Episode 11: "House of Scares & House of Fakers"

This edited and revised chapter was uploaded on September 29, 2020


Chapter 11: Pranks, Elixirs, and Visits, OH MY!

The very next day, the abhorrent security cameras were taken down. All of them. And Victor stalked around the house with a look on his face that suggested he'd just had moldy gym socks shoved down his throat. And the Anubis House residents weren't shy about rubbing Victor's defeat in his face.

"So, Victor, it's back to good old-fashioned room searches and peering through keyholes, eh?" Jerome's voice was sickly sweet, and his smile was more than a little pleased. Cameron shook her head fondly at him as she came down the stairs. He was practically poking the bear with a stick. She shot him a look to stop while he was ahead.

"Don't you have classes to go to?" came Victor's restrained response. Jerome simply sighed with content and dragged Cameron towards the door.

"Hey, Victor," Alfie called as they walked out. "Have a nice day!" Jerome and Cameron burst out laughing and Alfie joined them, grinning. The two boys joked around on the way to school and Cameron simply walked with them, rolling her eyes, shaking her head, and trying not to smile at their antics.

Cameron heard Nina, Amber, and Patricia not far behind her talking about their latest French lessons. Cameron fell back into step with the three girls. They were still discussing French when they got to the school, where they were addressed by Fabian.

"Guys, guys, I woke up early this morning and went back down under the stairs," he said, sounding excited, "and I found this." Fabian held up a small book and Cameron read the title.

"HG Wells, The Time Machine?" Nina asked.

"Yeah." Fabian was still smiling. "It's 'beleathered' like it says in the clue. And it's about time travel so it could be 'the only place where yesterday always follows tomorrow.'"

Nina lit up with excitement. But Cameron was frowning. The book may have been leather-bound, but it wasn't clasped, and yesterday didn't always follow tomorrow in time travel.

"Yes!" came the cheer. "What did you find?" Nina asked before Cameron could get a word in.

"Actually, nothing. Yet," Fabian quickly added, "but if it's in there, I will!"

"Oh, Amber wants to see the photo of Victor, the Ever-Living," Patricia said. Fabian nodded, quickly looked around to make sure no one would see, and handed over the photograph.

"That is so creepy," Amber breathed, staring at it.

"It gets even creepier," Fabian said. "There are two or three other ones. All from different years."

"And that same Victor is in them all," Patricia said.

"Do you think he's a ghost or, I don't know… a vampire?" Amber suggested.

"No, Amber, I do not," Fabian said, him, Nina, Patricia, and Cameron smiling fondly at the blonde. "Although I do think it's confirmation of the existence of… an Elixir of Life."

The five Sibunas exchanged looks. This mystery was more than a little strange, and sometimes just downright weird, but an Elixir of Life… That was hardly believable. Even for them.

Never mind strange toasts and cellar experiments and ancient photographs.

"Okay, so now we've got proof," Amber said. "Can we go tell someone? Please… this is just getting too scary."

"Well, we have got the photos to back them up…?" Nina trailed off.

Cameron shook her head and Fabian looked hesitant.

"Who do we show them to?" Amber asked.

"No one," Cameron said. "Photos can be doctored. And even if this photo is genuine, which I believe it is, it could very easily be said that this is a photo of Victor Rodenmaar, Senior. Victor's dad." Cameron shook her head. "Besides, where has telling anyone ever gotten us? Jason was converted and Trudy was fired. We were lucky that Mr. Campbell was willing to use his influence over Mr. Sweet to force Victor to rehire her. But that's all it was — luck. The last thing we should be doing is going around running our mouths to yet another person and getting them involved in this mess. You guys know how hesitant Sarah is to share anything with anyone, anyway. I think we should keep this to ourselves."

Nina and Amber were silent. Cameron had made very good points.

She usually did.

And it was clear that Fabian agreed with her.

Patricia was somewhere in the middle.

"Maybe we could get our hands on the elixir itself," Nina suggested after a few seconds of thought.

"That means going back down the cellar," Amber pointed out.

"If it means going into the cellar again, then that's what we'll do," Fabian decided. "We'll go back, we'll steal some of the stuff, bring it back, and get it analyzed. Don't worry, I'll do it myself."

"No!" Nina protested. "We stick together. I'm coming with you."

"We all are," Cameron said. Patricia nodded in agreement, but Amber looked reluctant.

They all stared at her.

"Sibuna, Amber?" Patricia said.

Nothing.

"Come on. You started this club. You named it and everything. It's not the same without you."

Nina's persuasive words did the trick and Amber agreed to go as well. Cameron couldn't help but smile. She hadn't been down into the cellar yet. She'd only heard what it was like from the other four. And she couldn't help but admit to herself that she was a little excited to see the cellar for herself.

As the group walked toward their class, Cameron pulled out her phone.

I know you overheard us, Jerome.

Your bag was visible from behind the door frame.

Exactly how much did you overhear?

Cameron sent the text and waited. It didn't take long for Jerome to respond. Thankfully, the other four weren't paying attention to her and she was able to read his response.

Aw, Caramel, you noticed me? I'm flattered.

Anyway, I heard that you and your secretive little friends

are planning a little trip down to the cellar tonight.

Cameron wasn't sure how to react. She trusted Jerome far more than the others did, but she still wasn't sure it was smart to involve him. Or to let him involve himself. Luckily, it seemed he hadn't overheard anything too important or revealing.

What are you planning?

I'll tell you if…

you tell me why you're going down there in the first place.

Cameron sighed.

We think Victor's hiding something down there.

