What Lies Beneath ▸ House of Anubis [1]

chapter thirty-two. house of risk

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            Nina didn't return before the second act began. Victor's still missing from the audience. Rufus is still sitting in the front row. Trudy and Ade are still lowkey flirting. And Joy's still in seat D-4, her disguise hiding her from the eyes of anyone who knows her. Patricia mentioned to me that there was another message in the card Joy sent to her, a mirrored one that said to meet her after the play.

            Right now, Fabian's on stage, saying, "I hope they never return and this house will be mine. All mine! Mwahahah!"

            The audience boos Vincent as Fabian walks off stage. I lean forward, playing a dreadful melody. Very dreadful. I love my job.

            "Any sign?" Fabian whispers.

            I shake my head as Amber answers, "Not one sign of Nina. Not a single one."

            Amber goes onto the stage for her next scene as a living prop. I glance over at Fabian, questioning, "Do you think she'll make it back in time?"

            Fabian nods unconvincingly. "Yes, yes, of course. She's fine. I'm sure she's fine."

            Mick says from the stage, "We found the treasure of Anubis. Now we have to get out of here."

            I happily press the button that cues the sounds of thunder and lightning whilst using my other hand to adjust the lighting accordingly. Then our stage explosion happens, a flash of light indicating Anubis' arrival. Fabian looks at me, remarking, "You're having way too much fun with this."

            "Woe to those who have disturbed me in death," Patricia declares, holding her staff on the stage. Mick points a fake gun, complete with a little orange tip, at her. "Disbelievers. No death can kill me. Because I am Death!"

            She lowers her staff to just barely hit Mick's hand, and I cue the thunder. "Ah, my hand!" Mick exclaims, showing the red Eye of Horus I just painted onto his and Mara's hands whilst Fabian was on stage. Was quite fun.

            "My blood will wash over your heads! And those of your children!"

            "We will do whatever you ask," Mara says frantically, "so long as you promise nothing happens to Sally!"

            "One more word and you will never, ever see little Sally again."

            Mara falls to her knees. "No, wait, please, not our little Sally! I beg you!"

            Patricia lowers her staff again, and I cue the thunder again as Mara looks at her hand, frightened.

            "Run, save yourself!" Mick tells the camel. I can tell Alfie won out his and Jerome's 'who will be the camel's head' argument because I can hear him squeal. Patricia then lowers the staff to the camel's hump, which means I cue the thunder for the third time (and the last for this scene), and Alfie and Jerome fall out of sync to the ground.