"Eddie!" Fabian shouted. "Eddie please wake up!" Eddie had collapsed on the ground and had been there for quite some time. Fabian pulled out his phone but there was no signal...
He thought again on what he should do and decided to pore water on his face to see if that would do the trick. And it did.
Eddie shot up quickly off the ground and sat up gasping for air.
"Are you alright?" Fabian asked.
"N-Nina....I-I, Shack." Was all Eddie could say, still regaining consciousness and air for that matter.
"Whoa whoa, slow down and breath." Fabian calmed. Eddie slowed his breathing and eventually was able to talk and all there.
"Now, what happened?"
"I had a vision." Eddie said.
"I got that, but what about Nina and a Shack?" Fabian said confused.
"I-I found her dead by this shack. I think that's where she is." Eddie balanced himself on the tree beside him and rose to his feet.
"Or that she's dead." Fabian drifted.
"No, I didn't actually see her body. All I saw was...never mind that," he trailed, "I think I know where she is at, or at least where a clue could be hidden." Eddie started jogging. "Come on, Fabian!"
Fabian caught up with Eddie as they ran further into the woods. But about 500 feet away laid an old, tiny, abandoned shack.
"That's it!" Eddie whisper screamed.
"Are you sure?" Fabian said loud.
Eddie shushed him. "Don't be so loud!" He stated. They went inside the shack but didn't find anything but old shovels and rakes.
"This doesn't make since. There has to be something in here." Eddie searched some more.
Fabian was looking on the opposite side of the shack until he stubbled across a metal handle on the ground.
"Ow!" He whisper screamed.
"Are you okay?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah, I just stubbed my foot on something." Fabian said. Eddie looked down and realized that that wasn't just "something" it was in fact a handle to a secret door built underneath the ground.
"Fabian you genius!" Eddie opened it up and smiled big at Fabian.
"It's what I do." He buffed up.
Eddie climbed down the latter to another opening underground.
"Eddie! What are you doing?" Fabian exclaimed in a hush tone.
"Looking for Nina. Come on!" Eddie suggested.
Fabian climbed down and followed closely behind as they came upon a metal door...
~~~~
It was about thirty minutes until sundown when Jerome walked into Anubis house. Alfie and Amber were in his room; Joy, Willow, and Patricia were upstairs; and Mara was in the living room doing homework...or at least trying to.
Jerome walked in seeming a little shaken up. But Mara was in much worse shape. She had her face buried into her hands and was sobbing, not even caring that others could see.
"Mara?" Jerome called out.
Mara quickly rose up her head and wiped the tears away, pretending as through nothing happened.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Are you alright?" She asked back. "You keep wondering off."
"Oh I was on the phone with my sister, making sure she's okay." Jerome lied. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing just don't worry about it okay?" She spat as she continued to do her homework.
"Okay." He said an inch above a whisper, and turned to walk away.
"It's Fabian." She stood to her feet continuing to cry. Jerome turned around to face her as she continued.
"What's happened?" He asked.
"I don't think we are right for each other..." She admitted.
"And you think that because?-"
"Because he's not over Nina and its so complicated. It's like he sees a different person when he sees me." She shed several tears.
"I'm so sorry-"
"-Don't be sorry. This is what I deserve. I don't deserve a happy ending-"
"-don't say that!" He demanded. "Everyone deserves to be happy."
She sighed. "I just can't seem to be happy no matter how hard I try." Jerome came closer to her and eventually hugged her for comfort.
"It's okay." He rubbed her back. "He doesn't deserve you. Your an amazing girl, Mara."
Joy came walking down the stairs and saw what was going on. She stood there for a moment deciding whether she would say something or walk away, but in this case she decided to walk away. When she headed up the stairs to her room, she ran into James who was heading down the stairs.
"Excuse me." She said politely.
"My apologies." He flattered and walked out the door of Anubis house.
~~~~
Eddie and Fabian were figuring out ways to open the door. It was locked and there was no key or anything they could use to open it. It was also sound proof, so they couldn't hear anything on the inside or see anything underneath.
"Eddie it's getting dark, we need to head back." Fabian suggested.
"No! There has to be a way." Eddie kept looking and moving his hands on the door, until he found a carving on the side that was familiar to him. He grinned at the sight of this and said, "I think we just found it."
Eddie took of the eye of Horus necklace from around his neck and placed the engraving on it and the door slid open. It revealed a dark and gray room with dust collected every where. There was only a window in there for sunlight and a bed just above that. And there she sat, dazing and confused as to what was happening. She looked pale and nasty. She was skinny as bones and her clothes were filthy. Was this Nina? Or some other person locked away?
"Eddie?" Her voice croaked. "Fabian!" She exclaimed as loud as she could but it all came out scratchy.
Fabian was in a daze. He was so confused. Nina looked beaten and wounded. It in fact was her but she looked so broken.
"Nina!" Eddie exclaimed and ran towards her and she ran into his arms and he wouldn't let her go.
"I knew you would find me." She hugged him tighter.
They're moment was interrupted by Fabian shutting the door and exclaiming in a hushed voice, "Someone's coming! Hide!"
• • • • •
Hey guys! Yeah I know it's been a little while but I wanted to give you guys a chapter before I go off to camp tomorrow. I won't be back until late Friday night and today is Sunday so I'm hoping that I'll get to update soon but I have A LOT of packing to do. But I hope you all enjoyed this and here are some discussion questions:
•Who do you think that mystery man is that Jerome keeps visiting?
•Do you prefer Jara or Jeroy?
•Do you think Fabian and Eddie will get caught?
See y'all soon! Sibuna🖐🏽