Post by Valhalla Erikson on Nov 6, 2022 2:22:11 GMT
Summary: This is a holiday story that takes place within the world of Shepard Mysteries.
David King: Age 12
David stares up at the ceiling for what felt like a few hours. 3 hrs since he has to waken up to be exact. David couldn't really pinpoint exactly what has given him a feeling of restlessness. He had tried to narrow down the issue: Dreams? He has had another dream that involved flying but it had never disturbed him to the brink of sleeplessness.
He sighed, he hoped that laying still for a moment would drift him back to sleep but fate wasn't on his side, unfortunately. He looked over to Jess sleeping across from him peacefully. There was part of him that envied her for it. Jess and her older sister Jean had just moved into Shepard a few months ago as a means for a fresh start. Izzy's older sister Katrina wanted David to make the daughter feel welcome while she shows her mom Jean around town. Jess was around David's age with short red hair, when he first met her she was a little timid but she gradually started to come out of her shell. It took some time but she and David hit it off. Even their respective parents got along as Jean got a job working as a secretary for Cody's Paragon For Hire business.
Looking across from her he couldn't help but maintain a sense of protectiveness. Chalk it up to being raised by an awesome superhero but David didn't understand what exactly he needs to protect her or her mom from. He sighs and sits up from the bed. Careful to not disturb his sleeping friend he crept from the bedroom where they'd slept and entered the hallway.
The light from the hallway gave him enough guidance to make his way to the kitchen downstairs. He looked to the side of him and stared at Jean's bedroom, she was singing to herself. No doubt listening to music on her phone, through an Bluetooth. Whatever task he seeks to achieve he knows that it must be quick because it won't be long before Jean would retire for the night.
The light gradually grew dark as he descended down the stairs but his eyes were capable of adjusting to the darkness. All David needed was a nice glass of milk since that is usually the go to sleep remedy. It was the middle of the night and the only source of light that would provide him was the rays of the crescent moon from the sky.
He made his way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to pull out a container of milk. He put it on the kitchen counter and grabbed a glass from the dish rack before he proceeds to help himself. He made a mental note to wash the glass and put everything away once he was done.
He froze when he heard a slight jiggling from the front door. He remained still as the door opened. In an instant his memories of what his mother taught him, in the event of situations like this, clicked and David hastily yet quietly blend into the darkened corner of the kitchen and kept himself completely immobile. He can hear the sound of a pair of boots clamping across the living room.
Peering through the kitchen window he could make out a large man dressed in a red and white suit carrying a heavy bag over his shoulder before putting it down beside the tree. His back was to David so he didn't notice a witness observing the events. David's heart increased as his mind raced, could it be him? He has never seen the Big Guy personally but given the things he has witnessed in Shepard at such a young age he knew better than to rule out the impossible. Under normal circumstances this would've brought him excitement but all he could feel at this moment is that same creeping sense that something bad was about to happen. It wasn't until he reached into his sack to pull out a large wooden ax that his suspicions were confirmed.
David could feel the color draining from his face. He wanted to remain still, he's good at keeping himself hidden, yet his friends lives are at stake. He's not even sure what a kid like him could do? He doesn't have any powers and the intruder is twice his size and stronger than him. But he thought of his mother and asked, what would she do in this situation?
He didn't even noticed that he had a glass of milk in his hand. He took a sip of courage before announcing himself to the man in red. "Excuse me?"
The intruder stood up and turned around to face a twelve-year-old kid staring up at him with a glass of milk in hand. He smiled and greeted the kid jovially. "Why hello there young man. Little past your bedtime isn't it?"
David's gaze never left the older man before he asked, even at his age he could see the cold emptiness within the older man's eyes behind that joyful smile, "What are you going to do with that?"
"Oh, this?" The man motioned to the ax. "I was going to chop up some wood for the family living here. Awfully cold during this time of year."
"Um, sir. They don't have a fireplace?" David carefully positioned himself at the bottom of the stairs while keeping his eyes locked on the faux Santa. "What are you doing here, sir?"
