Medjai Night
By SilverclawRose
Disclaimer: Ok, here's my first story on FFN...I hope you all like it. I worked on it really hard for a loooong time. I don't own anything to do with the Mummy, although I do own Estelle and her friends. You have no idea how hard it was to write in the first person of that charater! Gimmie a break, i thought of her at 2 am...I thought of her friends on the spot. Don't steal my fic, or I'll be mad....Reviews are goood! Flames bad! Constructive critisim welcomed!!!!
I sighed happily as I walked through the stone archways, on my way to history class. Most of the buildings on campus were made of stones, large gray ones. It gave a very 'mid-evil' feeling when you walked around. True, I'd gotten a ton of impossible math homework, but nothing could douse my excitement. Ever since I was in 4th grade, I'd scratched and scraped and saved all my money. And finally, the one thing I'd been saving for was comming up. My long time friend, afectionally nicknamed 'Bunny,' had a much older brother. When he'd gone to high school, they had just been starting up the Innternational Travel Programs in school. He used some of his savings, and went to Ireland for 3 months. And every year, the school would have a different place to go. Only problem was, it was really expensive. So I'd saved for years, and begged for years to be allowed to go. I was finally old enough, had kept up the minnium grades, and had convinced the parentals to let me. Now the only thing left to do was find out what country it was! Next class Mr. Krilon would announce where the trip went to this year. I rushed through the wet grass to the main building, where history classes were held. I wanted to be early today...
Slowly, soo slowly the class filled up, and finally Mr. Krilon entered with his usual air of diginty. He was a proud teacher, and very interesting. His classes were always my favorite. He walked up to the front of the class, and all our faces looked expectanly at him. He broke into a grin. "You all want to know where the school has chosen for the ITP, don't you." A few people nodded, some just sat foward a bit. We knew he'd tell us, after dragging out the suspence. "Well, I supose if I wait much longer, you all will explode. So I'll just come out with it. The trip is planned to go to..." everyone held their breath. A minute later we were still holding it. He just grinned again and shook his head. "Ok, it's just cruel to drag this out. Egypt." The class became loud as everyone gasped for air, then let loose a cheer. I was one of the loudest. I couldn't believe it! I'd always prayed it would be Egypt! The desert sands, camels, ancient ruins, and bazhars. I was also happy because I'd chosen to take an Egyptian class for the past 4 years. We'd learned to speak it, read it, and even to decode some ancient hygroliphics. I'd studied hard about ancient Egypt, with the pharrow and different gods. Finally I would have the chance to use my knoweldge. "Ok, everyone who wants information can pick up the waiver and contract on the way out." The rest of the class was awsome, as he explained all about some places in Egypt the trip would visit, some history (of course) about Egypt, and the culture. When the bell rang I jumped out of my chair and grabed the paperwork. I couldn't believe it. I was going to Egypt!!!
At home, my mom made a fuss about how dangerous Egypt was, and much less advanced than America, and how there were real bandits in the desert who prayed on travel groups. I, of course, listened to humor my mom, but I just couldn't wait to go. I was always reading, always writting, because deep inside I longed for adventure. This was my chance to explore new places, to see new people and things.
Later that afternoon (only half a day of school on Wedsendays) my friends came over. Krissy, Ryan, Steve, and the aforementioned Bunny. We'd been friends since the very begining of middle school, though rough times had tested that. These girls were truly my soulmates, and I could tell them anything. When I'd entered my private high school, my friends came over every weekend, to help me with homework and any problems I had. Now they came over to share in my excitement and fears, because I'd never been gone from home for more than a week. Now I'd be on a different continent for 2 months. True, I longed for adventure, but I enjoyed the saftey and happiness of my life in a small town, with close family and friends. "I AM SO JELOUS!!" Krissy shouted, as soon as all 5 of us were in a circle on my floor. I just grinned at my tall, blonde friend. She was the most crazy and hyper of us all, and was often great for a laugh. Yet she was deeper than she first appeared, and very creative and smart. She was also obssesed slightly with Egypt. To make a long story short, in 7th grade, we saw 'The Mummy'. And Krissy fell in love with the hero. Since then, she'd been hooked on all things Egyptian (even though she'd liked that stuff before....) Bunny shoved Krissy into my bed playfully. "Stop it, you're making Estelle feel bad." I nodded, and faked a sad face. Ryan and Steven grinned, they were just very happy for me. Bunny was the hyper, violent one, and Ryan was the rational, smart one, while Steven was the cute one. I was the calm, responsible one. Together, we made an odd bunch, but we sort of 'balanced' each other out, so to speak. I must say, we were an unlikely group, but we got along great. Though everyone acted happy, there was a very sad undertone to our meeting. I was leaving Saturday, and this was the last time I'd see my friends for 2 months. One by one we stopped talking and thought about that fact. Goodbyes were so hard... "Guys" I said, fighting very hard not to cry. "I'm pretty excited about going, but I'm also really scared. And," the tears built up in my eyes, but I wasn't a 'crying' person, and never let my tears show. Usually. "well, I'm gonna be so lonely without you guys." The tears won, and began to wet my cheeks. I looked up to see Krissy crying too, as everyone leaned foward to hug. "What if the bandits are real? Only a few people I don't really know from school are going, along with one or two teachers. It's a big adventure, and I'm scared." Steven squeezed harder, while Bunny stroked my hair, a rare show of affection for Bunny. "We'll be right here when you get back, and the bandits won't get you. Besides, maybe it'll be good 'bandits', like in The Mummy." Krissy said hopefully. I laughed a bit, thinking of the cute warrior I'd fallen in love with from the movie. All of us sat there for a while, joking and crying a bit, untill it grew dark.
The rest of that week flew by, and Saturday came up before I knew it. Instead of catching the bus to morning classes, I woke up extra early to get ready. I'd done a good job saving my money, and had decided to buy a whole new, 'Egyptian' wardrobe when we arived. I didn't want to look wierd, by wearing bellbottoms in a crowd of black and white robed people, So I packed pretty light on clothes. I had a duffelbag full of mementos and such, along with my cash (there was plently, some for presents, and lots to spend) I had stationary, stamps, a few books, a journal, and a cantene. The suply list had been pretty breif, a few things we'd need for the day trips. The only other thing I brought was an anklet made of string. Each of my friends had picked their favorite color string, and together made the anklet for me to think of them by. That present made me cry alot, I'll admit. My parents got up, and I bid farewell to my little sister, and pets. The last thing I did was leave a letter to my friends and family, with a long, sappy goodbye written on it. I didn't want to cry at the airport.
