Chapter 2

House of Insanity

"So this place is really old, isn't it?" I noted looking at the magnificent grand foyer ordained by a large sarcophagus.

"Over a hundred years," Nellie responded clearly excited to, for once, know things. "But it was destroyed in an earthquake in 2013 so a lot of it was rebuilt then. As for the Egyptian thing… the original owners were Egyptologists and Nina and her husband, the headmaster, both are by major too. Claudia seems to find it hilarious whenever we say that Nina could secretly be a goddess with all she knows. "

"So Claudia… she's Nina's daughter?"

Nellie nodded. "Mollie too. Claudia is actually only a sophomore, but, well, you heard what happened to their oldest child so her parents are really overprotective. Anyway, Mollie and Claudia share the old housemother's room and Nina and Fabian live up in the attic."

"What grade is Mollie in?"

"4th," a young girl squeaked before appearing from behind the doorway where she'd been standing. Her dusty blonde hair resembled that of her mothers, but the eyes must belong to her dad because I didn't recognize them. "I'm 10," she announced. "But that doesn't mean I don't keep up with you teenagers!"

"Your mom was looking for you," Nellie told the young girl. "Did she find you?" I noticed a quick shake of the head. "Run along then and find her."

"Bye Nellie, bye… whatever your name is!" she called already halfway down the hall.

"She's a cutie, huh?" Nellie noted with a smile. "At first I thought it would be annoying having a little kid around, but she's really mature for her age. Guess that comes with having a sister like Claudia."

"What's Claudia like?" The girl hadn't spoken to me more than asking about my and Colton's names, so I wasn't exactly sure what Nellie meant.

"I mean she's nice and all, don't get me wrong." Obviously Nellie didn't want me to think she was a gossiper. "But she spends the majority of the time behind a computer. She's a little genius when it comes to technology, but her social skills are falling behind Mollie's…"

"What's she doing on the computer all that time?"

"I'm not really sure," Nellie responded, clearly regretting never asking in all their time together. "I know occasionally she does some hacking… nothing big or anything, but don't like your schedule and she's your girl. I think she spends a lot of time looking for something… there was a rumor once that she was trying to find her sister, Eve, but I don't know if that has any validity."

"It's sad, you know, what happened to their sister."

"Horrible," Nellie agreed. "But it was almost 17 years ago. As much as you hate to consider it, the kid is probably long dead."

Nellie was right, Nina's Eve probably didn't make it to her 1st, never mind 16th birthday, but I couldn't blame the family for trying. If they just knew, for certain, their daughter was dead they'd be able to move on. Until then they had to hold on to the hope that someday, somehow, they'd find her.

"Enough morbidity," Nellie decided. "Let's get you unpacked."

"Hey, is there a bathroom anywhere around here?" I inquired of my newfound friend as soon as we placed the bags down. "I didn't get to go before leaving the airport

"Duh, sorry I forgot to mention that. Up the hall and down to the left," Nellie directed. Nodding quickly I went to follow her directions, but found myself stopping in front of the glass office that overlooked the whole house when my name resonated in my ears.

"But why, after all this time would she send them here? Why would she bring Eve back at all?" a man's voice questioned. "I want to believe as much as you, Nina, but that's just not like her."

"Maybe she's turning over a new leaf," Claudia suggested apparently knowing that wasn't the case. "Or maybe Raet knew that this was exactly what would happen. She'd give them back, and then let us believe it wasn't them."

"I could call him," Nina, whose voice fell softer than the others. "He'll be able to tell, won't he? He swore that by making them… like Eddie and me it would be the best form of protection."

"Nina, honey," the man (who I had to assume was her husband, Fabian), gently pressed. "I looked over every file upon admittance. Besides the names, there was no connection between them and nothing to suggest she's our Eve. Anyway, Anubis said he wouldn't be able to tell until something sparks the Chosen One."

Anubis? As in the Egyptian god? Was that some kind of code word or was I living in a house run by nuts?

"You don't understand Fabian," Nina pleaded desperation thick in her voice. "I took one look at her and knew. I just knew the same way Sarah knew me. She's the Chosen One, and that means she must be Eve."

"Dad," Claudia interrupted. "Mom didn't even know their names when she recognized the Chosen One spirit within Eve. I think we should tell them."

"Tell them what!" a new, masculine (and American) voice chimed in. "That we think, but aren't sure, they are children who were kidnapped by a goddess from this very house? Because they totally won't run for the hills thinking we're insane. Especially if we try to explain that we know because they're weird Egyptian superheroes and we used to be weird Egyptian superheroes! I want to believe more than anything that they've come home, but Raet would never allow that. She probably kidnapped another two kids just to give them our children's names and send them here to torment us!"

"Eddie, you don't understand, it's her," Nina's voice had gone from desperate, to heart wrenching. Sure, she was obviously nuts, but she truly believed I was her daughter returned. It broke my heart to know I'd never be able to give her the good news she needed.

"Nina," the man, Eddie, responded. "If it is her, this house will make sure we know. We know better than anyone what this house does to people like us. We'll know soon, but for now we need to wait."

"Eddie, how can I possibly wait when I know in my heart my daughter is right outside the door thinking I'm insane."

Oh s***. I was busted.