#late night CYOA drop

[trans-girl-nausicaa]

tumblr choose your own adventure: part 17

STATS:

AGGRESSION: 4

CAUTION: 0

HOMOSEXUALITY: 7

ENDURANCE: 1

SKILL: 4

INVENTORY:

[Wallet] [Cash: $14.50]

[Mobile phone] [Battery: 19%]

[Keys]

[Antique Czech Typewriter] [Ink ribbons: 0]

[Antique Czech Lighter] [Fuel level: 0%]

[Antique CZ 75 Pistol, 9mm, Automatic] [Ammunition: 0]

>Discuss vampires with Bunny Paulson.

She is already inside your apartment.

You sigh, and pinch the bridge of your nose.

“Okay. Okay, okay fine. Just take your shoes off, please,” you say.

Bunny gives you a thumbs-up and begins untying her big stupid boots.

You invite her to have a seat at your kitchen table.

“Would you like any coffee?” you ask.

“Sure!” says Bunny.

You pour two cups of coffee.

Neither of you add any cream or sugar.

“So… I read your website. About the Yellowknife murder, and the other cases.”

Bunny claps her hands together.

“Yes! It’s fascinating stuff, isn’t it?”

You shake your head.

“I don’t have any …academic, or whatever, interest in vampires. I’m just trying to stay safe.”

Bunny is undeterred.

“Of course! And knowledge is power. And! There’s a whole lot more stuff about them that I haven’t even put on my website! I just need to get it in the correct format–“

You cut her off.

“Is any of it, uh, immediately actionable information, about how to avoid them?”

“But of course!” she says. “For instance, their social structures! Vampires have a very hierarchical society where they are always competing with each other for rank, always trying to amass more thralls and grow older and more powerful.”

“Uh huh,” you say.

“And they see the whole world through this hierarchy! Humans included! But ALL humans are at the bottom of the hierarchy. You could even say that the most powerful human is seen as lower ‘rank’ than the weakest vampire!”

“That's pretty conceited,” you say, “especially given the fact that they used to BE human.”

“But about this hierarchy!” she goes on, “There’s one thing that doesn’t exist in it whatsoever: A human who has survived a vampire’s bite!”

She’s looking at the bandage on your neck. You are feeling a bit self-conscious. You put your hand over it and take a sip of coffee.

“You see, all my research indicates that being bitten by a vampire starts a biological change in a human!”

You’re feeling nervous.

“A vampire can direct those changes by using their powers to turn the bitten human into a thrall or a vampire! But to let the changes occur undirected? There’s no record of it whatsoever!”

You are sweating a little.

“No record whatsoever? What’s going to happen to me?”

Bunny still has an excited smile on her face.

“Even with all my years of vampire research, all I can say is that I honestly have no idea!”

You think for a moment.

“What about expelling cold black slime out of my eyes? Does that have any connection?”

Bunny stands up in excitement.

“WOAH! When was that?!”

“Um, this morning. It happened right as I was waking up. And I was bitten the day before yesterday.”

“Hell yeah that’s gotta be connected! Cold black slime?! That sounds exactly like vampire blood!“

She sits down, whips out a notebook, and starts writing furiously.

“I hope you don’t see me as some kind of science experiment,” you say dryly.

“Huh? No, of course not. You are a unique being and your life belongs to you,” she says without looking up from her notepad.

“…So… if killing a vampire is so difficult, and they can’t be repelled with garlic or whatever, how am I supposed to protect myself from them?”

“Gun,” she says, still without looking up.

“What?” you say.

Bunny closes her notebook.

“To fight a vampire, which is the worst case scenario, you’ll want to cause them a lot of bodily injury in a short amount of time before staking their heart. Best way to do that in the 21st century is to shoot them a bunch of times.”

You balk. It sounds so barbaric. But if that’s what it takes, you suppose you’ll have to at least consider it.

Bunny starts unloading items from her backpack.

