Two to the Power of Ten

There had been adventures in the past where Erica hadn't played a role, nor even been informed. Or, two years before, Erica had been with the "heels and the bad guys" in Benny's words, using the professional wrestling terms.

But Erica was Sarah's best friend! Sarah had a serious dilemma in whether she wanted to tell Erica what had happened! Erica wasn't entirely over Ethan's role in curing her; she might just gloat about it. On one hand, Erica could offer help. But then again, even if she wanted to be helpful, Erica would start giving Ethan advice straight from the pages of Dusk. As for zombies? Sarah had the idea Erica would find zombies disgusting in general, Zombie Benny in particular.

What finally settled Sarah's mind was two things. First was her own experience. Would she have wanted Ethan blurting to everyone she had been a vampire? Ethan had spilt to Benny that first night . . . but that was before Ethan had really known her or what was going on. And second, Ethan asked Sarah to keep it secret in the student lounge the next morning.

"I need Erica knowing like I need another curse on my head" Ethan said sarcastically. "For once I'm happy she thinks I'm disgusting, otherwise she'll be giving me some of her insane werewolf advice."

"I thought so" Sarah agreed. "But she's going to find out. Especially if you start showing symptoms."

Ethan looked sick at the mention of symptoms, but managed to give a weak smile.

"No problem" Ethan said. "I'm holding it together. Except . . . ."

"What?"

"Growling, Sarah" said Rory, who now sat down across from them. "He put together one of our new songs and sent me the demo last night. Whoa, you can really hear him struggle with the word girl."

"You're still working on the dance?" asked Sarah amazed.

"You and Rory are still excited about your school pictures" Ethan returned. "And the dance is at the end of the month. I mean, we can't let this . . . problem . . . wreck our lives."

"I mean, dude, it's not as bad as being a vamp" said Rory. "No curse on the soul, you're not unholy. You're not always hunting for blood either. You get photos. If worst comes to worst . . . ."

"Not helping Rory" said Ethan.

"Brains now and then are easy for Benny to get. And I figured something that'll make you feel better. And you guys say I suck at being a mathlete!"

Rory passed Ethan a slip of paper. It had a simple equation, and a few words in Rory's handwriting. (The three of them had been in one of the last classes in their school to learn cursive writing)

Rory's paper read [(100 - 17) x 12.3] + 3 = 1023.9 rounds up to 1024.

Ethan looked perplexed and passed it to Sarah.

"What does that mean?" asked Sarah. "1024"

"It's 2 to the power of 10" said Ethan. "And . . . ."

Ethan looked over the equation again. It was clear as day.

"Rory, dude" Ethan groaned. "That's definitely not helping. 1024 times."

"Am I missing something?" Sarah said sarcastically.

"If Ethan lives to be 100" started Rory. "A cool guy like Ethan ought to live to be 100."

"That's the hundred" Ethan explained distastefully. "I'm almost 17, so that's 83. 12.3 is the average number of full moons a years. Multiplied that's 1020.9. There's three full moons until I turn 17. There's your plus three. And . . .round up."

"It's only 1024 nights" Rory explained. "But the rest of time you'll be normal. Only 1024 times in just over 83 years! Well, Ethan, acting a little like a dog or a wolf all the time, but normal."

"That's the awesome news?" Ethan said disbelievingly. "Rory, Sarah wasn't missing something. You were! One thousand and twenty four nights of turning into Werewolf Ethan. Until I finally get free . . . by dropping dead at age 100!"

"What does a hundred year old werewolf do anyway?" Sarah joked.

"Use a cane?" Rory guessed.


Rory may have been missing something, but not Erica. Socially, Erica was having an awesome day. Currently, the coolest jock in school was a guy by the name of Bill Vanlake. Vanlake's parents were gone for the weekend, that meant a wild house-party! Well, mansion party given the Vanlake home. Anything would go!

Sarah could come too . . . but not Ethan, because he was only in the 11th Grade and a complete geek. Could this be the chance to split the two up!

When they ate together at lunch, Erica was pleased to see Sarah interested in the party. And talk about who was going. And what it would be like. But Erica was doomed to be disappointed. Sarah wasn't interested in actually going. Sarah was going to the mall with Ethan, and wasn't going to stand him up.

And between the counterfeit curses, the yearbook committee and regular schoolwork . . . who could go to a party? Yet Sarah kept this secret from the indignant Erica.

"But . . . why?" Erica whined. "Just because you're dating a geek . . . .

"Named Ethan" said Sarah impatiently.

". . . .doesn't mean you have to pass up the coolest party in school history. Okay, second-best. Who can forget the party where I. . . ."

This meant Jesse's fateful vampire party. And to describe that party as "cool" was something that boiled Sarah's well circulating-blood.

"You just can't let that go, can you?" Sarah returned angrily. "We made a deal with you so you can eventually go back to blood-sucking to your un-dead heart's content. Just shut-up about it! Do you know how lucky you are?"

Erica noticed Sarah's eyes quickly glancing towards where Ethan and Rory were lined up at the cashier's. Rory was, in Erica's opinion, gibbering idiotically. As for Ethan, he was in an odd mood. Talking animatedly about something, but looking pointedly away from some nearby hamburgers sizzling on a grill.

Erica was smart enough to know something was up. But bereft of vampire super-hearing, she couldn't hear what. Some Team Sabre business, no doubt? Something cool? Interesting monster-busting business? Ghosts? Was it worth hanging out with the geeks again? Not this time! It was four days to the coolest school party of the year. For now, at least there was too much flirting and dating to bother.

And homework; even if she was hot Erica still kept her grades up.

But after the party, all bets were off. It was just that Ethan and his geek posse's adventures usually wound up in a few days . . . .


Although they hadn't put their list of suspects together, Ethan and Rory were on the lookout to see if Stephanie was still miserable at her job in the cafeteria. There she was, cheerfully grilling hamburgers. As for the school hamburgers, they looked good . . . even though for several years school hamburgers had to meet a government "healthy food" guideline.

Ethan looked away from the cooking burgers, worried. They were making him very hungry. Normal? Or werewolfish? Ethan chalked it to normal, although he couldn't help but think that teen boys don't start inwardly salivating like one of Pavlov's dogs.

"She's here" said Rory. "So it can't be her?"

Stephanie, a miserable-looking old woman if ever you saw one, glanced at the two and smiled.

"But she's too happy" Ethan replied, as the two went to the cashier. "She knows what happened."

As they paid the two were silently in thought.

"Maybe if you threatened to bite her?" said Rory, after they went to their table. "As a cheerleader she was all hot and really vain about it. Even as an old woman she can't want to look like a werewolf. A girl werewolf must be a real dog."

"Literally" remarked Ethan, drolly. "But your idea's sick, dude. I don't go around biting people. And a werewolf has to be in wolf form, not human form. And I'm not waiting for that to happen to me. Either once or 2 to the power of 10 times.