What Lies Beneath ▸ House of Anubis [1]

chapter eleven. house of hyper

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            The party is in full-swing again. Amber and Mick are dancing while Mara watches longingly (maybe their fight was about him?), Nina's on the couch, and I'm back dancing with Evan again. He's loosened up and is now full-on dancing badly, which is making me laugh. As for the rest of the house, I have no idea where Alfie's gone and I just saw Clarke looking a little down over by the speakers for some reason.

            "Hey, guess what I am?!" Alfie shouts all of a sudden, running smack into me while wearing an animal's head. I look at him weirdly as Evan lets go of my hand (which I didn't even realize he was holding) due to the impact. "A party animal! Get it, Ash?!"

            I take my phone from my pocket and open up the camera. "I'm just gonna take a photo of this for future blackmail material." The flash goes off. "Saved. Hey, I need your mum's number so I can send this to her. Also, will be showing this to your future girlfriend."

            "Enough!" Victor's voice booms out of nowhere, causing everything to cease. "Turn that racket off." Someone switches off the music and it falls silent. "Anyone who doesn't live here—out!" Evan leaves along with everyone else, the main entrance hall of Anubis filled with students. "The party is over. And you," he points his cane at Alfie, "how dare you mess with that?! Take it off your head immediately!" Alfie puts his hands on the head and pulls on it, but it doesn't come off. "Did you hear what I said?!"

            "I can't!" Alfie says. "It's stuck."

            It causes us to laugh, but not for long. "Stop laughing!" Victor demands. "I have had enough of you vermin. Who has got the spare key to the attic?" I share a quick look with Nina and Fabian. "I know somebody's been up there! Tonight, as a matter of fact!" How does he know? "Oh, yes! You think you're all so clever, but you are not as clever as me. Who has it?!"

            Alfie breaks the tense silence. "It's really hot in here. I can't breathe!"

            "Well, then, we'll just have to saw it off, shan't we?!" Victor says, wrapping the curved end of his cane around Alfie's neck. My eyes widen.

            "Saw?!"

            "Oh, yes. The rest of you, wait there!"

            Victor takes Alfie out of the room. I sit on the arm of the couch, watching as Nina begins to leave. "Nina, where are you going?"

            "I'm going to figure out a way to get the key back without Victor knowing it was me," she says. "It sounded easier in my head." Nina leaves without letting us get a word in. I fall back onto the couch, groaning. No one speaks until she comes back and says, "Okay, I left it on the floor outside Victor's office."

            "You left it on the floor?" Clarke repeats.

            "I know it's not the best idea in the world, but if he has it, he can't search us for it. Trust me, guys."