She takes out a metal stake, a container of lighter fluid, and a box of 9mm hollow point rounds.

“These are for you,” she says, seriously.

“If you don’t have a gun yet, get one.”

You tell her that won’t be a problem.

You take the items and add them to your INVENTORY.

“I guess shooting them would be a lot more effective than punching them in the face,” you remark.

Bunny laughs.

“Punching a vampire in the face! Now that’s a good one!”

She slaps her knee.

She notes the lack of humor in your expression and her face drops.

“Wait. Did you ACTUALLY punch a vampire in the face?! Is that why you were bitten?!”

You sigh, and tell her the whole story.

“Ah, that makes… more sense? Less sense? I’m not sure. My condolences on missing out on the they/them vampire p-“

The door opens and Louisiana Avalanchè walks in.

“Hey you. Who’s your friend?” she says.

“This is Bunny-“

Bunny cuts you off.

“Bunny Paulson, vampire expert!” she says, shaking Louisiana’s hand enthusiastically.

“I’ve come to lend a hand to your current predicament!”

“Oh, I see!” says Louisiana, clearly a bit amused.

“We’ve been discussing vampires,” you explain.

You check your phone. It’s very late. You’re tired.

[aniron48]

Love Letters - Day 6

I have to say, in this entire week of CYOA, I have never been so grateful that a vote didn't tie--I had no idea how I would have managed to write Bond simultaneously taking the train AND the Aston Martin to Bath, absent some sort of weird train auto-transport sort of situation.

Anyway, welcome to Day 6 of Love Letters, a 00q Choose Your Own Adventure! There will be three more installments after tonight--polls on Sunday and Monday, and a final wrap up on Tuesday, 2/14. I'll post each night around 9:15ish EST.

If you need to catch up on a day or 5, you can do so here: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

And for everyone else, Day 6 begins below the cut! 🎉

He’d go in the morning, and he would take the Aston Martin.

On paper, at least, the train was faster. But then again, most people making the drive didn’t have the benefit of a car that was capable of going nearly 230 kilometers an hour, and a permanent flag in the system that told any law enforcement personnel looking up his license plate not to pull him over.

Bond made the trip in an hour and fifteen minutes.

His first stop was to the small bed and breakfast where he’d reserved a room for the weekend after Valentine’s Day. The proprietor showed him the room, answered his questions about nearby restaurants and bars, and confirmed the menu for breakfast. That task accomplished to his satisfaction, Bond set out for the post office.

The idea of driving 180 kilometers to mail a letter simply so it would have a Bath postmark had been whimsical at best, and ridiculous at worst. But once the idea lodged itself in his mind, he couldn’t shake it loose. The decision to visit a prospective bed and breakfast for a holiday weekend with Q had made the trip slightly easier to justify, but Bond would have made the drive without it.

When they’d first fallen into bed together, he’d been ready to pull out all the usual stops to try to impress, but it hadn’t gone precisely to plan. It wasn’t that Q was immune to his charms, exactly. It was just that everything seemed to make him equally happy—he was as delighted by a weekend in Paris as he was by a night in an airport hotel, catching a few hours with Bond in between his flights to one city or another; he was as pleased with dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant as he was with takeaway on the couch. It seemed the only luxury he craved was the one Bond could least guarantee, given his line of work: his time. And so when a rare opportunity to indulge Q’s latent romantic streak reared its head, far be it from Bond to let it pass him by.

In the post office, he read through the letter one last time before folding it carefully and tucking it into the envelope. He addressed it to Q, added a stamp, and sealed the envelope, writing across the back the lines he’d copied from Q’s copy of Persuasion one evening when Q had stayed late at work: You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. When he was done, he took a deep breath, and dropped the letter in the mail.

As he was walking back to the car park where he’d left the Aston Martin, a familiar figure ducked into a patisserie across the street. Though he’d only caught a fleeting glimpse, it was enough to recognize her. Even setting aside the fact that he saw her nearly every day at work, it was impossible to forget the face of someone who had shot you off a train.

