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randomfoggytiger · 12 days

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The Scully Family In-Depth (Part XVI): Crouching Cancer, Hidden Motives

The official, canonical introduction of one Bill Scully is at Maggie Scully's family dinner in Gethsemane: freshly off the plane, entertaining and prodding, tongue held (temporarily) behind his teeth. On the heels of Scully's metastasized diagnosis, he is determined to get her to open up so the family can share her remaining days, weeks, maybe months as a unit.

Scully, however, has yet to accept her death (though she pretends to do so to Mulder and herself); and, therefore, doesn't want to address let alone admit to her diagnosis.

GETHSEMANE, THE DINNER BEFORE DEATH

The scene opens on the prepared dinner table, a hired service woman leaving the room just as the camera pans over to Maggie lighting the candles herself. Maggie cannot leave someone else to serve her guests or prepare her table in her own home, hiring on (or accepting someone else’s offer to hire) a helper merely to have another hand on deck.

It’s a quiet moment to herself, alone in the dining room; and she lowers her guard, appearing somber and contemplative as Dana’s voice floats into the room. Once finished, she follows it back to the front room where her daughter is engaged in conversation with another woman.

Scully is fondly telling a childhood story about her and Bill’s antics, recounting a moment she bested her older brother: “grabbing him by the knees, and then sending him falling backwards and tumbling over me and down the stairs.” It establishes her close relationship with Bill, despite a few rough patches in their past; and that she can (and did) always hold her own against him (which will be relevant later.)

Maggie walks in, smiling at her; then gives a beaming, hostess grin to Scully's companion.

Scully asks after her brother with a smile-- “Speaking of Bill, is he coming?”-- right as the front door pops open and Bill arrives with a charismatic grin.

Maggie rushes over delightedly to give him a warm, welcoming hug while Scully looks over with shocked surprise that shifts into pleasant surprise.

Maggie and Bill loudly and enthusiastically greet each other, he with more poise and she with less reserve. As they pull apart, Bill immediately looks around for his sister while Maggie’s eyes remain on his face.

“Hello, Dana!” he greets cheerfully.

Scully gravitates to him, happily swinging her arms over while he compliments her (“Look at you”) and scoops her into a hug. “Look at you, my big brother!”

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Bill begins, turning to their audience, “my ship was stuck in traffic.” He’s upbeat and confident in his delivery-- used to playing to crowds and secure in their reception of his overtures.

They laugh at his little joke and the charisma and exuberance he used to help pull it off.

Scully, too, chuckles-- an exaggerated one that points to their long history and easy rapport-- amused that he’d tried to amuse (and succeeded.)

Bill, pleased by everyone’s response (even Dana’s), drops his entertainer’s mask and smiles genuinely. Then he immediately switches to the next important item on his list: “Did you get my birthday card?”

“Yes, I did,” Scully pokes, mild annoyance in her tone, “thanks for remembering this year.”

Scully is unaware Maggie told him about her cancer; and knowing his awareness and her lack thereof, the birthday card becomes a twofold morbid sign: one she thinks must be orchestrated by her mom (and that is true, but in a different way) and one which is really caused by Bill’s utter conviction that she’s doomed to die, and soon.

“Once a decade,” he jokes, getting a real smile from his sister that time.

From this short, first interaction, we can conclude a few things:

Bill and Scully are close, in their own way.

That closeness doesn’t mean he will send her yearly birthday cards, nor will she expect them.

That closeness also doesn’t mean she will share her cancer diagnosis, even if it’s terminal.

Scully doesn’t see how hurtful her reticence is to the family, viewing her cancer as hers and not wanting their pity or sympathy. Her family do pity and sympathize, but they also feel rejected, cut out, and less valued because of her distance.

Not only did it hurt Maggie to be told as a necessity in Memento Mori, it also hurts her to shoulder the burden of her daughter’s decline and sentence of death alone. Being Maggie, she told her son, who sent a birthday card and worked a family reunion into his schedule (despite, as we later learn, having a pregnant wife back in California.) However, he-- like his mother-- is not a great secret keeper; and blabs a few scenes later when he thinks his sister’s behavior has gone out of control.

Father McCue shows up then-- a surprise to Scully, whose face drops, watching his and her mother’s interactions with suspicion.

His arrival prompts Bill to ask a more pointed, softened question-- “How are you feeling, Dana?”-- which she avoids immediately with a quick “I’m fine-- let’s get some dinner, huh?”

Bill smoothly follows her lead (“Yeah, I’m starving”), happy for some normalcy but also guiding her-- with a hand on her shoulder, which Scully doesn’t flinch from or mind-- swiftly out of the room. He likely doesn’t want his very ill sister to be hungry a moment longer than necessary. But he lets his hand drop the second Scully turns to spare a last glance at Maggie, not overstaying his welcome if she chooses to break contact with him.

