Twisted Cogs | | Bayverse | | Book 2

🎃Halloween Special🎃 | | In This Town | |

"Trick or treat 'til the neighbours go and die of fright!"

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This chapter does not tie in with the rest of the book. You do not have to read it, though if you want to read about Toby's activities on Halloween, go right ahead.

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"Are you sure? This is going to feel really weird," Will holds a paintbrush in his fingers, a questioning expression on his face.

Toby nods firmly, determination sparkling in her eyes. "I've been slacking off these past two years. It's time to regain my title."

The engineer shrugs, proceeding with his movements. White paint smears across his friend's face, leaving an unnatural gleam in the wake of the brush. She snorts quietly as he paints her nose, struggling to resist the urge to sneeze at the strange sensation.

"I told you," he remarks, carefully detailing her cheeks.

She rolls her eyes, but remains still, not willing to risk ruining his hard work. At four in the morning, many would expect the duo to still be in bed, snuggled comfortably under their covers. But not today. For this is Halloween.

The pair have been planning this event for the past three months, and their scheming has brought confusion to a great number of soldiers. Only Robert Epps is truly on edge, mainly due to his previous experiences of spending the holiday with his niece. But his fear is completely rational.

"Mommy?" The young man pauses his work for a moment, sharing a look with Toby before turning to face the sparkling in the doorway.

"Aquarius, what are you doing up?" She crouches down, looking him in the optics with concern.

"Big noise," he whines softly, wobbling over to her and grabbing the black fabric of her dress in his little servos.

"The wind?" His mother questions him with a gentle tone. He shakes his helm.

"Big man."

She raises a brow at his answer, softly rubbing his backstruts. "What big man?"

"With clothes," he tries to explain, optics wide with fear.

"Is he hiding in the closet, Aquarius?" This earns her a small squeak of confirmation. She frowns at her son, catching a concerned look from Will. Akk's not known to lie.

"Akk," the youngster looks up at his uncle, "why is he in the closet?"

"Scare me," he mumbles before burying his faceplates back in his mother's dress.

Will places his paintbrush on the worktop, patting his friend's shoulder in reassurance. He mouths a 'I'll check' and disappears out the door with close to silent steps that echo quietly in the hallway.

"Are you sure he's there to scare you?" She gives her son a gentle look, raising his helm to see his fear. "Not all monsters exist to frighten people, you know."

"They don't?"

Toby chuckles softly, settling comfortably on the ground and sitting him on her lap. "No, dear. Most of them protect us from the really scary stuff."

"Did you have a monstwer?" His optics now twinkle with curiosity, his fear banished by his mother's story

"Yes, I did. He was a great big man, with two giant swords on his back," she smiles at his expression of wonder. "His eyes were white as snow, and his helmet spiked in three parts. There were many times that I sat in his hand when I was scared."