Not to be extremely in my feelings or anything, but it has been so much fun doing this with all of you--thanks so much for playing along so far!

[dragonrajafanfiction]

CYOA: Glacier

“You’re pretty calm for a rookie. The last newbie I worked with would be clinging to my back by now.” Zihang commented.

You feel a sudden tight grip on your ankle.

One of the servitors, taking advantage of the dark, had snuck behind you and pulled with all its weight and ferocious strength. Your weapons are all still tucked in your belt and not easy to reach.

Chu Zihang was forced to drop his flashlight and turn to grab you by your shoulders. His dug his boots hard into the concrete floor to keep you from getting dragged into the dark beyond the beam. It was an even sided tug of war for a moment.  Zihang couldn’t reach for his weapons without letting you go and you couldn’t reach them.

The monster let out a frustrated shriek as he couldn’t drag you out of Zihang’s grip. You feel a terrified amount of force as it pulls you to launch itself full into Chu Zihang, its golden pupils burning like lamps in the dark. 

It was a human like monster with long jagged limbs and cascading black hair. It seemed to laugh smiling with sharp teeth and flicking forked tongue as it took Zihang down hard to the concrete floor, knocking the wind out of him. The bony claws at the ends of her limbs were sharp as blades.

It was like an invisible signal. The Death Servitors that had held back crowded forward. You’d never seen so many in your entire life. They completely fill your vision. Most crawled on the ground, pulling themselves in spider like moments but a few scaled the walls in their eagerness to get at you.

As an A-ranked hybrid, you were simultaneously blessed and cursed. With your high quality genes and the ability to wield a powerful soul skill, people with less power, and lower quality genetics looked up to you like a titan, some sort of perfect thing.

But you know the truth. Your Soul Skill is as deadly as it is powerful. You only had to hope that  Chu Zihang was strong enough to withstand it.

There was not time for a gradual deployment. You whisper and the whispers echo in air that was suddenly as cold as a meat freezer. The temperature dropped so fast that the moisture in the air condensed into a sudden sparkling fog. 

A thick Icicle forms over your head and crackles as it descends. Crystals farm on your eyelashes and eye brows, the sweat on your clothes freezes solid. When the icicle reaches the ground, it began to spread like a frigid blue pool.

Chu Zihang’s Servitor attacker turns to look at you, giving him the opportunity to slam his head into the beasts mouth, knocking it back. It staggered into the ever growing ice sheet. When it’s foot contact the ice, it began to scream. It flailed as the ice incased its foot up to its shin. It pulled and pulled, wailing in pain until the leg broke off in a bloody stump, leaving the frozen foot where it stood. Unable to run, it’s overwhelmed by the rapidly expanding ice and is entombed by it.

The attacking Death Servitors realize their peril too late. They are two cold to escape the death grip of your soul skill, Glacier.  The ones that weren’t immediately killed by the ice, were put into a stupor by the frigid temperature.

You hear Chu Zihang calling out to you, but you can’t stop. Once the Soul Skill is activated, it has to be seen through to its end. It’s lengthy prose spills from your mouth in a never ending murmur. The temperature continues to plunge even further. Your heart rate starts to drop. You feel suddenly tired, like you could close your eyes and sleep for the rest of the night.

You shiver, letting out a soft sigh, your breath escaping once and then after several seconds, again. Every body process has slowed to a crawl. If needed, you could stay this way for days.

But one thing gnawed at you and forced you awake. A source of heat was competing with your cold and shattering the ice that had built up around you. A bright flash of light and the sound of a thousand snarling demons stir you back awake.

The ice holding you up breaks and you collapse into a pair of strong arms that pull you away, going into the dark. Bouncing with every step, you see the frozen statues of Death Servitors, twisted in their final moments of agony, and smile.

