10:00 a.m. had approached and so did a group of semi-excited college students waiting to get a tour of the Smithsonian. Larry opened the doors and welcomed them. "How's everybody doing? I'm Larry and I'll serve as your tour guide for today."
The tour went smoothly, the people were awed at the sight of the air craft exhibit and were over taken by the miniature displays, until a young man asked, "What floor are we on?" Larry turned and said, "The Historic Events Floor, why?" The emo child pointed to a room to his right and looked back at Larry.
"Oh um. That's the European history room." "Looks violent. What the hell happened there?" "Okay first of all don't say hell and secondly, it's only one specific event that's displayed here there are plenty of other events that took place. On with the tour." The others walked away, however, the young emo searched around the room to figure out what took place.
"Hey Marilyn Manson don't dawdle let's go." "That's not my name." "Okay fine what is it?" "Damien." "Alright Damien let's go." The young boy sighed and caught up with the group.
10:00 p.m. came and doors were locked. Larry let out an exhausted breath, "Nine tours in one day, I need a break." Suddenly a blue toy truck bumped into Larry's leg. "Howdy there Gigantor!" "Good evening my liege." A small cowboy and roman general, there was only two people that could match that description. "Jed! Octavius!"
"Sorry to be in a rush, but ya mind movin your foot there!" "What? Why?" "I'll give ya a clue, he's made of bones and we have one of his ribs." A very familiar dinosaur came charging at full speed towards that toy truck. Like lightning Larry jumped out of the way and two miniatures zoomed off.
Unfortunately he underestimated Rexy's size and was flung across the room by his vertebrae tail. Luckily he was only lifted about a foot in the air and so he slid across the floor. "Somehow I expected that to happen." "Holy crap that was funny." Larry turned his head to see a young boy wearing tattered pinstriped clothes.
"Who are you?" "Who are you?" "Larry Daley the night guard." The boy looked about fourteen or sixteen and had short dark blond hair that was parted on the left side of his head, his bangs curved around his right eye. "He looks exactly like a young Leonardo Dicaprio! He even has the same face, eye color, and voice" Larry thought to himself.
The boy walked over and helped Larry to his feet. "I saw it coming too I should have yelled duck." "Yeah that would've been nice. Like I said earlier, who are you?" "Not necessary, but what is necessary is how that cup is moving." He pointed to a glass of water on the desk that for some reason was creating ripples.
The revving of a truck came from behind the confused night guard. "Whoa run Larry Rexy brought backup!" An entire herd of T- Rex tore through the room nearly crushing the small miniatures and the two larger men. Quickly the blonde boy snatched the toy truck and jumped behind the desk.
The bone beasts finally left and both Larry and the boy stood up. "Now you really need a break." said the boy. Larry took the truck and held it eye level. "Are you two alright?" "The closer you are to death the more you feel alive Gigantor." The toy was set down and the cowboy and general drove off.
"Hey what was that brown thing on top of the bones?" "Brown thing?" "Yeah it had a tail and fur." Larry came into realization on what the blonde saw. "Dexter!" Larry went running off to find the mischievous capuchin.
"That was weird…and now I'm bored." The young blonde decided to walk around and meet the new exhibits that were brought here not too long ago. A couple hour passed when he came upon a room lined with jewels and jackal headed statues. A man stood in the middle of the room reading something, his back turned to the boy unaware of his arrival.
The blonde approached the crowned man listening to what he was saying. "And as he stood before his people, the great king spoke, 'As long as I walk these lands you will never know a day of unhappiness!' His arm rose to the air and the people rejoiced at their king and there future lives." He closed his book and said with delight, "These stories never seize to amaze me."
"Um, excuse me." The older man turned around and smiled at the blonde boy. "Well hello there, and who might you be?" "What were you reading?" "Stories that my parents use to read to me." The man was slightly distracted by the boy's attire. "Why are you wearing that?" "It's what the soldiers gave me to wear." The man continued to stare at the young boy, but soon noticed the boy was looking at his book.
He reached out and moved a piece of hair out of his eye and behind his ear, "What is your name?" He remained silent. "My name is Ahkmenrah." The boy looked up and met the pharaoh's eyes. "Tell me a story." Ahkmenrah was slightly confused at why he hadn't said his name, but liked how interested he was in the book. "Okay." smiled the pharaoh.
The two walked over to a gold couch with red cushions and made themselves comfortable. "What story were you reading?" "The story of Ramses, a man who brought his kingdom faith after a great war between his brother." The boy moved closer to Ahkmenrah, "I wanna hear that one." He smiled and told the blonde of the war.
The story began with Ramses and his brother Khnum standing by their father on his deathbed. "Ramses, Khnum, my sons for many days I had feared the end of my time. But now that I am old and stale it is time for one of you to rule the kingdom." Khnum expected himself to be chosen for he was older, taller, and stronger than is younger sibling. However, Ramses was smarter and more caring of the two, he was told to rule the kingdom instead of Khnum. Their father's words brought joy to one man and hatred to the other. Several years passed in which the events of his Khnum's disappearance, Ramses' ceremony of becoming pharaoh, and the sudden arrival of a new kingdom took place.
Ten years after the death of Kepru, the father of Ramses, an Anubis guard rushed into the pharaoh's temple holding his bleeding arm. "An army is approaching!" Ramses sent his warriors and warned the people of his kingdom to hide and prepare for possible intruders. A nine hour war struck Ramses' kingdom. All warriors on both sides died leaving Ramses to fight one on one with the opposing kingdom's leader.
