by Penultima » Thu Oct 27, 2022 8:15 am
Username: Penultima
Partner: Southern sweetie
Name: Capsaicin Succor // "Capsy"
Name Meaning:
"Capsaicin" is an active component of plants in the Chili Pepper family. It's a bit of a double-edged sword, being a chemical irritant that produces a burning sensation when touched, but also being a primary ingredient in many pain-killers, such as topical creams and patches. People don't really know why it relieves pain, but some believe that it reduces the skin’s sensitivity to pain by effecting the nociceptor fibers (nerves that carry pain signals). "Succor" is a word that means "something that you do or give for someone who is suffering or in a difficult situation".
Gender: Male
Prompt:
It was going to be the best haunted house in town. Capsy and Hemlock spent all week planning it meticulously; the decor, the route, the theme; it would be the biggest talk in the town for the rest of the year! Capsy began collecting the necessary decorations right away; cute sheet ghosts that said "boo!", smiling jack-o-laterns from the kindly neighborhood porches, carpets of fluffy fake spiderwebs stretched out along the walls. Collies would show up at the front door, and he and Hemlock would take turns running through the house and giving them all a big jump as they hopped out from behind boxes and walls. Everyone was going to have a great time, he could already hear the laughs and excitement ringing in his ears!
However, Capsy was stopped dead in his tracks when he arrived at the house. A pit of fear jolted in his stomach. A zombie was climbing out of the ground in the front yard; grotesque, angry, and it left Capsy shaking! He looked up at the doorway; a large stone-colored sign that read "BEWARE! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!" in dark, drippy red lettering hung crooked above the door, surrounded by spooky ghouls and skeletal faces. Hemlock trotted out from around the corner of the house, humming casually while painting dark claw marks along the outer walls.
"What are you doing?!" Capsy asked, aghast.
"Decorating, dummy!"
Hemlock was being way too nonchalant for ruining the haunted house decorations. This was supposed to be a fun haunted house experience for everyone, why were they making it so dark and creepy?! Capsy shook his head. Maybe it would all still work out? It was too late to change anything, the guests would be here in less than an hour.
The whole experience was a disaster. Collies came from all around town; but the outside decorations scared away some of their friends because they got freaked out by how spooky they were. Those that stayed excitedly went inside, expecting a scary time and eager to show off to their buddies how brave they were, but were sorely disappointed when all they got were cute sheet ghosts, carved pumpkins and some not-so-spooky jump-scare attempts by Capsy and Hemlock. The two hosts argued about the miscommunicated haunted house plans, but there was no winning and both walked away upset and embarrassed at their failed Halloween event.
Over the past few days after the disaster, Capsy has moped and just overall been very down about the whole affair. Was it his fault, that the plans were so badly messed up? Could he have fixed things in the hour before the event? Can he still fix things with his old friend? He doesn’t know what to say; Hemlock seemed so angry. For now, he’ll just have to keep busying himself with distractions and things to numb the emotional pain until he figures out how to right things with his dear pal.
(491 words)