Amber, Nina, and I found a cat in the house one morning and Amber saw Victor with scratches on his hands and arms. It was obvious he was doing something with the cat. And knowing Victor, he wasn't taking care of it. He seems to prefer stuffed animals to live ones. You've seen how he coddles Corbiere. So, we decided to see if the cat came from the cellar, but we hadn't seen it in a while and Amber and Patricia found a stuffed cat when they snuck into the cellar one night. Along with tables full of stuffed animals and chemicals. Nina, Fabian, Amber, and Patricia confronted Victor and he took them down into the cellar. However, when they got down there, it was nothing like it had been before. No stuffed animals. No chemicals. No tables, even.

We're sneaking back down to see if Victor's put everything back.

Cameron sent the long text and hoped Jerome would keep quiet. He wasn't a snitch, that was for sure. But he also had a strong sense of self-preservation and any hint of him potentially getting in trouble and he would rat them all out.

Cameron scolded her brain. This was Jerome. And this was her. She was reminded of Amber's words from a couple nights ago.

'You bring out the best in him.'

Cameron hoped Jerome wouldn't rat them out. And wouldn't pester her more. She had tried her best to tell the truth while also omitting certain details pertaining to their true reason for wanting to sneak into the cellar. Cameron hated lying to Jerome. She hated it. But for now, she had to. She had to follow her own advice. Don't let anyone else get close. It was too risky. Too dangerous. And if Victor discovered any of them, they would not be spared. Not her. Not Nina. Not Fabian.

Not Jerome.

So, Cameron hoped he would be satisfied with her explanation. It was all she could give him.

Nosy, much?

Despite herself, Cameron could only huff out a laugh. Trust Jerome to respond to a whole paragraph with two words. And trust Jerome to respond with two words that would instantly raise Cameron's mood.

Your turn. Fess up.

Let's just say it will probably be our best prank of the year

;)

Cameron didn't want to know.

She locked her phone and stuck it in her bag, making light eye contact with Jerome. He winked. She rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile. By the look of Jerome's smirk, he had caught it. The two of them were silent as they walked into the lounge together and sat down, Jerome on a couch and Cameron at Nina and Amber's feet.

"Good morning, everyone!" Mr. Winkler was cheerful as he greeted them all. "Listen, before we start today's class, I'd like to draw your attention to this sheet of paper on the wall here." Everyone looked and saw it was an audition sign-up sheet. Cameron sighed. She had written up an outline like she promised, even the first scene, but she still wasn't at all comfortable using Sarah's story as the subject of the school play.

Thank you, Amber.

"Anyone who's interested in auditioning for the school play, sign your autograph up there. Cameron, how are you doing with the script?" Mr. Winkler continued.

"I've gotten the outline and first scene done," Cameron said. "Do you want me to run them by you later?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," Mr. Winkler said. "And I would like to start auditioning from next week if that's okay."

"Yeah, I'm sure I can get some things done for all the characters by then."

Mr. Winkler smiled.

"Great!"

With that, class started.

~)8(~

After school, Cameron walked back to the house with her fellow Sibunas, discussing their latest English assignment and how outrageous it was. Five pages, at least, analyzing their assigned scene from Hamlet, which, in Cameron's opinion, was one of Shakespeare's most boring works. It was so overdone! Why couldn't they ever read one of the comedies? As You Like It or The Tempest, perhaps. Or, God, if they insisted on reading the tragedies, why not read King Lear or Othello? They were so much more compelling in Cameron's opinion. A king descending into madness due to his own actions vs a hero being manipulated to madness. Iago was such a wonderful villain.

Cameron had no desire to write another paper on the plight of a Hamlet, a boy too absorbed by his own problems to realize that he caused his love to commit suicide, and then murdered her father as a result of his own paranoia.

Anyway, none of the Sibunas were a fan of this particular English assignment.

But thoughts of Hamlet and Claudius and spooky dads flew out the window when they arrived home and saw someone bustling about the entryway.

Trudy!

"You're back!" Amber cried. She attacked Trudy with a fierce hug and the woman laughed brightly.

"Aw, it's so good to see you!"

"Trudy, you're back!"

"Careful, sweetie… you'll break my ribs." Despite her saying this, Trudy was smiling so wide her cheeks were red and her eyes shone. As soon as Amber let go, Cameron smothered the woman with her own hug. It was gentler than Amber's.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're back," Cameron sighed, warm with her happiness.

"Trudy, Trudy, Trudy, Trudy, Trudy! I'm so pleased to see you!" Amber gushed.

"Welcome home, Trudy," Patricia said, grinning. "We've really missed you."

"And you have no idea just how much," Fabian added, beaming.

Nina laughed. "Seriously, we all would've lost weight if not for Cameron here." The girl flushed. "Welcome home!"

"Oh, what did Cameron do?"

"Only made the best breakfast ever," Patricia praised.

Cameron made a face. "Only because I knew that if Victor cooked again, we'd be forced to eat cement-porridge that glued our teeth together."

Everyone laughed and shuddered, remembering the truly nauseating meal Victor had forced on them. For dinner last night, Cameron had been too lazy to rustle up even a meager spaghetti, so she'd ordered pizza for the house.

Mick had eaten an entire pizza by himself. Alfie, too.

"Can I help you with dinner tonight?" Amber asked Trudy. "Or cleaning, anything. I've just missed you so much!"

"Thank you, sweetie, but no. School work comes first," Trudy reminded, sounding more than a little motherly. The five students, including Cameron, groaned in response. Right as they were about to protest, the door of the house creaked open and Victor slunk in.

"Trudy," he merely said.

"Victor," she replied, neither cold nor warm.

Victor's gaze flicked to the students. "The hall is not a lounging area."

Not willing to get on Victor's bad side or making things tougher for Trudy on her first day back, they shuffled away. But not without bright smiles on their faces. Trudy was back, and that was what mattered.

~)8(~

"Trudy! Trudy! Trudy! Trudy! Trudy! Trudy! Trudy! Trudy!"

