Chapter 12 -
Anchor

Benny's POV

The scavenge for the coffee was ridiculous. We made a quick pit stop to grab pig brains from the bio lab and hurried back to the staff room. The plan was simple; throw the brain, grab the coffee, and home free.

It went well, at first. Ethan threw the jar and then hurried for the coffee, but one of our teachers had cornered him. He dropped the sample and suddenly I was fighting off a hoard of brain-dead teachers.

I'm sweating, my knees hurt, my arm burns, and I can't breathe;

But I got the damn coffee.

I run down the hall and turn a corner, coming face to face with Ethan, the two of us jumping as we practically fall into one another.

"Benny! Are you ok?"

"Never better!" I exclaim, holding up the large jug and nursing it in my arms. Ethan parts his lips but the two of us squeal (no we don't-) as we turn to be face-to-face with Rory,

"Is that hot chocolate?"

The vampire asks as if Ethan and I didn't just crap our pants-

"Got ya! Guess what I swiped from the teacher's lounge," Rory peeks off his mask and happily holds up the silicone, the disgusting thing loose in his grip, "Higgs took this from me in September."

"Wait," Ethan starts, his mind already firing a million questions an hour, all while I'm too busy still trying to calm my racing heart, "You were in the teacher's lounge?"

"Candy, games, TV, couches," Rory happily lists. Oh my god, this guy does my head in at times...

"Zombies?"

"Really? I just thought they were all really grumpy?"

Ethan sighs, shaking his head and trying to push away Rory's tomfoolery, "Whatever. We have to get this coffee to the chemistry lab."

Ethan takes a step away from me and my stomach turns. I want to follow him, knowing it'd be the smarter thing to do but...

Leave me here.

Go!

"Chemistry? Boring. I'd rather smack some zombies. RV away!" Rory pulls on his mask and speeds down the hall in a flash. Ethan rolls his eyes and pulls at my sleeve,

"We better re-arm," He walks past me and pulls a fire extinguisher from the wall. Thank god for fire stagers I suppose.

I swallow around the building saliva in my throat and cough, shuffling my feet against the floor, "Yeah... Totally. About that. I was going to go back and check on Abigail."

Ethan raises his eyebrow and scoffs with a smile, "Benny, just cause you have a fat crush on her, doesn't mean you need to be with her every second."

"Dude! That's not-" I groan, shaking my head, "She looked like hell, man. I just want to make sure she's ok."

Ethan sighs, looking deep in thought as he weighs the pros and cons. It didn't matter what his outcome was. I'm going.

"I... I'm smart enough to know there's nothing I can say to stop you. But you need to be careful, man. She could..."

Be dangerous.

I knew what he was getting at.

"I know," I attempt to reassure, sending him a smile as he takes the large pot of coffee, "I'll be fast. Once I'm done, I'll meet you right at the lab. I promise."

Ethan nods slowly, adjusting the large container in his hand while the other does its best to handle the fire extinguisher,

"Good luck."

*

The run back is gruelling. My arm is so goddamn itchy but I don't have the time to care. It's not that the bathroom is particularly far, but it's quiet. Sarah has knocked several people onto the floor, and there's no noise in the halls pat from faint, faint groaning and my sneakers against the floor.

I'm not worried.

I can't be worried.

Abigail looked horrible. Sweat was beading down her face, her eyes a constant shift between her normal ocean blue and the glowing colour I've grown used to. Her hair looked damp and messy as if she'd ran her fingers through it and tugged in an attempt to calm herself.

It's the full moon.

I know that. Ethan knows that. We all do. We all thought it'd be fine.

I walked with her to school, she said she was extra attentive to things around her but seemed otherwise alright. She's not one to mention much of her life and what she gets up to outside of school, which... I can understand. It's unsettling. She's mentioned offhand that full moons can be complicated; whether it's nothing but a migraine or worst case scenario, she's in a freezer or bathtubs with chains.

I didn't want this to be a night like that.

My feet slow as I spot the door, my hand coming out to push it open with a loud creak. My eyes search the room and I pause almost instantly, my blood growing cold, as I peer into piercing blue.

The wolf is... beautiful. Its fur is a soft blonde, nearing brown in some parts, with the softest streaks of dark brown through the coat. It's not snarling. Not yet. Its pupils are, however, dilated as it watches my every move.

"... Abigail?"

It growls.

"Abigail. Listen... It's- It's Benny! You know? Spell caster... The annoying guy who always makes jokes..."

Who one hopelessly-

The wolf continues to growl but stays put. I'm also not a wolf expert, but I feel that the creature- Abigail has softened her gaze, less on the ready-to-attack.

"Look, I know you wanna kill me. Your instincts are probably screaming at you, right? But you won't," I swallow, risking a side glance to the small sliver of wall by the door, before turning back, "I know you won't. So... I'm gonna stay here. I wanna stay with you and help you through this."

The wolf steps forward, its eyes narrowing on me and the growl sharpening.

