Force of Nature ▸ House of Anubis [3]

chapter thirty. house of chanting

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            It's been half an hour since Patricia and Alfie left us. For the first fifteen or so minutes, KT got the whole rundown of the Jashley relationship from me, with Fabian butting in to correct something ("You know he had a crush on her from the moment they met but decided to disguise it as hate because he's an idiot?") every once in a while. The second fifteen were met with silence.

            "Do you think he can hear us?" KT inquires suddenly. "And if he can hear us, do you think he's annoyed that we kidnapped him?"

            "If he can," I say boringly, my head on my hand as I look at my nails, "he's annoyed that he heard us talking about Jashley." If Amber was here, she'd probably take a home manicure kit out of her purse and do my nails while we wait for night to fall. She'd also probably be taking wheel of the relationship conversation. God, I miss her.

            "No," Fabian says, glancing toward the tank, "he can't hear us, can he?"

            "No, no," Eddie says. "No."

            "Cool," KT says, shaking her foot incessantly. "Anyone else freaked out that we're locked in a crypt?"

            Eddie and Fabian both say no, but I scoff, not believing them. Please. They're super-freaked out. Me, however, I'm only half freaked out. The other half is wondering how Patricia and Alfie are faring. Hopefully they'll be back soon.

            "Okay. Just asking."

            "Anyone wanna play I Spy?" I question, earning strange looks. "What else are we gonna do? It's not like any of us thought to bring a deck of cards."

            "Fine," KT mumbles, sighing. "I spy with my little eye something creepy."

            "The tank," I say. "I thought you were better than this, KT."

—

            Now it's been just over an hour, according to the clock on my phone. My phone with no reception, no internet, and sixty-percent charged. I've only been using it to play that stupid game Flappy Bird with the brightness turned way down, and sharing it with the others.

            "There's no need to be scared, KT," Eddie tells her.

            "Right, right," KT agrees, nodding her head. A draft flows into the room. "What time is it?"

            "Seven minutes later than the last time you asked," I answered bluntly, having already checked just before Eddie told her not to be scared. "You want the game back?"

            "Please."

—

            An hour and a half.