The nine residents of Anubis House marched and chanted their way into the living room, beaming and glowing with happiness and pride. The housemother blushed out of gratitude as the praise rained down.

When the chanting and clapping stopped, Mara was the first to step forward.

"For you, Trudy," she said, giving her a bouquet of flowers. "We're all so pleased to have you back."

"Ooh… stop it, you guys." Trudy put a hand to her mouth, and everyone saw her eyes glisten with tears. It only made their smiles grow more fond.

"Don't cry," Alfie said. "Cook."

Everyone laughed.

"We reckon Victor got into some serious trouble with Sweet and Andrews for firing you," Fabian told Trudy.

"Don't be disrespectful, Fabian," Trudy admonished half-heartedly. "I'm sure Victor thought he was doing the right thing."

Cameron and Jerome exchanged a glance and simultaneously snorted under their breaths.

"Time to put your feet up, Trudy," Patricia cut in. The woman balked. "We'll finish this, won't we, Mara?" The girl nodded. "Yep! And Alfie is going to make you a cup of tea."

"Am I?" the boy asked.

"Does he have to?" Trudy asked.

"Hey!" Alfie yelped, smiling. "It was just a tiny fire last time!"

Everyone cracked up again and Cameron then spoke up.

"I'll make you a cup of tea, Trudy. And I'm going to help you with dinner tonight. No buts." Cameron's tone was firm, but not unkind, and Trudy nodded, accepting the offer.

"And I bought you some cake, Trudy," Amber added. "It's not as nice as yours."

"Oh, that looks lovely, sweetheart," Trudy said. She felt so incredibly touched at everything these kids were doing for her. She never could've imagined. "It is good to be back!"

With that, Amber led Trudy and everyone but Mara, Patricia, and Cameron to the living room. Cameron prepared Trudy's cup of tea just the way she liked it (milky, sweetened with brown sugar), and Patricia and Mara went about finishing Trudy's chores. Cameron brought Trudy her tea and went to help the other two.

Mara was hardly paying attention to what she was doing. She was, instead, staring at Mick, something of a silly smile gracing her face. Cameron raised a curious eyebrow. Mara liked Mick, obviously. She had for a long time. Longer than Cameron had known her. But something about Mara's expression suggested that something had actually happened between the two of them.

Patricia had noticed the expression as well. "So, what's with the secret smile?"

Mara beamed, her tone turning giddy. "I'm just a little bit on cloud nine."

"Yeah?" Cameron said, her eyebrow quirking a bit. She and Patricia exchanged a small look, but Mara didn't notice. Her voice turned into an excited whisper. She looked back over at Mick briefly, as if unable to go more than five seconds without looking at him.

"We kind of kissed."

Neither Patricia nor Cameron reacted the way Mara wanted.

"Uh oh," Patricia muttered. Cameron bit back her own cringe.

"Are you not happy for me?" Mara asked, frowning.

"I don't think you're his type," Patricia admitted bluntly. Cameron mentally agreed, but she also knew how sensitive Mara could be. She wasn't planning on sticking her foot in her mouth. She already wasn't very close with Mara. She didn't need to kick the girl when she was down.

Mara was shocked at Patricia's words. And when she looked at Cameron, perhaps expecting support, she received none. Cameron didn't avoid eye contact, but it was clear from her expression that she agreed with Patricia.

"He's not going to date you," Patricia continued. "You've got nothing in common." Mara looked devastated. "What do you even talk about? His training program? Riveting. Don't get me wrong, I like Mick. But he's not exactly an intellectual challenge."

Cameron pursed her lips at that, but refrained from saying anything.

"He's very sweet," Mara protested, "and kind, and he's got a big heart, and —"

"I'm your friend," Patricia cut off, her gaze imploring, as if begging Mara to understand and snap out of it. "I don't want this to end in tears."

"Since when did you become such an expert on relationships?" Mara said, beginning to sound bitter.

"I think it's important that friends are honest with each other," Patricia said. To be honest, she, like Cameron, had no relationship experience. But that didn't mean she was socially inept. That didn't mean she was unable to see that Mara and Mick just weren't right for each other.

"You know what I think?" Mara's voice was both cold and on the verge of breaking. "You're just jealous."

Patricia scoffed. "Whatever."

Patricia wasn't jealous and Mara knew it.

But there could be no retort, because Patricia walked away, leaving a tense Cameron with an upset Mara.

Mara sniffed and blinked, trying to dry her eyes. Cameron was respectfully going about her chores, but the lingering tension was more than a little awkward. Mara wondered if Cameron truly thought the same. About her and Mick. That Mara wasn't his type. That they wouldn't work. Mara knew she and Cameron didn't know each other all that well, but Cameron was one of Mick's closest friends. Maybe if she saw them together, she would —

No. No. Her knowing Mick so well was probably why she agreed with Patricia. But Mara just couldn't understand why. She liked Mick so much! She had liked him for so long. And she had been forced to watch him flirt back and forth with Amber for an entire year, then date Amber on and off for a term. All before Cameron arrived. She just didn't understand. Mara had liked Mick for so long, and she was finally getting her change with him! Their kiss had been so perfect. Spur of the moment, sweaty, but sweet and perfect. He had smiled so wide during their training session. Spun her around when he broke his previous sprinting record! Then kissed her. Surely it was a sign that he liked her, that they fit together, that they belonged together.

No matter what Patricia and Cameron thought.

But still, Mara wondered what Cameron truly thought.

"And you think the same?" Mara asked, her voice colder than she'd expected it would be. "That I'm not right for Mick?"

Cameron froze, then slowly spun to look at Mara, frowning severely.

That hadn't been what Patricia said at all.

"I don't think you're right for each other."

Cameron strode away, leaving Mara to grumble and wonder what the difference was.

