Fic - Triskadekaphobia
A couple of short ones...
FanFic100 prompt: 002 - Middles
Pyramid_Dares: Set 2, Level 5 - Torment
My Tables 'O Links -- Pyramid table, FanFic100 Table
Rating: G
Pairings: None
Notes: Triskadekaphobia - a morbid or unreasoning fear of the number 13.
Summary: Dorian gets some insight into the psyche of a new member of the Major’s Alphabet.
By: Margaret Price
Written: September 1, 2007
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Triskadekaphobia
Word count: 600
Stuck in the middle with you.
Dorian did not even have to see to know exactly who was upset when he heard the raised voice coming from around the corner. The Major was ranting to his subordinates who were sitting at a table in an outdoor café. He was already storming away when the Earl turned the corner, having vanished around another corner further up the street by the time Dorian was close enough to see the faces of the two men who had been on the receiving end of the officer’s ire. The Earl recognized Agent N, but the man with him was a stranger who was doubtless a new member to the Alphabet. Unlike N, he looked decidedly cowed.
“You gentlemen look as if you could use a drink,” the Earl said as he invited himself to join them.
Agent N sat bolt upright and turned to look in the direction the Major had taken.
“Oh, don’t you worry about the Major, he’s long gone, Mr. N,” Dorian said as he waved a hand for service. The server arrived and stood waiting. The Earl ordered something light to eat and a glass of wine, and then turned to the others.
M and N exchanged glances, shrugged, and ordered beer.
After the drinks arrived, Dorian waited for the men to consume most of theirs, and relax, before he finally said, “So, just what's the Major in such a lather about?”
Before the men could reply, Agent B came dashing over to retrieve Agent M. He gave N a breathless message to wait for C, gave the Earl a polite hello, and then vanished, the reluctant M in tow.
Dorian watched the pair dash off in the direction the Major had taken earlier. Then he turned his attention back to N. “Well, I guess that answers my question.”
Agent N shook his head. “It’s just a training exercise for M.” He went on to explain that the Major had gone ballistic because Agent M had been asking, for what seemed the hundredth time, to change his location in the Alphabet.
This took the Earl by surprise. He sat back in his seat and stared at the agent. “You’re not serious?”
“Unfortunately. He’s the most superstitious person I’ve ever met.”
“Superstitious?” Now Dorian was completely lost. He knew it wasn’t unusual for agents to have small superstitions. Like G, for instance, who liked certain jewelry if an assignment was unusually dangerous. “He’s superstitious about the letter M?”
“It’s the thirteenth letter of the alphabet,” N explained.
This was news to Dorian. “Is it?”
N nodded. “Thirteenth from the beginning.”
“You’re not superstitious, are you, Mr. N?”
“No, sir.”
“But Mr. M is?”
“Very. He wants to change letters and he doesn’t want to be partnered with me, because…
“Oh, don’t tell me. N is thirteenth from the end.”
When N nodded, Dorian had to fight not laugh. “Oh, the poor Major. As if having me torment him isn’t bad enough, he’s given an Alphabet with triskadekaphobia!”
N gave a small grunt, taking a gulp from his drink. “I think this is Personnel’s way of tormenting the Major for when he sent us all to Alaska.”
“Oh?”
N nodded, and Dorian had to fight not to laugh.
“How long before Mr. M is shipped off to Alas-?” Dorian broke off as, further up the street, he heard the unmistakable sound the Major’s voice in raised fury. He looked up to see the officer ranting at M, who was staring in horror at a black cat.
It was all Dorian could do to not fall from his chair laughing.
* * *
Note: For the record, I do not have this phobia. If I did, I would be screwed. Margaret Price contains 13 letters, I have two M's in my given name, and I was born on Friday the 13th. (Phobia list.)
FanFic100 prompt: 002 - Middles
Pyramid_Dares: Set 2, Level 5 - Torment
My Tables 'O Links -- Pyramid table, FanFic100 Table
Rating: G
Pairings: None
Notes: Triskadekaphobia - a morbid or unreasoning fear of the number 13.
Summary: Dorian gets some insight into the psyche of a new member of the Major’s Alphabet.
By: Margaret Price
Written: September 1, 2007
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Triskadekaphobia
Word count: 600
Stuck in the middle with you.
Dorian did not even have to see to know exactly who was upset when he heard the raised voice coming from around the corner. The Major was ranting to his subordinates who were sitting at a table in an outdoor café. He was already storming away when the Earl turned the corner, having vanished around another corner further up the street by the time Dorian was close enough to see the faces of the two men who had been on the receiving end of the officer’s ire. The Earl recognized Agent N, but the man with him was a stranger who was doubtless a new member to the Alphabet. Unlike N, he looked decidedly cowed.
“You gentlemen look as if you could use a drink,” the Earl said as he invited himself to join them.
Agent N sat bolt upright and turned to look in the direction the Major had taken.
“Oh, don’t you worry about the Major, he’s long gone, Mr. N,” Dorian said as he waved a hand for service. The server arrived and stood waiting. The Earl ordered something light to eat and a glass of wine, and then turned to the others.
M and N exchanged glances, shrugged, and ordered beer.
After the drinks arrived, Dorian waited for the men to consume most of theirs, and relax, before he finally said, “So, just what's the Major in such a lather about?”
Before the men could reply, Agent B came dashing over to retrieve Agent M. He gave N a breathless message to wait for C, gave the Earl a polite hello, and then vanished, the reluctant M in tow.
Dorian watched the pair dash off in the direction the Major had taken earlier. Then he turned his attention back to N. “Well, I guess that answers my question.”
Agent N shook his head. “It’s just a training exercise for M.” He went on to explain that the Major had gone ballistic because Agent M had been asking, for what seemed the hundredth time, to change his location in the Alphabet.
This took the Earl by surprise. He sat back in his seat and stared at the agent. “You’re not serious?”
“Unfortunately. He’s the most superstitious person I’ve ever met.”
“Superstitious?” Now Dorian was completely lost. He knew it wasn’t unusual for agents to have small superstitions. Like G, for instance, who liked certain jewelry if an assignment was unusually dangerous. “He’s superstitious about the letter M?”
“It’s the thirteenth letter of the alphabet,” N explained.
This was news to Dorian. “Is it?”
N nodded. “Thirteenth from the beginning.”
“You’re not superstitious, are you, Mr. N?”
“No, sir.”
“But Mr. M is?”
“Very. He wants to change letters and he doesn’t want to be partnered with me, because…
“Oh, don’t tell me. N is thirteenth from the end.”
When N nodded, Dorian had to fight not laugh. “Oh, the poor Major. As if having me torment him isn’t bad enough, he’s given an Alphabet with triskadekaphobia!”
N gave a small grunt, taking a gulp from his drink. “I think this is Personnel’s way of tormenting the Major for when he sent us all to Alaska.”
“Oh?”
N nodded, and Dorian had to fight not to laugh.
“How long before Mr. M is shipped off to Alas-?” Dorian broke off as, further up the street, he heard the unmistakable sound the Major’s voice in raised fury. He looked up to see the officer ranting at M, who was staring in horror at a black cat.
It was all Dorian could do to not fall from his chair laughing.
* * *
Note: For the record, I do not have this phobia. If I did, I would be screwed. Margaret Price contains 13 letters, I have two M's in my given name, and I was born on Friday the 13th. (Phobia list.)