The ride to the airport took an hour, but there was no traffic so early in the morning. I talked to my parents the whole way, comforting my mom, explaining again and again how I'd be 'just fine,' and 'there's nothing to worry about'. At the airport, I checked my bags and met up with my trip group. This year had been espically expensive, since Egypt is faaaarr away. There were only 6 other students, and 2 teacher. None of them I was familar with. "Well, call us with AT&T tonight, ok?" my mom quesioned. Her eyes were spilling tears, and my dad just grinned saddly, looking happy and worried. "Yes, mom, I'll call. Bye, see you in 2 months!" I hugged them both for 10 minutes, and watched their backs retreat out of the terminal. I sighed saddly and tried to calm the butterflies in my stomach. I was on my own (sorta...) for an adventure. Finally.
Well, that adventure was going to keep me waiting for a little bit longer. We waited 2 hours for the plane to arive, then another hour while they fixed a broken row of seats. "Now boarding, AirEgypt, flight 285, nonstop to Cayrio." I picked up my sack and followed a tall girl a year older than me. Apparently, she'd gone on the ITP in past years, because she didn't look too worried. In fact, she looked bored. I didn't find out why right away. I was too excited to be on a plane, and too busy watching as the clouds grew closer after takeoff, untill we finally burst through them into the world of sunlight above. Just the sights kept me excited for an hour. A small meal was served, and I enjoyed a chicken sandwich. My brain was on overload, worrying and being happy at the same time. I did a bit of meditaion for a second, and went back to eating. A boring movie started, and I ignored it. My friends kept popping up in my thoughts, along with my family. I eventually gave up trying to not think of them, and decided to write a letter.
Dear mom, dad, sarah, ryan, kelsey, krissy, and steven;
hi! I'm really excited, and can't wait to get there. I already miss you guys, and I've only been on the plane for 2 hours! It's a 20 hour flight. I hope i don't go crazy of bordom...good thing I brought my sketchbook. I'll show you all my drawings of egypt when I get back! Right now, the clouds are amazing. I've got a window seat, and I'm sourounded by yellow and red puffy mountains. Well, I'll write a little bit more of this letter every hour, to give me something to do. It won't be too interesting, but it'll let you know I'm thinking of you all alot! Tell the animals I say hi.
I put the letter away for a bit, so that I could write more later. Without realising it, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the cute Arabian warrior coming to save me in the desert.
I was woken up by a stewardess gently shaking me. "Pardon me, miss, but would you like some lunch?" She was very young, and very kind sounding. "Um, sure. What can I have?" she smiled and placed a menu in front of me. "I'll be back in a moment for your order." She went to pour a soda for one of my classmates. I skimmed the page, and chose a veggie dish. "Very good choice. My favorite." she said with a smile. For the first time in months, I felt a bit calm. "Will you be on this returning flight in 2 months?" I asked. "Why, yes, I will. I'm Samantha, by the way. Are you here with the school group?" I nodded. "Yup, but I don't really know anyone. I'm kinda nervous." she laughed a bit. "Everyone's nervous on their first real trip. Say, would you like to talk when I finish serving the lunches? These whole day flights are boring for us stewardesses, too." She was so kind, I felt like I had a new friend. "Would you? Wow, thanks." I looked out the window a bit more, untill Samantha returned. We talked for a good hour about schools and where she was from, and her job on a plane. We were actually getting to be good friends, and I felt very happy and calm. This trip wasn't scary, it was my adventure. Sam left to serve snacks, and I slept for alot of the trip, and finished my letter. It certanily wasn't as borring as I'd thought it'd be.
I was once again jostled awake, this time roughly. The sky was dark, and speckled with stars, which seemed to souround the plane. A voice came over the loudspeaker. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are hitting a bit of turbulance, but we'll be landing in 15 minutes. Aproximate time in Cayrio; 7:00pm. Aproximate tempurature: 60 degreese Farenheight." That surprised me. Sam came over, noticing my confused expression. "It gets super hot durring the day, but cools down once the sun sets." she explained. "Ohhh. Thank you, I thought that sounded awful cold for the desert." Sam nodded "Where will you be staying?" she asked, taking the empty seat next to mine. "On the south side of Cayrio. Near the end of the city and near the desert." I explained. Her eyes widened a bit. ''Really? You're not staying near the north side? That's where most tourists stay. The south side is very differnet, and dangerous. They don't have modern conviences, and the people there are kinda rough. They live hard lives. I've even heard of groups of desert bandits attacking people!" This was NOT helping me, and I gulped. "Well, the school picked there because we'll be visiting a bunch of ancient ruins that aren't open to tourists. And they wanted us to get the full affect of Egypt, not the new, fake, travelers idea of Egypt." She smiled. "That's the best way to see Egypt, the real way, I mean. You should buy something to protect yourself, though. My friends brothers son's sister was lost on one of those types of tour groups." I almost started shaking. "Oh, but don't worry!" she quickly jumped in. "I'm sure you'll be fine. After all, life is made for risks, isn't it? What's the fun of traveling if you'll see the same things you see at home?" She patted my hand and went off to get ready for landing. So that's why we had to sign a waiver...I thought.
The plane slowly started decending, and I caught my first sight of Egypt. It was amazing, my breath caught in my throat. The sun was setting, and the night sky was painted across the east side. There was miles and miles of golden sand, with a large cluster of buildings to the right. That would be the part of Cairyo we'd be staying at. A small airport loomed closer, and we gently bumped down, the engines slowly turning off. "Thank you for flying AirEgypt, and we hope to see you on this return flight, in 2 months." the voice said. I rose from my seat and streched, since I hadn't moved in 20 hours. Both my legs were asleep, and I almost fell. My class group was the first ones off, and we shook hands with each fight personel. Sam gave me a wink and whispered "you'll be fine, have fun!" I smiled and took a deep breath.
This part of the city was very old fashined. When I got off the plane, I saw people in turbans and robes everywhere. We got our bags and began to walk to the hotel. When we got outside the airport, I couldn't believe it. It looked just like all the movies showed. There were camels and shops and people shouting out in Egyptian prices of things. The teachers warned us to stay close. "Ok, first we'll exchange curency, then go to the hotel. I know most of you were planning on buying clothes for this trip, so tomorow we'll go shopping. Lets get a good nights sleep tonight, ok?" everyone nodded. I couldn't believe my eyes, all the new smells and sights and sounds. We walked for a few minutes, lugging our bags over our shoulders. We stopped at a small buiding, and went inside. A few fans spun lazily overhead, and a gruff egyptian man stood beind a counter. "We'd like to exchange American Dollars for Egyptian money." the teacher explaned. The man nodded and took out a paper and pen. One by one, every person placed their money on the table and walked away with different amounts of paper money and lots of coins. I went last, and emptied my moneybag on the counter. "Ok, 763$ is equal to..." the man scribled on the paper, then pulled out more of the paper and lots of gold and bronze coins. "1,281 Kaul." he said. I thanked him, and mental thanked my self for never spending any money when I was younger. "Ok, to the hotel." the teacher motioned. My money went in a small pouch, in my pocket. Back into the crowded streets we went, getting lots of odd stares from the people there (probably for our odd clothes) The other students looked a little uncomfortable, but I was too busy looking at each booth.