~)8(~

That night, Cameron set foot into the cellar for the very first time. The other four Sibunas had told her the cellar was bare and empty when they'd come down here with Victor. But when the five of them made their way down there through the secret passageway in the kitchen, they found a cellar that was most definitely not bare and empty.

Cameron shone her flashlight around, the light filtering through the clutter of test tubes and beakers and chemicals and strangely colored liquids. There was an adjacent chamber, with another table. Cameron cringed and felt the hairs on her neck stand up as she saw the numerous stuffed animals. Taxidermy was so gross.

Cameron sniffed, and her eyes watered. Her nostrils burned against the stark scent of chemicals mixed with dank mustiness.

Cameron's skin crawled. The attic had been creepy, sure, but the cellar… Everything about this place set Cameron on edge. And she did not like it.

"Surprise, surprise," Patricia muttered sarcastically, switching off her flashlight and flicking on the overhead lights.

"It's all back in place," Nina breathed. "He may be creepy, but he is good."

Amber shivered. "Even the stuffed cat, ugh!"

Cameron's eyes fell upon a stuffed black cat, and it looked eerily like the cat they'd seen in their room. Cameron shivered and looked away.

"Right," Fabian started, "we know why we came here. Let's get searching." Nina, Fabian, and Amber had described the stuff Victor drank, so Cameron and Patricia had an idea of what to look for. Amber liquid in a corked, glass jar. But before any of them could even think to begin searching, the cellar lights flicked off. Everyone flicked on their torches. Cameron's light reflected off something metal.

Brass scales. Nine sets of them. Cameron was wondering why Victor would ever need so many pairs of scales when a loud CLANG nearly made her leap out of her skin.

"What was that?" Amber softly cried.

A couple beats passed in silence.

"Nothing," Fabian determined.

The search resumed.

Cameron glanced back at the scales, then reluctantly joined the others. She looked over the table of chemicals and liquids. There were so many. And a good majority of them were various shades of amber. And many of them were in corked jars.

Fabian plucked one off the table. The jar was almost flask-shaped, corked, and glass. It wasn't even half full, but the liquid contained in the jar was a dark, orangey-amber. It didn't slosh like water. It was almost viscous, and seemed to absorb the light from Cameron's torch. The liquid was both dull and burnishing.

Cameron narrowed her eyes. Something golden seemed to swirl in the liquid. Cameron was unaware that she was the only one who could see it.

A quiet wail filled Cameron's ears, and her blood ran cold.

The Sibunas were frozen.

"I really hope that was another cat," Amber said.

Cameron highly doubted it.

"Here, puss…"

Everyone bravely followed the wailing to a cupboard standing in the corner. Suddenly, its door creaked open.

"Amber, I don't think…"

But Patricia trailed off and everyone stared, eyes wide with fright, as two skeletons emerged from the cupboard, moaning and groaning.

The Sibunas screamed and bolted.

No one noticed that Cameron had not joined them. Not even Nina and Amber as they returned to their bedroom. Instead, Cameron was still in the cellar, clutching a hand to her chest and glaring fiercely at the skeletons.

The laughing skeletons.

Alfie and Jerome slipped off their zombie-skull masks and cackled, high-fiving. That was brilliant! Best prank yet!

"I could've used a warning, jackass!" Cameron hissed at them. Mostly Jerome.

He grinned at her. "And ruin the surprise?"

"Surprise?" Cameron actually scoffed. "More like heart attack. I think you guys legit shaved ten years off my life."

The pair laughed at her. Jerome was truly cackling but Alfie's laugh was so genuine and light-hearted that Cameron felt herself relaxing. Her heart began to slow. Though, she wasn't sure it would be back to normal for about another week.

"You scared them half to death, guys," Cameron admonished, trying to hide the amusement that was emerging with her hindsight.

"Well, yes, but did you see their faces?" Jerome said between chuckles.

Cameron's lip twitched. But even in the dark of the cellar, Jerome's keen eyes caught it.

He and Alfie laughed harder. Cameron finally allowed her smile to grow.

"So this was what you came up with?" she said.

Jerome shrugged. "It was actually Alfie's suggestion."

Cameron huffed a laugh at that. "I should've known. Only you, Alfie, would suggest scaring us to half to death with zombie costumes. Only you."

Alfie puffed up with pride, and Cameron laughed again. Cameron side-eyed Jerome and smirked lightly.

"At least it was semi-creative. Jerome would've done something lame like lock us in or superglue the doorknobs."

Alfie choked and then roared with laughter.

Jerome was indignant. "You wound me, Caramel!"

Cameron snorted. "I didn't realize you were so fragile, Jerome."

Alfie snorted.

Jerome's eyes narrowed, but his lips were twitching. "Careful, Caramel. Keep this up and I might just slip some itching powder in your knickers."

Cameron flushed at the idea of Jerome going near her underwear, but she also wouldn't put that past him.

"Have at it," she countered. "Just remember —" Cameron stepped closer to Jerome, so close the toes of their shoes touched and her breath washed over his neck, "caramel may be sweet, but revenge is sweeter."

She stepped away and disappeared up the stairs, leaving a smirking Alfie, and a warm, flustered Jerome.

~)8(~

The next morning at breakfast, the Sibunas found themselves feeling both tired and wired. The excursion to the cellar and following encounter had left their nerves shot and brains sluggish. None of them had gotten much sleep last night. Fabian's hair was a mussed mess and Nina's eyes were puffy with sleep. Amber looked put together, but only because of her diligent makeup and skincare routine, and Patricia hadn't even bothered that morning.

Cameron, however, knew the truth, and was far more at ease than them. Though her mind still swirled with thoughts of both the mysterious elixir and the brass scales.

An over-the-top greeting reached their ears.

