TETHERED
The readers and reviewers of this story probably think I'm the evil one because A.) I've continually tortured Ethan in this story, B.) I've turned both Benny and Jesse into lunatics, C.) Promised to update as soon as possible and wound up putting it off for weeks/months (apologies all around on that).
Quick replies to reviewers:
AsianIdiot16: I know, I told you guys this story would probably derail. My goal with chapters 11-13 were to inject some kind of humor in this if possible, I'd hate for every single chapter to have something to do with Jesse and [torturing and tormenting] Ethan, or Ethan's pain and hurt; which may either be just beginning or soon ending. Plus I know this story is primarily Bethan (Benny/Ethan), but I wanted to keep Rory, Sarah, and Erica; a lot of stories on here kind of focus on the pairing/relationship (whether it involves lemons or not) more so than a story or main plotline itself (but some users here manage to do both, for example: ArthM's "Whitechapel" trilogy (please read) or JustMe333's stories and others as well). As for Ethan, he's going to soon realize Benny's promises mean nothing, or at least that how it will seem to Ethan. Chapters 15/16, will likely be the back-tracking chapters that push the story forward, so I can get the story back to what it was about in the first place. It kind of 'rectifies' (if you will) what occurred in the first three chapters.
MBAV fan: Actually Fresh's/All MBAV's/YTV twitter pages have been suggesting that the Canadian network, YTV, could bring the show back/do a 2nd movie. Let's cross our fingers, toes and internal organs (well maybe not them)! I hope your suspicions on who saved Ethan were right; in the end, it's really a question of "Who really saved Ethan?"
Dominus Trinus 13 & TeamEthanMorgan: Hmm, I was originally going to make it Benny and have him go after the jocks who befriended him just to eventually hurt Ethan (? Possible motive), more so than he already is. Everyone seems to want to favor Jesse as Ethan's "rescuer", so why not... I need to bring him back into this story anyway. Except for some flashbacks or dreams, maybe it'll be for the last time in the entire story... maybe. Jesse's getting one last dance with Ethan (the next chapter, chapter 15, tentatively titled;"Tainted"), and I'm probably going to have to up the rating on the story just to post it.
Chapter 14: Troubled
Thirty minutes later.
Ethan was lying on a bed, unconscious, bloody, bruised, and clothing dirty and tattered. Ethan seemed to be that way a lot the past few days. A hand stroked loose hairs out of his face and then went down to stroke his cheek.
Thirty minutes earlier.
But back at school in the bathroom, Benny had just finished and was about to leave when Omar came out of a stall, "Hey Weir, a few of us are going to teach Morgan a lesson about tricks at the football field today, you wanna join?"
"You're gonna WHAT?!" Benny exclaimed, ready to blow up at what Omar just asked him to participate in.
Omar smiled, "Yeah man, I got a video from Rob before I came in here, they're already down there now!" Omar showed Benny his phone. Benny snatched the phone out of his hand and watched a five second clip of Robbie and some other jocks beating up Ethan on the ground, Ethan's head covered with some kind of bag. Benny could tell it was truly Ethan, the person had the same body shape and they were wearing the same clothes. Benny shocked and angry threw the phone back at Omar, "Damn Weir, you're gonna get your shot, slow down!"
Benny then ran out the bathrooms, through the almost empty halls and out of the school, the remaining students watching, Benny saw Rory standing, waiting for him and Ethan. Rory then got a smile on his face, "Dude where have you been?!"
"No time." Benny said out of breath, "We need to go to the football fields, NOW!" Benny said taking off running at full speed, Rory behind him. "The jerks, they took Ethan down there to beat him up!"
Rory then asked Benny, "What are we waiting for?!" Rory grabbed Benny's hand and took off at vampire speed. They arrived to the field in seconds, and they saw four people on the ground, with cuts and abrasions and they were groaning.
