Chapter Seven
Alex and Jennifer played in Alex's tree-fort for over an hour. Alex's favorite game was to pull Horus around on his trucks; Horus seemed to enjoy it too. However, Jennifer wasn't enjoying playing with Alex at the moment; there was something wrong, she couldn't place the feeling but it tingled in her gut. She kept looking over the manor from the tree-fort's high window but nothing seemed out of place. Yet she couldn't shake her feeling. Finally she couldn't take it anymore.
"Alex let's go inside now. I think it's almost lunch time." Jennifer said, using lunch as an excuse to get back in the house.
Alex shrugged. "My dad or mum always comes to tell me when it's lunch time." Alex said and went back to pulling Horus along.
Now Jennifer was a little worried, the sun was high in the sky signaling that it was past noon. "Okay but aren't you a little hungry? Maybe we could help them make lunch." Jennifer suggested.
Alex looked up at his aunt. "Alright, I am a little hungry." He said.
The climbed down the ladder of the tree-fort and "raced" to the house. Jennifer let Alex's win but using the race as an excuse to hurry to the house.
Inside the house, Jennifer's worries were well justified. Soon after Alex and Jennifer left to play outside in the fort, Evelyn had come and apologized to Rick. He also apologized (they kissed and made up) and for the last ten minutes that had been talking about Jennifer.
Five minutes ago was when Anubis made his appearance; now Rick held the jackal creature at bay with one of the sword/artifacts. Anubis wasn't scared by Rick's "little sword" (and he told Rick so) but he was slightly amused by it. These were the O'Connells that were supposed to take him to Amh-Shre, and they were also the people who had banished his army but they didn't seem so tough.
Jennifer opened the door that lead to the garden and entered the manor. He saw Rick standing with the sword raised, Evelyn behind him protectively and knew that Anubis was here.
Jennifer rushed into the sitting room, Alex right behind her. Anubis, Rick and Evelyn all turned their direction. Jennifer held a protective hand in front of Alex, keeping him behind her. Alex shrunk back behind his niece; the jackal was tall and had its teeth bared, it was the thing from his nightmares.
Anubis looked at Jennifer. "Jennifer", he said, "I was waiting for you." He growled, his gruff voice sent shivers down her spine.
Rick and Evelyn looked at her; Rick's face was a mask and anger and betrayal. Jennifer grimaced, the one time he has to call her by her name it has to be when he first shows up. He was trying to get the O'Connells "off her side" and he was succeeding.
Horus screeched at the sight of Anubis. Anubis tightened the "necklace" a little; he drew Jennifer toward him, so unseen strength. Anubis forced Jennifer to stand beside him.
"Now O'Connell, you will take me to Amh-Shre to raise my army of warriors from the Underworld where you imprisoned them." Anubis commanded.
Without the protection of Jennifer, Alex ran over to hide behind his mother. Evelyn hugged him close to her.
Rick looked at Jennifer; she couldn't bare the hatred in his eyes. "You, you brought him here didn't you. I knew there was something I didn't trust." Rick said, his eyes were fixed on Jennifer.
Anubis wrapped a clawed paw around Jennifer's shoulder, his claws scratched her skin. "Yes, with her help I have come to London. Now, you must take me to Amh-Shre or I will kill her." Anubis growled and tightened the "necklace" around her neck.
He tightened it this time like he had never before; Jennifer choked and gasped for breath. She fell to her knees and pulled at the necklace.
"Jennifer!" Alex cried, he would have run to her side but the creature was beside her. He was afraid of the creature.
Jennifer bowed her head, still gasping for breath. Rick lowered the sword. "Alright." He muttered.
Anubis released Jennifer from the strangling grasp. She coughed and fell forward, her head close to the ground. She was still gasping for breath but at least she could breath now. She glare up at Anubis, she was just his pawn to get Rick and the others to go to Amh-Shre.
Anubis smiled; the smile was horrid and would haunt Jennifer for a long time. "Good, then we go. Now." Anubis commanded.
