House of Anubis

An Unexpected Return

I started to nearly freak out. I read the letter over and over. "What has Vera done to her?" I burst out. "We don't know of course! But Mara arrived over a week ago, she told me via text message. Something about her parents going to Spain for a marathon or something." said Joy. "When I asked Trudy, did anybody arrive yet, she told me I was the first! But Vera, I thought she would have been gone by now?" I asked everyone, becoming very nervous. "Don't worry Jerome, it could have been a misunderstanding and besides I doubt Vera can work a laptop." said Amber, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm going to Victor about this!" I said walking about out of the room. "No Jerome. That'll make matters worse. He probably knows just about as much as we do!" says an distressed Nina, blocking my way. "I'm just really -" "It's ten o clock! You have five minutes precisely, and then I want to her a pin drop!" says Victor booming.  "Jerome, we'll sort it out tomorrow, get some sleep first" said Fabian as I left the room. 

    The next morning I did my usual routine, and went down to breakfast, where I nearly fainted in shock. "Mara!" "Jerome!" I ran up to her and gave her a hug and spun her around. "Were where you?" I asked. "Tell you later" she said in a shaky whisper in my ear. "Yes, I was fine, just with my parents! Sorry I couldn't make the first week, did you get my note?" she said in a fake cheery voice. "Yes, do you know how much worry you caused us? The note spelt *Vera Help Me* !" said an angry Patricia. "What? Oh sorry I didn't mean it to spell anything! Big coincidence!" said Mara. She was confronted by more people asking where she was, but she stilled used the same excuse, but I knew something was up. 

   After school and dinner, where I was completing some homework, Mara knocked gently. She came in and sat at the spare chair at my desk. "Mara, what happened?" I asked. "Vera happened. Okay, as you probably know I arrived early to school. Trudy wasn't there, she didn't come until the following Wednesday. In fact Victor and I were the only people in the house. He didn't like the fact of students arriving early but I got to stay in the end. Victor was with Mr Sweet for the day, for what reason I don't know. I was studying the books we would be using this term, when suddenly Vera came into the room with a man. They most have knocked me out, because I woke up in a dirty shed behind the barn. Vera and the man came in. I didn't know the man, but Vera told me that she needed something, hidden in this house! She didn't tell me who needed it and what for, but we had to get it soon, or another student will disappear, permanently." "What, what are we looking for?" I stumbled.

"A book. Something about Isis?" she said.

"I'm not sure. I'll ask Fabian, he'll know, he's crazy about Egyptian mythology.

"We have to act fast. She needs it soon." 

"I know... This is just like the mas-"

"The what?" 

"Oh, nothing. Sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"I'm just scared. Besides I don't even know where to start looking..."

"Wait. Why did she return you?"

"It was a threat. It shows that she means business."

Alfie came into the room. "Oh um, am I intruding?"

"No. It's fine. I was just leaving actually" said Mara in a cheery voice. 

I gave her a hug and she left. "So what were two doing in here?" asked Alfie. I told Alfie the whole story. He was my best friend and I could trust him. When I finished, he gasped and went pale. "Have you heard of this book before?" I asked. "Jerome, there's something you have to know... As you might know, there's tunnels underneath the house. It housed the Mask of Anubis. At least we thought it did. Me, Amber, Patricia, Nina and Fabian, we're part of a secret group, Sibuna. You see, Nina's the chosen one. I'll explain that later. We each have amulets that keep us from harm in the tunnels. And Victor is trying to make an elixir. An elixir of life. But for the recipe he needs a book. The book is called the Book of Isis. Victor has the actual book, but there is pages missing, we think. We believe the pages are located somewhere in the tunnels, but we're not one hundred per cent of everything. Its a lot to take in, and it seems far fetched, but you have to believe it. Welcome to Sibuna Jerome."