Benny looked around and saw the bag he saw in the video that was on Ethan's head, but he didn't see Ethan, but he did see drops of blood on the ground and it showed signs of a scuffle. Rory looked at them too, put a finger on them and sniffed the blood and dirt that was on his finger, a worried look appearing on his face, "Benny, it's Ethan's." Rory said softly, rubbing the blood between his fingers, contemplating licking them.
"These idiots are here, but where is Ethan?" Benny asked.
Rory stopped what he was considering doing when he heard Benny, and shook his head unsure, he sniffed the air, "Ethan's scent is here, but it's like he disappeared. Something else smells too, it smells familiar." Rory whispered to Benny.
Benny looked around angrily and saw Robbie Keller trying to get up off the ground, Benny decided to help him up, now since they were apparently 'friends' and all. Benny jerked Robbie up off the ground by his jacket, using strength he didn't know he had. "Where's Ethan?" Benny asked him, Robbie tried to mumble something but it wasn't enough for Benny. "WHERE THE HELL IS ETHAN, ROBBIE?!" Benny yelled.
Robbie looked around dazed, he wryly chuckled, "Morgan got away, again."
Benny's eye twitched angrily before harshly shoving Robbie into a school bus parked on the edge of the field, shattering the glass door. Rory's eyes bulged at what he was witnessing, he wanted to stop Benny, but he found it to be wise not to. Benny got in his face, "Listen you arrogant bastard, Omar showed me your Vine post on what you goons did to Ethan! You're lucky I'm not doing the same to you, so I'm going to ask you again, where... is... Ethan?" Benny asked him coldly.
"L-look Weir," Robbie gulped loudly, "All we did was beat him up. All I know is some muscular guy dressed in black came and roughed us up; I guess maybe Morgan went with him."
Benny growled, "You guess?!"
"I-I don't know, I passed out I guess!" Robbie answered, "Morgan's dragging you down around this school anyway man, I don't understand why you care about that weak geek anyway!" Robbie tried to rationalize their actions, but it might have been his worst mistake ever.
Benny's hand formed a fist which started glowing; Rory saw this and yelled, "Benny wait!" But it was too late; Benny punched Robbie square in the face with the glowing fist and let him fall to the ground, Robbie clutching his aching face.
Rory saw that Benny was breathing heavily and was furious, but his hand had stopped glowing, "You okay, Benny?" Rory asked meekly.
"No." Benny said coldly walking away, "We need to find Ethan!" Benny snapped.
Rory followed Benny quickly, looking at the guys who were all sprawled on the ground, he whispered to one of them, "You guys really shouldn't have done this."
"Let's go Rory!" Benny yelled still walking back to the school in a fast pace.
Rory hurried to catch up to him, "Coming Benny!"
Erica and Sarah were standing in front of the school waiting on the boys, seeing they were coming back their direction. Sarah quipped when the two boys got in hearing distance, "You know usually when three o'clock rolls around you're supposed to leave the school, not come back to it."
"Ethan's missing." Benny said lowly, walking past her.
Sarah and Erica exchanged a look, wondering if they heard him correctly. They followed him to his locker where he got his bag. Sarah asked him for clarification, "What do you mean Ethan's missing?"
"Just that, he's missing, those jerks beat him up at the football field and now he's disappeared!" Benny snapped.
Erica asked the boys, "Any chance the ner-, Ethan, went home?"
"I doubt it. There was no sign he left on his own, I couldn't smell any direction he went and when me and Benny got to the football field we saw all the bullies thrown about on the ground like someone straight kicked their butts!" Rory explained happily.
Erica asked, "Maybe Ethan did it?" Sarah, Rory, and Benny all looked at her at the same time with a blank expression, Erica shrugged, "It could happen!"
"Yeah, if Ethan all of a sudden could bench press 300 pounds and knew how to fight, especially more than one person at once." Sarah corrected, but also cynically joked.
Rory suggested, "We need a plan!"
"Oh no," Erica groaned, "I was hoping that we would go hunt lunch Sarah! I mean-" Erica had just stopped talking.