Chu Zihang settles you against the wall of the tunnel and contacts the others. “We’ve made it. But the rookie exhausted himself against the Death Servitors.”

A pause. “No. They’re all dead. I’m nearly to the target point. Is everyone else in position?”

Your muscles are still stiff and unresponsive, but the blood flow is returning to your numbed fingers and you’re able to lift your head.

“Stay here.” Zihang rests his Uzi against your hand. “That’s full of live rounds. Be careful with it.”

“You’re leaving me behind? But...”

He doesn’t wait for you. Chu Zihang typically worked alone, abandoning team projects soon after he accepted them. He turned and jogged off into the darkness, leaving you with the gun and the flashlight.

Was this the end? Did you fail? What sort of report was he going to write? You shake yourself. It didn’t matter. You were alive.

The tunnel was completely silent save the sound of the air that was being pumped into the space to provide ventilation until you here a strange whir over your head. You aim the flashlight up. A camera like object stared back at you and you hear a voice. “You were warned.”

What do you do?

------------------------

A: Pick up the Uzi and shoot the camera

B: Contact Zihang

C: Play dead.

[fyasummershowdown]

Exquisite Corpse: The Tryout

I’d known that this tryout was going to be hard, but I had no idea it would be impossible. I mean, basically impossible. I’d spent all summer training, focusing on my reaction speeds just like EJ warned, only to show up and find out that everything had changed. Like, CHANGED. Overnight.

For those of you who have read the whole story and just want to skip ahead to the CYOA endings:

•  If you want to find out where Benedict put the cloak, read on for LRFYA's ending.

•  If you're looking for a hopeful conclusion, read on for FYAON's ending.

Otherwise, read on!

fyavanwa:

My big competition for goalkeeper, Taylor, got bit this summer, the night of the Fourth of July. She and her brothers were lighting illegal fireworks out on the basketball court, late, after everyone had gone home from the city-sponsored show, and when the cops showed up she ran blindly into the woods toward the park, and that’s where it happened. I didn’t find out until I showed up at tryouts, of course, otherwise I wouldn’t have come, or I would have went out, maybe, for volleyball instead. Because if you’ve seen Teen Wolf (and who hasn’t) you know that no one can beat a werewolf on a court or a field. No one. I looked like an idiot out there.

pghfya:

I lifted myself from the field, my cheeks burning. From the center of a varsity team huddle, Taylor nodded at me as I left the field. I lifted my chin in response, even though I was daydreaming about charging across the dry grass and launching myself at her position-stealing face. In the daydream, I win, but in real life, she’d slaughter me. Quite possibly literally now. It was clear I’d be spending another season on the bench.

I decided to walk home to let the sweat my dry on my skin and the humiliation mellow. The sidewalks were dotted with fellow classmates shouldering backpacks and making their own disappointed ways home: the wannabe jock parade. I turned the corner onto my street and found myself on the heels of a blonde girl with her head bent down, looking at her phone, probably. Her wavy hair was twisted up and she wore a leather jacket over denim shorts, a slouchy bag bouncing at her side. An art kid maybe?

At the other end of the street, a car engine roared and we both looked up. I didn’t even see the other thing approach us until it had barreled into her, knocking her through Mrs. Thompson’s honeysuckle bushes. I raced through the break in the sweet-smelling flowers and greenery to find the girl on her knees, straddling the thing, with what looked like a silver letter opener at its throat.  

What’s that all about, @fyaorlandonorth

fyaorlandonorth:

The girl pushed the letter opener deeper into the, well, what I can only describe as a wolf-man’s neck, and asked with murder in her voice, “Why are you following me, kibble-breath?”

“You know why,” he growled, his eyes fixed on her hand. “She’s getting tired of waiting for you to bring her what is hers.”

“Well, she can wait until she drops dead,” the girl retorted. “I’m not giving it up until I get my brother back.”

