The Curse of the Osirians

House of the Black Bird

Layla's POV

"Watch out for the bird though. Watch out for the black bird. But you have the power. Watch out for the bird. Watch out for the bird. Stop it! Stop it!"

I frowned as I tossed and turned later that night in bed as I dreamed about Sarah's warning. Victor was standing behind my sister who was clearly terrified as black feathers rained down on her. I was trying to run to her but I could never seem to reach her.

"Caw, caw, caw! Beware the black birds. Beware the black birds!" I heard another voice saying as I blinked and slowly sat up, shaking my sister awake as I stared around at the feathers that now covered our bed (we had pushed ours together to form one big bed).

"What are you doing?" I asked as I saw Patricia standing over us.

"Nothing. You two woke me up. "Beware the black bird!" ha ha ha. Aw are you scared? Are you going to sleep with the light on newbies?" I glared at Patricia as she climbed back into her bed. I looked over at Nina.

"Are you okay? That was a really weird dream!" I told her.

"You had it too?" She asked. I nodded but explained the small way mine had been different since I assumed hers was from her own point of view. I stared as I watched Nina fumble with her new locket and manage to open it. I grabbed my phone and held it up so we could use the light to see a small portrait of a little girl inside. Soon after we decided to try and get back to sleep.

*****

"I wish I could have seen their faces when they woke up just covered in feathers," I heard Jerome saying as Nina and I approached the kitchen. I rolled my eyes. I thought he was better than that.

"Sleep well, Nina? Layla? Caw! Caw!" I glared at Patricia as I walked over and whacked Jerome and Alfie on the back of the head each. Not that it stopped them from laughing so I just decided to head back over and join my sister who had sat down next to Fabian.

"Ignore them," he was telling her.

"We are," she replied.

"So what was this dream anyway?" He asked.

"It was awful. I know they're making jokes, but it felt so real," Nina said.

"It felt Evil," I added.

"Anyone seen Mara? She's got my hair straighteners," Amber asked as she came into the room.

"Yeah, she's with Mick in our room," Fabian told her.

"What?!" She exclaimed.

"Oh-oh. Green-eyed monster alert!" Jerome said. I rolled my eyes at him - I really couldn't get a good read on him just yet. One minute he had been helping me learn the names of everyone and then next, joining in on teasing my sister and I. The jury was still out, I guess.

"I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous? What's there to be jealous of?" Amber said.

"She's helping him with homework that's all," Fabian explained.

"Yeah. I know all about that. And it's cool. I would help him, but I'm just so busy," Amber said before turning to me and Nina. I see you two haven't sneaked out at the crack of dawn today?"

"Wow, everyone really does keep tabs on everyone else around here don't they?" I commented.

"Fabian said you'd gone into school early. But then you didn't turn up at first class?" Amber observed.

"Nina and Layla were helping an old lady accross the road. Literally. We had a surprise visitor from the old people's home," Trudy piped up from the kitchen.