WALT
Walt felt like his brain was about to explode. It wasn't a fun feeling, but this time he was happy about it. The god of funerals, Anubis, was finally getting out of his head. They had formed an alliance 8 months before to keep Walt's curse from killing him. However, a mysterious letter had arrived the day before with detailed instructions on how to break said curse.
He wished that Sadie could be there to get the good news with him. After all, she had been the one to get Anubis to get his act together. He felt someone tap him on the shoulder and he turned.
"Your head is a disturbing place." Anubis said.
"Well, I'm glad I don't have to see your perverted thoughts." Walt retorted. Anubis had some very detailed ideas of what he would do on dates with Sadie if he had been solid. Walt couldn't stand the thought of him kissing his girlfriend. Sadie had chosen him. Walt Stone. The thought still brought a smile to his lips.
"Shall we go find Lady Kane?"
"She's not here." Walt said. "Carter won't tell us where she went."
Anubis's eyebrows shot up. "I wonder what they're hiding."
3RD PERSON FLASHBACK
"I'll do anything you want me to do," Sadie began, "if you promise me one thing in return." She knew she had her captor's attention. She hadn't been very cooperative lately.
"Go on."
"You will give detailed and correct instructions on how to break King Tut's curse and you will have them delivered to Walter Stone of the Twenty-first Nome in New York. Then, once I have assurances that your instructions are indeed correct, I will do what you command."
Her captors seemed to like that, so they did what she asked. She held her part.
SADIE POV
Brooklyn House never looked more beautiful to me. I took a moment to fully appreciate the 95 degree angle of the huge stone house; a moment I didn't have. I felt like I was going to die. I barely made it out of there alive. My side was still gushing blood and my head hurt terribly. My knees felt weak as I reached for the door. My chest tightened and I clamped a hand over my mouth before I could scream. I coughed; I couldn't get enough air. ' If I could just make it inside,' I told myself, 'Maybe you can see Walt one last time.' I knew I shouldn't think like that, but I couldn't make it any longer.
I opened the door and tried to be quiet as I made my way up the three flights of stairs to Walt's room. My head was spinning and I couldn't see straight. I winced as my shoulder collided with the wall, but this soon became a regular experience. I felt bad; I was leaving bloody hand prints on the walls. If I wasn't dead by morning, Carter would kill me. In spite of everything, that thought still made me smile.
WALT & ANUBIS
(3RD PERSON)
Anubis lead Walt down the main hall, exploring the house. Anubis claimed his 'senses were tingling', but Walt didn't think much of it. Come on, the guy had the head of a jackal most of the time. Never the less, Walt was still worried about Sadie. Carter was being uber-secretive about where she was and it was high time for answers.
Both boys heard a small thump from around the next corner, and Anubis-being the immortal he was- ran towards it. Walt decided to follow, but he was just a bit more wary. There were bloody hand prints on the wall and droplets of blood speckled the floor. Walt stared in horrified fascination at all the blood, momentarily forgetting what had brought him and his formerly incarcerated friend to that particular spot.
"Ahem," Anubis said from by the far wall. He was on one knee by what seemed to be a shadow. "over here, genius." He lightly patted the 'shadow' and it moved- that was when Walt realized that it was not indeed a shadow: It was a person, clad in black leather and curled into the fetal position. He didn't want to get too close before he had all the facts, unlike Anubis.
"Anyone we know?" He asked.
"Oh, yeah." There was fear in the boy-god's eyes.
Walt's mind immediately jumped to a conclusion. "No." He knelt and turned the person over.
CARTER
Curses. Carter muttered. He had fallen asleep at his desk again. His sister had been missing for a week now, and he still had no idea where she was. He had to try to keep everything a secret, but his uncle Amos had found out. Instead of yelling at him, Amos had joined the search. The Pharaoh and the Chief Lector were the two most powerful magicians in the world and they still couldn't find her. I suck as a brother. He said aloud. Somehow, he'd find her. Maybe. On part of his mind said. Shut up.The other one said.
SADIE POV
I couldn't do it anymore. I was so close. I could almost see his door but I couldn't take another step. I was so tired. My side was on fire. There was too much blood. I couldn't see straight. I tasted more blood in my mouth and tried to spit it out. My hand came back red. My knees weakened and I fell to the floor. I closed my eyes and tried to picture Walt's face. Good bye.
