When The Stars Align | A Ben Pincus x Reader Fanfiction

23. A Shock To The System

Double the menace

[Y/N POV]

Yaz puts a hand on Sammy's shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got punched in the stomach by a porcupine. So, you know, better."

We all smile.

Darius looks up at the sky, which isn't pouring buckets anymore. "Let's all get to the boat while there's a break in the storm."

"What about the Scorpious Rex?"

"We have to risk it. We might not get another chance."

Kenji picks up the water. Darius collects the walkie-talkies.

Brooklyn grabs the canned fruits. She sees a carob one and secretly throws it away.

"It was the right call." Darius says flatly.

Sammy hugs Yaz, but starts to slip.

"Uh Sammy?"

"Sorry. Having a bit of trouble staying up."

Kenji walks up to them and helps Sammy. "And if you ever need a cow again, you know where to find me."

Caleb approaches me. "Uh... Where's Ben?"

My head snaps up and I search the perimeter.

What?

"Ben?" Kenji looks through some bushes.

"Ben!" Brooklyn looks around

"Bumpy ran off because of the storm. Ben's probably going after her."

I know it's not just that. "I'm going after him."

"Dude!"

"Anyone else see the irony?"

"Fine. Let's go." Caleb agrees.

"The sooner we get Ben, the sooner we get out of here."

"We can't risk all of us," I say. "The Scorpious is still out there. I'm going alone. Get to the boat. If Ben and I aren't there by sunrise, then you know what that means. And you leave without us."

"What?!"

"Dude!"

"No way!"

I gasp. "Shh. Over there."

Distracted, they look at nothing.

I slip away from them and into the thick foliage.

"Ben?" I repeatedly call out. "Ben? Ben! Ben!"

I scale a tree. The greenery's too thick to see anything, so I hop back on to the ground.

(ground rumbles)

I gasp and take a step backwards.

[Caleb POV]

"Stupid Y/N thinking we're gonna stupid leave without her on that stupid boat." Kenji kicks a rock.

"Don't worry. They both have major FOMO [fear of missing out]. They'll make it there by sunrise." Brooklyn says

"But will we?" Darius asks.

We reach a clearing with broken wood.

"Everything's been smashed, knocked down, or trampled." Kenji sighs. "Stupid Scorpious messing up that stupid path to the stupid boat."

"It's okay. We just have to turn left at the bush that had the berries. Which was... Maybe that one?"

Sammy sighs on a rock. "I better sit. That Scorpious is gonna find us before we find the boat."