“Just give her the—” the wolf started, but she cut him off.

“This is how this is going to go. I’m going to give you a nice little reminder of our time together—” She traced a line in his skin with the blade and a well of red followed. “Then you’re going to crawl back to your den and tell your master that she can meet me tomorrow night outside the school gym at halftime, with my brother, or I’m going to take her precious and bury it in the deepest, darkest hole in the farthest part of the wood I can find and she’ll never see it again.”

“You’re such a b—”

She kneed him in the stomach, cutting off his air supply and sentence, then waved the letter opener menacingly. “You really wanna go there, fur-brain?”

He scrambled back as she jumps off him and made a rude gesture as he sprinted around the side of the house. I swear he looked a little like one of my classmates, but I couldn’t get a positive ID before I noticed those sharp green eyes focused in on me.

I sucked in a breath as she darted towards me with the blade still in her hand. “Whoa, whoa, don’t stick me!” I threw my hands up.

“How much did you hear?” she demanded.

I weighed my options: should I lie or tell the truth?

@lrfya, it’s all yours!

lrfya:

My eyes flitted down to the sharp blade in her hand, then back up to those green eyes shining with fire and intensity. The truth’s a lot less dangerous than lying. “All of it,” I said in a rush. “I’m sorry, please don’t stab me, I didn’t mean to, and I promise I’ll forget everything! I just—I saw you get attacked. I wanted to make sure you were okay.“ I was flustered, and was having trouble forming sentences. “Was that…is he…does that werewolf go to Hamilton High School?” The blonde girl eyed me appraisingly. At her gaze, my skin flushed and my heart quickened. This made me furious – it’s not like I’m some damsel in distress, swooning over a mysterious hero. Yes, she was stunning, all legs and eyes and hair, but I know how to take care of myself! I was on my way to save her. Not that I’ve killed a werewolf before, but at least I had on my silver necklaces. Plus, I had a tonic of wolfsbane oil mixed with holy water in my backpack for the direst of circumstances. Until I saw that letter opener, I was charging in like the cavalry to save the day. I stood a bit straighter, pushing my shoulders back and raising my chin. “Can I put my hands down now at least?” She nodded and dropped the letter opener. Apparently, I’d passed whatever test she’d silently been giving me. “He’s a junior there. You know about werewolves?” she asked. “I just lost my varsity spot to one,” I said glumly. She rolled her eyes. “Your varsity spot? Really? How terrible for you,” she spit at me. “I lost my brother to an entire den, or weren’t you listening?” Oof. Open mouth, insert foot. Maybe two feet. “I’m an idiot. I apologize. His name’s Matt, right? He’s in my French class. Who’s his master, that you were talking about? You said you took something of hers?” Her mouth set in a grim line. “You ask too many questions. Forget that you saw me here, or else.” She turned on her heel, grabbed her bag, and started to head back toward the road. I jogged after her, coming up beside her and matching her stride. I was not letting her get away that easily. “Why would a werewolf take your brother? It doesn’t make any sense.” I was nervous as I said it. My response to our town having become a werewolf home base has thus far been defensive as opposed to offensive. The werewolves I’d encountered up to that point had been mostly harmless, at least off the soccer field. I know in theory they’re dangerous, but here they’ve kept to themselves. I’d heard the girls in the locker room discussing that Taylor’s family had added a secure cell with chains in their rec room for the few nights of the month she changed. The girl sighed. “Because I stole something of hers. Now she’s taken my little brother hostage and she’ll turn him into one of them if I don’t give it back.”

What it do @lonfya?

lonfya:

This seemed like a no brainer, and I was sure there had to be more to it, but I wanted to keep her talking so I went ahead and opened my big mouth. “Give it back.” 

She rolled her eyes so hard I felt it in my retinas. 

“That guy –er –wolf? Whatever, he said she’d release your brother if you give it back. So…give it back. Problem solved.”

“Because the last thing La Lupine is going to do is keep her word.”

