I don't own House of Anubis or any of the characters.

Decoy

"I'm so sorry, dear, but there's no Irene Martin living here." The lady apologized, sympathetically. My heart missed a beat. "But we do have an Irene Wright and a Grace Martin. Do those sound like who you're looking for?" She tried.

"Are you sure? Did she leave or something? Move address?" I asked, trying hard not to sound so desperate.

"No Irene Martin has ever registered." She said softly.

My vision started blurring. "B-but that's impossible! She's told me about her bingo buddies. This is the address my family knows of her!" I ranted, my voice high and hitching in place, as tears pooled in my eyes.

"I am really sorry," the lady said, standing up from her place behind the counter, alarmed. Her hand subconsiously reached out to me. "Do you want me to call the police and search for your grandmother?" She offered, kindly. She was a nice lady, I gathered. She didn't deserve to be yelled at. I inhaled, deeply, calming myself.

"No, thank you." I said, flatly. I turned away from her. "I'm sorry for interrupting." I mumbled as I walked to the door, leaving her dumbstruck, mouth hanging. I walked to Fabian's car. I blindly drove back to his house and left his car infront of his house without speaking to him. I slowly walked to my house, opening the door without pause. Mom was waiting for me again.

"You're late." She scolded, voice low and steady. I nodded, lifelessly. I forgot to put on my smile. It didn't matter. We both knew the truth behind our charades. She looked at me confused and uncaring. "You're grounded, remember?" She continued, "You can't just go running around and going home when you feel like it."

"I'm sorry." I said, quietly. She studied me. She must've seen that something was bothering me but didn't care enough to wonder what. I hesitated but asked, "Did Gran move?"

There was a split second that her eyes where filled with horror, but she hid it instantly. "No," she answered. "She still lives in that shabby, old retirement home." She added with a scoff.

"Oh," was all I said. Left for my room without a word, not bothering to say goodbye or whatever.

I slammed the door shut, too distracted to care what she would think. I threw myself on the bed, and closed my eyes tighly as a I pinch the brigde of my nose with between my fingers. I groaned in frustration. "What am I going to do?" I hissed. Taking deep breathes, I laid there, as I tried hard not to cry.

Gran was not real. At the same time, she was. She was like my messenger from the real world, warning me of the dangers ahead. I didn't hate her for not being here. She was trying to help me in the only way she could. I couldn't hate her for that. She risked their wrath to help me. I shouldn't hate her for that.

I should hate me. I hated myself for not seeing this coming. How could I be this blind? How could I be this stupid? I keep my hopes up again and again just to get it stepped on and shattered. I didn't know how many times my heart could break. I thought that was only for romantic love. Oh, how cruel could this world be.

I tried hard to the last shred of sanity I had. I wasn't crazy, only the world is. I needed to go back my world, however equally crazy it was my place to be. I didn't want to sleep. I didn't want to dream and see. See only from a far the place I longed, the people I loved. It would only break my heart more. I didn't think my heart could take another before it finally gives up and dies.

"Be careful, Nina. Beware of the trap... Beware of the trap..." Her words kept replaying in my head. Beware of the trap... It slowly morphed into Sarah's warning. Beware of the trap... Beware of the trap... Beware the black bird...

My body got heavier and heavier as the words repeated, my eyelids fluttering to a close. Beware the black bird...

"Nina," someone called. I didn't open my eyes but I could see her. She was like dense air with defined edges and dull colors. She was smiling sweetly, sadly at me. "Nina," she called again. What? I answered in my head. Her brows furrowed at my irritated tone. "I'm sorry," she says, sofly. For what? You didn't do anything wrong. "I'm sorry," she repeated. What am I going to do? I at a dead end. I just want to get out of this place. Please, please, just help me. I begged, but she didn't say anything. She just watches me with pityful eyes and it irks me a bit. Some help. She starts to fade. No! Don't leave. Please. I begged more, my internal voice breaking, but she is almost completely gone. I reach for her but my arm doesn't move. "Listen..." Her voice echoed as she disappeared.

I jolted awake with a gasp, "Sarah!"