Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Do This One Easy Hack to Avoid Vampire Attacks

March 6

Utgard-Loki's expulsion was the hot topic for about a week. By the time the Blood Drive rolled around (two weeks after the gun incident), people were discussing prom (which was in late April), finals, and the fact that Loki had been videotaped sitting on a whoopee cushion. I couldn't forget the incident so easily, though, and neither could the school authorities.

There were now metal detectors that we had to walk through to get into the building. Then, there was the fact that all sorts of innocuous things — hoodies, backpacks, even purses — were now banned. "You may leave them in your locker, but you can not take them to class," Odin had told us.

This meant we now had to stop by our lockers in between classes to get the right notebooks, folders, binders, and textbooks. Teachers were stricter about giving out hall passes than ever. Soon a rumor began buzzing around that the hall passes were bugged. "They can track you with it and it records your voice," I heard a junior tell a gaggle of their peers between classes.

"Honestly," Sam had said, "Odin doesn't need to bug the hall passes. He has the cameras."

Perhaps it was because of the tightening security, but it seemed like everyone who could donate blood had signed up. I was eighteen, so I didn't need my mother's permission, but there were many sixteen and seventeen years olds in the gym on the day of the Blood Drive. We were getting out of second block for it and I met some of my friends downstairs.

There was a long line of people waiting to get checked in and I joined it with my friends. "Ready to be a hero?" Halfborn asked us.

"Yeah, I reckon my blood is very valuable," Jack said.

"I'm A Positive," Halfborn said, thrusting out his chest.

"I'm O Negative," Mallory retorted, "which is better since that makes me a universal donor."

"I just hope they let me donate blood," I said, cutting them off.

"Why wouldn't they?" TJ asked.

Halfborn looked between Alex and me, smirking. "As long as he was a girl then."

"Halfborn!" I said, blushing madly. "No, we haven't done anything like that and besides, I was speaking about iron levels. What if they find out I'm anemic or something?"

     Hearthstone, who had been following our whole conversation through the signs Blitzen and I made, pulled out a bottle of iron supplements. He signed rapidly: my brother died in the hospital after a beast accident. He lost a lot of blood . . . This always feels like a way of honoring him.

    My throat swelled up with emotion. Hearthstone could have resented his younger brother, who his parents idolized, but instead he loved him. I signed back: you're so pure. Sam rolled her eyes and patted Hearthstone's shoulder. I've lost a loved one too, she signed; it's the most painful thing in the world.

    For a long moment, they were in their own universes: tangled memories spun of joy and pain. I stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt them. At this point, the line has moved forward and we were near the table. Mothi, who was right in front of us, exclaimed to one of the volunteers, "And why do you want to know if I was in Germany during the Mad Cow Epidemic? Do I look like I was old enough? What do you think I am: some eternally youthful vampire? I assure you that I am not."

    We all exchanged amused looks and Alex had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing. The volunteer who was dealing with Mothi just smiled and replied, "It's standard procedure and we don't think you're a vampire. They don't often give blood. They're more likely to work at blood banks."

    Mothi, who had just finished filling out his survey, gave it to the volunteer and quickly ran to join his brother in the next line. The volunteer chuckled and called for the next person to come forward. Once we'd all been cleared by the initial survey, we were placed in line to have our vitals checked before donating blood.

    There was music playing in the gym and I heard "Vampires Will Never Hurt You" in the stereo. "Do you reckon the volunteer was being truthful?" Jack asked. "Do vampires work at blood banks?"

     "I think she was pulling Mothi's leg," Sam replied, "but if I were a vampire, yes, I'd work at a blood bank."

"I'd rather just have fresh blood," Alex said.

We all looked at my girlfriend as if she'd announced she was an immortal being who was thousands of years old and liked drinking human blood. "Are you sure you're not a vampire?" I asked.

Alex laughed. "If I was a vampire, I would certainly not be spending my time in high school!"

"Good point," Mallory said. "Who would want to be here if they could avoid it?"

The line gradually shortened as the nurses did their jobs and sent the blood donors across the gym where there were more nurses each manning a station. When it was my turn, the nurse checked my pulse first and then my blood pressure before pricking my finger to check my iron level. "All good," the nurse said. "Go to station A4."

I did as she said and sat down in an uncomfortable chair. The phlebotomist was skilled and distracted me with a story of how they'd once gotten lost in a closet. Apparently, it was a very big walk-in one. After my blood was drawn, a volunteer came to spot me as I walked to the last station where other volunteers were handing out free snacks and drinks. "It's important to rehydrate and eat after donating blood," one of them told me as they gave me a bag of pita chips and a bottle of water.

    I sat down with my friends, feeling dizzy. I wasn't sure if it was caused by the loss of blood or the thrill of helping others. "No more vampires today," Jack said as he flopped down beside us (his phlebotomist had accidentally spilled his first blood giving, meaning he'd lost twice as much as the rest of us). "I've had enough in the 1.7 decades I've been on earth. If I see another, I'm suing whoever decided my fate."

      We laughed. "Don't worry," Alex said. "Donating blood is the best thing you can do to avoid a vampire attack."

    She patted him on the back, but he didn't look reassured.