Alex and Jennifer played in Alex's tree-fort for over an hour. Alex's favorite game was to pull Horus around on his trucks; Horus seemed to enjoy it too. However, Jennifer wasn't enjoying playing with Alex at the moment; there was something wrong, she couldn't place the feeling but it tingled in her gut. She kept looking over the manor from the tree-fort's high window but nothing seemed out of place. Yet she couldn't shake her feeling. Finally she couldn't take it anymore.
"Alex let's go inside now. I think it's almost lunch time." Jennifer said, using lunch as an excuse to get back in the house.
Alex shrugged. "My dad or mum always comes to tell me when it's lunch time." Alex said and went back to pulling Horus along.
Now Jennifer was a little worried, the sun was high in the sky signaling that it was past noon. "Okay but aren't you a little hungry? Maybe we could help them make lunch." Jennifer suggested.
Alex looked up at his aunt. "Alright, I am a little hungry." He said.
The climbed down the ladder of the tree-fort and "raced" to the house. Jennifer let Alex's win but using the race as an excuse to hurry to the house.
Inside the house, Jennifer's worries were well justified. Soon after Alex and Jennifer left to play outside in the fort, Evelyn had come and apologized to Rick. He also apologized (they kissed and made up) and for the last ten minutes that had been talking about Jennifer.
Five minutes ago was when Anubis made his appearance; now Rick held the jackal creature at bay with one of the sword/artifacts. Anubis wasn't scared by Rick's "little sword" (and he told Rick so) but he was slightly amused by it. These were the O'Connells that were supposed to take him to Amh-Shre, and they were also the people who had banished his army but they didn't seem so tough.
Jennifer opened the door that lead to the garden and entered the manor. He saw Rick standing with the sword raised, Evelyn behind him protectively and knew that Anubis was here.
Jennifer rushed into the sitting room, Alex right behind her. Anubis, Rick and Evelyn all turned their direction. Jennifer held a protective hand in front of Alex, keeping him behind her. Alex shrunk back behind his niece; the jackal was tall and had its teeth bared, it was the thing from his nightmares.
Anubis looked at Jennifer. "Jennifer", he said, "I was waiting for you." He growled, his gruff voice sent shivers down her spine.
Rick and Evelyn looked at her; Rick's face was a mask and anger and betrayal. Jennifer grimaced, the one time he has to call her by her name it has to be when he first shows up. He was trying to get the O'Connells "off her side" and he was succeeding.
Horus screeched at the sight of Anubis. Anubis tightened the "necklace" a little; he drew Jennifer toward him, so unseen strength. Anubis forced Jennifer to stand beside him.
"Now O'Connell, you will take me to Amh-Shre to raise my army of warriors from the Underworld where you imprisoned them." Anubis commanded.
Without the protection of Jennifer, Alex ran over to hide behind his mother. Evelyn hugged him close to her.
Rick looked at Jennifer; she couldn't bare the hatred in his eyes. "You, you brought him here didn't you. I knew there was something I didn't trust." Rick said, his eyes were fixed on Jennifer.
Anubis wrapped a clawed paw around Jennifer's shoulder, his claws scratched her skin. "Yes, with her help I have come to London. Now, you must take me to Amh-Shre or I will kill her." Anubis growled and tightened the "necklace" around her neck.
He tightened it this time like he had never before; Jennifer choked and gasped for breath. She fell to her knees and pulled at the necklace.
"Jennifer!" Alex cried, he would have run to her side but the creature was beside her. He was afraid of the creature.
Jennifer bowed her head, still gasping for breath. Rick lowered the sword. "Alright." He muttered.
Anubis released Jennifer from the strangling grasp. She coughed and fell forward, her head close to the ground. She was still gasping for breath but at least she could breath now. She glare up at Anubis, she was just his pawn to get Rick and the others to go to Amh-Shre.
Anubis smiled; the smile was horrid and would haunt Jennifer for a long time. "Good, then we go. Now." Anubis commanded.