Monster High: Season of the Witch

15. Jackson's Troubles

"What do you call a group of people called to testify at a witch trial?" Orion asked.

"Enlighten me," Beatrix said.

"Witchnesses."

Beatrix tossed a crumpled napkin at Orion.

"Hey, stop drawing attention. And enough with the terrible jokes," Johannah sighed.

Ever since they'd left the 1600s section of the history museum, Orion had been cracking witch jokes left and right.

Now the MSS group was sitting in a Downtown New Salem restaurant with the hope that the restaurant's dim-lighting would obscure their monster-traits.

The group members who had trouble appearing like normies were Orion, Mr. Gore, and Grey.

Orion tucked his werewolf ears beneath a beanie, Mr. Gore wore a face mask over his troll features, and Grey put up his hood and kept on a pair of sunglasses to hide his pitch-black eyes.

Beatrix enjoyed walking around New Salem. She and the other MSS members had grown closer, as well.

Beatrix had learned that Guillermo wasn't half bad when the topic of vampirism was avoided, and that beneath Orion's snarky surface was an earnest wolf who wanted the respect of his pack. She'd also discovered that Jackson had a passion for mad science.

However, Jackson had been on edge the entire day. He'd worn his noise-canceling headphones throughout the museum walk-through and still hadn't taken them off.

Beatrix snuck a glance at Grey. His black hood and towering height made him stand out in the restaurant. He truly looked like the son of the Grim Reaper.

Grey sat at the far end of their table and was deep in a discussion with Johannah about how the museum had omitted Abraham Lincoln's vampire-hunting days.

Grey and Johannah get along well, Beatrix thought. Is it because they're both MSS leaders, or is there something more between them?

A small part of Beatrix hoped it wasn't the latter.

Grey looked past Johannah towards a wall of windows near the restaurant's entrance. His dark sunglasses slipped down the bridge of his nose, revealing equally dark eyes. He watched the windows on high alert.

Beatrix tilted her head to determine what he was looking at. Dusk had settled over the city and street lights illuminated passing cars. Beatrix didn't see anything unusual.

When she tilted her head back, Grey's eyes sunk into hers. He gave Beatrix a sly smile, aware she'd been observing him.

Beatrix averted her gaze and looked to Jackson for a distraction.

However, Jackson was pressing his headphones against his ears as tightly as he could, his knuckles turning white.

"What's wrong?" Beatrix asked, but to no avail. Jackson couldn't hear her with the headphones on. He wouldn't even look at her. Instead, he kept his head lowered.

Nearby, a violinist was making her rounds for patrons' entertainment, getting closer to them as she played.

Jackson grew more and more tense.

As soon as a waiter finally arrived and started taking everyone's orders, Jackson blurted out, "I have to use the restroom!" and dashed to the back of the restaurant.

The waiter stood there, perplexed, so Johannah took over and ordered on Jackson's behalf.

Once the waiter left, Johannah huffed, "I thought I told you guys to lay low. I'm going to check on Jackson before we attract unwanted attention. Grey, make sure nobody moves."

"I have to leave," Grey declared out of nowhere.

Johannah was dumbfounded. "What?"

"I'll meet you back on campus. You and Mr. Gore need to take the group back to school as soon as you're done eating," Grey said, rising from his chair and putting on his leather jacket.

"But, Grey, you already ordered some food. Can't you just wait and drive back with us?" Mr. Gore asked.

"No. I have something to do. Don't wait up. Go straight back to campus. Call me if anything arises," Grey said. Beatrix expected Mr. Gore to object—since he was the only adult—but the teacher remained quiet.

Beatrix couldn't tell if Grey had special privileges to do whatever he wanted or if everyone else was too scared to challenge him.

As Grey moved to the door, he looked back out the restaurant windows again. This time, his attention was narrowed in on an unlit alleyway across the street.

The restaurant door slammed shut behind him and Grey disappeared between the dark buildings.

That was when Beatrix remembered that Jackson was still in the bathroom.

While everyone was preoccupied with Grey's abrupt departure, Beatrix slipped away and retraced Jackson's steps, walking to the back of the restaurant.

"Jackson?" Beatrix inquired, knocking at the men's door. "You okay in there?"

She only heard the sound of rushing water inside.

Jackson had looked queasy earlier and Beatrix was worried he'd gotten an upset stomach.

Suddenly, Beatrix heard a thud. She swung open the door, expecting to find Jackson on the floor.

Instead, she found a boy with brilliant blue skin and fiery red hair standing in the center of the room.

"Have you seen a guy wearing glasses and a yellow t-shirt by chance?" Beatrix asked the blue boy, not fully comprehending what she'd walked in on.

Beatrix then noticed that he was wearing the same outfit Jackson had worn. A pair of headphones had been carelessly tossed in the restroom sink, which was now overflowing with water.

Next to the sink, a pair of glasses were crushed on the countertop.

Jackson's glasses.

"Hey! That's my friend's stuff!" Beatrix scolded.

"You mean my stuff," the blue boy said.

Beatrix's blood ran cold. Clearly she was dealing with some sort of thief. And the fact that Jackson was nowhere to be seen didn't bode well for her.

Beatrix slowly stepped back, hoping to retreat. But the blue boy saw what she was up to.

A crazed smile stretched across his face and he quickly put himself between her and the door. His expression was uncanny.

Beatrix came to her senses and remembered humans weren't usually blue.

She was dealing with an unknown monster in the middle of Downtown New Salem.