Zap! (M. Clifford/5SOS)

Chapter 40: Waste the Night

Monica's P.O.V.

After taking a shower, having a late dinner, and finally being able to relax, Michael comes over and relays to us that his parents are okay. With that good news, my parents leave us alone and we take over the living room, not sure what to watch on TV. The cable is down so we can't watch anything on there, but Netflix still works so we decide to boot that up. You'd think with magic and everything that we could figure out the cable, but that's a very complicated structure and I don't think even the technological Galaxies know what to do about that. On the bright side, we still have running water, electricity, and Internet (all thanks to those techies). These are the moments I'm super glad we're Galaxies.

"What movie?" Michael asks, aiming the remote at the TV and scrolling through our selections.

"Honestly, I don't even know if I can make it through a movie tonight, but I really want to watch something to get my mind off of the storm, which, now that I think about it, is kind of impossible," I explain while looking at him sitting next to me.

"We could watch random stuff on YouTube. Those videos aren't as long as a movie," he suggests.

"Sure. Just don't yell at me if I fall asleep," I reply.

He chuckles and logs off Netflix, pulling up YouTube instead. I lie out on the couch and stretch my feet across Michael's lap.

"Why?" he sighs, peering down at my feet and then making eye contact with me.

"Why not?" I smile and he shakes his head as he glances back to the TV, finally choosing something and letting it play.

Twenty minutes and three not-so-funny videos later, I'm really starting to get tired to the point where I can't keep my eyes open. What's worse is that no matter what position I lie in, I can't get comfortable on the couch and the image of my bed looks so good right now.

Sitting up, I say, "I'm sorry, Mikey, but I can't do this. I'm so exhausted and this couch is not comfortable for some reason."

"Don't apologize. You can't control that," he shrugs.

"Yeah but I really want my bed," I respond with a small smile. "Are you okay with being out here alone?"

"Oh, ok. Well, it'll be a little weird but it's fine. Go get some sleep," Michael speaks. I give him a quick hug before we exchange "goodnight"'s and I head upstairs to my room, immediately flopping on my bed the minute I walk in. I don't even pull back the covers or turn on my light; I'm out within a second of being on my bed.

.

I'm outside. More specifically, I'm standing in the spot I was in for the mission. Looking up at the sky, the familiar storm clouds are hurdling towards me while the wind and rain whip around me. Everything is all set and we're ready to go. I take out my wand and get into the position that we've practiced a hundred times, the steady voices of the scientists ringing in my earpiece. The wall cloud is coming closer and closer, and finally the scientists give us the go.

I recite the spell with as much force as I can emit, but nothing comes out of my wand. Huh? I try it again and still nothing. What the hell is going on? I've done this so many times!

"Dr. Jones! Dr. Burnett! My spell isn't working!" I shout into the earpiece. I'm panicking like crazy and my heart is beating so fast. I don't know what to do. I'm not sure why my magic isn't functioning right, but if only one person doesn't contribute, the mission will still go on and everything will be fine. Right?

No one answers my cries so I try again. "Dr. Jones! Dr. Bur—"

"Abort! Abort!" Dr. Burnett shrieks in the earpiece. "Abort mission! Nothing is working and we've lost power! Get to safety, fast!"