The hotel was large and run by Americans. It was a sandy colored building with a few floors. The loby was nicely decorated with Egyptian statuettes, and beautifully hand carved funrature. We checked in, and lugged our bags up to the top floor (there were 4 floors) Since it wasn't a very bussy season for the hotel, and since only 9 people were going, we each were able to afford our own room. I'd paid a little extra for a room with a balcony. I accepted my key from one teacher and unlocked my door, number 43. The room was very nice, with a small bed and silk sheets. There was a few chairs made of a beautiful dark wood, a dresser and wardorbe, and the balcony. After putting away my few items, I walked over to the balcony. There were no doors, and a gentle breeze played with my hair. Looking out, I had a beautiful view of the bazhar and sunset. The sky was stained gold, red, green, and blue, as the last wisps of sunlight sank beneath the sands. I felt very small, looking at the desert. It spread as far as the horizon on every side. Imangine being lost in the middle of it, with sand streching all around. I shivered and turned my back on the pretty sight. It was a terriflying thought. We'd been told to go to dinner after we unpacked, so I locked my room and headed down stairs
The next day, my group and I woke up early to avoid the heat and crowds. I'd only packed two outfits, so I slipped into my most inconspicus grey tank top and shorts. We met downstairs, and I saw the other students dressed plainly too. They didn't want to ba stared at again. "This is how it's gonna work." the teacher explained. "You'll have free run of the bazhar, as long as you stay within sight of the hotel. We'll meet back here at about noon, though you can come back before that. Everyone fill up your canteenes before we leave, it's gonna get hot. No talking to strangers, and no getting in trouble. Understand?" Everyone nodded. I was pretty amazed at the amount of trust they were giving us. But we were all to nervous to get in much trouble. We walked out into the streets together, then slowly each person walked towards a booth to examine something. There weren't very many people out yet, and the sun was pretty low still. But every booth was open, ready to sell their wares. I'd decided to buy my clothes before anything else, and began searching for a good place. One booth had many dresses hanging up outside, twisting in the breeze. I decided to check it out. Under the shade of the roof were lots of dresses, each softly blowing in the warm air. A wrinkled old woman steped out and smiled. "Hello, can I help you find a dress?" she said in Egyptian. I thought for a moment, then replied back in Egyptian "yes, I need a few dresses to keep cool, and to wear around." I remembered my favorite character from 'The Mummy', how he always wore black, even in the hot desert sun. It must have been made of a very cool material. ''Black, too." I added. She pulled me happily along to a row of black dresses. I tried one on, and it fit perfectly. The fabric was very cool, and flowed down to my ankles. The top was beautifully set and embrodered with blue thread. The sleeves were long and thin, and came with a female turban and veil. The veil and hat were also black, and the veil fell down over my red hair, fanning out behind my head. When I stepped in front of the mirroir, I gasped. Standing there was a very pretty Egyptian girl, not me. But I looked at the face, and saw myself. "I'll take some these size." I asked. The woman's face crinkled like paper as she smiled and went to get a few more dresses. "All I need is some black eye kohl and some jewelry, and I'll be an Egyptian!" I mused. After selecting a few more different dresses, I paid the woman and left, carying the dresses and my old clothes in a black bag. I wore the first dress out, and blended into the crowd imidatly. Shop owners shouted out in loud Egyptian their prices, as the bazhar filled up slowly.
The next booth that caught my eye was lined with beautiful silver jewelry, some with gems, others hand shapped. I picked out a few necklaces for my friends, and a bangle and necklace for me. It covered my neck and had a red gem in the middle. I was very excited at how well it went with my black ensable. "That is very rare." the seller explained. Obvously he lived well, because his white cotton robe was puled tight across his huge stomach. We argued for a while about the price of all the necklaces, and 5minutes later arived at a fair price. I bought a few things for my friends, combs, candles, tiny statues, and some black kohl for my eyes. The I remembered Sam's warning, about protecting myself. The knife booths were covered with small and large knifes, some very plain, some elaboratly designed with animals of gems. The seller was in his mid 40's, and had a very dirty turban wrapped around his head. He was helpful, though, and after testing a few knifes for their weight, I picked out a very plain one with a sharp, curved blade.
I walked around for a few more mintues, enjoying the smells of cooking foods. One booth stood out to me, and I went to look. It was almost a tatoo parlor, but instead of using needles, the ink was simply painted onto the skin. I decided that it would be fun to scare my parents, so I drew closer. The man was wearing a brown turban, and had a few tattos painted on. Tacked to a slab of wood was hundreds of tattos, each a different price. I just couldn't pick which one, so I closed my eyes and pointed. The one I'd picked out was very interesting. It had some sort of ancient god on it, with 3 lines painted down from a single line. The man finished with another customer, and turned to me. "I'd like that one, please. How long do they last?" I asked. He pulled me over to his set of brushes and removed the black cap. "It's semi perminante. It will stay forever unless you rub this ointment on it." He answered. I took a minute to translate what he'd said in my head, then nodded. He placed a small bottle in my lap as I sat in a tiny chair. His hand and brushed seemed to be one, as he painted the symbol perfectly in the corner of my palm. "There is a special meaning for this symbol, but I cannot remember it." he said, not lifting his eyes from my hand. I took a minute to think of how to say my answer. "Yes, it's some ancient symbol, but I don't reconize it." He rinsed his brush, and I looked at the symbol. It was very beautiful, and well done. I paid him a little extra for the wonderful job.
The sun was getting high now, and the bazhar more and more crowded. After 10 minutes, I pushed my way though the crowd back to the hotel, bag in hand, knife hug at my waist.
"Ok, kids, quiet down!" The teacher shouted. Everyone had come back from the bazhar, most of them wearing white Egyptian robes, veils, or jewelry. If we didn't speak English, anyone would have thought we were Egyptians. "Ok, tonight we'll be hanging out here, and tomorow we'll go on the first day trip. We'll be going to look for the City of the Dead, with a private guide." I thought back to my Egyptian classes. Yes, we'd talked about the City of the Dead. It was suposedily cursed, and none who went there ever came back. WHY would the school pick someplace so dangerous to go? It might not even exist!! I thought. My theroy was that everyone who went looking for it was killed by bandits. I was pretty freaked out to go. "Now, I know it's rumored to be haunted, but our guide is very skilled." the teacher smiled reasuringly. I gulped. "Anyway, tonight you can relax, write to family, call them with the payphone, just no leaving the hotel." Everyone broke up and returned to their rooms. I paced a bit, fighting down my fears. I did what I always did when I was bothered. I picked up my sketchbook and pencils. Crossing the room, I pulled a chair onto the balcony and sat down to draw. The first drawing took a while, I drew the edge of the city and the desert beyond. My colors matched perfectly the sands, and it looked almost like a photo. Next I drew the bazhar. That was alot harder, because people didn't stay in the same place, but in the end I got it right. My picture showed all the different people and busy booths, with the narrow streets packed. What could I draw next? I leaned over the railing a bit to search, untill my eyes fell on an old woman. She was shouting creakily in Egyptian the prices of her fruits, which were piled high in front of her. I studied her face, and my pencil began flying over the paper, memorizing every wrinkle, her expression, her stature. When my thoughts came back to me I smiled at my picture. Those drawings always came out the best, the ones where my mind simply became inveloped in the moment, and the drawing comes to life. For a few more hours I drew, people, houses, booths,camels. The night went on like that, me drawing, or writting another letter, or reading. I did remember to call home, but I couldn't talk long. The long distance bill would be KILLER, and I didn't want my parents to go broke. I told them about my day, and how beautiful it was. They were happy for me, but worried. When I hung up I was very, very homesick.