It’s very telling of their dynamic: warm and touchy, close with odd periods of little communication, comfort and consideration in and of each other’s spaces, backing away when the other won’t open up emotionally (for now.)

Maggie is still chatting with Father McCue; and Scully pivots back around, disturbed by the obvious setup on her mother’s part.

FATHER TAKES HIS MCCUE FROM MAGGIE

Maggie continues hosting during the meal-- pouring for her guests-- while Bill continues entertaining-- making the room laugh with a funny anecdote. Scully, loosened up fully, laughs heartily along with the group.

An interesting note: Bill looks at everyone’s faces to gauge their level of interest. It’s a consistent pattern of behavior: he’s very clued into others’ reactions to himself and his presentation. A presentable appearance, pleasing manners, and correct behavior seem to be ingrained by Captain Scully (and Maggie, perhaps) into both his duty-minded children.

Seeing his mother amused but still hard at work, he offers to help her out, despite coming freshly from the plane or the airport or his motel for the party.

After he leaves, Scully sits quietly, fondly reviewing the past few minutes, a pleasant memory, or an adjacent, family-related thought.

When Father McCue slides in after he leaves, she’s taken a bit off guard-- feeling awkward only after he tries to reassure “I feel awkward sitting here, I’m sure you do, too.”

“No, I’m sorry,” she begins; but Father McCue rushes on.

“I’ve known your family for so many years… your mother asked me to come.”

Scully is not pleased at this confirmation, looking over at Maggie.

This is what Scully didn’t want, and why she put off telling her mother as long as possible: not because her mother is second or last place on her priority as Maggie assumes (post here) but because the more people “in the know”, the more outsourcing or advice or opinions she will receive on her choices or preferences.

She stares at her mother, then looks down-- a silent but understood sign of her disappointment.

Maggie’s face falls, knowing Dana all too well; and turns back to busywork with a smile, equally guilty and resolute. She doesn’t want to make her daughter’s life harder, seeing Father McCue’s encouragement as a medicine for the soul; but she took a gamble and lost this round.

Scully turns down Father McCue’s “important, and essential” offer to guide her back to the faith: “Father McCue, I appreciate my mother’s concern... and yours. But I’m being treated for my cancer--” Scully doesn’t mince words, knowing Maggie must have spilled the beans to some degree, “-- and I’m taking every precaution.”

It’s incredibly important to note that Scully said “But I’m being treated for my cancer”, not “the doctors have done their best, and I’m prepared to go on my terms”-- because Bill diagnoses her correctly in a later scene: Scully does believe she can cure herself. Deep down, she hasn’t given up yet, as much as she tries to talk herself (and Mulder) into accepting her “fate”; and it’s why she rushes about in Redux to manufacture proof (hope) and suffer a breakdown after her resignation crumbles in Redux II (hopelessness.)

Father McCue pushes once more, arguing for her return to religion and to God. “Faith can make you stronger.”

Pursing her lips-- annoyed that her boundaries are still being pushed, yet understanding it’s coming from a place of deep concern-- she gently explains. “I haven’t felt a need, um….” Scully pauses to check the crack in her voice. “I have strength. And--”

A phone goes off in the kitchen-- Mulder-- that Bill answers before slowly making his way to tell Scully.

In the meantime, she continues: “ And I’m not going to come running back now. It’s just not who I am-- I’d be lying to myself and to you.”

A LOT IS ON THE LINE

“Dana?” Bill cuts in.

Bill displays the first signs of distemper that haunt his steps the rest of the series: his face is thoroughly unimpressed, his gestures are clipped, and his voice is short-- meaning, he knows who is on the line, and is not happy about it.

How much does Bill know about Fox Mulder? Enough to know he’s Dana’s work partner; and that work should not intrude during Scully family hours.

It’s unlikely he knows a lot about Mulder-- in fact, his knowledge seems very recent, referring to him as “this guy Mulder” in a later scene. Bill begins to piece together the bigger picture when Dana adamantly stands by her decision to get “knocked down at work”, transitioning his questions from her job priorities to her personal loyalties. And as we will learn, Bill doesn’t think Mulder returns that loyalty to Scully-- in fact, he thinks Mulder considers Scully as part of “the job”, (politely) warning him against whatever work project he believes Mulder is bringing to her deathbed in Redux II… then pulling out a tactical strike when he believes Mulder refuses to take the hint.

Scully is stressed to have to end her conversation with Father McCue so abruptly, awkwardly giving her excuses to the priest before trailing into the kitchen.

