Slater | Nick Goode

Blood Runs Slow and Thick

(1994)

   
The doorbell rang for the hundredth time that night. Ellie quickly rushed to the door, grabbing the bowl of candy from the side table. She opened the door, greeted by three kids wearing costumes. A fairy, a pumpkin and a skeleton.
    "Trick or treat!"
    "Happy Halloween, guys," Ellie cheered as she gave each of them a handful of candy, "stay safe."  
     The kids began walking away and Ellie began to close the door until a foot caught it. Ziggy came rushing in muttering a small, "move, infants."
     "Ziggy, those kids were like, nine," Ellie scolded after she had closed the door, "you can't pick fights with nine year olds."
     Ziggy set her purse on Ellie's counter and turned back to her, "I envy how unbothered you are by children."
     "Unbothered? Zig, they're just trick-or-treating."
     "Woah, new hair due."
     Ellie smiled at the sudden change of conversation and combed her hair out of her face, "it's just a wig. It's for my costume."
     "Shouldn't you be wearing your costume?"
     "This is it!" Ellie defended, gesturing down to her outfit. It was a black tank top, black jeans and a red belt. Her wig was red-ish auburn-ish and her face was completed with bright red lipstick and black eyeliner.
     "Who the fuck are you supposed to be?"
     "What- I'm Natasha Romanoff!"
     "The political candidate?"
     "The superhero. From the comics? The Black Widow..."
     "You dressed up as a comic book character?"
     "Oh, fuck off, you're not even wearing a costume."
     "I don't participate in childish things."
     "Says the girl who's about to go to a Halloween bash."
     Ellie heard the door open, and a "Ellie!" came from the living room.
     "We're in the kitchen!" Ellie called back. Ziggy's jaw dropped half-way, and she shot Ellie a glance.
     "Well if it isn't Nick Goode," she whispered, "walking into your house without knocking."
     "Hush it, Christine," Ellie warned, jokingly.
      Nick walked into the kitchen, holding a paper bag that was supposed to be filled with candy and props for the Halloween Bash in town.
      "You look lovely," he said, giving Ellie a quick kiss on the cheek before setting the bags down on the counter.
      "Can you tell who she is?" Ziggy asked him, and he looked her up and down, observing her outfit.
      "That's your costume?" Ellie nodded, "are you... Axel Rose?"
      Ellie scoffed, "Axel Rose doesn't even dress like this! I'm the Black Widow!"
      "You're a spider?"
      "I'm- you know what? You guys are hopelessly uncultured. What the hell are you supposed to be? A zombie?"
      "Obviously,"he joked, craning his neck down and biting Ellie's neck, "I've come to eat your brains."
      She laughed and pushed him away lightly, stepping over to the counter and opening the bags and taking out the candy he bought.
      Ziggy was rummaging through the cupboard, "you can buy all this candy for these kids you don't even know, but you don't even have food?"
      "I have priorities," Ellie defended, grabbing the plastic cauldron in the corner of the room.
      "Jackpot!" Ziggy called, grabbing the nearly empty red wine bottle in the very back of the cupboard.
      A smirk smeared across Ellie's face, reminiscently glancing over at Nick, who had the same expression.
     "You can have the rest, but public intoxication is a crime. So, if you flash anyone because of the alcohol, I'll have to arrest you on sight," Ellie looked up and smiled, "okay?"
     "You hate fun."
     "Yes, but I love you, and what kind of friend would I be if I let you moon the mayor tonight?" Ellie joked, putting the plastic bags in another bag in the pantry.
     The doorbell rang again, and Ellie picked up the cauldron and headed over to the door. Martin stood with a goofy smile, "Trick or treat, Ms. Slater."
     "That's a lovely costume, Martin. Are you a fairy?" Ellie laughed, stepping aside and allowing him to step inside. He didn't have a costume, he just wore a hat in the shape of a pumpkin.
     "Well, I was going for Jason Vorhees, but fairy works too."
     "Look who's finally here," Ziggy greeted, "took you long enough."
     He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek, putting an arm around her waist. Ellie looked over to Nick, who was already looking at her with an open smile. He wiggled his eyebrows, making Ellie silently laugh.
     "Sup, Sheriff. Digging the costume."
     Ellie walked over to Ziggy, "well if it isn't Martin Franklin... greeting you like you've been married for a decade."
     "Shut it, Estella."
     "Ms. Slater, are you supposed to be Axel Rose?" Martin asked from his place next to Nick. Ellie frowned, looking at Nick, then back to Martin.
     "Did he put you up to that?"