Dinners were served in a large dinning room, with the walls painted elabroatly, and the tables also hand carved. I sat at a large table with my class, as everyone chattered happily about what they had bought. I quietly ate my meal, enjoying my thoughts. The meal itself was pretty odd, but good. It was some sort of meat, I think lizard. It came with bread and a strange vegetable I'd never seen. Finishing my meal I went to bed early, enjoying the warm breeze and scents that blew gently into my room. The stars were so bright here, that they cast their own shadows across my bed. That night, I again dreamt of the warior from 'The Mummy', and how he'd save me in the desert.
The next morning came, and everyone slept in a bit. Pretty bad jetlag. But, eventually, we all got up, and got going. I hung up all my new robes, except for one, which I wore. This one was multi layered, but still very cool. The sleeves were long and flowing, and the top was cut in a rectangle. It had green thread, which stood out against the black silk-like fabric. The turban and veil again fell over my hair, which I brushed quickly. I took the tiny kohl brush and painted my eyes, with lines on each side. Again, in the mirrior, was an ancient egyptian madien, not plain old me. Placing my necklace on, and grabbing my moneybag and cantene, I rushed out the door.
Downstairs, the other students leaked in, many looking like they'd put their clothes on in their sleep. Some still looked asleep. Breakfast seemed to wake them up a bit, it was a heardy egg and meat meal, with grainy biscuts and milk. I didn't want to know what kind of milk it was. The teachers came down to eat, and we were rounded up. The group headed outside and through the bazhar, which was already filling up. Past the bazhar were a few small shops, and then the desert. There was a dusty man holding 10 camels. Some were pulling on their leashes, some trying to bite the man. He grined at our group and handed each of us a rope. My camel was calmly chewing on a dry, scragiy weed. It was almost white, and pretty calm looking. The man demonstrated how to get the camel to kneel, how to mount, and what the commands were.''You must show it who's boss." He explained in Egyptian. My camel kneeled right away, glancing back at me with it's large brown eyes. "Aw, hello there, pretty." I pet the camels neck, and it made a happy grunt. ''We'll be on a halfa day or so ride." he continued. "It's dangerous, so everyone stay together. No wandering off." The other students worked on controlling their camels. After a few more instructions, we were on our way. We got in a line, the guide in front, me in the back. The camel rocked back and forth like a ship, plodding onward, never slowing down. We went father into the desert. I turned in my saddle to look back, but Cariyo was just a small area. The sand streched out forever. Even though it was sweltering, I shivered. It was so easy to go in slightly the wrong direction...and never reach the other side. "Ugh.." I gluped, and tried to instead think about how beautiful the sands were. It worked for a while.
After half an hour, I was too hot to think much. The sun was directly overhead, and I thanked god for my turban. A few of the kids would glance back at me, wide eyed, like I was crazy. They must have thought I was sweltering in a long sleeved black dress, but I wasn't. In fact, I was probably cooler than them. Sure, white was a good color to wear in the heat, but their robes were thick cotton, whereas mine was a thin, airy material. And still, the camels plodded on. I drank some water, and tried to imangine what the City of the Dead looked like. Suposedily, it had hidden treasures, and was a burial and rituial ground for the ancient Egyptians. That's also why it was called 'cursed'. I sighed and shook my head. The heat was making me woozy.
After an hour, we stoped at a small oais. There was a small pool of water, and a couple of plam trees. The camels munched on the undergrowth, while my group and I sat under the trees. The guide was looking at the sun and trying to figure out which direction the city should be in. I refilled my canteene, and searched out over the horizon. There was so much sand, I felt like I was drowning, or lost forever. Wait, what was that? I squinted again at the horizon, and saw a tiny difference. "Excuse me." I said in Egyptian. "What is that, way over there?" I pointed to the speck on the horizon. "That's it!! We've found it! The city!" He said excitedly, jumping up and down. I blinked at him for a second. "Didn't you always know where it was?" I asked, incredoulus. "No one has ever documented where it is!" He looked like Christmas had come early. I took a shuddered breath, thinking of how long we could've been searching around out here, with no real idea of where the city was. It was a frightening thought.
Back on the camels we went, trotting towards the speck. Minute by minute, the speck grew in size and detail. It was mostly a large group of stones, piled up to resemble a city. The huge statues and walls were weathered and broken, and some cragily hills rose up behind it. I felt pretty jumpy, and kept seeing something out of the corner of my eye. I think my camel sensed my fear, and became jittery, too. My hand caressed my knife, and I stuck close to the rider in front of me.
We neared the city, and were almost close to entering the huge stone archways, with two 100 foot statues of Anubis on each side. Yet again, I jerked my head around, seeing something black. ''Perhaps we shouldn't go." I called. Everyone stoped and turned back to look at me. I blushed a bit, but continued (in Egyptian, for the guide's benifit) "Isn't this place suposed to be cursed? Ancient Egyptian curses are said to be very real, and very dangerous." The guide grinned and laughed. "Haha, you are afraid? There are riches and precious artifacts in there. We'll be famous!" he said. The other students thought of that, and nodded along. I jerked around again, but this time I finally saw what had been sneaking around our group. 8 men in brown, tattered robes were galoping towards us, with large swords raised. "You shall not return!" the first shouted. I was frozen with fear, and could only think one thing. Oh my god. Bandits are real. They had twisted faces, and their horses were sweating. Each had many scars on his face, and most had missing teeth. They galoped closer, untill they were mere feet from our group. I heard the other camels yelp in fright, and my classmates scream and galop in different directions. At the last second, I snapped out of it, and drew my knife. The closest bandit thrust his sword down, and I felt a dull throb in my arm, and then searing pain. I screamed and looked at my arm, which had a deep gash under the tattered sleeve. My hair and veil bushed the cut, and came back soaked with blood. The bandit swung his horse around and came back at me, while the other bandits went after my group. Through the pain I tried to block his next swing, but the blood loss was making me wozzy. I felt a much smaller pain on my cheek, and tasted some blood. The bandit reached foward and grabbed my neck, throwing me foward off my paniced camel. The camel ran for it, while I strugled to get off his horse. He swung the butt of his sword at my head, and everything went black.
