"There's no running in the halls, no yelling, no gum chewing. Apart from that, there's only one rule." Principal Wood lead their small army into Sunnydale High School through the front doors, speaking to them as if lecturing a class on a field trip. He came to an abrupt halt, turning to address his audience face-to-face. "If they move, kill them."
"Okay, potentials," Buffy continued from there, "in the basement. Follow Faith and Spike."
Faith, Spike, and Hel headed towards the basement door under Buffy's orders, the large pack of Potentials in tow.
"If you have to go to the bathroom, it's to your left." Xander instructed matter-of-factly. "If you don't have to go to the bathroom, picture what you're about to face. Better to go now."
"Willow, my office is straight through there." The Principal directed her, pointing to a door off the main hallway.
"It's right over the seal." Buffy added.
Kennedy took Willow's bag of essentials off her hands. "I'll start getting you set up."
"Thanks." Willow acknowledged gratefully.
"Okay, civilians." Principal Wood began. "The vampires get upstairs, we have three areas they could get through to another building and then down into the sewers." He aimed a finger to each area of interest in turn: straight down the end of the hallway ahead of them, a branch of corridor to their left, then a hall on their right. "Down the hall in the atrium, the north hall here, and the primary target, through the lounge straight to the science building. Now odds are, most of them will head there."
"Teams of two then." Giles advised. "I suggest you and I take the lounge."
"I concur." Robin agreed, leaving the group to take up his post at the aforementioned lounge.
"Xander, I want you with Dawn." Directed Buffy.
Xander nodded. "I concur."
"We'll check out the atrium." Dawn contributed.
"So that leaves me and the dungeon master in the north hall?" Inquired Anya.
"We will defend it with our very lives." Andrew declared with typical dramatic flair.
"Yes, we will defend it with his very life." Anya quipped.
"And don't be afraid to use him as a human shield." Xander suggested to her, half-joking.
Anya nodded, not picking up on the sarcasm in his tone as per usual. "Good, yes, thanks."
"I just want to say how proud I am to die for this very special cause with you guys." Andrew dug a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolding it. "There's some, um—there's people I'd like to thank, both good and evil. Um, a shout out to my brother Tucker, who gave me the inspiration to summon demons and also—"
"Nobody cares, you little monkey." Anya interrupted, leading him away.
"I'm gonna check out our field of engagement." Dawn announced decisively, starting off down the hall and in the opposite direction of Anya and Andrew.
Buffy followed after her. "Dawn..."
Dawn faced her, resolute. "No. Anything you say is gonna sound like good-bye." After a short pause, she spun around and strode briskly away.
Buffy approached the small gathering that remained, joining Willow, Xander and Giles. Heavy silence befell them as they stared at one another, none of them knowing what to say.
"So, what do you guys want to do tomorrow?" Buffy blurted, breaking the ice.
"Nothing strenuous." Willow replied with candid nonchalance.
YOU ARE READING
Gods And Monsters
Fanfiction"Everyone else I've met here is dull as a table lamp. Not that I blame them, of course. It's in their nature. They're just too... Human." "What am I then?" He inquired, his eyes searching hers intently. She smiled. "You're a riddle. I like riddles...