Bill remains in the doorway, waiting for her to join before handing over the phone and ducking back to the counter-- very well-trained, proper behavior.

“Hey, Scully, it’s me-- sorry to interrupt your dinner,” Mulder says over the line, not sorry at all.

“No, uh, is something the matter?”

As her partner explains his hot new tip he wants her to come over, now, to investigate, her brother glowers from the counter, contempt pouring from his eyes. Mr. Mulder has already made a bad impression on Bill, it would seem. Moreover, what he’s heard from Maggie-- or what he’s assumed from what Maggie’s told him-- has taken a distrustful shape based on their brief exchange over the phone. One can only assume what little was said-- and how.

“When?” Scully asks; and at Mulder’s “Right away” she looks over at Bill, unsure how to tell him she’s about to leave.

He doesn’t need her excuses: Bill knows these types of calls-- has probably had dozens over the course of his career-- and already seems to think Dana will leave before she’s answered yes or no. Meaning, Scully now has a reputation in her family (even in their absence) of putting work as her first priority. And who would pass that impression around? The woman recently put second to chasing a lead-- the Scully matriarch.

Still, he doesn’t say a word, walking out disapprovingly-- yet without bothering to cajole or talk her out of her decision.

Scully flinches as he passes: disapproval in any form is still hard for her to handle, coming from her late father, her angry mother, and now her disappointed brother. It’s not outright rejection; but the two are easy for her to conflate. She sighs, then packs her vulnerabilities away and tells Mulder “I’m on my way.”

A hurried escape into work, it is.

CONCLUSION

We have only a familial glance at the returned Bill Scully, Jr.: one who is actively engaged with his family, his mother's guests, and even his sister. He anticipates Dana's actions, responses, and their unspoken meanings with uncanny correctness-- an attribute that will come into play pivotally in their next scene.

Moreover, the Scully family seem close despite the distance; the truth, however, is buried between the layers of half-truths and secrets they keep from one another: Scully's declining health, Maggie' motives, and Bill's knowledge.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

#txf #The Scully Family In-Depth #In-Depth #xf meta #Crouching Cancer Hidden Motives #meta #mine #Scully #Bill Scully Jr.#Maggie Scully #Mulder #Father McCue #xfiles #x-files #the x files

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tidustargaryen · 4 years

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Happy Halloween Month !!

Good evening to all my followers ! (French time zone) October always pushes me to look for scary stories to freak me out. I wanted to offer you some stories that I appreciate. Terrifying stories to help you fall asleep tonight ... Forget the fairy tales, they lived happily and had lots of children... Prefer true stories. For resolution and readability concerns, I couldn’t put the text on my edits below, tumblr gave a really ugly resolution and you wouldn’t have managed to read it. The stories are not mine, I will put the links to the videos I watched but they are in French, I only did the translations. If you like it, I will post a story every day or every other day, depending on my availability. I'm sorry for the mistakes, there will surely be plenty, I did what I could ^^ The first story is adapted into a movie, if you are interested, the name is: The haunting in Connecticut .

If you are also interested, I think of a horror story with Daenerys and the Targ family. Don’t hesitate to ask me. I am very motivated but only if it interests people.

This story is part of the Warren files.

Thanks to all my followers 🔥🐉 Long may she reign !

Story below, don’t be afraid...

It's 1987, the Snedeker family is touched by a terrible tragedy, one of their son is suffering from cancer. They decide to move to Connecticut, they find this house : The Hallahan House. And without even visiting, they decide to buy it. Upon arriving in front of the house for the first time, Carmen has an anxiety attack, she refuses to enter. Her husband enters the house then comes back looking for her, he asks her to come in a very mysterious way. She then decides to enter and follows him with fear in her stomach.What she discovers will surely have made you move immediately... I will, for sure..

Above each door, there are crosses, as if to prevent evil spirits from entering. There is a strange smell, but more importantly, an embalming room in the basement. They understand that this house was actually a funeral home. The house is equipped with a coffin elevator and they even find old pictures of it. This house doesn't have a good karma.

Unfortunately, they can't go back on their purchase decision, they put all their money into buying this house and the treatment for their son is very expensive. So the father installs all the furniture and then returns to New York for his work, leaving his wife and children behind.

The nightmare is about to begin...

Just before the father leaves, they decide to hide the embalming room behind a heavy bookcase, making sure the children don't know about it. They are installed in the basement for their sleep without having any idea what this house used to be like.

Then the problems begin.

One night, while she was doing the dishes, Carmen sees a silhouette appear and jumps, her sick son, Philip, whispers to her that they must leave this house immediately and never come back because he heard someone calling him. He adds that there is something evil here.

