Nicholas's POV
My sister and I were sitting with our Gran, she was still asleep.
Nicholas" And you haven't even been to Scotland, gran, So you can't quit your tour just yet"
Nina" And everyone at Anubis House has been asking about you, Even Victor.So you've got to get better.You've just got to"
Then our Gran's eyes turn black and we see that Senkhara has taken over her. Myself and Nina start screaming in fright.
Nina and Nicholas" Gran! Gran! Gran?"
Senkhara "Foolish girl and boy, The Chosen Ones? Such a disappointment"
Nicholas" What have you done to our gran?"
Gran" Nina,Nicholas help me.You must do as she asks"
Nicholas"I'm here"
Nina"I'm here"
Senkhara" You heard what she said.Now bring me the mask"
Nina" We will"
Nicholas" We will, Just don't hurt her, please"
Then we both wake up and exchange glances with each other. We then look at our Gran and she is still asleep. I wrap my arms around my sister and comfort her.
Nicholas" It's okay, we are going to get this mask, for Gran"
After we get back to school we head to the library where we know Sibuna will be. All of them look around as we enter. We go to speak but are interrupted by the door opening again.
Nina" Okay, we need to—"
Its Jasper and he is holding a replica of the mask we had given to Rufus.
Nicholas"Hey, isn't that..."
Jasper"Mysteriously returned, No note or anything. And only slightly damaged. I restored it to its original state."
Nina and Nicholas"That means Rufus knows it's a fake."
All of Sibuna don't even look at us mainly because we are all focused on getting the real mask. They had got used to us saying things together.
Amber "Good, so he's going to be very, very disappointed sniffing around for the real Mask anytime now."
Fabian then pulls out a board which looks like chess. He shows us.
Fabian"Which is why it's good that we found Robert's senet board,"
Amber"I'm the one who found it."
Nicholas and Nina"No way!"
Nina takes it and we both admire it.
Fabian "And look."
Fabian turns the board around to reveal the game rules on the back of it.
Patricia"The rules?"
Fabian"Trust Frobisher to know the true ancient rules to the game."
Nina"And what about the key Trudy mentioned?, The clue from the dollhouse."
Fabian"Well—"
Patricia"If there even if a clue in the dollhouse."
Fabian "Maybe this is the key to playing senet."
Nina "This all looks kind of one-sided."
Patricia"More like pawns versus queens,"
Fabian"Or humans versus gods,"
Humans versus gods, oh boy.
After our visit to the library we head back to the house. We begin to explain what had happened at the hospital.
Alfie"Senkhara spoke through your gran?!"
Nina" Yeah it was really scary, I just feel so helpless"
Nicholas"It was frightening, Gran didn't look like herself, I guess you could say she was possessed"
Amber"That is seriously scary."
Nina"Believe me, it was, We have to get her that mask, Fabian."
Fabian"Yeah, and we will,"
Fabian assures her, offering her a cupcake from the rest of the sweets on the table.
Amber "Thing is, has anyone else wondered what Senkhara's going to do with it? I mean, she can hardly wear it as an accessory. She's a ghost."
Nicholas"I don't think Senkhara's really interested in fashion, Amber."
Nina"Who cares what she wants it for?" "She's asked for the Mask, and we're going to give it to her. So we can be free of this."
Charlie's POV
I chatting with my brother about our recent chat with our dad. Well I wouldn't call it a chat more of an exchange of words. It was all very secret.
Charlie" What do you think it is, he wants to tell us?"
Eddie" I don't know, it just annoyed me that he called us in by intercom and then said nothing"
Charlie" I know was incredibly annoyed, I mean he seems to be hiding something from us do you thinks its why we were separated as toddlers"
Eddie" Could be, I just wish he would tell us, he said he wanted to make a effort"
I lay on Eddie's bed and sigh.
Eddie" Are you okay, do you need a twinnie hug?"
Charlie*smiles* No, I have to go help Mara and Jerome with the washing up, I hate it"
Eddie"Don't do the washing up, just put things away"
Charlie" There is that"
Jerome then walks in.
Jerome" Hey Eddie"
Eddie" Jerry, have you come for my twin"
Jerome" She said she was going to help me and Mara with the dishes"
Charlie" I'm coming"
We both head to the kitchen where Mara is busy doing the washing up. Yes!
Mara" Hey, I've already started"
Charlie" I'll put stuff away, help Trudy out"
Jerome" Okay, that leaves me with the drying up I suppose"
As we work we chat as well.
Mara" I don't think I ever thanked The Twins and you Jerome"
Jerome" For what?"
Mara" The article, I mean the three of you went to Mr Sweet like that so I could write under my own name"
Jerome" Charlie actually has a article idea"
Charlie" Jerome!"
Jerome" Oh sorry, I wasn't meant to say anything"
Mara" Oooo, what is it?"
Charlie" I'm not going to tell you yet, you have to wait for me to post it"
Mara" Alright"
After we finish the dishes Jerome and I head back to his room for some time together. I lay next to him on the bed and he smiles.
Jerome" Are you okay, twin trouble?"