Benny shut his locker and walked off from the three, "You want blood, find Robbie, I belted him in the nose, I'm sure it's bleeding."
"He's blaming himself for this." Rory said quietly to the girls. "Benny put a spell on Ethan to make him better at dodge ball; the jock population took it personal that Ethan all of a sudden got better than them... so they've been wanting some payback. The first time they were going to pelt him with dodge balls, so I told Benny, who used magic to stop them. But I guess they weren't stumped, guess they decided to take a direct approach." Rory explained to them.
"Did he really clock Robbie in the nose?" Erica asked curiously.
Rory nodded, almost happily. Sarah said deeply concerned, "He's getting out of control." Sarah continued, "What is up with these two?! I mean Ethan seems so despondent lately and now Benny seems to be flying off the handle at everything."
"It's got something to do with Ethan." Rory answered, "I don't know what exactly, but I just know it does."
Sarah recalled, "Ethan said he was going to talk to Benny's grandma today, but if Ethan's gone missing, somehow I don't think that's going to happen today."
"Common sense should have told dorkwad not to walk away without formulating some kind of plan to find him." Erica said to them harshly.
Sarah shook her head, "No, he needs to cool off. We'll leave Benny alone for now and try to come up with some kind of plan to find Ethan. Rory, I think you should keep an eye on Benny."
"Wait, I thought you said he should be left alone?!" Rory said, remembering all of what Benny had done today.
Erica corrected for Sarah, "I think she meant to watch him from a distance... for a nerd, you sure are dumb at times Rory."
"Thanks!" Rory said smiling goofily.
Sarah said to him, "I don't think that was a compliment, Rory."
"It's wasn't." Erica added.
Benny walked home, deep in his thoughts, thinking about all the empty promises he seemed to keep making to Ethan about protecting him and being there for him; another thing that was on his mind was himself and how it seemed he was losing control of himself and his powers. "I hope Ethan is okay wherever he is, but I have this strange feeling that he's not. Ethan's going to hate me for this, I keep promising him that I'll be near him if he gets into any danger, and yet Jesse abducts and rapes him, jerks at school beat him up, and I'm betting Ethan's thinking I'm shunning him so this can happen to him on purpose. If Ethan doesn't hate me, he should, and I wouldn't blame him. And my powers, my stupid powers, I can shove people around and almost lop one of my friends' head off, but I can't protect my best friend. Some spell master I am."
Benny continued to walk home in his thoughts, not aware Rory was flying in the air great distance above him. Rory saw Benny's facial expressions changing; fear, anger, sadness/worry and back. "I can tell he's beating himself up about Ethan. It's not his fault. Poor Benny, and Ethan too."
Minutes later, Benny was at home, he walked in and closed the door, he could tell his grandma was back home, the blinds were open, the living room was cleaner than he recalled leaving it, and the TV was on, "Gram, I'm home!" He yelled, flopping in a chair and holding his head in his hands.
"Did you have a good day at school today Ben-, Benny, are you okay?" His grandma said coming down the stairs, she then saw him sitting in the chair holding his head; she went to his side moved one of his hands and felt his head.
Benny nodded his head, "I'm fine, I'm not sick, grandma! Not that way anyway."
"What do you mean dear?" She asked him confused at what he'd just said.
Benny continued, "I mean my magic gram, these past few days it's been, weird. I've been hurting people, my friends with it."
"Tell me dear." She said, sitting down on the couch.
Benny wryly scoffed, "Where should I start grandma? Where I beat up Rory? Almost took Sarah's head off, or where I shoved Robbie Keller into a bus and might have broken his nose?"
"Start from the beginning if you can." She told him, shocked at what he'd told her he'd done today.