Oh shit.

"Abigail... Come on, Chase. I know you can do it. I'm not-"

I swallow again, attempting to still my breathing as I lower myself into a crouch,

"I'm not afraid of you."

She pounces and I shut my eyes. There's a loud thump and some strangled gasping. My eyes slowly peer open, and there she is. She's lying on her side, knees curled up and hair a mess. I can see from the heavy rise and fall of her shoulders that she shaking and struggling to breathe.

"Abigail?"

There's a long minute of silence. Strangled breathing and crying and silence.

She moves.

It's slow and painful to watch, but I'm frozen. She adjusts herself the best she can and sits with her bare back facing me. I'm faintly aware that she's naked but I can't seem to care. Slowly, so, so slowly she turns her head and her beautiful ocean-blue eyes meet mine. They're red with tears.

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

"For...?"

"Scaring you."

I shake my head, swallowing around the lump in my throat, "No. You didn't. Of course, you didn't. I was scared, but not because of you... I was scared for you."

Her bottom lip wobbles and she quickly turns to face the wall again as tears begin to well in her eyes. I want nothing more than to reach out but I... I don't know what she wants.

"I'm..." Her head tilts down and she coughs, the noise turning into a soft giggle, "Sorry... I took my clothes off before I... I didn't wanna ruin anything."

I shake my head despite her attention being elsewhere and cough, awkwardly shuffling myself (I've somehow landed on my ass) around and facing the door,

"No that's- I get it. I'd probably do the same... I'm looking at the door if you'd..."

"Thanks."

There's a ruffle, bare feet tapping on the floor and rustling as she, I can only assume, redresses herself. I gaze down at my still-shaking hands as I attempt to gather my thoughts.

"Why... Why did you change back?"

"I... I don't know," her answer is soft and there's a long pause before she replies. I didn't need to be a genius to know it was a half-baked lie, but I refuse to push. It's only a little longer before she clears her throat and the familiar sound of Converse hitting the floor grows loudly and there's a gentle tap on my shoulder.

I turn my head and peer up. She still looks exhausted, but notably calmer. Her hair is in a weak attempt at a bun, blonde strands loosely framing her face, and her clothes are haphazardly tossed on.

"Shall we find Ethan?"

Her hand is extended toward me.

I've never taken a hand so fast in my life.

*

Abigail's POV

It was... Odd.

I could feel the tug of the moon and yet... Nothing.

I didn't turn, I didn't growl, and I didn't want to tear Benny limb from limb as we hurried to the lab.

I felt... I felt like I used to... When I was a pup.

So Benny Weir is my anchor.

Who would've guessed?

As we turn the corner, a waft of sweat fills my nostrils and my attention falls onto the boy beside me, my head tilting softly as I gently take hold of his upper arm, "Benny? Are you alright? You smell... sweaty."

Benny scoffs, rolling his eyes but the grin doesn't quite reach then, "I'm fine! Just nervous about everything. Can you blame me?"

I suppose not.

I should cut him some slack.

Benny and I push into the lab, quickly shutting the door behind us as we near Ethan and Sarah who are crowding some sort of microscope. Sarah turns to us, her stance prepared to attack before she eases with a smile,

"You're both back!"

Ethan's quick to give us the one over;

The cheeks are like neurons. Like brain cells but mutating.

There's a loud knock at the door followed by groaning, and suddenly Sarah is hurrying toward a fire extinguisher,

"Okay! Hurry with the geeking."

"You can't rush science!" Ethan whines, looking into his scope and assessing the cells. I huff, understanding the boys' argument but being a tad biased considering my life is at risk.

"You can if you don't want your brain eaten!" I growl, rushing to support Sarah in any way I can as she starts spraying at the arms reaching into the door.

"What happened? The neurons are gone - it just looks like plain old coffee now. It's like it cured itself just sitting there."

"Well, maybe it has to be fresh?" Sarah attempts to reason, turning to continue to blast at the arms.

"Hot!" Ethan exclaims, a tad too excited as he figures things out, "it has to be hot. That's why they hate the fire extinguisher. It's cold."

"Great..." My gaze wanders to Benny and- Holy shit he's looking bad. I take a risk to look at Sarah who seems perfectly capable with the door, and stalk back to the brunette, "So we just wait it out til January?"

Benny's heart is racing incredibly fast, sweet dotting his skin and his gaze distant. He smells... off. It's difficult to describe as he still smells like Benny and sweat, but there's something there.

"Can we just blast the air conditioning or something?" Sarah suggests, shouting over the groans and fire extinguisher.

"Sounds like a plan! Benny, pack up. We're fighting our way to the mechanical room."

Despite his words, the boys show little effort in packing anything up, Ethan's large eyes already peering at Sarah as if begging the vampire to go alone.

Sarah groans, rolling her eyes and glaring at the boy, "Who are you kidding... They'll break you like a fingernail. I'll do it."

"Well, I mean... if you wanna go!"

