"The Witching Hour" for the Short Affair Challenge

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Challenge: The Short Affair.



-Prompt Word 1 - Midnight
-Prompt Word 2 – Boy
-Prompt Colour – Silver

Author: mrua7
Title: “The witching hour”
Word count: Approx. 890

Kuryakin looked at his wristwatch; it was nearing midnight, the ‘witching hour’ as Napoleon called it. Which was historically inaccurate.

The true witching hour, sometimes called the devil’s hour, was between three and four in the morning, and its origins went as far back as 1535 to when the Catholic Church banned activities during those hours due to concerns over witchcraft.

It was at this time that was no prayers were generally offered, and women caught outdoors during those hours were sometimes executed for witchcraft. Witch hunts, demonic activity, exorcisms, and rituals had all became part and parcel of this so called witching hour.

Having told his partner about his inaccurate use of the term, Napoleon proceeded to inform him that it was more of a colloquialism used to refer to any period in which something bad was likely to happen.

“Oh?” Illya was unaccustomed to being corrected as he was usually right. It did not however, take him long to rebut.

“I suppose every assignment we have ever had could fall under the auspices of such a colloquialism.”

“That’s an interesting point, tovarisch. Still a lot of spooky things happen during the witching hour."

“Psychological literature suggests that apparitional events, such as sensing a presence, are most common between the hours of two and four a.m., corresponding with a three a.m. peak in the amount of melatonin in the body. Melatonin as you know a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle…”

“Illya, haven’t you ever watched any horror movies? Just about any clock in them will tell you bad things happen during the witching hour.”

“Oh so if it in a television program or film, then it has to be true,” Kuryakin shot back.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just a common belief, whether its for the sake of creating a dramatic moment in entertainment or if it’s of the Catholic church, strange things happen during the witching hour. In Gospel tradition, Jesus died at three p.m., and because the devil likes to mock God, the inverse hour of three a.m. is considered the time the devil chooses to manifest himself in the world. “

“Napoleon, none of those notions are deeply rooted in Catholic tradition.”

“Since when do you know that much about Catholicism?”

“Reading. I learned quite a bit after researching for our roles as priests for The Vatican Affair.”**

“I don’t call watching the movies ‘Going my way’ and ‘The Bells of St. Mary’s’ accurate research.”**

“Very funny...speaking of apparitions,”Illya whispered,” our guest has arrived.”

The light of the full moon cast a sliver-like glow on the hair of the person for whom they were waiting. There wasn’t a clear image of him as the penumbra from the moonlight made for a rather a hazy image of the rest of the courier.

It was obvious that he was a towheaded THRUSH but seemingly no more than that.  It suddenly struck Napoleon as being rather ironic for him to be making a dead drop was in a cemetery in Woodside Queens.

He thought about making a pun, but opted for once not to annoy his partner.

They were well acquainted with this place but last time they were here, it wasn’t a good experience as they’d  been mugged, robbed and unceremoniously dumped in the cemetery. They lost their guns, UNCLE ID, money and their car.*

Napoleon concocted a story to cover up the embarrassing experience, and thankfully the Old Man bought it.

The courier moved into range and they moved quickly from behind the mausoleum where they were hiding and snatched the target before he even knew what had happened. 

To their surprise he was just a boy, at best around sixteen, Illya reckoned.

“THRUSH is back to recruiting them young,” Napoleon said as Illya hung on to the struggling boy.

“Let me go!” The kid snarled.

“Behave and we will let you live,” Illya replied. That shut the boy up quickly enough.

Debating over whether to bring him into headquarters for questioning or not, they finally decided it would be worthwhile, if anything to at least find out where he had been recruited.

Illya shot him with a sleep dart just to keep him quiet, and together the UNCLE agents dragged the boy between them.

“Let’s get out of here,” Napoleon said.” It’s nearly three and whether you believe in the witching hour or not, this place is giving me the creeps.”

The moon light was illuminating the many weather worn statues and monuments around them, the glow almost made them look as if they were coming to life.

“Agreed,”Illya said.”Apparitions or not, this is a place of the dead and should be left to them. I much prefer being in a land of the living.”

“Amen to that, partner.”

They disappeared into the night, to their car parked at a little known entrance to the cemetery. The Laurel Hill Boulevard gate was officially the main gate of Calvary Cemetery, but it wasn’t considered the popular entrance since it emptied onto one of the grittiest, nastiest and deserted sections of Queens at Review Avenue and Laurel Hill Boulevard, bordered by rail tracks used mostly for freight.

A perfect spot for spies like Solo and Kuryakin to come and go, as it were…

* ref. “A Little White Lie”

** ref. “The Vatican Affair”

Comments

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

I love a nice cemetery, but even I would be uncomfortable in one at that hour of the morning. You do seem to like sending our boys into one :-)

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

This particular cemeteries is, I believe, the oldest one in Queens NY. I think my grandparents and great grandparents are buried there (I could be wrong though- will have to ask my cousin) The oldest grave dates back to the 1700's, not old in comparison to European cemeteries. They seem like such a perfect place to have clandestine meetings and dead drops, (heh) but even more so this time of year.

And you're right, I do have either or both of them in cemeteries quite a lot of times. Come to think of it there must be close to a half dozen stories with that setting, or in the story. Mwaaa haaa haaa!

Thanks for the comment cuz.