The faux Santa glanced at David who'd blocked his destination. As if he's the only one preventing him from achieving what he's set out to do. Part of him finds that rather amusing. "Now young man, "Santa" has a job to do. And you're keeping me from accomplishing it. Now be a good boy and step aside." Whatever affable demeanor he had is gradually diminishing.
David shook his head. "I'm afraid I cant do that, sir"
The older man's once jovial expression turned into malice and gripped the ax harder. There was no warning this time and David, despite his age, could see that the man before him is willing to go through him to get to Jess and her mother. If there is one thing that Cody has always taught him is to never give the enemy an advantage. In a quick instant, he threw the glass of milk at the man's face. The milk shattered upon impact and the Faux Santa fell to the floor, howling in pain. The moment David saw him roll on his stomach that provided him the opportunity to leap upon the man's back and wrap his arms around his throat.
David used every ounce of his strength to squeeze tighter while the man got up and ram a series of elbow shots onto his stomach. This would usually knock the wind out of David but the man may as well be hitting a sack of bricks. The older man ran backward and slam David against the wall and did it again the second time. David felt the wall behind him cave, specks of plaster rained on him and he was starting to feel the impact of the hits but his grip remains locked in. The Faux Santa yelled as he gasped for breath. "Go to sleep, go to sleep!" David screamed in his ear.
The faux Santa elbowed him in the stomach again but his struggles start to lessen. He gasped as he fell to his knees and then crashed onto the floor. David still held onto him until he hears Jean's voice from upstairs call Jess. "Stay in your room!" When he hears the sound of Jean descending the stairs that was his cue to let go and roll off of the unconscious intruder.
Just as Jean was going to check on David, in a sense of irony, this was the moment David got the blissful sleep he wanted.
Authors Note Merry Christmas folks! An old favorite of mine but a favorite nonetheless. I love writing this as it showcased David's super strength and established him as a hero of Shepard. Outside of a few bruises and a minor injury David did well that night.
Depending on how much time I have I might do another Christmas story. It involves David meeting The Little Match Girl.
David King: Age 12
David stares up at the ceiling for what felt like a few hours. 3 hrs since he has to waken up to be exact. David couldn't really pinpoint exactly what has given him a feeling of restlessness. He had tried to narrow down the issue: Dreams? He has had another dream that involved flying but it had never disturbed him to the brink of sleeplessness.
He sighed, he hoped that laying still for a moment would drift him back to sleep but fate wasn't on his side, unfortunately. He looked over to Jess sleeping across from him peacefully. There was part of him that envied her for it. Jess and her older sister Jean had just moved into Shepard a few months ago as a means for a fresh start. Izzy's older sister Katrina wanted David to make the daughter feel welcome while she shows her mom Jean around town. Jess was around David's age with short red hair, when he first met her she was a little timid but she gradually started to come out of her shell. It took some time but she and David hit it off. Even their respective parents got along as Jean got a job working as a secretary for Cody's Paragon For Hire business.
Looking across from her he couldn't help but maintain a sense of protectiveness. Chalk it up to being raised by an awesome superhero but David didn't understand what exactly he needs to protect her or her mom from. He sighs and sits up from the bed. Careful to not disturb his sleeping friend he crept from the bedroom where they'd slept and entered the hallway.
The light from the hallway gave him enough guidance to make his way to the kitchen downstairs. He looked to the side of him and stared at Jean's bedroom, she was singing to herself. No doubt listening to music on her phone, through an Bluetooth. Whatever task he seeks to achieve he knows that it must be quick because it won't be long before Jean would retire for the night.
The light gradually grew dark as he descended down the stairs but his eyes were capable of adjusting to the darkness. All David needed was a nice glass of milk since that is usually the go to sleep remedy. It was the middle of the night and the only source of light that would provide him was the rays of the crescent moon from the sky.
He made his way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to pull out a container of milk. He put it on the kitchen counter and grabbed a glass from the dish rack before he proceeds to help himself. He made a mental note to wash the glass and put everything away once he was done.
