Animatronics Awaken

Brother

Ellie's POV

"Chase!" Raymon exclaimed, trying to sound casual. "What are you doing here?"

I could see how terrified he was. The only bag of clothes he carried was trembling in his hands. I couldn't see his face, but I'm sure his eyes were wide. His free hand was behind his back, holding the bracelet and cellphone in it.

Not only was he hiding the items, he did this when he was nervous.

"Lunchtime, idiot," Chase replied, biting an apple. He observed me, Justin, and Cheyanne. "What did we say about strangers in the house?"

"They're not strangers," Raymon replied matter-of-factly.

"So? No company."

"Why are you allowed to have people over while I'm not?" Raymon challenged. "It's not fair."

Chase took a bite of the apple, chewed it, leaned closer to Raymon, and spoke. "Because I'm older and have more power than you." Bits of apple from Chase's mouth we're flying onto Raymon's face. He wiped it off and retorted, "Whatever. We were just leaving anyway."

Chase shook his head. "Oh, no you're not. You and your little friends are going to stay here and wait until Mom and Dad come home."

"Oh, we're not," Raymon said in the same tone. He tried to barge past Chase while the rest of us watched in shock. Chase easily held Raymon back. "What have you been hiding behind your back, by the way?"

Justin was standing right behind Raymon, so he took the bracelet and cellphone from Raymon right when Chase asked. Raymon didn't even have to signal.

Feeling that the two items were safely taken, Raymon pulled his hand from behind him and replied, "Nothing."

Chase had a surprised look on his face as if he expected something to be there. "Okay," he said suspiciously. He finished his apple and said, "I'm going to go throw this away because I'm not a pig like you. Stay here." His gaze swept the back of the room at us. "All of you."

He left with the apple core, closing the door. I'm sure he would've locked it if there was one.

"Man, I hate him already," Justin said, giving the two items back to Raymon.

"Me too," he replied. "Thanks for taking the items, Justin. I don't want Chase to see them."

Justin was about to say "You're welcome", but Raymon continued. "This is our only chance to get out of here. We need to GO!"

None of us replied.

Raymon leaned against the closed door, listening. "Alright, we're safe for now. But it shouldn't take him that long to throw that thing away. We're gonna dart to one of the other rooms and wait for him to come past. Then we bolt for the front door."

"Sounds like a plan," I said.

"How do you know it's gonna work?" Cheyanne asked.

"I do it all the time," Raymon replied. "To sneak out."

Cheyanne nodded, a little comforted.

With that, Raymon opened the door slightly and peered out. "Not there," he said, then opened the door wider. "Everybody out, go! Down the hall into the bathroom!"

I was the first one to leave the room. I bolted for the bathroom, the last room in this hall, and kept an eye on the stairs at the same time. Justin and Cheyanne followed me, with Raymon last. The plastic bags rustled as we tiptoed speedily down the hall.

I arrived at the bathroom first, of course, and ripped the door open. I went inside, and the others right behind me Raymon, the last one, shut the door except for a small crack to peer through.