"Totally!" Benny attempts to join the banter, his chasing falling short, "Next zombie rescue is on us..."

I turn to Sarah, an eyebrow raised in question of whether she'd like company, but the vampire shakes her head, "Stay. Dork one and two will need at least one babysitter around."

Sarah's quick to abandon the room, pushing through the hoard in a miraculous show of strength. I finish my slow walk back to the boys and pull up a stool, tilting my head as I gaze toward Benny.

"Hey... Weir. What's up? You look really pale and sweaty..."

"Did you get bit back there?" Ethan snaps, his eyes drifting from still peering from the coffee sample as if something would change and instead focusing on his best friend.

Fuck, did he?

God- I've been so focused on myself.

"No... I got bit up here," Benny jokes or at least tries to, as he pulls up his sleeve and reveals a raw bite. Ethan jumps from his stool, the metal clattering against the ground,

"Why didn't you tell us!"

"I thought...! Ethan get... Cure... Fix... Can I bite your head?" Benny's gaze slowly moves to my own and I take that as my own cue to take a slow step back.

"Come on Benny... You just got to stick it out a little longer..."

"Just stay with us- Well... Not right with us, but, you know." I add slowly, reaching for Ethan and trying my best to put him behind me,

"Just hold on."

Benny slumps onto his folded arms on the desk, perfectly in time with the loud clatter of zombies pushing through the door, both of our attentions snapping away as we jump.

"Shit!"

Ethan moves around me and reaches for his best friend, my reaction too late to grab him as he takes Benny's shoulder, "Benny we gotta-"

Benny swipes, growling at the both of us with sunken eyes and a distant stare.

"Brains!"

I stumble into the window, groaning as glass shatters over me, cutting into my skin as zombies clamour to reach toward me.

"Mrs Morgan!"

"Mom! Not you too."

Ethan reaches for the fire extinguisher and blasts, me taking the opportunity to clamour out of the way and join him in a weak attempt to fend the hoard off. There's not a lot I can do, trying to knock people out rather than actually hurt them.

Sarahhh!!

There's a strong grip around my waist and I struggle as Benny takes my jaw and tilts my head, the sick bastard going straight for my throat until the chaos is abruptly cut off by a loud whrr from the air conditioning.

They all clatter to the floor, seemingly passing out as if nothing ever happened.

Like magnets, Ethan and I stagger back toward each other, both back to back as we stare at all the twitching forms of civilians and staff.

"We good?" Sarah shouts, racing into the room, her arms still at the ready as she examines the several bodies.

"Yeah..."

"Zombies are all cooled off and catching some Z's," Ethan jokes, his silly nerd smile plastered on his face as the reality that we survived another day sinks in, "I'm getting tired just looking at them."

"You know what we need?" Sarah smirks at the pair of us, my eyes already rolling before she finishes the punchline,

"No... No more coffee..."

"Half-caf," Benny mumbles, the three of us staring wide-eyed down at the boy as he stirs, "Low-fat, latte mochacchino. No foam."

*

The rain was quite heavy, Benny and I glued together as close as possible under the umbrella we were sharing in an attempt to stay as dry as possible (no other reasons, shut up-)

A news reporter was happily explaining the situation, the government seemingly going with something like 'coffee fever' as an excuse for the situation. Though, I suppose it can't really be labelled as supernatural considering it was a chemical mutation.

"Can't believe I liked that guy..." Sarah murmurs from her own umbrella she's sharing with Ethan.

"This stinks... We saved the day!"

"We? You almost bit our faces off," Ethan glares at Benny, the latter rolling his eyes and shaking his head in defence.

"Nuh-uh. I meant before that."

"Well, I'm sorry, Benny. But we unsung heroes have to take the high road. Right girls?"

I part my lips to reply, turning to Sarah only to find the vampire missing. Huh? The three of us peer back toward the reporter, only to see the (supposed) barista and the guy Sarah liked with their coffees split all over their shoes.

"Great! The high road," we turn our heads back to her original location, the girl happily grinning at the three of us as innocent as a dog who's been digging holes.

I can't help the snort that leaves my mouth as I reach to offer her a high-five, the vampire happily returning it as the seer shakes his head in disappointment. Ethan and Sarah turn to continue down the sidewalk so we can all head home, but I stop and tug at Benny's sleeve to still him.

"Hey, uh... I just wanted to say thank you. For tonight," I offer a smile, my fingers toying with each other as Benny happily holds the umbrella for us.

"Don't mention it. Really. I was just... worried."

"I know. So, thanks," I swallow my building anxiety and reach upward, kissing him softly on the cheek. I can see the link already forming but before we can talk about it, I make the wise decision to turn and leave.

The walk back to the motel is wet, but I can't seem to mind the rain.

Benny Weir is my anchor.

[EDITED - COMPLETED]
[2958 Words]
(New) Authors Note:
I know it's a throwaway line, but being a barista and hearing a few jokes about coffee orders in this episode made me giggle. Can't lie.