"Good morning, good morning, good morning." Alfie beamed like it was the finest morning of his life. Jerome followed just behind, also looking like he was in a good mood. "I trust everyone slept well last night?"

Everyone except Cameron narrowed their eyes. Alfie and Jerome hated mornings. Seeing them so chipper so early was bad news.

Cameron could only roll her eyes at them, genuinely amused. They were really milking this.

"What's it to you?" Patricia said, suspicious.

"I just care," came Alfie's saccharine reply. The suspicion in the room got worse. And Jerome's signature smirk certainly wasn't helping. "Sleep is an essential part of life."

"So, tell me, did anyone hear that cat last night?" Jerome spoke up, nonchalant. Cameron shook her head, exasperated. They were just dying to take credit. "It sounded like a combination of a very old goat and a screaming baby."

"That wasn't a cat," Amber said. "It was me. And you'd scream too if you were cornered by a pair of zombies!"

Cameron choked on her tea and struggled to hold in her laughter. Mick clapped her lightly on the back.

"Amber!" Nina and Fabian whisper-yelled.

"Sorry."

Cameron ducked further to hide her giggles. Jerome sent her a subtle wink and smirk.

"And once again, we enter the strange and unpredictable world that is Amber's mind," Jerome said. His words could've conveyed confusion if not for the teasing tone. Mick frowned up at Jerome through a mouthful of cereal. And he wasn't the only one.

"But Jerome," Alfie went on full steam ahead, "you must have heard the rumors of what's buried down in the cellar."

Cameron's shoulders shook with barely suppressed laughter and she swiftly left the table under the guise of getting more tea.

"Yes, I have," Jerome confirmed. "The two teachers who were buried alive."

"You can hear their stomachs rumbling, and at night they come out and eat your brains!" Alfie leaned close to Amber, the blonde yelling and pushing him away. Jerome burst out laughing and Cameron saw the realization dawn on her fellow Sibunas.

"I think we found our zombies," Fabian muttered.

"You pig!" Amber yelled, smacking Alfie. "I've never been so scared in my whole life!" There was a pause. "Except for that time when my dad froze my allowance."

"You think you're really funny, don't you?" Patricia spat. "Well, you're not."

"Shakespeare over there's laughing," Jerome shrugged. Everyone turned and saw that Cameron was, in fact, shaking with quiet giggles.

"Oh, come on!" she said, seeing their faces. "You guys thought they were real zombies? I admit, at first, I was freaking terrified, but come on. As soon as they emerged, I realized what was going on, so I stayed behind to confront them."

"That's why you got back to the room late," Nina realized. "I thought you might've been hyperventilating in the bathroom."

"Oh, I was still hyperventilating," Cameron said. "Just downstairs. My heart rate still hasn't gone back to normal, by the way." Cameron shot Jerome a nasty look.

He winked in response.

"How did you guys even know we'd be down there?" Fabian asked.

Jerome shrugged. "You guys aren't as sneaky as you think you are. Overheard you mention your little field trip at school."

Cameron's heart skipped a beat in fear that her friends might realize she had known Jerome overheard. Then it skipped again, for a whole different reason, when she realized Jerome wasn't going to tell.

The Sibunas each felt a little foolish. They'd have to be more careful from now on. No more discussing things like that in such public places. What if it hadn't been Jerome who'd overheard? What if it had been Mr. Sweet? Or Mrs. Andrews? Or Mr. Winkler? Or God forbid, Victor?

Plus, as scary as it had been, hindsight on the zombies was now 20/20.

Talk about embarrassing.

"Tell me you plan to get these wankers back, Cam," Patricia said, glaring deeply at the twin troublemakers.

Cameron slowly smirked. A mischievous smirk coupled with a quirked eyebrow that made Cameron look more than a little devious.

"Count on it."

Jerome clapped his hands to his cheeks Home Alone style. "I'm so scared, Caramel!"

Cameron nodded, her smirk still present. "Good. You should be."

Jerome grinned and slid an arm around her waist. "Promise, my kitten?"

Cameron's teasing expression instantly morphed into a furrowed brow with slightly pouty lips and a cocked head. "Did you just call me your 'kitten?'"

Jerome simply smirked in reply.

Cameron scoffed, rolled her eyes, and slid out of his grip.

"Rejected," Mick taunted under his breath. Jerome scowled and sat down, his eyes following Cameron as she left the dining room to get her school bag.

Her absence was almost instantly filled by Mara, who's good mood rivaled the twin terrors'.

"Hello, Mick, and… others."

Her bright greeting spurned an awkward atmosphere. And it only got worse when Mick, reluctant to meet the girl's gaze, returned the greeting with much less enthusiasm.

The rest of breakfast was quiet.

~)8(~

"I really thought they were Victor related zombies," Nina admitted to the rest of Sibuna. The group was convened in her, Amber, and Cameron's bedroom. It had become the sort of unofficial meeting spot.

"Me too," Amber agreed.

"Part of his experiments," Nina continued.

"Or family members," Patricia threw in.

"I never really thought they were zombies," Fabian said. All four girls stared at him with matching looks. What a load of crock.

"Okay," Nina muttered, laughing.

"Whatever," Cameron chuckled.

"Yeah, right," Patricia said. "You were screaming louder than us."

Fabian dutifully ignored the teasing and studied the supposed elixir. They'd managed to hold onto it through the whole zombie-fiasco.

"We still need to get the elixir analyzed," he said.

"I say we give it to the police," Amber suggested. "And the photos and the recordings."

"We can't!" Patricia cried. "They're in it with Victor and his spooky friends."

"We need to hide it," Fabian decided. Cameron agreed. Until they had a true plan of action, hiding it was their best chance.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Plus, if they'd grabbed the right elixir, then it was better they hid it so Victor didn't have it anymore and wouldn't find it in their possession.

