Marion and Abner left Chicago in June for Egypt. Marion would have complained avidly, but she was seventeen and the daughter of Abner Ravenwood, celebrated archeology professor; she was used to being ripped out of what she considered the normality of living at the University of Chicago and being plopped onto some archeological sight.
She and Abner were sitting under a tent eating dinner with the other archeologists and the assistant diggers. It was mid June and very hot. Marion sat on the end of a bench reading the last few pages of a book and gnawing on a piece of hard bread.
"Tomorrow my intern arrives," stated Abner plainly. There were a few mumbled questions about him and about what time he would be arriving.
When she finished her book, Marion rested her chin in the palms of her hands and looked around the table. They were all so old she thought to herself. Well, except some of the locals that had been hired to help. And they were all men. When the conversation began to bore her she stood up. She was wearing a loose white blouse and loose linen pants. Her dark hair fell in curls just past her shoulders.
She yawned, "I'm going to go study," she announced. Abner was adamant that she continue her studies despite the fact she was miles and miles away from her usual school. "There is no better school than the world," he often reminded her. The men looked up at her and nodded goodnight. She disappeared into her tent.
She opened her eyes to see the sun just peaking up behind the cliffs, but she could already hear voices and wheelbarrows moving about. She lay under the blanket in the tent for a few minutes before tying up a pair of sandals around her feet. Neglecting to brush her hair she drifted toward the food tent, a new book under her arm.
"Heya" she greeted one of her father's colleagues sipping on coffee and comparing a shard of pottery to some notes. They had been on the dig for a just a week and Marion could never remember anyone's name.
"Hi Marion dear" said the man looking up from his notes, peering at her form over his glasses. She glided behind him and glancing over his shoulder snorted a sarcastic "fascinating" and proceeded to rip off a piece of apple with her teeth. She didn't care much for her father's work.
The dig was taking place near a small village and Abner seemed to be occupied enough at the moment so Marion made her way down the hill and into the circle of huts. There she saw an Egyptian boy about her age. She recognized him because he'd been helping her father clean artifacts for the past week. "Sam!" She called, because she couldn't pronounce his full name and so he let her call him that.
"Good morning Marion," he waved to her and smiled. She walked toward where he sat with a group of men and boys.
"Watcha playin'?" She nodded her head in the direction of a stack of pebbles and cards.
"Ah, an excellent game about risk and strategy" he laughed.
"Makes a an think," said one of the older men playing.
Marion took a bite of her apple and sat down, examining the game. "What does this rock mean?" She asked picking up a painted pebble.
They then began explaining the game to Marion. After several rounds (Marion winning a good number of them to the amusement of the rest) Sam finally stood up and said, "I'm supposed to go back up to the dig after lunch"
So, after lunch, Marion and Sam headed back up the hill. The sun was extremely bright. "God damn sun!" Marion explained.
"Your gonna fry!" Sam teased her. They were almost to one of the tents. Marion stuck her leg out to trip Sam and he toppled over. She grinned to herself when she noticed she had timed it perfectly because had fallen into someone.
"Jesus!" said the voice.