Benny sighed and began, "I noticed it started today, Ethan noticed it this morning when we were having breakfast. He told me he's seen my magic flaring the past few days, he asked me was I okay, I told him I was. But deep down grandma, I wasn't sure. So we went to school, and I was approached by Sarah about Rory telling her about Ethan. Ethan doesn't want anyone to know what happened to him grandma, but especially not Sarah. So I found Rory and after I learned he told Sarah about how Ethan's been acting, I used my magic and shoved him into his locker, burning him in the process. I think he's scared of me now too."
"Dear me." His grandma said looking at her grandson in worry, "Continue please, Benny." She needed to know what all he's done.
Benny nodded and continued the story about his day, which would be interesting to some if it were fictional, but it's not. Benny told his grandma about all that occurred that day, from the premature accusation from Sarah to him almost loping her head off, to Benny punching Robbie after school. Ms. Weir stared at her grandson in shock, but she also had an inkling of why he seemed to be getting out of control.
She then asked him, "Is this about you Benny, or your inability to protect Ethan the way you want to?"
"What are you saying grandma?! I can protect Ethan!" Benny protested of her question.
She folded her arms, "Well then where is he, Benny?"
Benny was about to say something, but stopped and paused for a minute deep in thought before sitting back in the chair with a dazed expression on his face, he softly answered, "I don't know."
"You're letting your emotions take control of your magic, Benny. At this rate if you continue, you will not only bring harm to yourself, but to others." She told him cautiously.
Benny sighed and looked at her, "Well, how do I regain control?"
"Only you know how to do that for yourself, Benny." She told him, and then noticing a look of loss and hopelessness befall on his face. "Benny, all it is, your powers still developing. You weren't exactly the earliest of bloomers you know. You only learned that you possessed magic powers two and a half years ago."
Benny shook his head at this, "It doesn't matter gram, I still didn't and can't protect Ethan. It's like I can't take my eyes off him or something will happen to him." Benny then scolded himself, "I knew I shouldn't have taken that bathroom break after he told me he felt he was being watched by the jocks."
"And you continue to blame yourself; if you want to blame anyone, blame the ones that are bringing actual harm to Ethan. Your classmates, and Jesse; who I'm willing to bet probably has Ethan." Grandma told him.
She watched Benny as he was piecing things together in his mind. Benny then recalled what Ethan had told him occurred the times he was with Jesse the past few days, Benny knowing Jesse had intentions to harm Ethan again. A determined look came across Benny's face, "He does have Ethan, grandma." He said to her coldly.
It almost sent a shiver up her spine when she heard Benny say it that way, she answered him with, "You know what needs to be done, Benny." She saw his spell book sitting by his shoulder bag on the coffee table; she grabbed up the book and immediately flipped to a page, marking it in his book. She sat the open book down in front of him on the table and told him strongly, "Get Ethan back, Benny." She then got up from her chair and proceeded to walk upstairs but she stopped, turned around and looked at Benny who stared at her, "I know you'll save him."
She then continued upstairs, leaving Benny to look at the open page in his spell book. He picked it up and read the page, "This is a confinement spell for vampires and werewolves." Benny muttered reading it. Benny then questioned it after he read it, "Confine him, into what?"
"This." Evelyn said coming down the stairs holding a wooden object and placing it on the table.
Benny eyed it, knowing it looked familiar, he then gasped when he realized what it was, "The cubile animus, where'd you get that?! I thought Ethan had it?!"
"You boys should be careful where you leave things you dig up from the backyard." Evelyn said suspiciously eying her grandson. "I found it the following morning Ethan was bit at your dance in tenth grade by Jesse."
Benny was shocked at how much time had lapsed since then, "That was almost a year ago!"
"Mm-hmm," she agreed, nodding her head, she continued, "Use the spell to banish him into this."
Benny said lowly and worriedly, "It's that simple huh?"
"I have the utmost confidence in you Benny." She said, "However, I think you should tell Sarah your plans... as much as Ethan probably doesn't want anyone to know what has occurred, it's for the best for him, to save him."
