The One That Got Away || Benny Weir

40

Reagan playfully rolls her eyes before looking at Jane. "You got them, right? I have to watch the actual kids."

Jane chuckles as she fake salutes. "Got it."

The teenager smiles before walking up the stairs.

*

"Kill the queen, destroy the hive," Ethan orders Benny and Rory. The three boys were huddled around by the tv as Reagan watched from Ethan's bed. 

"But it's more fun shooting Rory!" Benny smirks.

"Not for Rory!" Rory argues.

"Should we check on the kids?" Ethan asks. Benny shrugs before yelling, "Hey, creep brothers! If you're okay, say nothing!" There was a moment of silence and Benny continues, "Yeah, they're fine."

The three teenage boys continued playing the video game for a while, and Reagan was starting to fall asleep. "Rory! Snacks!" Benny tells him. "I'm on it!" Rory speeds downstairs, coming back in two seconds.

Reagan looks over at him and she furrowed her eyebrows. He was holding two bags of chips and a red ring was drawn around his face. "Guys, those boys ain't right."

Ethan and Benny paused the game and Reagan got up from the bed to follow them down the stairs. All the walls were a dozen papers taped to the wall, multiple red doors drawn. "Which one's the evil one?" Rory questions, wanting to know which twin painted his face.

Ethan slowly went up to one of the twins. He places his hand on their shoulder, gasping as he received a vision. "Val Mudrap is coming." The twins and Jane said together. "They said who now?"

"We've got a problem," Ethan says. The sound of the front door opening caused Benny to squeak, "Your mom's home."

Mrs. Morgan pushes the three aside as she stared at the red door painting in shock. No words came out of her mouth as her mouth dropped. Reagan, Benny, and Rory glanced at each other before the two vampires ran out of there.

*

"Your mom was so busy yelling, she didn't even notice Sarah gone or Jane acting weird," Benny says to Ethan as the two and Reagan walk through the school halls. 

"I'll tell you what's weird: my vision had snack food in it," Ethan tells them.

"Dude, I have visions of food all the time. Pizza, milkshakes, pizza-flavored milkshakes." Benny smiles. 

"Every time I searched Val Mudrap, my computer froze on that picture of a red door," Ethan says. He looks behind Reagan and Benny, seeing a bunch of students exiting the school. "Why is everyone leaving?"

"Hello there, kids." Principal Hicks greets. "Classes are canceled. All the teaching staff appears to have left."

"Left? Left where exactly?" Reagan asks.

"No idea. They just got up and took off. Not even a word of thank-you for the donuts I got them." Hicks holds up the donut and takes a bite of it. Suddenly, his expression went blank as he stared into nothing. "Time to go."

He walks off and out of the school, leaving the three confused. "Did you just see that?" Ethan asks. "Do you know what this means?"

"Yes! Of course! Sort of... nope. Just tell me what it means." Benny sighs. "It must be the donuts. They're making all the adults leave town and turning the kids into droneos. I wonder what it does to teenagers."

"I don't wanna know!" Benny exclaims, grabbing his bag. He pulls out boxes of donuts before throwing them into the hallway.

"Why did you buy--" Reagan began.

"A moment of weakness, all right?" He defends.

Reagan laughs before spotting her two friends. "Hey, guys." As result, Erica replies with a hiss and bares her fangs. "Okay?"

"Sorry. She's so hungry she can't control her fangs and I'm so hungry I can't control her!" Sarah explains before looking at Reagan. "How are you not low on blood?"

"Because I'm not." Reagan shrugs. "My body is like a temple. I can have just a sip of blood, and I'm fine."

That wasn't the truth. Reagan has been low on blood for days but since people have been leaving, she hasn't been able to restock. She's just been good at hiding her hunger. 

Another hiss comes from Erica. 

"We need real food and this town is running on empty." Sarah continues. 

"So? Just fly over to the next town and get some takeout." Benny says. "The Vampire Council says hunting outside of Whitechapel can cause a turf war." 

"Can't you just take a small nibble of a student--" Ethan begins but was cut off by Erica.

"Teenagers are full of junk food and hormones. Do you have any idea what that can do to your skin?" She angrily walks away and Sarah follows her. "Whatever's happening, un-happen it!"

"Okay, we need to go home and come up with a plan," Ethan tells them.

Benny's eyes widen in excitement. "Wait! No adults? I have been dreaming of this moment my whole life. We can do anything we want!"

A low rumble came from Reagan's stomach that was unheard of from the boys. "I uh-- I actually have to catch up with the girls." 

As she runs off, the two teenagers look at each other. "Girls." 

*

The three female vampires walked around the empty town. Reagan was explaining to them about her secret blood problem.

"If it's that serious, why don't you tell the boys? You have a geek boyfriend who also does magic. I'm pretty sure he could help." Erica suggests.

Reagan sighs. "It's not just that. Benny's been super protective ever since I had that magic incident. I don't need him worrying about my blood problem." 

In the distance, the three hear grunts and yelling. When they got closer, they realized it was Benny and Ethan.

Getting beat up by little kids.

Erica pulls out her phone and starts videotaping as Sarah and Reagan laugh. "Wave to the camera, guys! You're gonna be internet stars!"

"Sarah, Reagan! Help! This is serious!" Ethan yells. 

"In a sec!" Sarah shouts.

"We're enjoying you getting your butt kicked by ankle-biters." Reagan laughs.

"Ow! They're biting my ankles!"

"Okay, this is serious." Sarah finally said before helping the boys. Erica and Reagan sigh before going over to help.

The three vampires eventually got all of the kids off of them and they started walking home. "I think there's a tooth in my shoe," Benny says.

"The kid had braces." Ethan groans, throwing the brackets onto the ground. 

"Maybe I have some Moleos left in my bag." As Benny rummaged through his bag, he didn't expect his girlfriend to flash her fangs at him and hiss. 

From beside her, Erica hisses. "Don't talk about eating!" She collapsed to the ground. 

Benny was still shocked that Reagan hissed at him that he didn't get to react when Sarah grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Your grandma's blood substitute. I know it tastes like shoes, but does she have any left?"

"Grandma is long gone. She has a pack-a-day habit in Moleo season." Benny tells her. "Last time I touched her stuff she put a shrunken head in my lunch. That guy wouldn't shut up."

Sarah hisses at him. 

"What is up with you vampires hissing at me?!" Benny saw the look from the three very known hungry vampires. "I mean... let's go!"

"That alpha brat is hoarding every kid in town. Now Jane's home all alone." Ethan says.

"We can't fight anyone when we're this weak. You get Jane. We'll get food." Sarah tells Ethan and he nods. 

Reagan walks over to Erica and helps her off the ground before the four walked to Benny's house.