"I know," Patricia said, getting an idea. She reached into her bag and pulled out a solid orange water bottle. She quickly drained the rest of the water inside. She reached for the elixir and was about to pour it in when —

"Wait," Cameron said. "We need a back-up plan."

She quickly rummaged through one of her dresser drawers and pulled out an empty oil vial. She unstopped it and looked at the others. "This way if Victor pulls one of his famous searches and manages to find one portion, we still have some of the elixir."

The others nodded, quickly agreeing to the plan. Patricia and Cameron split the elixir between their respective bottles. Cameron tucked hers into her drawer, rolled into a pair of her school socks, and Patricia shoved hers in her bag. She'd hide it later.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Everyone tried to look casual as Trudy ducked her head in.

"Cameron?" she said. "There's someone for you downstairs." Cameron blinked with confusion. "Someone named Kate Donahue."

Cameron's eyes widened. Kate? Kate was here?

Without a word, Cameron darted into the hall. She heard her friends follow after her, but she didn't stop. Cameron reached the landing and looked down, and sure enough, there stood the tall, slim brunette that was the one and only Katelyn Donahue.

Cameron beamed.

"Kate!"

Within seconds, she and Cameron were hugging and laughing.

"Hey, girlie! Oh, look at you! You look so good! Though that skirt's a bit short. But look at you!"

Kate Donahue, professional editor, was truly amazed at the Cameron that stood before her. Cameron Zack, as Kate remembered her, was perpetually tired and mellow. Her skin was consistently pale, and her eyes were consistently shrouded, emotion concealed and hidden behind pools of near-black. But now… Cameron's coffee brown eyes shone bright with excitement and genuine happiness, unafraid and blatant. She no longer seemed so tired, so exhausted. So guarded. And the flush of pink on her cheeks was very becoming.

Cameron looked healthy.

Cameron hadn't looked healthy in a very long time.

"What are you doing here?" Cameron asked her friend and editor, still smiling.

"I told you I wanted to come visit," Kate said. "Diggin' the house, by the way. Are these some of your roommates?"

The other four Sibunas stood on the staircase watching the interaction with blatant curiosity. Cameron introduced them and Kate greeted them kindly.

"So, how do you know Cameron?" Fabian asked politely.

"This pest?" Kate grinned cheekily at Cameron. "I was her English teacher."

It was actually true. Before Kate had become a full-time editor, she had worked as a middle school English teacher.

"But even after she left my classroom, Cameron followed me around like a little lost kitty," Kate teased lightly. Cameron made a face. "Somewhere between then and now, we became friends."

Cameron huffed good-naturedly at Kate's teasing.

"Anyway, I've had a trip to England booked for a little while and decided to swing by and drop this off."

Kate tapped her toe against a large package by her feet.

Cameron mentally cringed. "Is that…?"

"Sure is, babe."

The books. The books Amber had won. The books Cameron had to autograph and personalize. The books that would reveal her little hobby far sooner than she was comfortable with.

Oh, well. As Frank Sinatra would say, That's life.

"What is it?" Nina asked.

"Just some things I asked my parents to send me from New York," Cameron quickly fibbed. "I'll just go drop it in my room real quick."

As soon as the package was safe under Cameron's bed, she bounded back down the stairs.

"So what's it like living in New York?" Amber wondered, nearly sighing. "Fifth Avenue, Soho, Broadway…"

"Actually, Caramel, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about that."

Jerome's voice cut into the conversation, and his arm once more slipped around her waist. Cameron blushed lightly as he pressed her into his side, but forced a scowl at the nickname.

Kate snickered.

"Caramel?" she asked.

"Jerome, this is Kate, one of my oldest and closest friends. Kate, this is Jerome, the ultimate thorn in my side."

Jerome gave a little grin and wave, gladly claiming his title. Then he looked down at Cameron. "You lived in Manhattan, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So, where's your accent?"

"I wasn't born in New York," Cameron said. "I didn't even grow up there. We moved to New York when I was 12, and then we moved once while in the city — after Jill died." Patricia frowned, unfamiliar with the name Jill. Fabian's quick mind realized Jill was Cameron's mysterious twin. Nina and Amber, however, were shocked. Not only did Jerome apparently know who Jill was, but Cameron was comfortable talking about her around him.

Kate was thinking along the same lines.

"Then where'd you grow up?" Jerome asked, confused.

"Washington, DC," Cameron said. "Moved there when I was one."

"So where were you born?"

Whatever answer everyone was expecting, it was not the one Cameron gave.

"Cairo, Egypt."

The five students stared at their friend for a few seconds. Jerome finally said something.

"You learn something new every day."

Cameron smiled a bit at his simple response. "Yep. Now please remove your arm."

Jerome grinned crookedly, lightly tightening his arm around her little waist. "But it's so comfortable there." He lightly tickled Cameron's side and she swatted at him. A smile tried to fight its way onto her face, but Cameron forced it back. Jerome, as always, caught it, but didn't tease her about it.

Kate was a different story.

"Ah, young love," she cooed wistfully, as if remembering her youth. Cameron snorted at the tone. As if Kate was older than a whole whopping 32 years of age.

"I'll see you guys at school," Cameron said. With that, she and Kate left the house.

"So, you and Jerome, huh?" Kate poked fun.

"No."

"Oh, come on. It's plain as day."

"There's nothing going on between me and Jerome."

"Not yet."

Cameron stuck out her tongue. Kate laughed, then glanced around the grounds.

"I can't believe you live here," Kate said.

"A bit different from Manhattan," Cameron agreed.

"Just a bit," Kate snorted.

"Hey, thanks for the package," Cameron said. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know," Kate said, smiling. "I wanted to. Besides —" she bumped Cameron's shoulder, "I missed you."