“La Lupine?”

“That’s what she calls herself now. Her real name’s Stacey. Or Macey, or Casey. Something like that anyway. She was some big Queen Bee before she got turned and she used her popularity to make half this stupid town think werewolves aren’t dangerous.”

I let out a little laugh. This girl’s obviously taken a knock to the head. “Dacey Jacobson isn’t a werewolf.” 

“You know her?” The girl stopped walking to focus all her attention on me. It was a little scary.

“Of course I do. Her sister Emily is my best friend.”

The girl smiled. “I think we got off on the wrong foot,” she holds out a hand for me to shake. “I’m Diana. I think we’re going to be great friends.”

Take it away, @kcmofya!

kcmofya:

“Haven.” I answered, taking her hand. It was surprisingly soft for someone who apparently spent her days looting and attacking werewolves.

“So, Haven, now that we’re BFFs, I’m going to need you to tell me everything you know about Dacey Jacobson.”

I hesitated for a minute. I did want to help her find her brother, but it almost felt like a betrayal of Emily. I’d never want to do something that could put her at risk. On the other hand, there was no love lost between me and Dacey. She’s been tormenting Emily, and me by extension, since we were 8 years old. I guessed it wasn’t that much of a stretch to think she’d be some kind of evil werewolf queen. 

La Lupine. That ridiculous faux French name sounds exactly like something Dacey would give herself. She could never allow herself to be just a common wolf. Besides, I really wanted to know more about Diana. She was fascinating and beautiful and could wield a letter opener like a switch blade.  

“How do you feel about coffee?” I asked. “Let me buy you a cup and we’ll talk.”

@kcfya It’s all you!

kcfya:

There was nothing quite like the sting of fresh coffee permeating through the air. It was the only solace I could find as I stirred on my steaming cup of triple expresso while Diana downed hers like the fire-hot coffee didn’t burn her throat in the slightest.

I told her as much of Dacey as I could manage on the walk over to the only halfway decent cafe in town: She was the quintessential “IT” girl who peaked way too soon. After failing out her freshman year and calling it a sabbatical, she’d returned home to torment Emily, and, by proxy, me, too. Apparently looks could only get a person so far, and not showing up for class for months on end didn’t bode well with GPA. Only one of the Jacobsen girls had both beauty and brains, and I knew it killed Dacey to see Emily succeed where she had always failed.

“She’s insecure,” Emily had said after one of her infamous rants. “She doesn’t mean half of what comes out of her mouth.”

“That doesn’t mean we have to take it,” I countered. “Why don’t you lure her outside and I’ll accidentally kick a ball into her face.” 

Emily snorted. “You’d have to make the shot first.”

“Touché.”

Was that only yesterday? I wondered. I shook my head. Time was moving at the speed of a bullet. I hadn’t even called Emily yet to tell her the results of the tryouts. Though by my lack of response, I was sure she had figured it out. 

My information on Dacey was apparently not as enticing as Diana had expected. That, or the scowl on her face was permanently etched there. The two of us stared at each other in silence, sizing each other up. I knew couldn’t take the girl if she decided she wanted to fight. I mean, I could leave a good mark, but I saw the way she took down that wolf-man, and was no looking for a repeat performance.

“Sooooo,” I drawled out. “I’ve told you all I know. How about you tell me why my home is now infested with a bunch of slobbering dogs and how your family is in the middle of it?”

@fyadallas go for it!

fyadallas:

Diana looked surprised — like maybe she hadn’t expected me to have that kind of backbone. “I don’t think you really need to know anything more than you do.”

“Oh really?” I replied, crossing my arms. The espresso was zinging through my veins like a firetruck on fire. “I don’t think you’re in a position to make that case. Especially since I can offer you a way in to Dacey’s house — I mean, her den.”

“You can?”

