Bus rides are long, torturous even, especially on field trips. Unfortunately our destination didn't make up for the awful ride that gave me a cramp in my right leg from not being able to move for so long. We're headed to The American Museum of Natural History (long name, maybe they should shorten it). There are two reasons I agreed to this trip: 1) It gets me out of class for the day and 2) my best friend and the biggest Egyptian history nerd you'll ever meet wanted to go to see the tomb of a pharaoh who died over 4,000 years ago.
"You could look a little more excited," Akila huffs beside me. She's probably the only one who's excited to be going to the museum rather than just getting out of school. Akila – I've given her the nickname "Kiki" – was Egyptian herself, with long dark hair pulled into a high ponytail and bright green pools for eyes. Her fascination stems from the fact that her parents didn't celebrate any traditions from her culture, which was something she never really understood.
I turn my attention from the window to her. "I am," I lie and she gives me a look that says she knows I am. "I am," I emphasize in hopes to fool her, "my legs are cramped. That's all."
She studies my face for a second before rolling her eyes in annoyance. The look is quickly replaced with one of excitement as a grin as wide as the chesire cats spreads across her face. "I can't wait to see the tomb of Ahkmenrah," She sighs in a dreamy sort of way and I raise a brow. "Rose, do ever what you were in your past life?"
Probably a pile of trash but I won't say that out loud. I don't need to hear a lecture about how I'm beautiful and how I should love myself the rest of the way to the museum. "Not really. I don't know if I actually believe in all that," I tell her.
"I do. I like to think I was a princess who ruled over Egypt and was loved dearly by all of her people," she says in dreamy way like before. Had Kiki not been the one to approach me in our World History class freshman year, she and I would probably not be friends today. She was always dreaming about ruling over Ancient Egypt and to be honest, I couldn't blame her. Being a princess sounds way better than being a high school student in America.
I can't help but smile at the girl next to me who was now caught up in her own world. "I'm sure you were Kiki," I mumble before looking back out the window. But her question got me thinking. What was I in a past life? Did I even have one?
The bus pulls up in front of a very large, very old looking building that I can only assume is the museum. Everyone crowds off the bus, pushing and shoving their way to freedom and I feel a sense of relief once I'm finally off. I attempt to shake off the cramp in my leg as I examine the building. It's dull with very little people entering and leaving. There isn't anything attention grabbing about it on the outside and that's probably why.
I feel Kiki link her arm with mine and I look at her, the same wide grin that shows off her pearly white teeth from earlier etched on her face. "I can't wait," She says as she pulls me towards the group of students gathered around the two 12th grade history teachers chaperoning this trip and a man dressed in a security uniform.
"Alright kids! Please be quiet!" Mrs. Hanson shouts and everyone stops talking. She was the teacher Kiki and I had; a small woman in her late 50's with mousy brown hair, a pointed nose and eyes that seem to be stuck in a permanent glare. "Thank you. I will now go over the rules and our schedule for today."
Kiki's hand shoots up in the so fast I'm surprised it didn't detach from her body and fly into the air. Mrs. Hanson looks over at her annoyed and Kiki simply ignores it. "When will be seeing Egypt?" She asks.
"Well if you had let me get to the schedule," Mrs. Hanson lowers the glasses on her nose in a condescending way, "I would be able to tell you that we won't be seeing Egypt today."
I can see Kiki's shoulders slump as her face falls. "But-"
"No buts, Ms. Bassili. We don't have time for it," Mrs. Hanson snaps before she beins going over what exhibits we would be seeing as well as lunch and snack breaks. I gnore her and focus on my now saddened best friend who looks as if her whole world has been destroyed.
"Kiki, are you alright?" I ask in a whisper so Mrs. Hanson wouldn't hear me
"I guess," she says and shrugs her shoulders. "I was just so excited to see the tomb and everything, I guess, I didn't really think there would be a possibility that we wouldn't be seeing it."
I throw my arm around her shoulder and rub it comfortingly and she leans her head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kiki," I say to her. "I know you were excited for Egypt."
Mrs. Hanson begins heading towards the building with the security guard by her side. Everyone follows in suite when I notice the other history teacher who accompanying us wasn't next to her. Suddenly, I feel like two holes are being burned in the back of my head and look behind me to see Ms. Eshe staring at me, giving me a look I couldn't really read. I slowly looks towards the front again and attempt to ignore her but I can still feel her watching me, the unreadable look still forefront in my mind.
Ms. Eshe was the other history teacher for the senior class. She was Egyptian like Kiki with long dark hair the fell just past her shoulders and dark brown eyes that seem void of any emotion. Kiki had wanted her as her history teacher for that reason alone.
I'll have to ask someone who has her as one if she has a staring problem or something later. But now that I think about it, I don't think I know anyone in our grade that has her as a teacher.
The entire tour is boring and for a trip that's supposed to open our eyes to the history of the world, we sure are sticking to American history. The most we've seen from somewhere else was Rome and I'm sure that's only because it was held in a diorama room with the West.
Kiki still isn't happy and I can't blame her. Mrs. Rogers was currently going on about Teddy Roosevelt and the security guard, who I've learned is named Larry, just nodded along. His face, on the other hand, doesn't seem to say to say he agrees with what she's saying even though she's spouting facts.
