I might just get around to posting the whole story tonight

Chapter 17

Benny reappeared in front of a pale yellow house. The night was still young, even with Samantha’s story being told, and not a thing stirred outside. He turned as a pop announced Samantha had arrived. Without looking back at her, he walked to the front door and knocked. It took him three tries before it opened.

A man with shiny, dark brown curly hair and a heavy-eyed expression answered the door. Sleep still coated his coffee brown eyes. He looked at them for a second as if trying to remember their names, and then said, “Most people like to sleep around this hour, but what can I do you two for?”

“I’m sorry Benjamin for waking you, but this is important.” Samantha spoke, stepping closer to him. He must of saw the restlessness in her eyes, because he stepped back to let them enter.

The both of them walked inside and followed Benjamin to the kitchen. He turned on an overhead light and put his hand out for them to sit down. He took a seat across from Samantha and waited for her to explain. Samantha looked intimated by him, and that confused Benny. She was never this shy.

“What happened? Has something happened?” Benjamin asked, his expression becoming more wary.

“I…well I don’t really know where to begin.” Samantha admitted. She didn’t know how much to tell him, Benny realized. She had told him she didn’t want to bring anybody into this. But she was going to have to talk, if they had any chance for Benjamin helping them.

“Why don’t you start with the problem.” Benjamin suggested, his coffee colored eyes urging her to go on.

“The thing is, Milo was kidnapped by some, erm, dark wizards. And I can’t just let them kill him. I have to do something.” Samantha said, her voice trembling.

“Who is Milo? And what dark wizards?” Benjamin said, his voice was more guarded now.

“Milo is somebody I really care about and I need to save him. I need your help.” Samantha said, her eyes shining with her plea. Benny noted how she avoided his second question.

“You want me to help you go against some dark wizards?” he said, his eyebrow raising.

“Yes please. I don’t know who else to go to.”

“What about the ministry?”

“I don’t want to bring them into this.” She said quietly.

“Why?”

“I…have my reasons.” She said, her eyes not making contact with Benjamin’s.

“I’m sorry Sam. But I’m retired. I don’t think I can help you.” Benjamin was in his thirties and nobody ever had to question why he retired. Years back he was kidnapped and got pretty messed up over it. The ministry appreciated everything he had done for them, so he had received a small fortune from them, to try and make up for his kidnapping. He wasn’t filthy rich, but it was enough that he never had to work again.

Benny had been afraid he would say this and looked sharply over to Samantha. Her face was beginning to panic, but only Benny could see this. She still kept up a cool face, but he could see the alarm in her eyes.

“I wouldn’t come to you if you weren’t one of the best aurors around.” She said, trying to persuade him into helping them.

“I’m hardly the best.” Benjamin grimaced.

“You have a plaque in the ministry dedicated to you and your tremendous bravery.” Samantha defended. Benjamin frowned at her.

Benny saw that this was not going the way they wanted so he stood. “I don’t think he can help us Sammy. Thank you Benjamin. We are sorry for waking you.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to help you. I just…” he looked off as if reliving a bad memory. A shiver ran down his spine and he closed his eyes.

“Maybe Axel can help us.” Samantha muttered, slowly getting to her feet.

“Axel?” Benjamin said, his eyes flashing open.

“Did I hear my name?” a groggy voice said in the doorway. Benny took one look at Axel, and knew what he had to do.


Credit for Axel Phoenix goes to Shan (Phoenix 8390)!