celtica. | benny weir [discontinued]

s i x

VI. MOVIE NIGHT, PART ONE

Sunlight poured from Megan's open window, draping the room in yellow light as she pulled on her socks. The girl was too busy mulling over the plan to pay attention to the soon-to-be-setting sun outside.

The plan was relatively simple: stop Jesse and his group from murdering two hundred nineteen teenagers at the Dusk 3 screening. Her original idea was to carpool with Eliza to the theater, but seeing how Megan's last encounter with her turned out, it wasn't likely. Then, at school, she was informed of what was going to happen at the screening.

"Jesse's scheming something for the screening," Ethan had told her in the hallway during passing period.

She groaned in reply. "Of course he is. So what's going on?"

He explained the situation, Megan nodding solemnly a few times as he spoke. Ethan had to make it quick so he could get to his next class on time, but she got the gist of it. Apparently Jesse was trying to fulfill an ancient prophecy of sorts, and to do that he had to get a certain number of souls. Those souls happened to be ones of Duskers.

"Is there any way I can help?" she asked when he was finished.

He thought about her question. "Uh, I think Sarah and Benny will be meeting at my house later on to work something out with me. You can come over, too, if you'd like."

She had agreed, and they both went their separate ways.

Yet another fun event, ruined, Megan thought somberly, standing up to adjust her dress. She hated how her normal high school experience was being demolished. Now, she had to worry about lives being lost, not just testing and homework. Not to mention the strange things happening around her and plants lately. But that was something she had to worry about another time.

Her door creaked open and Megan turned to see Milo's head poking through the crack. She slipped on a gray jacket over her simple blue dress, finished lacing up her shoes, then went to pet him. Maybe she could watch a different movie during the weekend; an old horror movie, a cheesy teen romance, or even one of those 50's musicals her mom was always trying to get her to watch. There was a lot to pick from the dusty shelf in her living room.

"Mom, Dad! I'm heading out!" she called, rubbing Milo's soft, furry back.

"Already?" her dad bellowed from down the hall. There was a thudding of footsteps, then he appeared at her door, carrying a laundry basket full of clothes.

"There's been a change of plans, I'm heading over to a friend's house, we're going from there."

"Oh, okay," he said, "but what happened with Eliza? I thought she was taking you."

Megan grimaced. "Yeah, she... had to cancel. Didn't tell me why," she fibbed.

"Hm. Well, have fun." If her parents weren't as lenient as they were, pulling something like that would be considerably more difficult.

She smiled sweetly. "Bye, Dad. I sure will." It was difficult to lie to her parents. She knew they really trusted her, and if she were to ever break that trust, Megan had no idea how'd they react, or how she'd deal. Heading for the front door, she pushed that thought away. She could worry about that later.

✦

It turned out the Morgans didn't have much in the vampire-killing weapons department. All Sarah, Ethan, Benny, and Megan could scrounge up was some wooden stakes from the picket fence lining Ethan's house, holy water filled squirt guns, and some Nerf guns with bullets containing pencils. It wasn't ideal, but it was all they could manage.

Somewhere on the spacious front lawn, Ethan and Benny had set up a silly-looking dummy for practicing on made like a scarecrow. It was even adorned with a few of Ethan's own garments. And for a little more difficulty, two stacks of hay were set up for obstacles. The amount of work the boys put into was entirely unnecessary, but endearing nonetheless.

They passed most of their time preparing everything, and then trained with the practice dummy until it was time to leave. All of them gathered in the kitchen to say goodbye to Jane and Benny's grandmother, who was to watch over her after they left, which the little girl wasn't too happy about.

   "Hey, Jane?" said Ethan. "We'll be back soon, okay?"

   "If we don't get sucked dry," Benny said nonchalantly.

   "What?" yelped Jane.

   "Nothing," Sarah interjected sharply, "Benny's just hoping he doesn't cry during the movie because he's such a wuss."

   Megan laughed lightly as Benny put on a faux smile. "Nice. Anyway, see you, grandma!"

    Benny's grandma entered the kitchen, saying hastily, "Oh, wait, I have something for you boys." She sifted through a bundle of gold fabric on the the dining table.

    "Oh, no, grandma, we really gotta go. Uh, I already ate, I don't think we need any — decorative knives."

   The old woman held up two sharp blades with golden hilts that were engraved with countless strange symbols.

   "If you're gonna be battling the bloodsuckers, you're gonna need these."

   "Woah!" Ethan exclaimed.

   "Wh-where'd you — where'd you get those?" Benny asked, mystified.

   "Spend almost a century in this town, you pick up a few things. Oh! And this—" she brought out an old leather bound book "—now, I've bookmarked a few spells for you, but be careful. They don't always do what you want them to when you haven't practiced."

"A-are you a witch?" Jane

"Oh, goodness no, not a witch, honey. I'm an earth priestess, very different. And much more fun." The old woman waved her hand over one of Jane's completed drawings, one of a cartoony rabbit. Everyone gasped in astonishment as the artwork started to perform a little dance, accompanied by a tune it was humming,

"Benny's... grandma... rocks!"

Benny's look of shock would've been much funnier if it hadn't been mirrored by Megan as well."So — you're — uh — how?"

"Well, I didn't want to tell you before you were ready. I thought it might freak you out. But there's a reason you're drawn to the unexplained. You have the makings of a first-rate spellmaster. And Ethan here, he's a Seer. That's his path."

"I'm the spellmaster!"

"Wait, what? A Seer?

"Well, you get visions, don't you? They're supposed to start around puberty."

"Grandma!" Benny said, clearly disturbed.

"Oh, fine. Here, take my keys. And remember: evil is always at a disadvantage. The earth is good. You're fighting on the right side. And if you scratch my car I'll turn you into a toad!"

✦

hey, it's me, back from the dead. i'm sorry i haven't had much motivation to write this story, i kind of just became disinterested in it. i might update from time to time, but if there's anyone out there who likes this fic: i wouldn't get your hopes up. i don't want to tell my excuses, because i doubt anyone would care, but yeah. that's all.

—lynn, who last updated this like, what? literally four months ago? that's crazy.