3RD PERSON
Sadie looked perfect. In a horror movie: Her skin was ghostly pale, her lips stained red from the blood that tricked from her mouth, and her stomach and side were cut open, revealing bent and cracked ribs. The only indication she was actually still with them was the slight rise and fall of her chest.
Apparently 'macho-ness' was lost for a moment between the two guys at the sight of the girl they both loved and fought over dying on the floor. Walt was the first to speak. "Sadie?" His voice cracked.
A tear rolled down her cheek, though her eyes remained closed. She coughed weakly, and the red trickle turned to a stream. Anubis lifted her head, but there was nothing they could do. They were losing her.
"Stay with us, Lady Kane." Anubis urged.
Walt activated an amulet and placed on Sadie's chest. It glowed; light spreading through her small body and illuminating the hall. She opened her eyes and whimpered.
"Walt?" She asked, dazed.
"What happened?" He asked in return.
"I'm glad I got to say goodbye." Sadie mumbled, the affects of the amulet already wearing off.
"This isn't goodbye." Walt assured her.
Sadie tilted her head back and looked at Anubis. "It worked." She smiled slightly.
"You got the cure?!" Both boys exclaimed in unified shock.
Sadie giggled softly like she always did when she saw someone's reaction to her doing something nice for them behind their backs. "Yeah."
Anubis, who came to his senses first, asked, "Who did this to you?"
"Magic." Sadie replied.
"Let's get her out of the hall." Walt suggested.
Sadie closed her eyes as Walt slid a hand under her shoulders and lift her up. She felt Anubis rest her head on Walt's arm, his hand lingering for a bit on her forehead.
SADIE POV
I felt a soft bed beneath me, but I didn't want it. I wanted Walt. I wanted him to hold me in his arms and tell me that it was gonna be okay. But I couldn't care about what I wanted; Walt was free of Anubis, and he was cured. That's all I wanted to see since the moment I found out about that horrid curse in the first place. Now he was free and I could die in peace.
I felt cold hands tracing my wounds. It hurt so bad. I wanted to cry- to beg Walt to take it all away. I remembered those hands; Anubis. It had been a long time since he had been himself. I knew I was being ungrateful, but I just wanted Walt. I couldn't bear to imagine what was going through the poor boy's head right now. I couldn't stand hurting him.
Pain and panic mixed in my tightening chest and I felt Walt's gentle hands hold my head carefully and stroke my cheek. After that, nothing.
WALT
Walt had to try very hard not to cry: Sadie was suffering and there was nothing he could do to fix it, and Anubis didn't seem to care. The boy was just inspecting Sadie like a lab experiment. Walt knew in his gut that this had something to do with the cure just being handed to them with no questions.
Anubis's grave tone shook Walt from his thoughts. "We're losing her."
"Do something!" Walt cried, all maturity forgotten.
"Get a healer." Anubis replied calmly.
"Don't touch her," Walt growled, " I'll be right back."
JAZ
Jaz had a bad feeling when she went to bed that night. Something wasn't right. She had tried asking Carter about it, but he had been super distracted. She woke to a knock on her door, and she realized that something was terribly wrong.
WALT
Walt knocked on Jaz's door, panic coursing through him. Jaz opened her door, only half awake.
"Jaz, I need your help." Walt's eyes indicated nothing but urgency.
Jaz grabbed her wand and followed Walt down the hall. He paused outside a door, and Jaz heard muffled crying.
ANUBIS
Anubis had no idea what he was doing. Walt had left him alone in a room with the girl they both loved as she lay dying. Her pale was face contorted in agony, and tears fell from closed eyes.
As she began to sob quietly, Anubis carefully drew her into his arms in an attempt to comfort her- to hold her one last time. He had to return to the Hall of Judgment, and he had to say goodbye.
WALT
If Anubis hadn't been immortal, Walt probably would've killed him right then. After strict instructions not to touch her, he returned to find her sobbing in the boy's arms.
"How dare you?!" Walt growled. "After I told you very plainly not to touch her, what do I find? What would make you think-"
Walt was cut off by Jaz's hand on his arm. "Walt, I know you may not like it, but she needed comfort." She reasoned.
JAZ
Jaz had never seen Walt so upset. She had also never seen so much blood on a living person. The thought of getting in there made her feel sick, but she knew she had to try. She moved toward Sadie and Anubis, still keeping an eye on Walt.
"What happened?" She asked.
"We don't know. She won't say." Anubis admitted.
Jaz put a hand on Sadie's head. "Sadie?"