Benny sighed, "You're right, I guess I can tell her and skip the gory details Ethan told me." Ms. Weir nodded. "Thanks, gram..." Benny said, still feeling unsure and uncertain on what he had to do.
"Anytime dear, now, get your friends and go save Ethan before more harm befalls him, if it hasn't already." She said to him in an urgent tone.
Benny got up off the couch, grabbed his bag, placing the cublie animus in it along with his spell book, he looked in his book and saw another spell on the page, which was worse than the confinement spell. He bookmarked to the page he needed to recite the second spell from and he left.
His grandma stared as he left; her thoughts were on both him and Ethan. "Whatever you just read on that page Benny, you better make sure you do it right, or all of you are as good as dead." She whispered, hoping Benny would do the spell she showed him, but she doubted he would, she saw the look in his eyes when he read it, it was a look of vengeance. And despite how cut and dry her plan was for him to do, she just had a bad feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong.
Benny walked outside and as he did a tree branch fell in front of him, "What the," then he heard a loud snap followed by some familiar yelling and a loud thud to the ground. He then saw Rory fall right in front of him.
"H-h-hey Benny, how are you doing, buddy?!" Rory stammered getting up off of the ground.
Benny had an un-amused look on his face, "Rory, what are you doing?"
"N-nothing, not stalking you or anything." Rory said nervously.
Benny scoffed angrily, "Whatever, let's go Rory." Benny said walking away from the vampire.
"Where?" Rory asked confused.
Benny, still walking, simply answered, "To get Sarah... to save Ethan from Jesse."
"JESSE?!" Rory asked shocked.
End of the troubling chapter 14. It's rescuing time, for real this time. Let's see how Benny can tell the rest of the gang where Ethan is and why without revealing how it all started in the first place. Benny's breaking promises to Ethan, he might as well betray his confidence too. Leave it to Grandma to get Benny on the right track, or try to anyway, not sure how long he will be. I wanted this chapter to focus on Benny and his rising guilt (and powers as well). I managed to mention events from the movie/episodes "Three Geeks and a Demon" / "Re-Vamped" as well.
Will Ethan be saved before something terrible happens? Please review to find out where chapter 15 leads! I thank everyone who's hung on and read/reviewed/favorite/followed this story so far, don't let go just yet, because it's about to get bumpy.
Alternate titles for this chapter would have been, "Empty Promises" or "Guilty Thoughts"
Here's a preview for CH15 (because I have it ready to be posted), and I don't think anyone is ready for it.
It's been a bumpy road for Ethan…
Benny ran faster to the Morgan's, running down downtown Whitechapel streets, running into, pushing, and shoving people out of the way.
In Ethan's room, Ethan was shaking in fear and nervousness, he didn't want to die; by Jesse's hand or his own. Tears began to fall from Ethan's eyes. Jesse snapped, "What are you waiting for?! Pick up the freakin' knife and do it already!"
Ethan gasped at Jesse's outburst; Ethan mumbled softly, "I don't want to die."
And it's not over yet.
Someone...
Sarah asked Benny a cowardice tone in her voice, "What'd Jesse do to Ethan?" Sarah and Benny stared at each other, Benny growing a pained expression on his face. "Oh God." Sarah whispered.
Will...
Benny then ran down the street and up the Morgan's driveway and ran through the open front door and to his surprise; he saw the most gruesome thing he ever saw.
While Ethan began to pick up a knife, he put it to his arm, his hands shaking violently.
DIE.
Jesse growled, ran up to Ethan, took the knife and proceeded to put it to Ethan's throat. Ethan's bedroom door was kicked in, "Leave him alone!" Benny yelled, recklessly aiming his magic at Jesse and Ethan.
Sarah was on the phone with Benny in the park, "Benny?! Where are you? We heard screaming! Is Ethan okay? Benny?!" Sarah looked up at Erica and Rory who had worried looks on their faces, "This can't be good you guys."
Do you think you're still ready for chapter 15? You MUST review if you are!