The Curse of the Osirians

House of Drama

Layla's POV

"Okay, guys. Time to focus. A big night tomorrow. Dress rehearsal!" Mr. Winkler called out.

"Then after we left I heard Victor scream. Like he had a shock. It sound like the cross of a sick whale and a broken piano," my sister told us as she went over what happened last night. Turns out Victor had stolen our next clue.

"Victor definitely put the puzzle piece back in his safe, I crept back and watched him do it," Fabian added.

"Then we break into the safe and get it back," Nina stated.

"No! How can we he would know it was us," Fabian argued.

"What if we, we had the perfect alibi," my sister said as she smirked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I have an idea. It's a little crazy but it just might work," she said.

"But I don't understand. Why can't the cactus sing," we suddenly heard Amber complaining to Mr. Winkler. I laughed.

"Cacti can't speak, Amber," Mr. Winkler told her.

"And anyway, you have a terrible voice," Jerome added.

"Oh no, she doesn't. Take no notice, faire cactus," Alfie told her.

"Let's get on with it," Mr. Winkler said.

I ran back stage to grab my hat but winced as I suddenly felt something collide with me and send me crashing to the floor, my head colliding with the edge of the prop table I had set up in the wings. Ow! What the hell? I looked up to see Brandon standing over me with his arms crossed.

I blinked up at him but before I could even say anything suddenly Jerome had popped up out of thin air to stand in front of me.

"What did I tell you about leaving her alone? Me. Winkler?" Jerome shouted.

"You wouldn't!" Brandon said, his eyes going wide. "You hate teachers as much as I do!"

"You crossed the line, Brandon. She hasn't done anything to deserve you treating her the way you have. Mr. Winkler!" Jerome shouted again.

"What's going on back here?" Mr. Winkler asked, looking from me rubbing my head on the floor to Jerome and Brandon and using context to get a general idea.

"Mr. Winters, you are to report to Mr. Sweet's office as soon as we are done with rehearsal. In the meantime, you will join me in the audience. You will no longer be needed in this play," Mr. Winkler said harshly as Jerome helped me to my feet. At least he was only helping back stage which meant I could easily take over his duties.

"Okay, guys. Well done, well done. Mick and Mara. You realize you actually have to kiss tomorrow, don't you?" Mr. Winkler commented as he clapped for us as we wrapped up our dress rehearsal. I smiled over at Nina, feeling pretty pleased with how the script had turned out. I mean there wasn't much difference between Sally and Callie, I mean even their names were practically the same but it would have to do. I just wished we had some idea of what happened to Sarah's sister. Was she still alive living her life somewhere else? Or had she died like their parents? This was so frustrating!

"So, hit us with this insane plan, Nina," Fabian said as her, Fabian, Patricia and I gathered together in front of the stage.

"Kay, so tomorrow night everyone will be at the play right? Including Victor. So the house will be empty. Layla and I are not on again until the second act. But she has to help out back stage now that Brandon isn't on props. So I have 30 minutes to sneak out, break into the safe, get the puzzle piece and get back for the second act," Nina said as she looked at me. I frowned. That seemed awfully risky in my opinion but it did seem like our best option.

"Aren't you forgetting something," Patricia pointed out.