Sadie didn't answer.
"I should get Carter." Jaz declared.
Walt glared daggers at Anubis, and Jaz made her exit.
3RD PERSON
"This is where I take my leave." Anubis told Walt. It was obvious he was no longer wanted at Brooklyn House, and he figured he should leave before Big Brother got there.
"I'll keep you informed." Walt promised.
"Good." Anubis nodded. And with that, he departed, leaving Walt with Sadie.
CARTER
A thump on his door woke Carter quickly. He opened to Jaz, her eyes wide in panic.
"We found Sadie."
That was all Carter needed to hear. "Let's go." He stepped out past Jaz and closed his door. Jaz lead him to Sadie's door and he mentally braced himself.
SADIE POV
Why wasn't I dead yet? I thought I'd be getting my heart weighed by now. I felt Anubis release me, and Walt take his place. I was vaguely aware of what was going around me, but I couldn't lift my head. I felt so tired. I just wanted this nightmare to be over.
CARTER
Nothing in the world could ever prepare Carter for what awaited him when he opened the door: His little sister lying bloody in her boyfriend's arms. He resisted the urge to cry; to run to her and stroke her hair, to tell her everything would be okay.
"Oh. My. Gosh." He breathed.
"Carter?" Sadie asked weakly.
Hearing her voice, Carter found the courage to go to her. "I'm here, Sadie." He whispered.
"I'm sorry." She whimpered.
"It's okay." Carter assured her. "What happened?" He asked, turning to Jaz.
Jaz shook her head. "You don't wanna know."
"Can you fix her?"
At this question, Walt raised his eyes from Sadie.
"I hope so." Jaz replied, holding back tears. She and Sadie had been friends since she had come to Brooklyn House almost a year ago and the thought that her best friend might not make it, and if she didn't it would be her fault- it was just too much.
WALT
Walt felt like he was watching a horror movie. Sadie looked so terrible, but he couldn't take his eyes from her pale face. As he stroked her tangled blonde hair, he counted her colorful streaks just for something to do.
He thought back to the last time he had seen her: He had gone to bed, and she was curled up next to him- not in an awkward way- and when he woke she was gone. He had gone to Carter, who had gone to Jaz, who had gone to Cleo, but none of them knew where she was.
After two agonizing days, Carter finally declared Sadie Kane missing. That moment had definitely put another entry on the list of moments he had been the most afraid. It was right up there with when she had died for two minutes in Dallas nine months earlier.
He tried to mask his indignation when Jaz shooed him out so that she could work on Sadie.
3RD PERSON
Carter and Walt waited outside Sadie's door, waiting to know something.
"I hope Jaz can fix her." Carter finally said what they were both thinking.
"She got this to get the cure; I just know it." Walt said sadly.
"Cure?" Cater was surprised. He had thought his sister had given up on that months ago.
"I'm my own person again." Walt declared; any pleasure a normal person would've expressed void from his voice.
"I'm glad to hear that." Carter tried to sound happy.
"But did this have to happen?" Walt cried in frustration, landing a solid blow to the wall with the side of his fist. "Ow." He said numbly.
"It's okay to be angry." Carter reasoned, surprised at how much it sounded like something Sadie would say.
Walt clenched his jaw as Sadie's whimpers and sobs came through the door. "Why her?" He asked miserably.
"Because" Carter paused briefly, "I know my sister; she never gives up." He finished carefully.
"You don't sound sure." Walt contested.
Sadie screamed.
"I'm not sure!" Carter cried, anger boiling through his veins. "I want to help her more than anything. I just don't know how."
SADIE POV
I was burning. Never in my life had I felt this much pain. I couldn't stop the panic from taking over. The fear of the unknown threatened to break me. I was no match of the terror my captors had instilled in me.
I wished Walt would come in and take it all away. Dear, sweet, Walt. I could never ask him to do that, even if there was a way. I heard voices, but there were no words. I listened for silence, but I couldn't scream.
JAZ
Jaz didn't think the blood on her hands would ever come off: There was no conceivable way Sadie should've lived this long. She knew she'd have nightmares about the white ribs covered in red sticky blood, the times during the process Sadie had stopped breathing, and her screams. Jaz would never be able to forget her screams.
She bandaged her up as best she could with Sadie writhing in pain. She tried to avoid looking at her face; knowing full well that she'd start crying. She pocked her head into the hall and motioned to the boys.
"You can come in now."