Carmen decides not to say anything, not wanting to upset her son, already exhausted by his cancer.

Soon the children discover the room hidden behind the library and decide to explore the place. What they discover there is just horrible.

In the room, there is a small gate leading to a dark tunnel. They crouch down and decide to crawl through it. They discover strange stains on the walls, dark, slimy...

Blood...

They scream to death and leave the tunnel to go warn their mother. She gets angry and doesn't go to check the room, not taking them seriously.

She should have listened to her children...

At the same time, some crosses, the ones hanging above the doors, are beginning to disappear. Carmen thinks that her children are making fun of her, but will quickly understand that they have nothing to do with this...

One evening, Philip tells her that he sees ghosts and hears voices whispering in his ears. Still in denial, she thinks that his treatment is causing him hallucinations, side effects that make him think he sees and hears things that are actually unreal. Once again, she doesn't believe him.

One night, Philip wakes up one of his brothers and shows him a spot in the room, telling him there are four men sitting in the corner. The two children then claim to have seen two hooded figures walking around the room and then turning suddenly towards them.

Again, their mother doesn't believe it.

The crosses continue to disappear again and despite this, she still doesn't believe it.

Philip suddenly decides to move into the embalming room without giving any explanation. His behavior had changed, he had been quieter, strange, for several months.

Carmen then decides to invite her children's cousins to spend a few days together.

While she was helping with the housework, one of the cousins found a small black notebook hidden under Philip's mattress. The boy seems to be writing in it regularly. Without thinking, she shows the notebook to her aunt. Carmen is horrified by what she discovers in it.

The texts she reads talk about death, murders and other horrible things. But her son can't have written this on his own because he's dyslexic. But the words used are complex and very well written. A language that her son cannot know.

She then asks her son for an explanation and he replies that the man helped him write it...

But this is not the worst. Madly worried, she then discovers scars all over her son's body, signs of witchcraft, pentagrams, and other strange mystical representations. Once again, she asks him for explanations :

"An entity asks me to do this..."

This time Carmen is afraid. And things are getting worse...

One of the two cousins argues with Philip and he pushes her against the wall with an impressive force. But Philip is sick, and his treatment weakens him, he can’t do this...

Carmen becomes more and more worried as the girl explains that she is increasingly harassed in this house. She explains that the blanket of her bed is pulled and thrown on the floor while she sleeps, she also feels that someone is pulling on her bra strap sometimes.

Carmen suspects her son and thinks he’s going crazy. She decides to have him interned.

The poor boy is taken to the nearest psychiatric hospital and locked in a room under a straitjacket. And as his mother is about to leave the room, he says :

"Now that I'm gone, they're going to come after you... "

Carmen's fear intensifies when she discovers that it's now her niece who is going crazy. The girl screams at night, claiming that someone is approaching her bed.

But this time, Carmen sees a hand under her niece's pajamas. She can clearly see the bones of the hand moving up the girl's body. Panic grips both women.

They quickly go to the living room but an icy cold invaded the room and a smell of death took over the place.

Both of them feel the presence of an entity around them. So, they begin to pray.

The girl feels something touching her neck. She discovers that her rosary floats between her and her aunt. For a few minutes, it floats... and suddenly... it explodes...

The beads of the rosary end up all scattered on the ground, leaving the two women terrorized by fear, unable to move. And then, for several minutes, nothing more happens. Carmen then decides to take a shower to relax.

Have you seen the movie 'Psycho'?

…

After a few seconds underwater, the shower curtain is held tightly against her, wrapping around her, preventing her from breathing. She screams so loudly that her niece is alerted. She arrives quickly to help her aunt. And without her intervention, Carmen would probably have choked to death.

The girl inspects the room but sees no one.

Carmen then decides to call the Warrens, a couple who investigate paranormal cases.

When they arrive home, Carmen explains to them everything she, her children and nieces have witnessed since they arrived. She also recounts seeing two men, very powerful according to her. One of them was thin, with long black hair and eyes. The other has white hair and bright white eyes. Both wear striped suits.

They discover that the funeral home is still in operation...

It took the Warrens almost two months to 'clean' the house’. During this time, they are violently attacked by ghosts.

The investigation, dating from 1988, reveals that the employees of this funeral home practiced necromancy in the basement of the house, thus attracting the spirits that haunted the Snedekers.

The family then left the place a year later and never returned.

Don't play with death... and most importantly, if you buy a house, visit it before.

A true story.

On Youtube in French.

#happy hallowen month #the haunting in connecticut #trick or story #warren files #a story for bed...#paranormal #horror story #true story #haunted house #necromancy #ghosts #my edits #halloween party is not mine i just edit it #got on a free png site #tell me if you want more #happy halloween

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