A Pre-Halloween Scare

A Pre-Halloween Scare is a story by PrinceBalto.

## Premise

On the night before Halloween, Nick and Judy decide to have a little fun at their apartment and watch an episode of the Zootopian TV series Lost Tapes, a mockumentary series that has fictionalized video of Zootopians being attacked and sometimes killed by cryptids. This series is inspired by a real show of the same name that had the same premise, but mine is a little different: It is the same length, thirty minutes, but you see more of the creature. Also, unlike the real show, it is fairly popular. I have chosen to use a self-created Zootopian version of the Indonesian creature, reported from Indonesia's island of Flores, known as the Ebu Gogo, which, in the real world is small and human-like. My Zootopian version is similar, though more primate-like than human-like. As the story says, "Ebu Gogo" means "Granny Glutton". This is set the day before The Halloween Party.

## Story

It was the night before Halloween in Zootopia. Nick and Judy were in their apartment, ready for a night of spooky shows on TV. As young adults, spooky programs no longer scared them to the point of having nightmares. Judy wore her purple nightgown, while Nick wore his green shorts and a green sleeveless shirt. He smiled at Judy.

"All right, Cottontail, if you get scared, I will hold you close," he said playfully.

Judy smiled.

"Nick, I am a young adult and an ex-police officer. I don't get scared of silly shows like that anymore, but you can still hold me if you want," she said flirtatiously.

Nick nodded.

"This night keeps getting better and better," he said.

The show they were about to watch was called Lost Tapes, and it was an thirty minute-long mockumentary show depicting supposedly found "footage" of Zootopians wandering into the territory of and being attacked and sometimes killed by mysterious creatures called cryptids, which were creatures whose existence was unverified. It was a relatively popular show, enough to keep new episodes on the air. Nick looked at the digital TV clock in their apartment's living room. It read 7:50. He smiled.

"All right, fluff, ten minute countdown," he said.

Nick swiftly turned on the TV and turned out the lights. He sat with Judy on the couch, and the two embraced. The ten minutes passed as they talked about the impending show. Finally, the clock hit 7:59 and the previous show ended. An instant later, Lost Tapes began. It gave its "Viewer Discretion Advised" warning, as the show was not really suitable for children, and officially began with its title sequence.

"Here we go," Nick said, holding Judy close.

Judy was secretly glad that Nick was here with her. Tonight's episode delt with a hairy, savage creature that had been sighted in the depths of what was now the Rainforest District, the Ebu Gogo, a word in the language of the now-extinct ancient mammal culture which had once inhabited the Rainforest District that loosely translated as "Granny Glutton". The beasts were described as three to four feet tall, very hairy and possessing sharp fangs. They were said to steal fish and crops. The story had been around what was now Zootopia for centuries, long before the city even existed, with sightings of the beasts as recent as just one year before the savage crisis. The show moved forward, the plot of tonight's episode centering around three friends, a wolf, a Spotted hyena and a panda, going beyond the limits of the city within the Rainforest District.

"They're so dumb," Nick said with a snicker.

Judy nodded.

"Agreed," she said in reply.

The show progressed. Soon, the characters were relatively far from the city. As they continued on their trek, they would hear strange calls and screams. They would ask what it was and the camera would look around. On that pass, you saw a small, non-Zootopian figure in a tree. It was the program's first glimpse of the Ebu Gogo. Along the way, the show showed short clips of experts explaining the creature and showing the evidence and the sightings before cutting back to the main story.

"This is the best episode so far," Judy said.

Nick nodded.

"I agree. So, are you scared yet?" he asked jokingly.

Judy sighed.

"Nick, I said I am not afraid of silly shows like this," she said, half-smiling.

Suddenly, there was a loud scream and the Ebu Gogo popped up in full view of the camera to attack the travelers, spooking Judy.

"Aahh!" she shouted.

Nick laughed.

"An ex-police officer who isn't scared of silly shows like this," he said.

Judy smiled.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that," she replied.

The show was getting close to it's finale. The sun in the Rainforest District was going down. Nick knew that it was coming, the major attack on the travelers. The travelers reached an old stone structure. Then it happened. There was more than one Ebu Gogo, and they attacked without warning, startling Nick as they jumped up on screen. Judy smiled.

"Ah, now it happened to you," she said with a sly smile.

Nick smiled back.

"Sly bunny," he said.

Judy nodded.

"Handsome fox," she answered.

The show ended with all three characters dead, killed by the Ebu Gogo. The finale explained that their footage was somehow found, and an investigation was launched. Their bodies were found cut up and eaten. Nick and Judy loved the program, in spite of their scares.

"Judy, if you want, I will hold you tonight," Nick said.

Judy accepted.

"I'm not scared, but I accept," she said.

They watched other, less scary TV shows until bed time, and, then, cleaned up and got in bed. Nick looked into his beautiful bunny wife's big, beautiful purple eyes.

"Sleep tight, don't let the Ebu Gogo bite," he said.

Judy laughed.

"Oh you sly fox..." she said.

With that, they fell asleep in each other's arms.