House of Anubis

House of Keys p3/House of Discovery p1

When the clock struck midnight, Nina and I snuck out of our room, being as quiet as possible, trying not to wake Victor, who slept in his office, leaving the light on. 

I quickly walked down the flight of stairs, while Nina slowly walked down, counting each step she took. While I start counting once I reached the bottom.

I heard a door creak, turning to see Fabian sneaking out of his own bedroom, tripping on his own two feet which caused a small thud. "Ssh! Victor." Nina whisper shouted as Victor stirred in his chair.

"Which stair is it?" Fabian whispered, looking between Nina and I.

She and I looked back at each other and then the stairs. There was exactly 1 step that divided the 2 8th steps on the way up and down. "It's one of these two." Nina pointed.

"Well which one is it?" He asked, not wanting to necessarily waste time, lifting both.

I stared at the two, my hand landing on the 8th stair on the way down. My mind thought back to the hieroglyphics that were behind the painting. The staircase descended high to low, which leads me to believe that it would be the 8th stair going down.

"You think it's that one?" I only nodded my head, trusting my gut. "Let's see." Nina said, opening her toolbox, and began slowly prying up the floorboard. "There's nothing there."

"No wait." Fabian whispers, reaching forward, pulling out a key. "Yes!" He cheers, happy to have been able to find something.

"I wonder what it's for?" Nina ponders, as Fabian hands her the key.

Our eyes snap upwards as we hear Victor cough in his sleep. "Better get back." Fabian whispered with urgency, on the off chance that Victor were to wake.

Nina collected her tools quickly, and I flinch, as her doing so caused her to drop one, making noise. Fabian ran to his room, and I rushed into the hallway, hiding behind the Egyptian sarcophagus.

"Who's there?" Crap, he's awake.

Nina ran and hid, pressing herself against the corner of the stairs and cellar door. Of all times for the small table with the telephone to not be against the wall of the stairs for her to hide beneath.

I bit my lip anxiously as I heard him beginning to make his descent down the stairs, only to jump at a loud thud, that took place at the same time of his agonizing screams of pain. "Aaagh!"

There was some shuffling, and some groans, his steps becoming more and more quiet. Nina, I swear to the heavens that you have some bloody fucking guardian angel watching over you. Because you not getting caught is a bloody miracle! All he had to do was look over the railing, the same way Li Shang only needed to look down when gripping Mulan's shirt during 'Make a Man Out of You' to realize she was a woman.

"Victor sweetie, what have you done?" Trudy asks fully with concern as Nina and I quietly lurk around the stairs.

"Aaaagh!" Victor hissed in pain as Trudy touched his ankle. "What does it look like I've done? And don't call me sweetie."

"Sorry sweetie. Sorry." She apologized, correcting herself from her force of habit as a house mother.

"I need to strap my ankle and I can't get into this blasted thing!" Victor shouted, slamming his hand against the first aid kit.

"That's because I've locked it." Trudy, I love you... but why would you lock a first aid kit? "Another of your excellent habits rubbing off on me! I'll go and get the key."

"Don't bother. There's a spare one somewhere. Aaagh!" He hissed, lowering his leg from his desk, grabbing a cane, hobbling to the opposite side of the room. "Do you have the spare attic key as well?"