“Yeah,” I said, hoping the plan that was starting to form in my brain wasn’t just the caffeine talking. Emily hated her sister enough that I knew she would help me bring her down. “So spill it. Why is our town crawling with furpeople?”

Diana pushed her empty coffee mug away and sighed. “From what I’ve gathered, Dacey was turned right around the time that she failed out of school. And she spent a year or two just, I don’t know, dealing with it. That’s probably why she was extra bitchy to you, with this secret bottled up inside just festering there. So she bit this mechanic dude.”

“I remember her banging some tattooed guy who worked on cars.“

“He’s like her second in command now,” Diana says. “She started calling herself La Lupine, and they’re just terrorizing the town now, trying to turn as many people as they can.”

“What a bitch,” I said. “Not surprised, though.”

“So my little brother, he’s this uber-nerd who thinks he’s like Sherlock Holmes or something. He started sniffing around, trying to figure out how to stop her, and he discovered this thing she had, the source of all of her so-called power. And he took it. So she took him.”

“What was it?” I asked.

Diana cocked an eyebrow and smiled. “You’re never gonna believe this shit.”

What’s the precious object, @cltfya?? How will our heroes stop the werewolves?

cltfya:

I raised my eyebrows, waiting to be surprised and, impatient with Diana’s dramatic pause for effect, I blurted out, “Okay, spill!!” Diana fiddled with her phone for a moment to pull up a picture, then passed it my way.

I tilted my head and smirked, barely holding back laughter, “…is that…a fucking red cloak? With a hood on it…? Do you mean to tell me…” I put the phone down and shook my head. I passed it her way, almost insulted at the implication from such a seeming bad-ass as Diana. Did she really think I was this gullible?

Diana said, “No, I’m telling you the truth — I didn’t believe it at first either, but the fact that my brother is now kidnapped for stealing it? So yeah…that’s Little Red Riding Hood’s cloak. That’s what giving La Lupine her power and I don’t know where he hid the damn thing. Or how we can get him back from this bitch. I think I need help. My brother was in over his head and I just want him home safe, reading his comics and dreaming the dream. Can you help me?”

So next time on Exquisite Corpse…how will Haven help Diana bring down La Lupine? Where’s this cloak? Ball’s in your court, @cifya.

cifya:

Just then, I realized something. “I think I may know where Dacey has your brother.” I hoped my hunch was right.

“Where?”

“Emily and Dacey’s grandma is traveling all summer and they’ve been taking turns house sitting. Last week Dacey told Emily that she was just going to stay there the rest of the time and that Emily should stay away. I bet that’s her headquarters and where she has your brother. What’s your brother’s name?” I realized she hadn’t said it.

For the first time, Diana almost smiled. “Benedict. Let’s make a plan.”

I texted Emily to meet me at my house. It was time to make a plan to take down Dacey — I cannot called her La Lupine without rolling my eyes. I knew Emily would be willing to help. She was really mad at Dacey when she kicked her out of her grandma’s house.

Diana and I gathered some supplies and went back to my house. Emily was already there. She thought that I’d need some support after failing at tryouts, so she was armed with ice cream and Chex Mix. We hatched a plan for Emily to lure Dacey out of the house. Emily had a key to the house, so we hoped it wouldn’t be too hard to get inside. We had no way of knowing how many creatures we were up against. This wasn’t going to be easy. Our best hope was to get Benedict out unscathed. We made a plan, got in a few hours of rest, and were standing at the back door  at dawn.

All right, @ALVFYA, it’s up to you to finish this!

avlfya:

The three of us were dressed in all black as we made our way to Emily’s grandmother’s house. Unfortunately, Emily had no luck with luring Dacey out. Her calls and texts had gone unanswered, so that only left Plan B.

When we arrived, I look over at Emily and in a hushed voice said, “Okay, you know what to do. Diana and I will be waiting at the back door. Come get us when you’ve gotten rid of her."

