Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: Zorlond
Title: Grand Ted
Part: Chapter 1
Summary: A 13-year-old boy named Ted has just moved to a new house, and
discovers a magical surprise in the basement.  Let the temptations begin.
Keywords: no sex

   Chapter 1 - First Days are Always Rough.

   ----

   Gravel crunched under the tires of the beige four-door sedan as it came
up the driveway.  With a hiss of skittering stones, it braked to a halt,
and the doors popped open to allow four bodies to exit.  Four sets of eyes
turned up at the building before them for a time.  Then the eldest turned
to the others and called out, in forced cheer, "Well, kids, welcome to your
new home!"

   "Not sure that's what I would call it, mom." The girl frowned, blue eyes
trying to look more worldly and mature than their natural sixteen years
would indicate.  Heavy mascara and black lipstick played peek-a-boo below
overhanging bangs dyed an unnatural shade of dark red.  Hands with black
fingernails slammed her door shut as she shouldered her backpack, starting
to take a resigned step forward when she pulled back to avoid hitting a
pink blur that zipped in front of her.

   "Wow!" the pink blur called out.  "Mom, is this where Abraham Lincoln
was born?" Curly blonde hair settled around her shoulders, pink ruffled
shirt over blue jeans fluffing out as the little girl began spinning in
place, arms held out like plane wings.  But, almost immediately, green eyes
latched onto a nearby distraction.  "Cool!  This place has a swing!"
Immediately the nine year old girl ran off towards the new bit of shiny
that had caught her attention, an old oak tree with an equally old-looking
rope swing hanging from one limb.

   "No, this isn't where Abraham Lincoln was born," their mother patiently
replied.  She sighed and put a hand to her dark-blonde hair absentmindedly.
"It just looks like a log house.  It's all modern inside, honest.  Indoor
plumbing and everything."

   "Yipee," came the sarcastic response.

   Their mother looked at the dark girl, "Now, Amber, you haven't even been
inside yet..."

   Amber scowled.  "Fine, I'll go inside and then declare it a run-down
shack in the middle of the woods.  And I keep telling you, it's 'Absinthe'
now, mom."

   Her mother, Carol, frowned at Amber.  "There's no way I'm calling you
that, little lady.  I'll call you what I named you on the day you were born
and that's that." She chose to ignore Amber's rolling eyes and instead
called out to the younger girl, now swinging happily under the tree. 
"Tiffany!  Come back here and help with the unpacking.  You can play with
the swing afterward."

   "Okay," Tiffany called back, giving a mighty heave before dismounting in
mid-air, neatly landing on her feet and turning it into a quick jog back to
the car.  Carol choked down her mother's instinct to berate the girl for
such a daring move, and mentally reminded herself that it's a good thing
that Tiffany was so active and lively.  Hopefully some of it would rub off
on Amber...  Carol turned to the last member of their little group.  "Why
so quiet, Ted?  Don't worry, it really is quite nice inside."

   Ted's mouth twitched.  He hadn't meant to be so still.  "Yeah, it looks
okay, mom." What he didn't add was that it was easy to see why Amber and
Tiffany made their impressions on the new house.  It did really look rather
like a run-down log cabin out in the middle of the woods.  But he guessed
it was the best that mom could do, given the circumstances.  If he closed
his eyes, he could still hear the yelling matches between his mom and
dad... Ted shook off the approaching funk, walking towards the back of the
sedan with his family to grab a suitcase out of the trunk.  As each of them
took similar burdens, Ted led the way up the porch steps and to the front
door.

   "One second," Carol muttered as she set her bag down and started digging
through her purse, eventually coming up with a set of keys.  Muttering a
mantra that sounded distinctly like 'garage door, back door, front door...'
Carol eventually picked one key from the bunch and tried it in the lock. 
It fit, and turned, and Carol made a dramatic sweep of the door, declaring,
"Haroldson Family, welcome to your new home!" As she finished her dramatic
entrance, she reached for the light switch on the wall and gave it a big
flick...

   Four pairs of eyes took in the interior of the house, still dark and
covered in shadows.  A bit of cobweb drifted down from the rafters overhead
to lazily snag on the antler of a ratty and tacky stuffed deer head over
the dingy fireplace.  Sunlight managed to push past the dirty window drapes
to partially light the sofa and chairs sitting in front of a TV with rabbit
ears, all draped in white sheets.  A nearby stairwell promised more gloom
and dust upstairs.  The place smelled like it hadn't been occupied in
years.

   Amber took one look around, and, over the loud clicks of the light
switch as Carol tried flicking it repeatedly without success, declared,
"Okay, I'm inside now, and it's still a run-down shack in the middle of the
woods.  I'll be in the car." She turned to go.

