𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄 || Jerome Clarke

Arrival at Anubis

        The house was daunting, in an enigmatic and alluring sense. The red bricks, dulled by the cloud-cover in the sky, and worn, from years of harsh English weather. The intricate woodwork that framed the doorways and windows could be seen from where she stood on the gravel drive, unable to up-root her feet from her position. Her bag weighed heavy on her arm as she strained to keep her balance, the amount of luggage she held making her unstable. 

Her jeans hung low on her waist; the length fell below her heel and dragged along the ground.  Her shirt was an old band tee she'd stolen from her dad and made some adjustments to so it hugged her figure and she wore black converse with frayed laces. Her hair was a deep brown with golden highlights, the jewellery she wore jostling and chiming every time she moved, the excessive silver on her wrist and neck seemed to add to the weight of her bags as she attempted to lug them towards the grand oak door before her.

Finally, Anubis House.

"Alfie, would you please refrain from putting cereal up your nose for at least one morning," Trudy begged as she retreated from the kitchen where Alfie sat on the counter sneezing, the pair of tweezers in her hand containing the recently-freed sugar puff.

"I swear the guy on the video said it was safe," he whined as he dropped into a free breakfast seat, holding a tissue up to his nose, making his words sound nasally.

A heavy hand patted his shoulder, extended from the source of the booming laughter, "That doesn't sound as reassuring as you think, buddy," Jerome said, chuckling.

The rest of the table laughed as Alfie begrudgingly ate his now-soggy sugar puffs, "Whatever."

It being the first day back meant the conversation was much livelier than usual, the housemates all excited to be back together, until Fabian sprung up from his seat with a leap.

"Oh my god." He exclaimed, looking down at his phone before running to the window.

"Alfie, Jerome, is this your doing?" Nina asked, as the entire table watched Fabian's bizarre behaviour from where they sat.

"No, this isn't us. You would know, if it were us." Jerome drawled, reclining back in his seat as he took a bite of his apple. He couldn't help but feel amused at the strange boy now pacing by the window, his phone chiming every couple of seconds.

"Is everything okay, Fabian?" Trudy called, drying her hands as she left the kitchen once again.

There was a grunt in response, Fabian's priorities were wholly focused of the device in his hands, until he finally spoke again, "Oh my god."

Everyone at the table was now turned towards him; a mixture of confusion and worry now present amongst the group.

"Jesus, Fabian. Just tell us already," Jerome drawled, still reclined in his seat. But before Fabian could reply, there was a loud chime that echoed throughout the ancient house; the doorbell was ringing.

There was immediate movement as everyone raced towards the hallway, intrigue now striking them all, but before there could be a winner, there was an unbolting of the locks that were securing the housemates within, as the severe housemaster greeted the mysterious visitor.

"You're late."

The members of Anubis House now stood, peering through the doorway into the almost empty hall. They were all craning their necks, trying to see who stood beyond the barrier that was Victor, but to no avail.

Alfie then lent on Amber, who was relying on Patricia for support as she stood of her toes, trying her hardest to get the gossip first, and in just a second three of them were crashing to the floor, taking Nina, Mick, Joy and Mara out with them. 

They now all sat, sprawled along the tiles of the corridor, a tangle of limbs and dazed faces groaning at the impact on the ground,  a unanimous groan sounding amongst the fallen,

"Alfie..."

Jerome had taken himself out of the equation before the collapse; he seemed to have a sixth sense for Alfie's chaos. Though that was not to say he was not uninterested in the arrival of a new person. The arrival of his sister had shaken him enough. Poppy, even the name made him shiver.

His back remained pressed against the oak of the door frame as the rest of the house grumbled at the tiled floor, a deep chuckle emanating from his chest as he watched the havoc ensue.
Victor was less amused than Jerome was, his head snapping back to watch the scene behind him unfold. 

"Insolence and disrespect. Stand. Immediately," Victor spat, "Silence."
And thus they all scrambled to their feet and Jerome was quiet.

In the mess of it all, no one had noticed Fabian's detachment or the figure who had now been revealed by Victor's sudden movement.

A girl now stood in the doorway, one arm grasping the other and a tight grip on the tote bag that was flung over her shoulder. Her hair was pulled back into a tight plait, though small curls escaped at the front and sides. Her jeans revealed her hip bones; her shirt having risen slightly on her entrance into the house. Her ears were littered with silver, running up and along the structure, and a small hoop was visible in her nose.

The house members now all stood in a line in the hall, staring at the girl they had been so eager to see just moments ago. 

The girl finally spoke, "Sorry I'm late, I didn't miss dinner did I?" A grin beamed across her striking features, her gentle voice calming the bubbling tensions in the air.

"Who are you?" Amber said. Her voice blunt and irritating as it often was when she became territorial. 

But the girl didn't rise to it, choosing to answer the question rather than react to the blonde's tone, "I'm Iris. It's nice to meet you all," She smiled, addressing the room, before she turned to Amber with a smirk, 'Cute bow."

Amber's jaw dropped; indignant and irked by the girl's tone. Though, a figure pushed past her before she could reply.

Fabian threw his arms around the girl, and she reciprocated.
Iris smiled into the embrace, wrapping her own arms around the boy's neck.

"Hey Fabes, long time no see," she breathed as they broke their hug.

"Hey, sis."