Force of Nature ▸ House of Anubis [3]

chapter eight. house of parcels

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            So that's how the Anubis House residents find ourselves lined up in the hallway, the boys on one side and the girls on the other. And for some reason Willow Jenks is here, too, for reasons entirely unknown to me. She must have snuck in when we weren't looking. For the record, just because it bears repeating: she is not and likely will never be an Anubis student.

            "I am missing a parcel," Victor informs as he walks down the middle of the hallway. Oh, great, he's lost taxidermy tools or something. What, is he accusing us of stealing it?! Like we have any use for any parcel of Victor's, especially if it's got taxidermy tools in it. "It was addressed to me and delivered to Anubis House."

            "We don't know where your precious delivery is," Joy states with an eye-roll to go along with it.

            "Then we shall have something of a wait."

            Willow gasps from where she's standing beside Amber, meaning she's on the other side of me. "Cool! I love hanging with these guys."

            "But you are not a resident of Anubis House," Sweet points out the obvious as he points his finger at her.

            Willow smiles. "I know. I just love the whole Anubis vibe." I raise an eyebrow, leaning forward to look at her. I know what she meant, but putting it like that makes her sound like she's referring to the god himself rather than the house, and I know better than most how not-fun the 'Anubis vibe' is. "We never have fun stuff like this at our house."

            "What part of this do you consider fun?" I question Willow incredulously.

            "Oh, all of it," Willow replies with a grin.

            She thinks all of it's fun? Personally I like to call this 'What Has Sibuna Done Now?' or WHSDN? for short, because usually when all of the Anubis House residents are forced into the same room by the adults, it's because of something Sibuna did. Except I'm pretty sure we didn't do anything this time considering there's been no reformation of Sibuna, so.

            "Out," Victor orders bluntly of her.

            Willow pouts and tilts her head. "Our odd-jobman isn't funny like you."

            "Get out!" Victor booms, and this causes her to jump and quickly grab her bag from the ground. "I am not an odd-jobman!" Willow scurries off and out of our sight. Despite how much it sucks to be yelled at by Victor and how she's not used to it like the rest of, I and the others laugh lightly. Victor, an odd-jobman? "I am a domestic maintenance manager."

            Our laughter gets cut off when he turns around and gives all of us a sharp glare. As Victor starts walking down the hallway again, a phone chiming starts to ring out. It's not from anyone on my side of the hall and seems like it's coming from the boys' side, and judging by the look on his face (like he's just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar) it's Alfie who's responsible for the ringing phone—which oddly doesn't sound like his phone at all.