Emily nodded confidently as she unlocked the door and stepped inside. Diana and I crouched down under the window and peered in. We located Emily as she slowly walked through the house. Then out of nowhere, La Lupine jogged into the living room and rose up on all-fours.

"What the hell are you doing here, scrub?” she asked as Emily sat her keys on the coffee table.

"Look, sis, I’m not here to fight. I just thought you could use some company tonight. I know how difficult things have been for you lately.“ Emily sounded cool and confident as she sat down on the couch.

Her sister looked at her skeptically. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fine. You should really go home.” Meanwhile outside, Diana and I began to hear howling.

“Oh shit!” I whisper-yelled. “The whole pack must be here!” We looked at each other nervously and sat down in the dirt, backs to the house. Hearts beating fast, we saw shadows dancing on the lawn, coming from the upstairs bedroom. As I peered back into the house, I noticed that Emily had coaxed her sister to the sofa. She was now passed out with her werewolf form cuddled tightly in the fetal position. An almost-empty popcorn bowl lay on the coffee table next to Emily’s keys, and Pretty Little Liars was playing on the flat screen tv. Then Emily silently tip-toed to the back door to let us in.

"I think Benedict is upstairs. I’ll keep an eye on Dacey.” Diana and I silently made our way up the steps. We continued to hear howls intermittently. I about pissed myself each time the sound rang out. Diana turned the doorknob of the master bedroom, and as she pushed it open, it slammed back. I looked at her in shock as the door flung open again, and a stranger’s paws took Diana by the collar. “What the—!” she exclaimed. I followed shortly behind her, and all of a sudden the werewolves-five total-were crouched down on their haunches and growling at both of us.

I quickly scanned the room and saw Benedict sitting in a corner with tears streaming down his face. He looked to be about 10 years old, clearly afraid. Without notice, the werewolves pounced. Diana high-kicked one right in the face and punched another, sending them back to the middle of the room. I stood there, frozen and perplexed on what my next move would be. Clearly my lack of athleticism would not be beneficial here. So I ran toward Benedict. I turned my head to see Diana in mid-air as she round-house kicked another furbag in the face, and then La Lupine made her way into the room.

“I see you’ve come for this little weasel have you? Well, you’re not leaving until I get my cloak."

"You’ll never see that again.” Diana quipped.

"Oh yeah? I’m going to make you wish you were never born!“

At that, La Lupine lunged at Diana, trapping her underneath. I quickly made my way to the open door, rushing Benedict out of the room to join Emily downstairs. I whipped around to find the other two werewolves making their way toward me. I quickly reached down into my backpack that I had flung to the floor upon the initial attack. I positioned the pepper spray and aimed at both of my prey. They began wailing and retreating backward toward the window. Diana and La Lupine continued to struggle on the floor. Finally, I grabbed the secret weapon out of my backpack. The small bottle gleamed in the moonlight. By this time, Diana had La Lupine by the neck, straddling her to keep her from maneuvering.

"Come on, Haven! Now!” I gently shook the bottle of wolfsbane into La Lupine’s open mouth.

In that moment, her big wolf eyes bulged, and her fur grew back into her skin as Diana rose to her feet. Not only that but the other werewolves resumed human form.

“What the hell are you freaks doing here?” Dacey asked as she smoothed her denim skirt. I eyed Diana.

"Oh, just dropping by to say hello.“ I winced. "I guess we better go.”

Diana and I walked downstairs, and she put her arms around Benedict. “Am I glad to see you!” I gave  Emily a quick hug before the three of us proceeded outside in the cold dark night. The cool air feeling good on my perspiring skin.

Once we had walked about a half a mile down the street, Diana turned to Benedict. “So kid, where’d you put the cloak?”

He looked up at her with an evil smile on his face, “That’s for me to know and you to find out…”

•  If you want to find out where Benedict put the cloak, read on for LRFYA's ending.

•  If you're looking for a hopeful conclusion, read on for FYAON's ending.