Cameron smiled, slow and genuine. "I missed you, too."

Cameron wondered if Kate's little visit was already over for the day, but as they walked to the school, Kate told Cameron that she had managed to get Mr. Sweet to allow her to shadow Cameron for as long as she wanted. As a former educator, she was interested in learning the differences between US and UK education. And as the professional editor of a famous author, Kate could get whatever she wanted.

It was safe to say that Cameron couldn't stop smiling. Not as they got to the school. Not as they got to Sweetie's office. Not as they left Sweetie's office side-by-side, Kate wearing a visitor's badge. Not even as they walked into Cameron's first class together.

~)8(~

"Okay, here's a list of all the British universities with major chemistry research departments," Fabian said. He, Nina, Amber, and Patricia were gathered in an empty classroom, crowded around his laptop. They needed to get the elixir analyzed. "Take your pick."

"Just… just stop for a second," Patricia interrupted. "What are you going to say exactly? 'Hi, we're a bunch of school students who think we've got the Elixir to Eternal Life. Will you test it for us?' They're gonna think we're insane."

"This is freaking me out!" Fabian exclaimed, rubbing his eyes. Patricia had a good point. "We have the thing, but we don't know what to do with it."

"Drink it?" Amber offered. She received three silent stares as response. "Just an idea…"

"Okay look, I'm going to go see Sarah this evening," Nina said. "Maybe she'll be able to give us a lead."

"Ask her about Rufus," Patricia suggested. "They obviously knew each other if he was visiting her that time."

"Yeah, maybe she knows why Victor's taken him," Amber agreed.

"But sure to take Cameron with you," Fabian said. Then he frowned. "Where is she, anyway? I couldn't find her earlier."

"I think she's with Kate," Nina said. "They certainly seemed close."

"We'll go find her later," Fabian decided. "Let her have a little time with Kate. Cameron's been looking a little stressed lately."

Everyone had to agree with that. Cameron had seemed stressed lately. And no one blamed her. Between the Sibuna late-night adventures, Cameron's own personal Sarah mystery, writing the school play, and all her schoolwork, Cameron was overworked. And her fellow Sibunas silently agreed that the girl needed and deserved a day off.

~)8(~

Later in the day, Cameron and Kate were wandering the school halls when something caught their eye. New posters on the walls. Cameron frowned. It was an advert for seventh and eighth graders who wanted to audition for the play.

Only £2 to audition.

With special guest… Simon Cowell.

Cameron frowned. One — younger years weren't permitted to audition for the play. This one was strictly for the upper years, since the play was being written for their specific drama class. Two — why would anyone have to pay to audition for a school play? And three — Simon Cowell? Really?

Cameron shook her head, disappointed, and growing angry. She quickly ducked her head into the common room and sure enough, there sat Alfie and Jerome, watching a young girl blaze her way through "Amazing Grace."

Cameron tended to mind her own business. But Alfie and Jerome had gone too far this time. So without a word, Cameron spun on her heels and set off to find Mr. Winkler, Kate not far behind.

Not five minutes later, Mr. Winkler, Cameron, and Kate barged into the common room, having fought their way past the long line of hopeful younger years. Mr. Winkler threw the doors open, angrier than Cameron had ever seen him.

"Alfie! Jerome!"

The twin terrors jumped and spun around to see the three of them standing there. Mr. Winkler was fuming. Cameron was disturbingly blank. Kate was disapproving. "I think you've got some explaining to do."

"I thought you said it was his day off," Jerome hissed at Alfie.

"What do you think we should do, Cameron?" Mr. Winkler asked. He knew her creative mind and hoped she could come up with something the boys truly deserved.

"I think…" Cameron leaned over and whispered something into Mr. Winkler's ear. A devious twinkle lit her, Mr. Winkler, and Kate's eyes. And Alfie and Jerome knew they were in serious trouble.

~)8(~

With Mr. Winkler, Cameron, and Kate sitting at the judges table and the younger years gathered around, "The Dance of the Woodland Pixies" began to play. Everyone began to giggle, and Cameron held up her phone, intent on recording the whole thing.

Alfie and Jerome slunk on stage.

Forced to hold hands and dance in fat, blow-up ballerina costumes and fake crowns, the pair were a sight. A highly amusing one. Jerome, in typical Jerome fashion, was sulking. Alfie, in typical Alfie fashion, made light of the situation, beaming and practically prancing around his sullen partner. The younger years blatantly laughed at the pair, and Mr. Winkler, Cameron, and Kate were not shy about their amusement either.

The boos came sooner than Cameron expected.

Jerome's scowl deepened.

Less than ten seconds later, the boys tripped over each other and fell into a heap.

"Okay, boys! That's more than enough!" Mr. Winkler yelled over the music. Alfie and Jerome heaved themselves up as the music clicked off.

"Hopeless."

"No stage presence, no talent. Nothing. Cute ankles, though."

"Well that's clear, then. No roles for you in the play," Mr. Winkler said. "But what shall we do with them?"

"We could make them clean the stage afterwards," one girl suggested.

"They could be actors' assistants," another girl said.

"Or we could use them as scenery," Cameron piped up.

"Cameron!" Alfie and Jerome cried. She merely smiled and made sure her phone was in view, so they both knew she'd recorded the whole thing.

Mr. Winkler, however, loved her suggestion.

"Those are some fine ideas!" he said. "You guys can be in the play as live props." They sulked. "Plus, you're on probation for a month." Their jaws dropped. "Plus, you will repay every penny you embezzled with 50% interest. To be donated to a charity of these guys' choice."

The younger years cheered, and Alfie and Jerome looked as though this was a waking nightmare.

"Oh, no way!" Jerome cried. "Not charity! What a waste."