By SilverclawRose
Disclaimer: Ok, here's my first story on FFN...I hope you all like it. I worked on it really hard for a loooong time. I don't own anything to do with the Mummy, although I do own Estelle and her friends. You have no idea how hard it was to write in the first person of that charater! Gimmie a break, i thought of her at 2 am...I thought of her friends on the spot. Don't steal my fic, or I'll be mad....Reviews are goood! Flames bad! Constructive critisim welcomed!!!!
I sighed happily as I walked through the stone archways, on my way to history class. Most of the buildings on campus were made of stones, large gray ones. It gave a very 'mid-evil' feeling when you walked around. True, I'd gotten a ton of impossible math homework, but nothing could douse my excitement. Ever since I was in 4th grade, I'd scratched and scraped and saved all my money. And finally, the one thing I'd been saving for was comming up. My long time friend, afectionally nicknamed 'Bunny,' had a much older brother. When he'd gone to high school, they had just been starting up the Innternational Travel Programs in school. He used some of his savings, and went to Ireland for 3 months. And every year, the school would have a different place to go. Only problem was, it was really expensive. So I'd saved for years, and begged for years to be allowed to go. I was finally old enough, had kept up the minnium grades, and had convinced the parentals to let me. Now the only thing left to do was find out what country it was! Next class Mr. Krilon would announce where the trip went to this year. I rushed through the wet grass to the main building, where history classes were held. I wanted to be early today...
Slowly, soo slowly the class filled up, and finally Mr. Krilon entered with his usual air of diginty. He was a proud teacher, and very interesting. His classes were always my favorite. He walked up to the front of the class, and all our faces looked expectanly at him. He broke into a grin. "You all want to know where the school has chosen for the ITP, don't you." A few people nodded, some just sat foward a bit. We knew he'd tell us, after dragging out the suspence. "Well, I supose if I wait much longer, you all will explode. So I'll just come out with it. The trip is planned to go to..." everyone held their breath. A minute later we were still holding it. He just grinned again and shook his head. "Ok, it's just cruel to drag this out. Egypt." The class became loud as everyone gasped for air, then let loose a cheer. I was one of the loudest. I couldn't believe it! I'd always prayed it would be Egypt! The desert sands, camels, ancient ruins, and bazhars. I was also happy because I'd chosen to take an Egyptian class for the past 4 years. We'd learned to speak it, read it, and even to decode some ancient hygroliphics. I'd studied hard about ancient Egypt, with the pharrow and different gods. Finally I would have the chance to use my knoweldge. "Ok, everyone who wants information can pick up the waiver and contract on the way out." The rest of the class was awsome, as he explained all about some places in Egypt the trip would visit, some history (of course) about Egypt, and the culture. When the bell rang I jumped out of my chair and grabed the paperwork. I couldn't believe it. I was going to Egypt!!!
At home, my mom made a fuss about how dangerous Egypt was, and much less advanced than America, and how there were real bandits in the desert who prayed on travel groups. I, of course, listened to humor my mom, but I just couldn't wait to go. I was always reading, always writting, because deep inside I longed for adventure. This was my chance to explore new places, to see new people and things.
Later that afternoon (only half a day of school on Wedsendays) my friends came over. Krissy, Ryan, Steve, and the aforementioned Bunny. We'd been friends since the very begining of middle school, though rough times had tested that. These girls were truly my soulmates, and I could tell them anything. When I'd entered my private high school, my friends came over every weekend, to help me with homework and any problems I had. Now they came over to share in my excitement and fears, because I'd never been gone from home for more than a week. Now I'd be on a different continent for 2 months. True, I longed for adventure, but I enjoyed the saftey and happiness of my life in a small town, with close family and friends. "I AM SO JELOUS!!" Krissy shouted, as soon as all 5 of us were in a circle on my floor. I just grinned at my tall, blonde friend. She was the most crazy and hyper of us all, and was often great for a laugh. Yet she was deeper than she first appeared, and very creative and smart. She was also obssesed slightly with Egypt. To make a long story short, in 7th grade, we saw 'The Mummy'. And Krissy fell in love with the hero. Since then, she'd been hooked on all things Egyptian (even though she'd liked that stuff before....) Bunny shoved Krissy into my bed playfully. "Stop it, you're making Estelle feel bad." I nodded, and faked a sad face. Ryan and Steven grinned, they were just very happy for me. Bunny was the hyper, violent one, and Ryan was the rational, smart one, while Steven was the cute one. I was the calm, responsible one. Together, we made an odd bunch, but we sort of 'balanced' each other out, so to speak. I must say, we were an unlikely group, but we got along great. Though everyone acted happy, there was a very sad undertone to our meeting. I was leaving Saturday, and this was the last time I'd see my friends for 2 months. One by one we stopped talking and thought about that fact. Goodbyes were so hard... "Guys" I said, fighting very hard not to cry. "I'm pretty excited about going, but I'm also really scared. And," the tears built up in my eyes, but I wasn't a 'crying' person, and never let my tears show. Usually. "well, I'm gonna be so lonely without you guys." The tears won, and began to wet my cheeks. I looked up to see Krissy crying too, as everyone leaned foward to hug. "What if the bandits are real? Only a few people I don't really know from school are going, along with one or two teachers. It's a big adventure, and I'm scared." Steven squeezed harder, while Bunny stroked my hair, a rare show of affection for Bunny. "We'll be right here when you get back, and the bandits won't get you. Besides, maybe it'll be good 'bandits', like in The Mummy." Krissy said hopefully. I laughed a bit, thinking of the cute warrior I'd fallen in love with from the movie. All of us sat there for a while, joking and crying a bit, untill it grew dark.
The rest of that week flew by, and Saturday came up before I knew it. Instead of catching the bus to morning classes, I woke up extra early to get ready. I'd done a good job saving my money, and had decided to buy a whole new, 'Egyptian' wardrobe when we arived. I didn't want to look wierd, by wearing bellbottoms in a crowd of black and white robed people, So I packed pretty light on clothes. I had a duffelbag full of mementos and such, along with my cash (there was plently, some for presents, and lots to spend) I had stationary, stamps, a few books, a journal, and a cantene. The suply list had been pretty breif, a few things we'd need for the day trips. The only other thing I brought was an anklet made of string. Each of my friends had picked their favorite color string, and together made the anklet for me to think of them by. That present made me cry alot, I'll admit. My parents got up, and I bid farewell to my little sister, and pets. The last thing I did was leave a letter to my friends and family, with a long, sappy goodbye written on it. I didn't want to cry at the airport.