Mrs. Eshe, who is following behind the group to make sure no one wonders off, is still staring at the back of my head. I know because I can feel it. Two dark brown eyes feel like knives carving holes into the back of my head and all I want to do is hide inside the group.
I also have to pee. I have to pee really badly and I don't want to raise my hand because I don't want to be directly subjected to Mrs. Hanson cold gaze. Her glares aren't intimidating anymore but they're still uncomfortable. But the actual feeling of urine pushing against my bladder is probably a lot worse.
So many things to make me uncomfortable.
But an idea comes to mind so I guess I should thank my body for deciding it needs to dispose of liquids I had drank previously at this moment. My hand shoots up in the air and Mrs. Hanson stops talking about our 26th president to ask me what I want.
"Can Kiki and I use the restroom?" I ask her and her eyebrows rise up to match the knowing look on her face. She knows what I'm up to, she's not dumb. She's been a teacher for 23 years after all. Nonetheless, I smile innocently as I await her answer. Kiki, who has also caught on to what I'm doing, links her arm with mine and smiles as well. We're so good at acting not-suspicious.
"You both have to go?"
Kiki and I nod. Mrs. Hanson gaze holds, waiting for one of us to falter but we hold ourselves. Our teacher keeps staring before a smirk that makes my stomach jump stretches on her face. "And you two can't wait ten minutes until our first break?"
There it was. The giant, gaping hole in my plan. I hadn't realized we had so little time until our first break but the idea to sneak off when we go to the restroom then comes to mind and I shrug. "Sure, I guess."
"Good," Mrs. Hanson smiles, something unnatural to her features. "On break I'll send everyone to the restroom if they need to go." Her smile falls back into a taunting smirk before she says, "One at a time."
That was the large, bloody butcher knife that tore the gaping hole open further. I look over at my best friend, whose shoulders are slumped and her face is stoic once again. I'm sorry, Kiki. I tried.
"I'll take them."
Everyone's head whips around in shock to look at Ms. Eshe, who hadn't spoken this entire trip until now. Mrs. Hanson also looks slightly surprised. "Are you sure? I'm sure they can wait." And then she glares at us. You're not intimidating, you old, no fun hag.
Ms. Eshe nods. "Yes. I have to go myself, actually." Her and Mrs. Hanson's gaze are locked onto each other and it looks like they're both about to throw down. I would love to see that. I don't know who I'd root for though, neither of them seem to like me much.
Mrs. Hanson looks like she's trying to read Ms. Eshe, as if the only other teacher on this trip is u to something. When she can't seem to find anything, she lets out a frustrated sigh. "Fine But make sure they don't run off" She tosses a glare mine and Kiki's way one last time before going back to talking about Teddy Roosevelt.
Kiki makes a small noise of excitement as the two us and Ms. Eshe head to the restroom. Except I'm not sure why she's still excited because we still can't sneak off with a teacher with us.
We get to the bathroom in silence before Ms. Eshe's phone goes off. She pulls it out, looks at the caller I.D, than at us and says, "Go ahead in, I have to take this." Then walks off. Wait, what? So you went through all that with Mrs. Hanson, just to walk off and leave us alone? She must not be very bright.
"Come one, let's go." Kiki grabs my hand and pulls me along. I begin protesting but she doesn't listen and continues to guide me through the museum. "Don't worry, I know where the exhibit is. I looked at the map in the front lobby when we came in."
"Kiki, Ms. Eshe is going to come back and see we're not there," I tell her. I was actually sick to my stomach with worry. Once her and Mrs. Hanson see's we're gone, they send everyone to look for us, and then when they find us, we'll get detention. And I haven't had a detention for the last 3 months. This'll kill my good streak "We're going to get in so much trouble."
"This was your idea," She huffs, clearly annoyed at my change of mind. And while she has a point, that was before a teacher came along with us and ruined it.
"Okay, your right there, but-" I stop speaking halfway because we came to the entrance of a room with two large dog headed guards standing on either side of it The dog guards aren't what caused me to stop speaking
I could feel… something coming from inside that room. An energy of some sort that surrounds us and I thought Kiki was feeling it too until I look over at her and see her looking at me like I'm on drug. How does she not feel that? That magnetic pull towards the inside.
My feet begin to move as I suddenly feel as if I have no control over my body. What's in here? What is this? Upon entering the room, I see that's its empty and I feel whatever it was that pulled me towards suddenly box me in. I feel like I'm suffocating on the inside. I feel like I'm high with no control over my movement. That is what it feels like to be high, right?
I can't even look around. My eyes immediately find a golden slab on the wall and my feet carry me over to it. "Rose?" I can hear my best friend calling out to me but I can't respond. Her voice sounds so far away.
Once I'm in front of the golden slab, I begin to reach out for it slowly. Why, I don't know. I want to stop myself. I know it's against the rules but I can't stop myself. I can still hear Kiki's voice but it's muffled now. I feel her grab my arm but it does no good. I'm still reaching for the tablet.
There's another muffled voice, one that doesn't belong to Kiki, followed by another hand gripping my other shoulder tightly. But it's too late.
I place my hand on the tablet.
There's a blinding white light.
Now everything is dark.
Am I dead?