"Well, now, that's up to you," Mr. Winkler said mildly. "It's either that, or Mr. Sweet's office."

Alfie and Jerome accepted their punishment silently.

~)8(~

After school, Cameron went back to the house alone. Kate decided to return to town for the night. But she would still be shadowing Cameron for the rest of the week, so they still had plenty of time together.

Cameron was ready to collapse onto her bed and sleep until dinner, but as soon as she'd changed out of her uniform, Nina dragged her back out. When Cameron realized they were going to visit Sarah, she stopped protesting. On the way there, Nina explained what she and the rest of the Sibunas had discussed earlier — about asking Sarah about the elixir, and if she had a clue of where Victor had taken Rufus, since she seemed to know both of them.

It was worth a shot, but Cameron wasn't sure if they were going to get any answers. Still, Cameron was excited. She hadn't seen Sarah in a few weeks, and she really missed her.

Cameron had grown really fond of her.

Sarah greeted them with her usual, eager warmth. She sat them all down for tea in her room.

"Sarah, did your mom and dad ever talk to you about an elixir?" Nina broached the subject after about thirty minutes of visiting. "Not just any kind of elixir, like the kind you buy at a health food store or something. But the kind that… gives you eternal life."

Sarah's eyes instantly changed. Just like they always did when something pertaining to the mysterious treasure or the house was mentioned. Her eyes turned old, wise, stark and clear, but undeniably haunted.

"I don't want to live forever," she declared, firm.

"Of course not, Sarah," Cameron soothed gently, taking the woman's hand. "Nina and I don't want to live forever, either. But do you know people who do?"

Sarah's eyes changed again. No longer as old, as haunted. More cheerful. A little less lucid.

"Oh, I had a visitor the other day," she said. "Um… now what was his name?"

"Rufus?" Cameron and Nina suggested after a quick look at each other.

"That's it! Rufus."

"How do you know Rufus, Sarah?" Nina asked.

"Oh, we used to play together when we were small," she said. Cameron frowned. Rufus was too young to have known Sarah when she was a child. Could she have known Rufus' father?

"I think you're getting confused," Nina said gently. "Rufus is much younger than you."

"He was such a sweet boy." Sarah didn't seem to have heard Nina, and continued to reminisce.

Nina pursed her lips, but let it go. Then, she showed Sarah the photo of Victor from under the stairs.

"Do you recognize this man?"

Sarah gasped, and grew frightened.

"It's him!" she cried softly. "It's him! No, no, no, no, no, no! He means to do it, children! He wants to tip the scales of life!"

Cameron's blood turned to ice in her veins. But through the haze and the haunting memory of the nine bronze scales, she took Sarah's hand and began to rub her back. Nina quickly tucked the photograph away.

"It's all right, Sarah," Cameron soothed again. "We're really sorry. We didn't mean to upset you."

Her calming words didn't matter.

"He's the one! He killed them! And now he wants to stay forever. But you must stop him!"

Cameron could only hug the poor woman, smoothing a hand up and down her back. Sarah rocked in Cameron's arms, and began to sing.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word. Daddy's going to buy you a big, black bird."


Hey all! Here's the latest chapter. We're getting close to where I had the story before the rewrite! Let me know what you all think :)

Reviews

Maricate: I'm glad you liked the scene with Nina, Cameron, and Amber. That scene took so long to write lol, so I'm glad you enjoyed it! And yes, the prank wars will kick off soon. Especially after this chapter. Ugh, I know the story of King Arthur is always a tragedy but the ending of Merlin was just so sad! And I totally agree, BBC did Morgana dirty. Katie McGrath is a genius, though, and no one could've portrayed Morgana better. Hmm... Merlin fic ideas... I have so many, lol. I have the idea for a fic about a female noble disguised as a male knight meets Gwaine - and he quickly sees through her disguise. I have one that's a tiny crossover with Harry Potter (Merlin is a canon HP character so I figured... what they hey?). I also have an idea for a fem!Arthur fic. There are a lot of fem!Merlin fics out there, but never any fem!Arthur ones. Thought I'd give it a go when I finish some of my other stories. Oh, and I get the science thing, totally get it. My dad was a high school chem teacher for a long time and I think hearing stories about his classes made me lean away from the sciences, lol. I am most definitely a humanities student. Let me know what you think of the update :)
FallenArcana: Yeah, Cameron wasn't going to stand for their behavior. Something that always really irked me about Nina (don't get me wrong, I still love her character) is that she had no filter when it came to telling people about the mystery. Sarah specifically trusted her with the secrets of Anubis House and Nina was constantly getting in trouble or being overheard. Not that it's all her fault, of course. But Cameron was not going to stand for them telling Trudy, especially not when they had not made the decision as a team. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was bothered by this! And I'm so, so touched that you love the way Cameron and Jerome are progressing. I know slow burn fics really bother some people, and while I'm not sure this one can quite qualify as a slow burn, it is definitely a "slower" burn. Just because Cameron has admitted she liked Jerome doesn't mean she's ready for a relationship yet. She still has a ways to go before then. And honestly, so does Jerome. Let me know what you think of the update :)
FanofPiPercy: I'm glad you liked the chapter :) Hmm, I've never heard of that book, but I'll definitely check it out! Asian history isn't quite my forte but I still love historical fiction of all kinds. Oooh, anthropology! What's that like? I'm a history and education major with a minor in art history. I want to be a high school history teacher and eventually a professor. And yeah, this job at the museum is a literal dream come true. It's such an intimate work environment, and you know that the guests and workers are all really interested in and passionate about what's being shared, and the story of the house (the museum is a historical home). Good luck with your studies! I hope you get your dream career! Let me know what you think of the update :)
origamigriffon3246: Prank war is coming soon ;)

Sammiemoosam