spandex in LDiD. What started out as something fun and lighthearted, twisted into something the exact opposite. What I thought would be a little lark; turned real dark. This is anything but funny. Honest. You have been warned. AU, OOC, rated M, ONE-SHOT

 

Just in time for Halloween, we get a bit of backstory on a very raw, very dark, vampire Eric as he spends his time in the 1980’s in San Francisco. The one shot may not be funny or lighthearted, but it is certainly entertaining to see Terri Botta connect so many of the dots that show up unexplained in the SMV Universe. What about those extra-large spandex leggings? How did Eric end up working for Queen Sophie Anne? Why does he dislike that slime ball Victor Madden, and why does our Viking seem to look down his nose at living in a nest, or, for that matter, having pets? It will all make sense after you dig into “System of a Down.”

The other fun thing about Terri’s story is that it is kind of a crossover. She packs it with a touch of other vampire mythologies along with an extra-large dollop of those who always get ‘interviewed.’ You will enjoy reading Eric’s opinion of vampires who can’t have sex. I completely understood…I feel the same!

 

Stories set in an altogether rich Alternate Universe

 

“Ghost of the Bayou” by Sakshi Chopra

 

With Godric as his mentor, Eric is a paranormal researcher/hunter. Sookie is someone who needs help of the supernatural kind. With ghosts to light his way, nothing much stands in the way, or so it seems. AU, OOC, -COMPLETE-, ONE-SHOT

 

It’s hard to know where to begin with this story without giving too much away. Years after barely crossing each other’s paths, Sookie has fantasized about the sexy Swedish paranormal research student who breezed through her small backwater town when she was a teenager. Eric has seemingly wandered, doing his work where he can with no attachments to anyone, save the ghost of a Victorian witch. Quick and to the point, just confusing enough to surprise you with its ending, it may even bring a few tears to your eyes. This is a great little one shot to indulge in on a dark autumn night.

 

Hey, they may be human but they’re still our Eric and Sookie!

 

“Never Let You Go” by SeaStarr08

 

Eric and Sookie are newlyweds, looking for a fresh start, but will they be able to conquer the ‘ghosts’ of their not so distant pasts? AH, OOC, E/S, rated MA, -COMPLETE-

 

Figurative “ghosts” make me uncomfortable, like a nagging ache of loss and a sense of unresolved and wasted energy. The idea of a real ghost makes me want to run and hide, unable to see what it is and what it will do, how to even contemplate banishing it. I hope like hell that I’m never plagued by both. With her usual acuity for human nature and relationships, SeaStarr gives us an unnerving, engaging, and fascinating story about love, death, oblivion, and trauma. Eric and Sookie are a solid pair here, imperfect and broken as can be, but reliant on each other in the most necessary way.

 

Stories high on suspense, mystery, action leaving you eagerly anticipating what’s next…

 

“This House is Not for Sale” by Kjwrit

 

*Not your typical scary story told around the campfire…* AU, E/S, rated T, ONE-SHOT

 

This little gem of a ghost story just in time for Halloween will grab your attention from its first line. As the story unfolds, we find out that Eric and Sookie Northman have purchased a dilapidated old farmhouse as a fixer-upper. It appears to be haunted, but who is the ghost and why is it there? We hold our breath along with Eric as he begins to unravel the mystery. Kjwrit uses her masterful touch to give us a ghost story, which, while bittersweet and poignant, affirms that love really is more enduring than death.

 

Ehm.. yeah, need we say more?

 

“Aint No Grave” by Brainmates

 

Eric and Sookie are ready to start a family and decide it’s time to move out of New York. They purchase the old Compton house in Bon Temps, Louisiana where Sookie remembers visiting as a child. The house needs work but the bones are great. Too bad no one told them it isn’t quite vacant. AH, E/S, rated MA, -COMPLETE-

 

Going by the review, the events in this story don’t come as too much of a surprise. What is refreshing are the solid characters in Eric and Sookie, both talented, successful, confident, and in synch with each other. There is some good attention to detail and realistic moments of denial in the face of the ever-present haunting in this big, old house. There are a few jarring moments, but these two are plenty…ahem…romantic… That serves as a good distraction from the more unsettling events. An appropriately fabulous and channeling Lafayette saves the day!

 

 

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This post along with all the other story recs are archived on this page. The recently completed stories archive can be found here.

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