He froze when he heard a slight jiggling from the front door. He remained still as the door opened. In an instant his memories of what his mother taught him, in the event of situations like this, clicked and David hastily yet quietly blend into the darkened corner of the kitchen and kept himself completely immobile. He can hear the sound of a pair of boots clamping across the living room.
Peering through the kitchen window he could make out a large man dressed in a red and white suit carrying a heavy bag over his shoulder before putting it down beside the tree. His back was to David so he didn't notice a witness observing the events. David's heart increased as his mind raced, could it be him? He has never seen the Big Guy personally but given the things he has witnessed in Shepard at such a young age he knew better than to rule out the impossible. Under normal circumstances this would've brought him excitement but all he could feel at this moment is that same creeping sense that something bad was about to happen. It wasn't until he reached into his sack to pull out a large wooden ax that his suspicions were confirmed.
David could feel the color draining from his face. He wanted to remain still, he's good at keeping himself hidden, yet his friends lives are at stake. He's not even sure what a kid like him could do? He doesn't have any powers and the intruder is twice his size and stronger than him. But he thought of his mother and asked, what would she do in this situation?
He didn't even noticed that he had a glass of milk in his hand. He took a sip of courage before announcing himself to the man in red. "Excuse me?"
The intruder stood up and turned around to face a twelve-year-old kid staring up at him with a glass of milk in hand. He smiled and greeted the kid jovially. "Why hello there young man. Little past your bedtime isn't it?"
David's gaze never left the older man before he asked, even at his age he could see the cold emptiness within the older man's eyes behind that joyful smile, "What are you going to do with that?"
"Oh, this?" The man motioned to the ax. "I was going to chop up some wood for the family living here. Awfully cold during this time of year."
"Um, sir. They don't have a fireplace?" David carefully positioned himself at the bottom of the stairs while keeping his eyes locked on the faux Santa. "What are you doing here, sir?"
The faux Santa glanced at David who'd blocked his destination. As if he's the only one preventing him from achieving what he's set out to do. Part of him finds that rather amusing. "Now young man, "Santa" has a job to do. And you're keeping me from accomplishing it. Now be a good boy and step aside." Whatever affable demeanor he had is gradually diminishing.
David shook his head. "I'm afraid I cant do that, sir"
The older man's once jovial expression turned into malice and gripped the ax harder. There was no warning this time and David, despite his age, could see that the man before him is willing to go through him to get to Jess and her mother. If there is one thing that Cody has always taught him is to never give the enemy an advantage. In a quick instant, he threw the glass of milk at the man's face. The milk shattered upon impact and the Faux Santa fell to the floor, howling in pain. The moment David saw him roll on his stomach that provided him the opportunity to leap upon the man's back and wrap his arms around his throat.
David used every ounce of his strength to squeeze tighter while the man got up and ram a series of elbow shots onto his stomach. This would usually knock the wind out of David but the man may as well be hitting a sack of bricks. The older man ran backward and slam David against the wall and did it again the second time. David felt the wall behind him cave, specks of plaster rained on him and he was starting to feel the impact of the hits but his grip remains locked in. The Faux Santa yelled as he gasped for breath. "Go to sleep, go to sleep!" David screamed in his ear.
The faux Santa elbowed him in the stomach again but his struggles start to lessen. He gasped as he fell to his knees and then crashed onto the floor. David still held onto him until he hears Jean's voice from upstairs call Jess. "Stay in your room!" When he hears the sound of Jean descending the stairs that was his cue to let go and roll off of the unconscious intruder.
Just as Jean was going to check on David, in a sense of irony, this was the moment David got the blissful sleep he wanted.
Authors Note Merry Christmas folks! An old favorite of mine but a favorite nonetheless. I love writing this as it showcased David's super strength and established him as a hero of Shepard. Outside of a few bruises and a minor injury David did well that night.
Depending on how much time I have I might do another Christmas story. It involves David meeting The Little Match Girl.
