A Not-So-Average Day at FOCUS

We Don't Belong pt. 2

   "What's the matter, Piper? Scared?" Derrik asked as he made gargly noises. His hollow eyes stared directly at Rose. Every other student beside him, O'Reilly, Maddy, and Makai cowered in terror in the corners of the small cafeteria.

   "Not even close. Disgusted is the word I'd use. It sounds like you're gargling water," Rose responded.

   "Go, bestie!" Makai cheered as he stood beside him. "I gotchu." Rose watched as Maddy and O'Reilly stood beside him as well. They looked at him and nodded.

   "Oh, how cute. The geek squad is together!" Derrik laughed. Rose frowned and swam forward.

   "Derrik, there's three of us and only one of you," he stated.

   "Correction! Make that two of us," Brandon butted in as he flew over to Derrik in bat form. Then in a puff of smoke, he became a Vampire with his arms crossed.

   "Oh, no wonder I called you an energy Vampire," Rose hummed. That earned him a low growl from Brandon. Suddenly, a fireball hit the wall beside Derrik. Rose looked over at Maddy, who had a guilty expression.

   "Whoops, itchy trigger finger," she chuckled nervously as she held up her index finger. Smoke was coming off of it.

   "Ugh, enough stalling!" Derrik shouted as he lunged at Rose, who let out a small yelp. The Cryptid pinned his wrists to the carpeted floor.

   "I've got your six, Rose!" O'Reilly exclaimed as she magically summoned a bow and arrow. She aimed it at Derrik's fur body. But right before she fired, Brandon tackled her to the ground and bit her wrist. She let out a scream of pain.

   "O'Reilly!" Rose shouted as he struggled to free himself. All of a sudden, his eyes started glowing bright opalescent.

   "What the—?!" Derrik said as he barely loosened his grip. A loud fweeee! sound filled the air, and Rose glared at the Cryptid. "Oh, shit..." he mumbled, before being blasted backwards by the eye beam.

   He flew through the air and hit a wall with a loud thud! He didn't get up. Brandon, Makai, and Maddy just stared dumbfounded. I got up and rubbed my wrists. My eyes faded back to their normal pine.

   I then rushed over to O'Reilly, who was having a hard time breathing. Her veins were bulging and fading to black.

   "How do I help her?" I asked as I looked around the room. "How do I help her?!" I loudly repeated myself. Everyone looked at Brandon, who just scoffed and folded his arms over his chest as if this situation wasn't dire.

   "Mr. Davidson knows," was all he said as he turned into a bat and flew away. Makai walked up to me.

   "I can carry her. We need to hurry," he said as he lifted O'Reilly and heaved her over his shoulder.

   "Why aren't any teachers in here?" Maddy asked. Nobody seemed to pay her any mind, so she just shrugged and followed us out of the room.