The ride to the airport took an hour, but there was no traffic so early in the morning. I talked to my parents the whole way, comforting my mom, explaining again and again how I'd be 'just fine,' and 'there's nothing to worry about'. At the airport, I checked my bags and met up with my trip group. This year had been espically expensive, since Egypt is faaaarr away. There were only 6 other students, and 2 teacher. None of them I was familar with. "Well, call us with AT&T tonight, ok?" my mom quesioned. Her eyes were spilling tears, and my dad just grinned saddly, looking happy and worried. "Yes, mom, I'll call. Bye, see you in 2 months!" I hugged them both for 10 minutes, and watched their backs retreat out of the terminal. I sighed saddly and tried to calm the butterflies in my stomach. I was on my own (sorta...) for an adventure. Finally.
Well, that adventure was going to keep me waiting for a little bit longer. We waited 2 hours for the plane to arive, then another hour while they fixed a broken row of seats. "Now boarding, AirEgypt, flight 285, nonstop to Cayrio." I picked up my sack and followed a tall girl a year older than me. Apparently, she'd gone on the ITP in past years, because she didn't look too worried. In fact, she looked bored. I didn't find out why right away. I was too excited to be on a plane, and too busy watching as the clouds grew closer after takeoff, untill we finally burst through them into the world of sunlight above. Just the sights kept me excited for an hour. A small meal was served, and I enjoyed a chicken sandwich. My brain was on overload, worrying and being happy at the same time. I did a bit of meditaion for a second, and went back to eating. A boring movie started, and I ignored it. My friends kept popping up in my thoughts, along with my family. I eventually gave up trying to not think of them, and decided to write a letter.
Dear mom, dad, sarah, ryan, kelsey, krissy, and steven;
hi! I'm really excited, and can't wait to get there. I already miss you guys, and I've only been on the plane for 2 hours! It's a 20 hour flight. I hope i don't go crazy of bordom...good thing I brought my sketchbook. I'll show you all my drawings of egypt when I get back! Right now, the clouds are amazing. I've got a window seat, and I'm sourounded by yellow and red puffy mountains. Well, I'll write a little bit more of this letter every hour, to give me something to do. It won't be too interesting, but it'll let you know I'm thinking of you all alot! Tell the animals I say hi.
I put the letter away for a bit, so that I could write more later. Without realising it, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the cute Arabian warrior coming to save me in the desert.
I was woken up by a stewardess gently shaking me. "Pardon me, miss, but would you like some lunch?" She was very young, and very kind sounding. "Um, sure. What can I have?" she smiled and placed a menu in front of me. "I'll be back in a moment for your order." She went to pour a soda for one of my classmates. I skimmed the page, and chose a veggie dish. "Very good choice. My favorite." she said with a smile. For the first time in months, I felt a bit calm. "Will you be on this returning flight in 2 months?" I asked. "Why, yes, I will. I'm Samantha, by the way. Are you here with the school group?" I nodded. "Yup, but I don't really know anyone. I'm kinda nervous." she laughed a bit. "Everyone's nervous on their first real trip. Say, would you like to talk when I finish serving the lunches? These whole day flights are boring for us stewardesses, too." She was so kind, I felt like I had a new friend. "Would you? Wow, thanks." I looked out the window a bit more, untill Samantha returned. We talked for a good hour about schools and where she was from, and her job on a plane. We were actually getting to be good friends, and I felt very happy and calm. This trip wasn't scary, it was my adventure. Sam left to serve snacks, and I slept for alot of the trip, and finished my letter. It certanily wasn't as borring as I'd thought it'd be.
I was once again jostled awake, this time roughly. The sky was dark, and speckled with stars, which seemed to souround the plane. A voice came over the loudspeaker. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are hitting a bit of turbulance, but we'll be landing in 15 minutes. Aproximate time in Cayrio; 7:00pm. Aproximate tempurature: 60 degreese Farenheight." That surprised me. Sam came over, noticing my confused expression. "It gets super hot durring the day, but cools down once the sun sets." she explained. "Ohhh. Thank you, I thought that sounded awful cold for the desert." Sam nodded "Where will you be staying?" she asked, taking the empty seat next to mine. "On the south side of Cayrio. Near the end of the city and near the desert." I explained. Her eyes widened a bit. ''Really? You're not staying near the north side? That's where most tourists stay. The south side is very differnet, and dangerous. They don't have modern conviences, and the people there are kinda rough. They live hard lives. I've even heard of groups of desert bandits attacking people!" This was NOT helping me, and I gulped. "Well, the school picked there because we'll be visiting a bunch of ancient ruins that aren't open to tourists. And they wanted us to get the full affect of Egypt, not the new, fake, travelers idea of Egypt." She smiled. "That's the best way to see Egypt, the real way, I mean. You should buy something to protect yourself, though. My friends brothers son's sister was lost on one of those types of tour groups." I almost started shaking. "Oh, but don't worry!" she quickly jumped in. "I'm sure you'll be fine. After all, life is made for risks, isn't it? What's the fun of traveling if you'll see the same things you see at home?" She patted my hand and went off to get ready for landing. So that's why we had to sign a waiver...I thought.
The plane slowly started decending, and I caught my first sight of Egypt. It was amazing, my breath caught in my throat. The sun was setting, and the night sky was painted across the east side. There was miles and miles of golden sand, with a large cluster of buildings to the right. That would be the part of Cairyo we'd be staying at. A small airport loomed closer, and we gently bumped down, the engines slowly turning off. "Thank you for flying AirEgypt, and we hope to see you on this return flight, in 2 months." the voice said. I rose from my seat and streched, since I hadn't moved in 20 hours. Both my legs were asleep, and I almost fell. My class group was the first ones off, and we shook hands with each fight personel. Sam gave me a wink and whispered "you'll be fine, have fun!" I smiled and took a deep breath.
This part of the city was very old fashined. When I got off the plane, I saw people in turbans and robes everywhere. We got our bags and began to walk to the hotel. When we got outside the airport, I couldn't believe it. It looked just like all the movies showed. There were camels and shops and people shouting out in Egyptian prices of things. The teachers warned us to stay close. "Ok, first we'll exchange curency, then go to the hotel. I know most of you were planning on buying clothes for this trip, so tomorow we'll go shopping. Lets get a good nights sleep tonight, ok?" everyone nodded. I couldn't believe my eyes, all the new smells and sights and sounds. We walked for a few minutes, lugging our bags over our shoulders. We stopped at a small buiding, and went inside. A few fans spun lazily overhead, and a gruff egyptian man stood beind a counter. "We'd like to exchange American Dollars for Egyptian money." the teacher explaned. The man nodded and took out a paper and pen. One by one, every person placed their money on the table and walked away with different amounts of paper money and lots of coins. I went last, and emptied my moneybag on the counter. "Ok, 763$ is equal to..." the man scribled on the paper, then pulled out more of the paper and lots of gold and bronze coins. "1,281 Kaul." he said. I thanked him, and mental thanked my self for never spending any money when I was younger. "Ok, to the hotel." the teacher motioned. My money went in a small pouch, in my pocket. Back into the crowded streets we went, getting lots of odd stares from the people there (probably for our odd clothes) The other students looked a little uncomfortable, but I was too busy looking at each booth.
