Unsteady; House of Anubis *B2*

[84] House of Trouble

*Unedited* 

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Jerome watched from his bedroom door as Vera led the Sibuna's from the house all of them in some zombie-fied state though he just assumed it was part of their plan to get Camilla back, Joy for some reason creeping out after them a notebook in one hand and her phone in the other – he hadn't been informed of another Sibuna temp but he wasn't going to complain about it. He had a job to do and though it be boring he was more than happy to do it if it meant helping out in some small way.

The moment the front door clicked shut the boy raced into the kitchen only to come face to face with the man who had been haunting his nightmares for the last year.

"Hello Jerome," Rufus spoke quietly taking a little joy from the shocked and scared look that flitted onto Jerome's face. Before Jerome could do anything, Rufus stepped forward and took his phone from his hands seeing the boy try to slip it from his pocket to do something stupid like alert someone, "now I can't risk you raising the alarm so there are two ways we are going to do this. the easy way or the hard way, but either way you, Marsat alhami, are coming with me."

Jerome didn't know what the man had called him but he knew it was Arabic from the number of times the twins whispered the language to one another. "no... no!" Jerome tried to fight back as the man grabbed his wrist backing up into a counter so there was nowhere for him to hide.

Rufus grinned menacingly and pulled the boy towards the back door, ignoring Jerome's struggles overpowering him easily.

Jerome glancing to the fake oven door. He had promised Fabian he'd be the lookout. What if he was needed? What if Alfie needed him? What if Camilla needed him?!

Before the two could make their escape into the night as Rufus had hoped a savour came in the form of one Eddie Miller. "Hey, Jerry," Eddie called wandering into the kitchen before stopping to look over the unusual scene of Jerome being dragged from the room by an older man, he knew wasn't a staff member of Anum Academy.

Eddie couldn't help but notice the necklace the man was wearing being strangely drawn to the odd jewellery piece. It was a long golden chain, probably about the same length as the chain Nina had for her locket, at the end of it was two staffs of some sort, stripped in black and gold. One was curved and one was straight with what he assumed were meant to represent beads falling from the top down it. He took a step forward as he saw it only to remember the strangeness of the situation and look at the man and Jerome.

"ah... hi?" Eddie spoke looking to the man, "Is everything okay here?"

The man's eyes widening in fear and anger as he watched Eddie before a well-practised smile slid onto his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. "How rude," he stated, "I'm, eh, Renee Zeldman," the lie slipped so easily from his lips Jerome couldn't help but look disgusted at the man, "I'm Jerome's Uncle."

Rufus held his hand out for Eddie to shake but Eddie didn't take the man's hand keeping his distance. "pleasure to meet you..." he answered though.

"Eh, Jerome's a little upset," Rufus continued, "a favourite Aunt of his just passed away. We were just leaving."

"no, we weren't!" Jerome pipped up instantly, causing Rufus to look at him and Jerome knew he was in hot water.

"yes, we are." The man replied rather forcefully. "Well, perhaps I should go get Poppy too? What do you think about that, Jerome?"

Jerome looked at the man even more alarmed, he couldn't let him anywhere near Poppy, he just couldn't. "not Poppy..."

"no," Rufus agreed knowing he had Jerome exactly where he needed him, "your right, she's too young to cope with bereavement." Rufus added looking to Eddie. "we'll go by ourselves." With that, Rufus pulled Jerome from the room leaving Eddie feeling icky about the whole situation and not completely understanding why. The man's necklace emblazoned in his mind.