HOUSE OF TUNNELS

Chapter 17

Everything is a blur for Savanna as the shocking truth settles.. She's expelled.
All she can hear is the students shouting, trying to object.
But Savanna stands and runs out, crying.
~
Savanna is crying in the bathroom when Mrs. Andrews comes in.
"Savanna.." She says.
"I'm so sorry I disappointed you!" She cries.
"You didn't!" Mrs. Andrews hugs her. "Listen, I talked to Mr. Sweet.. I got him to let you stay. But, as a punishment.. You're kicked out of the newspaper club."
"Okay.." Savanna says. "But YAY I CAN STAY!!"
Savanna and Mrs. Andrews hug.
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Andrews!" Savanna smiles.
"You deserve to stay.." Mrs. Andrews smiles at her.
Savanna skips away.
"This is not how it's going to happen.." A voice says.
Mrs. Andrews whips around a to see Vera holding a crowbar.
"Vera.." Mrs. Andrews gasps. "We were right!"
"But she needs to be punished!" Vera exclaims.
"I'm going to kill the girl.."
"No!" Mrs. Andrews shouts. "I won't let you! Take me instead! I was the one who told her to do it! She's too young!"
"Huh.." Vera smirks. "I suppose."
Vera brings the crowbar down hard on Mrs. Andreas's head and kidnaps her.
~
After the hearing, Elayna goes to visit Tommy at Hades House and sees him talking to Mr. Sweet.
"You cause too much trouble in this school! Do you want me to take you out?!" Mr. Sweet exclaims.
"I like it here!" Tommy shouts. "The only reason I do those things is because I don't have it very great back home with my mom, Eric!"
"Why can't you call me-"
"Dad?! Because you have never been a father to me and you never will! You left me when I was little!"
Elayna gasps.
She realizes that Tommy is Mr. Sweet's son.
~
Annika and Jamal talk in the living room.
Vera goes up to them. "Annika, I have some bad news.."
"What?" Annika stands. "What is it?"
"It's about your grandma, the one that visited.."
"What about her?!"
"She's in the hospital.. She seems to have come down with an irregular illness.."
Tears fall from Annika's eyes as she charges out and to the hospital.
~
After Annika visits Gran at the hospital, she leaves and walks back to Hades House through the woods.
She hears the sound of twigs snapping.
"Who's there?!" She shouts, her heart pounding.
She turns and sees Senkhara.
"You!" Annika sighs.
"Why aren't you in the tunnels?!" Senkhara angers. "Do you want you and your friends to die?!"
"Don't you see I'm trying the best I can?!" She exclaims. "My Gran is sick, okay?! I don't know if she'll survive! I honestly don't care about the mask, Senkhara!"
"I will kill you.."
"Go ahead, try! You're nothing but a ghost, Senkahara.. And I'm the Sorceress. You want to kill me? You have to fight me.."
Senkahara glows red. She sends a flaming ball of fire towards Annika and Annika blocks it with her powers.
"You're gonna have to try harder than that.."
Senkhara charges at Annika and sends her powers towards Annika in a powerful force.
Annika blocks it and their powers push against one another, the Dark Spirit against the Sorceress.
Annika pushes with all of her strength, and Senkhara sends her flying into a tree with her powers.
Annika yelps, in pain.
"Don't you get it?" Senkhara smirks. "You can't kill me without the Sorcerer."
"The Sorcerer?"
"You're partner. Born on the winter solstice. You and him are supposed to be together, fighting evil. So, you can't defeat me until you find him. Just find the Mask or I kill your friends!"
"Fine! I will! I'm sorry!"
"You shall be punished. From now on, you and all of your friends will be cursed.. Each of you will have a unique curse that will make your task harder!"
Senkhara sends red powers to Annika and she passes out.
~
At Hades House, Mr. Sweet goes to Savanna.
"Savanna.." He says.
"Yes?"
"Have you seen Mrs. Andrews?" He asks. "I can't find her.."
"The last time I saw here was in the bathroom at school.." Savanna suggests. "I'll go look there!"
Savanna dashes out and to the school.
She runs into the bathroom calling Mrs. Andrews's name.
She turns on the lights and releases a blood curdling scream when she sees it.
Blood is splattered in every area of the bathroom, and in the center..
Is Mrs. Andrews's dead body hanging from the ceiling.