The hotel was large and run by Americans. It was a sandy colored building with a few floors. The loby was nicely decorated with Egyptian statuettes, and beautifully hand carved funrature. We checked in, and lugged our bags up to the top floor (there were 4 floors) Since it wasn't a very bussy season for the hotel, and since only 9 people were going, we each were able to afford our own room. I'd paid a little extra for a room with a balcony. I accepted my key from one teacher and unlocked my door, number 43. The room was very nice, with a small bed and silk sheets. There was a few chairs made of a beautiful dark wood, a dresser and wardorbe, and the balcony. After putting away my few items, I walked over to the balcony. There were no doors, and a gentle breeze played with my hair. Looking out, I had a beautiful view of the bazhar and sunset. The sky was stained gold, red, green, and blue, as the last wisps of sunlight sank beneath the sands. I felt very small, looking at the desert. It spread as far as the horizon on every side. Imangine being lost in the middle of it, with sand streching all around. I shivered and turned my back on the pretty sight. It was a terriflying thought. We'd been told to go to dinner after we unpacked, so I locked my room and headed down stairs
The next day, my group and I woke up early to avoid the heat and crowds. I'd only packed two outfits, so I slipped into my most inconspicus grey tank top and shorts. We met downstairs, and I saw the other students dressed plainly too. They didn't want to ba stared at again. "This is how it's gonna work." the teacher explained. "You'll have free run of the bazhar, as long as you stay within sight of the hotel. We'll meet back here at about noon, though you can come back before that. Everyone fill up your canteenes before we leave, it's gonna get hot. No talking to strangers, and no getting in trouble. Understand?" Everyone nodded. I was pretty amazed at the amount of trust they were giving us. But we were all to nervous to get in much trouble. We walked out into the streets together, then slowly each person walked towards a booth to examine something. There weren't very many people out yet, and the sun was pretty low still. But every booth was open, ready to sell their wares. I'd decided to buy my clothes before anything else, and began searching for a good place. One booth had many dresses hanging up outside, twisting in the breeze. I decided to check it out. Under the shade of the roof were lots of dresses, each softly blowing in the warm air. A wrinkled old woman steped out and smiled. "Hello, can I help you find a dress?" she said in Egyptian. I thought for a moment, then replied back in Egyptian "yes, I need a few dresses to keep cool, and to wear around." I remembered my favorite character from 'The Mummy', how he always wore black, even in the hot desert sun. It must have been made of a very cool material. ''Black, too." I added. She pulled me happily along to a row of black dresses. I tried one on, and it fit perfectly. The fabric was very cool, and flowed down to my ankles. The top was beautifully set and embrodered with blue thread. The sleeves were long and thin, and came with a female turban and veil. The veil and hat were also black, and the veil fell down over my red hair, fanning out behind my head. When I stepped in front of the mirroir, I gasped. Standing there was a very pretty Egyptian girl, not me. But I looked at the face, and saw myself. "I'll take some these size." I asked. The woman's face crinkled like paper as she smiled and went to get a few more dresses. "All I need is some black eye kohl and some jewelry, and I'll be an Egyptian!" I mused. After selecting a few more different dresses, I paid the woman and left, carying the dresses and my old clothes in a black bag. I wore the first dress out, and blended into the crowd imidatly. Shop owners shouted out in loud Egyptian their prices, as the bazhar filled up slowly.
The next booth that caught my eye was lined with beautiful silver jewelry, some with gems, others hand shapped. I picked out a few necklaces for my friends, and a bangle and necklace for me. It covered my neck and had a red gem in the middle. I was very excited at how well it went with my black ensable. "That is very rare." the seller explained. Obvously he lived well, because his white cotton robe was puled tight across his huge stomach. We argued for a while about the price of all the necklaces, and 5minutes later arived at a fair price. I bought a few things for my friends, combs, candles, tiny statues, and some black kohl for my eyes. The I remembered Sam's warning, about protecting myself. The knife booths were covered with small and large knifes, some very plain, some elaboratly designed with animals of gems. The seller was in his mid 40's, and had a very dirty turban wrapped around his head. He was helpful, though, and after testing a few knifes for their weight, I picked out a very plain one with a sharp, curved blade.
I walked around for a few more mintues, enjoying the smells of cooking foods. One booth stood out to me, and I went to look. It was almost a tatoo parlor, but instead of using needles, the ink was simply painted onto the skin. I decided that it would be fun to scare my parents, so I drew closer. The man was wearing a brown turban, and had a few tattos painted on. Tacked to a slab of wood was hundreds of tattos, each a different price. I just couldn't pick which one, so I closed my eyes and pointed. The one I'd picked out was very interesting. It had some sort of ancient god on it, with 3 lines painted down from a single line. The man finished with another customer, and turned to me. "I'd like that one, please. How long do they last?" I asked. He pulled me over to his set of brushes and removed the black cap. "It's semi perminante. It will stay forever unless you rub this ointment on it." He answered. I took a minute to translate what he'd said in my head, then nodded. He placed a small bottle in my lap as I sat in a tiny chair. His hand and brushed seemed to be one, as he painted the symbol perfectly in the corner of my palm. "There is a special meaning for this symbol, but I cannot remember it." he said, not lifting his eyes from my hand. I took a minute to think of how to say my answer. "Yes, it's some ancient symbol, but I don't reconize it." He rinsed his brush, and I looked at the symbol. It was very beautiful, and well done. I paid him a little extra for the wonderful job.
The sun was getting high now, and the bazhar more and more crowded. After 10 minutes, I pushed my way though the crowd back to the hotel, bag in hand, knife hug at my waist.
"Ok, kids, quiet down!" The teacher shouted. Everyone had come back from the bazhar, most of them wearing white Egyptian robes, veils, or jewelry. If we didn't speak English, anyone would have thought we were Egyptians. "Ok, tonight we'll be hanging out here, and tomorow we'll go on the first day trip. We'll be going to look for the City of the Dead, with a private guide." I thought back to my Egyptian classes. Yes, we'd talked about the City of the Dead. It was suposedily cursed, and none who went there ever came back. WHY would the school pick someplace so dangerous to go? It might not even exist!! I thought. My theroy was that everyone who went looking for it was killed by bandits. I was pretty freaked out to go. "Now, I know it's rumored to be haunted, but our guide is very skilled." the teacher smiled reasuringly. I gulped. "Anyway, tonight you can relax, write to family, call them with the payphone, just no leaving the hotel." Everyone broke up and returned to their rooms. I paced a bit, fighting down my fears. I did what I always did when I was bothered. I picked up my sketchbook and pencils. Crossing the room, I pulled a chair onto the balcony and sat down to draw. The first drawing took a while, I drew the edge of the city and the desert beyond. My colors matched perfectly the sands, and it looked almost like a photo. Next I drew the bazhar. That was alot harder, because people didn't stay in the same place, but in the end I got it right. My picture showed all the different people and busy booths, with the narrow streets packed. What could I draw next? I leaned over the railing a bit to search, untill my eyes fell on an old woman. She was shouting creakily in Egyptian the prices of her fruits, which were piled high in front of her. I studied her face, and my pencil began flying over the paper, memorizing every wrinkle, her expression, her stature. When my thoughts came back to me I smiled at my picture. Those drawings always came out the best, the ones where my mind simply became inveloped in the moment, and the drawing comes to life. For a few more hours I drew, people, houses, booths,camels. The night went on like that, me drawing, or writting another letter, or reading. I did remember to call home, but I couldn't talk long. The long distance bill would be KILLER, and I didn't want my parents to go broke. I told them about my day, and how beautiful it was. They were happy for me, but worried. When I hung up I was very, very homesick.
