Twelve

ch 18: Home Alone

"I found him!" Meg and Ini announced as she practically skipped into the living room.

Ra squinted at her, his head still tender from the incident with Cori. "Could we please not shout? And who are we talking about?"

Meg and Ini preserved her cheery disposition. "Taurus, of course."

Ra nodded insincerely. "Oh of course, of course."

Eran talked over Ra's grumbling. "Where is he? Is he awakened or in danger?"

"About an hours drive from here. He doesn't seem to be awakened or in danger."

Eran examined the rest of his siblings. Both Ra and Cori were still nursing bruised heads and possibly concussions. Sci, for some reason, was showing few signs of stability. Sarui was the only wholesome one out of the group besides himself and Meg and Ini. He sighed. "Sarui. Stay here and babysit. Meg and Ini and I should be back within two hours. Please, please keep the doors locked and your guards up."

Ra made a displeased face. "Babysitting?"

Eran smiled as he exited. "Of course that's what he's concerned about."

Sarui followed them to the door and promptly locked it. "A bit boring, just the four of us, isn't it?"

Sci nodded. "Those two barely even count though."

A small smile found it's way onto Sarui's face. "Well didn't that sound like our brother."

Ra suddenly snapped his fingers, though the speed of the action sent him reeling for a few moments. "Cori hasn't done the thing yet."

"Thing?"

Sci tossed him the marble. "Hold it and sit back. You've got a bit of history to go through."

-

"Damn, that was the fastest one this cycle. It took me like ten hours."

"That's just because you're a bit slow, Ra. It only took me six."

"I think it took me around twelve."

"I've only been out for two hours? It felt like ages." Cori rubbed his temples lightly. "And it didn't help the headache any. Oh, hey. Shouldn't they be back by now?"

Eerily on cue, there was a knock on the door.

Ra's eyebrows furrowed as he gently grabbed Sarui's forearm to prevent her from approaching the door. "They should have a key," he whispered.

The other three paused in thought. There was another succession of knocks on the door, slightly more forceful this time.

Ra lifted a finger to his lips and motioned for them to make their way to Eran's room. The room furthest away from the door.

Ra shut the door and the four of them hid. Ra and Sarui crouched on opposing sides of the door. Sci flattened himself against the wall, hidden by a dresser. Cori was blocked from view by the bed. Although it seemed fainter, there was another series of knocks. After what seemed like minutes of silence, Ra rose slightly from his crouched position. Simultaneously, there was a crash at the other end of the house, followed by heavy footsteps. The four siblings each froze, their breaths caught in their throat.

Sarui's hands trembled slightly and she signed, "The front door is the only way out."

Sci could barely hear above the sound of his own heart pounding, but it seemed as if the footsteps had ceased. Ra glanced over to Sarui and slowly rose from his crouched position.

There were three slow, strong knocks on the bedroom door.

"Open up, siblings. I know you're there."