fandomhigh | Horror 101, Monday

"Horror," Mitchell told the class, "Is about fear. I know that's patently obvious, but sometimes people forget and make it all about what cool new prosthetics they can put on a rubber mask." Mitchell's eyes: rolling a bit. "So today we're taking it back to the source. To fear. All those small, everyday fears that can cripple us, make us leap at shadows, make our lives run another course just to avoid them. The best horror films and books are based on these fears, on these innate terrors that make us shiver and turn all the lights on in the house, cram ourselves up in tiny spaces or big ones. Those kind of fears. Phobias."

He unfurled from the couch. "I've got a little homework assignment for you all this week," he said, distributing a list.

Acrophobia
Aichmophobia
Anthophobia
Astraphobia
Chiroptophobia
Coulrophobia
Emetophobia
Entomophobia
Ergasiophobia
Erotophobia
Gerascophobia
Haptephobia
Necrophobia
Nosophobia
Triskaidekaphobia
Trypanophobia

"On this list, you'll find a number of phobias. I want you all to pick one and work out what it is. Then find me a film or a book or a series that has something to do with it. It doesn't have to be literal or anything. As long as you can explain it to me, I'm happy."

He sat back down. "That's your belated midterm," he decided. "As a start, we'll be watching The Way Down. If nothing else, it helps stir our claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces, and our nyctophobia, our fear of the dark. Anything could be going on in the darkness, the caves..."

He smiled. "Get to work!"

[[ up and at them! ]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Who's trying to google around to find out if he can catalogue all of George's phobias.

Jack paused on his way out the door. "This is the first time Greek has helped in any of my classes here."

Which meant hello, and checking up in a way that Jack wouldn't admit was checking up, and a tiny bit of the pay-attention-to-me thing. (He'd lost one of the ways he mattered most in the world, even if temporarily; he had to reassure himself he still mattered in other ways.)

"There's a lot to be said for the Greeks," Mitchell said, glancing up. He knew the two of them were still on somewhat rocky ground (getting hugged was a lot more reassuring, thanks, Kate, than a few wobbly phone calls) which left him once again at something of a loss.

Still, he'd push bravely on.

"Especially if you want to sound properly academic."

... Jack would have assumed Mitchell had suffered a head injury if he'd raised the possibility of a hug. They were fine as far as it went; Jack was just keeping a certain distance until his mind had settled more.

"There is, and I know that's the major purpose of this class," he said idly. "Getting us up to full academic standards ..."

Even he couldn't keep that up very long before a real question poked through. "How's the new house?"

...What? He was a hip, sensitive, 21st-century-guy - well, he was, now - and hugs were hardly anathema to him.

But anyway.

"It's good," Mitchell said, smiling a little. "It's-- homey. We've got a ghost. She's sweet."

Nothing! Jack failed at the hip part of that, was all. Also the 21st century part, no matter how hard he tried to blend.

Anyhow.

"A nice one?" Jack perked up. He'd never heard of a nice ghost, but it was easy enough to accept. "She must be nice, if you're calling her sweet. She's getting on with George?"

Mitchell shrugged. "Like cats and dogs," he said, "It's like an episode of Shackled... With Babies in there."

It took Jack a second, but he placed the reference. "No wonder you're staying here some of the time too."

"Well, maybe if George can stop reminding her that she isn't corporeal..."

"It does seem a bit rude to bring that up, yes."

Which had stopped Mitchell from making dog jokes about George precisely never, but Jack wasn't going to mention that.

Well, he was a vampire, George was a lyco, it was just gentle ribbing!

...

Most of the time.

"She equates it to telling fat people they're fat," Mitchell confided, grinning. He was... a little more than enthused about the new addition to the household, yes.

"I can see that," Jack said thoughtfully. "It's not as if she could have failed to notice her change in status."

He wasn't entirely certain how the ghost thing worked, come to that. Sometimes in stories they didn't know they were dead. "Actually, did she know right away, or did she have to ... work it out for herself?"

"I think she knew she was dead."

Now that was a smile-killer, if there ever was one. He thought back to that first real conversation in that kitchen - All that emotion... - and managed a rueful one anyway.

"I think she knew. I don't think she really understood the implications. Especially when her family was still around the house."

Re: Talk to Mitchell

bitten_notshy - 2010-03-16 13:20 (UTC) - Expand

chosehumanity - 2010-03-16 13:23 (UTC) - Expand

bitten_notshy - 2010-03-16 14:00 (UTC) - Expand

chosehumanity - 2010-03-16 14:08 (UTC) - Expand

bitten_notshy - 2010-03-16 14:33 (UTC) - Expand

chosehumanity - 2010-03-16 14:37 (UTC) - Expand

bitten_notshy - 2010-03-16 14:48 (UTC) - Expand

"So, you want a cake or something?"

Someone suspected Tuesday was going to be boring. Might as well bake.

Mitchell blinked.

"I would not say no to cake," he settled on.

"I don't have much to do tomorrow."

That was totally an explanation.

"You're gonna be around your office on Wednesday, right?"

"I could be found in that general area if someone came by bearing cake," Mitchell mused, "But only if it's a good one."

Kate smirked. "There's no way to tell whether it's going to be any good. But I can call Moosh for help. He got all the good housewife genes."

"Oh, so you're from one of those progressive families," he said, smirking back.

"As if someone as fabulous as me could come from any other type of family."

He laughed. "I'm not sure you can aspire to fabulous, Kate," he said, sincerely. "I think that requires more sparkly outfits like on the telly."

"What a close-minded view on what's fabulous," she pouted. "Fine. Awesome, then. Or fierce."

Mitchell raised an eyebrow. "Anything you'd like to tell me, Tyra?"

"Hey!"

By which she meant, 'excuse me while I object to something I brought on myself'.

"Tyra is insane. I'm not, thank you very much."

"That's debatable," was his predictable verdict.

vanillajello - 2010-03-16 20:44 (UTC) - Expand