Charlie" No, not that"
Jerome*nudges her* Tell me, its okay"
Charlie"It's just our dad"
Jerome" Dysfunctional dads, that I can help with"
Charlie" Eddie may be a bit harsher on him but I know he is trying, it just that when he called us in by intercom and then didn't tell us anything, he said we are not ready, for what"
Jerome" That is annoying I agree, perhaps it is incredibly important and he just wants to make sure it is the right time"
Charlie" I reckon it's something to do as to why we were separated when we were toddlers"
Jerome" Hang on you were separated as toddlers"
Charlie" Yeah, Eddie went to America to live with our aunt and I stayed with Jason that's why I'm British and he is American"
Jerome" Ohhhhhh, finally a explanation"
Charlie" Well, now you know"
Nicholas's POV
All of Sibuna were sitting in Nina and Amber's bedroom as usual, Fabian had the senet board and was trying to figure out how it worked. Fabian has lost more times than he has won. Patricia then enters.
Patricia"Hey, how's it going?"
Fabian "Yeah, yeah, I think we're getting the hang of it, Just have to get past the guards without landing on one of these danger squares."
He points to one of the squares with a red dot on it.
Fabian "And if you land on one of those, you lose a life."
Nicholas "Metaphorically speaking,
Nina "We hope..."
Alfie"Fabian's managed to get past them two times out of four,"
Patricia"Great," Patricia says, "so we have a 50/50 chance of suffering an end too dark to contemplate."
Fabian"Or a 50/50 chance of getting across the board and to the Mask,"
Nina "We have to go down tonight."
Amber"No, we're not ready,"
Fabian"We're as ready as we'll ever be,"
Nina "And we're running out of time, Amber,"
Nicholas "For our gran, for me and Nina, maybe for all of us."
That evening we check to see if Victor is asleep and he is so hurry downstairs to the tunnels
So, we will be the players for this game of senet. Fabian will be in the throne facing the board and the rest of us will play the game. I trust Fabian he is very smart but I won't lie these board kings are freaking me out. I stand by twin and she looks just as nervous as I feel. I slip my hand into hers and squeeze it.
Nicholas" It's okay, we can do this"
Nina she smiles nervously at me.
Fabian who is seated in the throne looks over at all of us.
Fabian" All right, let the game begin, Here's how it works. Those guards are our opponents. First, we make our move, then it's their turn."
Alfie"And how do they move exactly?"
Fabian"We don't know yet, I need to get you all safely onto the other side of the board, avoiding any pitfalls."
Alfie"Wonder what pitfalls mad Robert's got in store for us."
Fabian"All right, and remember, an Anubis piece can only take you if you're on a danger square. And that's the ones with a jackal mark."
Nicholas"Like the snake in Snakes and Ladders But what happens after that?"
Nina "Let's hope we never find out."
Patricia"So not reassured,"
Fabian "Okay, our side moves five squares at a time, so that's one square each,So Amber, go forward one square."
Amber doesn't move.
Amber "Me? Alfie said he really wanted to go first."
Alfie "I never cut in front of a lady,"
Fabian "Amber, do it,"
Amber hesitantly takes a step forward. None of the guards move. Fabian takes a breath.
Fabian"Okay, Nina, Patricia, move forward one square. Alfie, Nicholas, you, too."
I nod, stepping forward exactly one square. With our five moves made, the four guards begin to move on their own, making their play. This is creepy.
When the guards become still, Alfie calls out.
Alfie "Is that all you got, Frobisher? This is going to be a piece of cake."
Nicholas" Alfie, don't jinx it"
But Fabian tells us our next few moves, and not once do we step on a danger square. We're all about halfway across the board by now, so we're close,
Fabian"Okay, and finally, Amber, one square forward."
Amber looks at the square in front of her it has a jackal on it.
Amber"But that's a danger square. How come everyone else gets a safe one?"
Fabian"Look, I don't have any choice, Amber, please, just do it."
Amber steps forward and holds her breath.
Nina"Okay, good job, Fabian,"
Nicholas"What now?"
Fabian"Uh..."
Fabian grabs the instructions again.
Fabian"Uh, Nina, Patricia, Alfie, forward one square. Nicholas, one square to your right, and Amber, one square to your left."
I look at Amber feeling sorry for her it was another danger square.
Fabian"I know it's a danger square. I'm sorry."
Amber"I really hate this game,"
Nina"It's okay, I'll be on one, too."
Fabian"Look, if I'm right, you'll both be safe. Okay?"
Nina"Don't worry, Fabian, I trust you."
Nina and Amber move to their danger squares, whereas the other three of us move to our safe squares and look at them to see what happens. The guards swirl around, and again, nothing happens until the one in front of Nina swivels to face her.
Nina"Fabian. What do I do..."
All of a sudden the floor opens up and Nina disappears through the floor
We all start screaming.
Story Notes
So The Twins spend some time together trying to figure out why their father won't tell them something, Charlie and Jerome chat about dysfunctional dads and Sibuna try their first game of senet but lose Nina in the process.
Authors Notes
Let me know what you think, I love comments. Hope you like it.
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