House of Anubis: One Last Stand

House of Falls/House of Drinks

In the afternoon, approaching evening time, Fabian grabbed his flashlight and headed for the door to Anubis house.

"Where do you think you're going?" Joy asked from the top of the stairs, showing up just in time.

"I'm going to find Nina and Jerome," Fabian replied.

"We can't go after them. We don't even know where they are. That's for a reason, if you don't recall."

"I know. But I can't just sit here wondering where Nina could be. I have to make sure she's alright. Even if that means searching through the night."

"Well at least tell someone first," Joy told him. "And it's never safe to go alone." Joy called the names of Patricia and Alfie to get their attention and have them all meet downstairs in the foyer.

"Fabian is going out to search for Nina," Joy informed, walking down the stairs alongside Patricia, to Alfie and Fabian. "Someone needs to join him."

"I will," Patricia volunteered quickly.

"I did not expect you to be the first to volunteer," Fabian commented, a confused look on his face. "And so quickly at that."

"Yeah, well I'm up for an adventure. Let's go." With that, Patricia and Fabian headed out.
~

~~~~

Nina gripped the rope tightly, doing her best not to look down.

"Nina!" Amber yelled.

"Are you okay?!" Willow asked, concerned.

"Oh yeah, I'm very fine just dangling from a rope!" Nina answered sarcastically.

"Can you pull yourself up?" Amber asked.

Nina attempted to, but just as she did, the rope began to snap.

"No, we have to figure something else out," Nina responded. The rope continued to tear, and wooden planks cracked. "And very quickly."

After moments of thought among them all, Amber finally uttered nervously, "Nina..."

"You have a plan?" Nina asked, trying to remain calm.

"You have to drop."

"Are you insane, Amber?" Nina responded. "I'm not going to drop into a stream of blood. I could drown in that."

"It's not real," Willow explained, understanding Amber's plan fully. "Amber and I've been here long enough to know things can't hurt you if you don't let them. It's only a nightmare, nothing more. A really long nightmare..." Her voice faded out.

"That doesn't make it any less frightening," Nina sighed.

"We'll meet up again," Amber ensured. "Now drop, or the rope will snap, and you'll fall anyway."

Nina knew they were right. She took a deep breath and before she knew it, she was letting herself fall. Down into the red water.

~~~~~
Joy and Alfie ended up passing the time by locking up Anubis house and going out to a pub. They sat in a booth, each ordering their own preferences of alcoholic beverages.

"I just want this mystery to be done with," Joy sighed as she and Alfie went deep into conversation.

"Yeah," Alfie agreed. "I can finally get on with my life. I'm getting way too old for this."

"Almost middle-aged, fairly," Joy laughed. "So...do you think this will be the last mystery Sibuna ever solves together? And that...well after this is over-we'll never see eachother again?"

"Oh no, we still have to meet up. All of us," Alfie replied. "I'll make sure we're all in the same old folks' home. But last mystery together-perhaps...It can't last forever, can it?"

Joy took a deep breath. "I guess not."

"But I'll never forget it," Alfie smiled. "Not a single second. Because every second I've spent with you guys has defined my life in more ways than I can even account for." Alfie began to tear up a bit, and Joy did the same.

"Don't make me cry," Joy feigned a laugh.

She and Alfie both realized Sibuna wouldn't be together forever. Not together much longer, at that. But they'd all be in eachother's hearts. And every moment each one of them spent together would be so very memorable. Joy took a sip of her drink and then tried to change the subject.

"Can I tell you something?" Joy asked. "A secret."

"I'm all ears."

"I think...I might...still be in love with Jerome."

A serious expression covered Alfie's face as he straightened up in his seat. "He is engaged, you know. You can't take what is t yours."

"I know, but whenever I'm around him, I just-I don't want him to leave. I just want us, and nothing more. I want him to tell me he loves me like he used to. I want him to hold me in his arms-"

"-okay, maybe you should slow down on the alcohol," Alfie suggested, pulling Joy's glass over.

"No..." Joy pulled it back. "I just-I need to tell someone because it's been killing me inside. But sometimes I wish what we had never left. I mean, I'm happy for Amber and all, and Jerome-I'm happy for him too...But I'm not happy. And I wasn't happy with Erik. And I don't feel like I can be happy with anyone except that Clarke."

"Well, you know, he may have some cousins or something-"

"-Alfie. I'm serious."

"So am I," Alfie admitted. He stood up from the booth and said, "And Joy, I don't want to see you ruin things for Jerome and Amber and yourself, even. That Jerome and Joy-thing...it sank about fifty miles ago. So get yourself together, woman." With the that, he left the pub.

Joy sighed solemnly. She waved the waiter over to get her another drink.

~~~~~
Another day, another chapter. I planned to update yesterday, but I wasn't able to, so it's here now. I hope you enjoyed. And Alfie being so mature in this chapter-it's so weird...

Anyway....

Do you think Patricia and Fabian will run into trouble?(perhaps this question has too much foreshadowing...)

What do you think will happen to Nina?

And, instead of a question here, I'm just going to say that if you have any comments about Joy and Alfie's conversation, feel free to share.

Until next time, Aristocrats.