Dinners were served in a large dinning room, with the walls painted elabroatly, and the tables also hand carved. I sat at a large table with my class, as everyone chattered happily about what they had bought. I quietly ate my meal, enjoying my thoughts. The meal itself was pretty odd, but good. It was some sort of meat, I think lizard. It came with bread and a strange vegetable I'd never seen. Finishing my meal I went to bed early, enjoying the warm breeze and scents that blew gently into my room. The stars were so bright here, that they cast their own shadows across my bed. That night, I again dreamt of the warior from 'The Mummy', and how he'd save me in the desert.
The next morning came, and everyone slept in a bit. Pretty bad jetlag. But, eventually, we all got up, and got going. I hung up all my new robes, except for one, which I wore. This one was multi layered, but still very cool. The sleeves were long and flowing, and the top was cut in a rectangle. It had green thread, which stood out against the black silk-like fabric. The turban and veil again fell over my hair, which I brushed quickly. I took the tiny kohl brush and painted my eyes, with lines on each side. Again, in the mirrior, was an ancient egyptian madien, not plain old me. Placing my necklace on, and grabbing my moneybag and cantene, I rushed out the door.
Downstairs, the other students leaked in, many looking like they'd put their clothes on in their sleep. Some still looked asleep. Breakfast seemed to wake them up a bit, it was a heardy egg and meat meal, with grainy biscuts and milk. I didn't want to know what kind of milk it was. The teachers came down to eat, and we were rounded up. The group headed outside and through the bazhar, which was already filling up. Past the bazhar were a few small shops, and then the desert. There was a dusty man holding 10 camels. Some were pulling on their leashes, some trying to bite the man. He grined at our group and handed each of us a rope. My camel was calmly chewing on a dry, scragiy weed. It was almost white, and pretty calm looking. The man demonstrated how to get the camel to kneel, how to mount, and what the commands were.''You must show it who's boss." He explained in Egyptian. My camel kneeled right away, glancing back at me with it's large brown eyes. "Aw, hello there, pretty." I pet the camels neck, and it made a happy grunt. ''We'll be on a halfa day or so ride." he continued. "It's dangerous, so everyone stay together. No wandering off." The other students worked on controlling their camels. After a few more instructions, we were on our way. We got in a line, the guide in front, me in the back. The camel rocked back and forth like a ship, plodding onward, never slowing down. We went father into the desert. I turned in my saddle to look back, but Cariyo was just a small area. The sand streched out forever. Even though it was sweltering, I shivered. It was so easy to go in slightly the wrong direction...and never reach the other side. "Ugh.." I gluped, and tried to instead think about how beautiful the sands were. It worked for a while.
After half an hour, I was too hot to think much. The sun was directly overhead, and I thanked god for my turban. A few of the kids would glance back at me, wide eyed, like I was crazy. They must have thought I was sweltering in a long sleeved black dress, but I wasn't. In fact, I was probably cooler than them. Sure, white was a good color to wear in the heat, but their robes were thick cotton, whereas mine was a thin, airy material. And still, the camels plodded on. I drank some water, and tried to imangine what the City of the Dead looked like. Suposedily, it had hidden treasures, and was a burial and rituial ground for the ancient Egyptians. That's also why it was called 'cursed'. I sighed and shook my head. The heat was making me woozy.
After an hour, we stoped at a small oais. There was a small pool of water, and a couple of plam trees. The camels munched on the undergrowth, while my group and I sat under the trees. The guide was looking at the sun and trying to figure out which direction the city should be in. I refilled my canteene, and searched out over the horizon. There was so much sand, I felt like I was drowning, or lost forever. Wait, what was that? I squinted again at the horizon, and saw a tiny difference. "Excuse me." I said in Egyptian. "What is that, way over there?" I pointed to the speck on the horizon. "That's it!! We've found it! The city!" He said excitedly, jumping up and down. I blinked at him for a second. "Didn't you always know where it was?" I asked, incredoulus. "No one has ever documented where it is!" He looked like Christmas had come early. I took a shuddered breath, thinking of how long we could've been searching around out here, with no real idea of where the city was. It was a frightening thought.
Back on the camels we went, trotting towards the speck. Minute by minute, the speck grew in size and detail. It was mostly a large group of stones, piled up to resemble a city. The huge statues and walls were weathered and broken, and some cragily hills rose up behind it. I felt pretty jumpy, and kept seeing something out of the corner of my eye. I think my camel sensed my fear, and became jittery, too. My hand caressed my knife, and I stuck close to the rider in front of me.
We neared the city, and were almost close to entering the huge stone archways, with two 100 foot statues of Anubis on each side. Yet again, I jerked my head around, seeing something black. ''Perhaps we shouldn't go." I called. Everyone stoped and turned back to look at me. I blushed a bit, but continued (in Egyptian, for the guide's benifit) "Isn't this place suposed to be cursed? Ancient Egyptian curses are said to be very real, and very dangerous." The guide grinned and laughed. "Haha, you are afraid? There are riches and precious artifacts in there. We'll be famous!" he said. The other students thought of that, and nodded along. I jerked around again, but this time I finally saw what had been sneaking around our group. 8 men in brown, tattered robes were galoping towards us, with large swords raised. "You shall not return!" the first shouted. I was frozen with fear, and could only think one thing. Oh my god. Bandits are real. They had twisted faces, and their horses were sweating. Each had many scars on his face, and most had missing teeth. They galoped closer, untill they were mere feet from our group. I heard the other camels yelp in fright, and my classmates scream and galop in different directions. At the last second, I snapped out of it, and drew my knife. The closest bandit thrust his sword down, and I felt a dull throb in my arm, and then searing pain. I screamed and looked at my arm, which had a deep gash under the tattered sleeve. My hair and veil bushed the cut, and came back soaked with blood. The bandit swung his horse around and came back at me, while the other bandits went after my group. Through the pain I tried to block his next swing, but the blood loss was making me wozzy. I felt a much smaller pain on my cheek, and tasted some blood. The bandit reached foward and grabbed my neck, throwing me foward off my paniced camel. The camel ran for it, while I strugled to get off his horse. He swung the butt of his sword at my head, and everything went black.