   "Fine," Carol firmly said, catching Amber's attention, "Since you're
going back anyways, you can continue bringing our stuff inside.  And you go
help, Tiffany, you can go play once all our stuff is in here." Amber's
protest, whether it was for being stuck lugging luggage or being stuck with
her little sister, was cut off by the jubilant cries of Tiffany as she
dashed out the door.  Seeing no real alternative, Amber trudged back to the
car to start unloading it.  Carol turned back to the dingy interior.  "I
know the power bill has been paid.  They probably turned off the circuit
breaker and just didn't turn it back on.  Think you're up for hunting for
it?" Carol looked pointedly at Ted.

   Ted smirked half-heartedly.  "I'm thirteen, mom, not five.  It won't be
that hard."

   Carol playfully tousled his short brown hair.  "There's a good boy.  Got
to look out for your sisters, after all." She looked around in the gloom
briefly.  "It's probably inside, somewhere.  While you're looking, I'll see
if I can find some candles or something..."

   So decided, they split up, Carol pushing through a two-way door to a
room that looked vaguely kitchen-like, and Ted started wandering around. 
Through a musty dining room, he found a door which, when opened, revealed a
set of stairs leading downward.  Calling out to the house in general, Ted
said, "Found a basement, mom!" before heading downwards.  As gloomy as the
first floor was, it was practically bright sunshine compared to the dark of
the basement.  Brushing cobwebs out of his face, Ted made it to the bottom
of the crude stairs alright, and stood there in the limited well of light
that the open door above provided.

   Shapes loomed in the darkness, and silently Ted was glad he was never
really scared of the dark as a kid.  Tiffany would never come down here,
though.  She still needed a nightlight sometimes.  Ted shelved the thoughts
of his little sister for the time being, and tried to hazard guesses as to
what barely-seen shapes really were.  "Furnace, maybe..?  Water heater...
Shelves?" His mutter ended as he thought he noticed some shelving just past
what looked like a structural column.  Carefully moving forward, hands out
for any surprise furniture, Ted managed to hesitantly make it to the
shelves, barely lit by a grubby miniature window high up on one wall. 
"Hey, this is good." Ted reached for a particular shape on the shelves,
what had actually caught his eye from the stairs.  It was a large
flashlight, the kind that ran off those big cube-shaped batteries. 
Noticing it's weight, Ted hoped that the battery inside still had some
juice left in it, as he fumbled for the switch and finally managed to turn
it on.

   A brief glimmer came out of the flashlight's bulb, which quickly faded.
But a firm shake caused the light to return.  Sort of, anyways.  Ted looked
right at the lit end and frowned.  The lens was utterly caked with dirt and
dust and who knows how many years of dank neglect in a dark basement out in
the woods.  Almost nothing made it past the murky lens, and certainly not
enough to help him search the basement.  Taking a firm grip on the
flashlight, Ted started rubbing at the lens, trying to get through the
grime...

   Ted's hand was shaking.  Was he pressing too hard?  Wait a second, his
hand wasn't shaking, the flashlight was vibrating!  Taking hold of it was
two hands, Ted just stared as his hands buzzed, the flashlight rattling as
it's light started strobing brightly, actually shining through the muck on
the lens and the little spot Ted had managed to rub clear.  He turned it
away, unable to take the bright light to his face, trying to hold on as the
flashlight shook itself.  The light started turning colors, pink, blue,
orange, finally settling on bright green, flickering faster now as
something half-seen moved in the dark shadows.  Ted gritted his teeth,
fighting the urge to just drop the demented thing in his hands and run back
to the car, finally having to close his eyes to concentrate on his numb
hands...

   It stopped.  Ted carefully peeked one eye open.  The flashlight wasn't
shaking anymore.  It's light, a plain and sterile light blue, was steady.
Carefully looking at the lens, the spot he'd rubbed clear was still there,
with the caked dirt smudged around it.  Ted glanced around the basement. 
Had he imagined it?  It was hard to argue with the tingling in his hands as
feeling slowly returned to them.  But why the heck did it happen at all? 
Ted slowly flexed one hand, and, almost timidly, gave the lens a single
rub.

   Nothing happened.

   After a few seconds, Ted looked at the lens again, and gave it a few
more rubs.  As nothing continued to happen, he decided he just didn't want
to ask what had happened and go back to what he was supposed to be doing.
Looking for the circuit breakers.  Shining the light around the bit of
basement in front of him briefly, Ted turned around to resume the hunt...

   Bright green almond eyes.  Button nose.  Over lush, dark lips curled in
a happy smile.  All in a heart-shaped face who's skin was a vivid shade of
bright green.  "Well, hello there," she said, eyes twinkling.

   Ted yelled and dropped the flashlight.

   *****

   This is a work of fiction, if that wasn't clear enough.  Nothing I write
about has ever or will ever occour in reality.  Any resemblence characters
may have to real people is entirely coincidental and unintentional.  And I
can not and will not condone real sexual activity involving minors.

   I do however, condone positive feedback, and encourage it.  :)

   If you feel like sending me some feedback, you can reach me at zorlond
AT yahoo DOT com.