"Saw it coming." the blonde boy added in as commentary. He crawled onto Ahkmenrah's shoulders attempting to look at the pages of the bronze colored book. "Now what?" Ahkmenrah let out a chuckle and replied, "Okay back to the story."
Ramses stood wearing an Anubis head guard and wielding a golden lance with a red jeweled handle at his nemesis who wore an Eagle head guard, and whose weapon of choice was steel edged sword with a black obsidian skull at the end of the handle. Clanks screeched through the wind and over the kingdom as leader and leader fought for victory. Ramses used his last bit of strength to upper cut his opponent, knocking his head guard off and slamming him to the ground.
Ramses placed the edge of his blade to the other man's neck, but stopped. The offender opened his eyes and spoke in a whisper, "Ramses." He dropped his sword and fell to his knees. "Khnum? Is it you brother?" The other man placed his hand behind Ramses' head, "My brother." Tears filled Ramses' eyes as he embraced his brother in his arms. "I've missed you Khnum." "The memory of you never left my mind." A sudden wetness slipped down Ramsess thigh. It was blood seeping from his brothers neck, the jugular had been sliced by his lance.
Ramses knew what was about to happen. "And the memory of you will never leave my mind." With what strength still lingered through Khnum's body, the grip around his brother's self grew tighter. "I love you Ramses. My blood, my kin," with the last air from in his lungs Khnum released his final words, "My brother." His eyes closed as his head fell onto his brother's neck. Ramses held him for several more moments before picking up his brother and carrying him back to the kingdom.
That day Khnum was placed in a sarcophagus and was given a proper pharaoh burial. Ramses never wanted to feel the level of sadness ever again and never wanted his people to feel the same either. However, with the destruction of their homes and the blood shed by kingdom's warriors, all the people were over come with negative emotions. He walked to edge of his balcony and as he stood before his people, the great king spoke, "Do not cry my friends, as long as I walk these lands you will never know a day of unhappiness!" His arm rose to the air and the people rejoiced at their king and there future lives.
"That's the line you said when I first walked in." spoke the blonde headed boy. As before Ahkmenrah closed his book and smiled once again at the story he had read. "It is a very strong piece of words." "Can you tell me another story tomorrow?" The pharaoh loved how excited he was about hearing the tales. "Of course I can." The boy's cerulean eyes lit up with anticipation of another tale of battle.
"Ten minute warning return to your designated exhibits, I repeat, ten minute warning." "That sound like the guy who got hit by the dinosaur." A toy truck went by at top speed passed the door, being chased by Rexy obviously. "Dammit Dexter I said ten minute warning!" yelled Larry Daley of Daley Devices.
Both boys sitting on the couch cocked their head in confusion. The blonde shook his head back to reality, "Well I better hitting the old dusty trail. Night…er morning Ahkmenrah." The boy stood up and walked to exit the pharaoh's tomb. "Wait!" Quickly the boy turned around. "You didn't tell me your name." Smiling he replied, "Will, William Shultz." "Will huh? Well goodbye then Will."
A five minute warning was called as Will ran to get to his exhibit. "The sooner I get to my display, the sooner I close my eyes, the sooner I'll get to hear my story!' *Boosh!* "What the heck?" "What the hell did I hit?" "Hey don't say hell. Why aren't you at your exhibit?" It was Larry who Will collided with. "I was getting there before You blocked me. And the name's Will in case you were curious" "Fine whatever just get to your display." "Screw you."
The next night
A very excited Will jumped out of his display case and rushed to Ahkmenrah's tomb. "Wonder what story Ahk's gonna tell? Hope it's violent." The blonde's thoughts were interrupted by the shouts coming from a room down the hallway. "Aw come on I'm bad I'm bad! Hey I-I could show you how bad I am grrrr!" "What is that?" Will thought to himself. "I'm sorry you don't seem very bad just vaguely grouchy."
Will moved closer to the people talking and hid behind a pillar. "Is that you breathing? Because I can't here myself think." In frustration Darth Vader knocked Oscar's trashcan lid on his head. "Goodbye now." The two angry men left the room mumble curses under their breath. Will, due to his curious nature, approached the man that judged their evilness and tapped his shoulder. The man turned and said, "Oh my god you're not seriously trying out are you?" "Trying out for what I was just wondering what that bug thing on your head was."
"It is not a bug thing! It is a crown bestowed upon me the day I became pharaoh." "Still looks like a bug. Anyways you're not pharaoh Ahkmenrah is." "Don't sthpeak when I am…what did you say?" a suspicious tone rose into his voice. "I said Ahkmenrah's pharaoh. Did you just say sthpeak? Say it with me spa-eek." The pharaoh moved closer to Will, "How do you know my brother?"
"I'm sorry are you from Britain? You have a weird sound to your voice and it's making me really uncomfortable." "Answer the question! How do you know my brother?" The blonde boy suddenly realized who he was talking to. "You're Kahmunrah." "I see you've heard of me." "You're the guy everyone's been talking about." Will didn't know what to do. He was face to face with the man who was trying to take over the Smithsonian.
"Will where are you?" It was Ahkmenrah! He was looking for him. Without thinking Will called out, "In here!" In a matter of seconds Ahkmenrah was standing in the room holding the bronze story book. "Kahmunrah!" "Ah good to see you again brother." Kahmenrah's brown eyes glanced down at the book under his brother's arm. "You still have that waste of paper with you I see." "Our mother told us these stories!" "The same mother who banished me from home."
The frightened Will hid behind Ahkmenrah. "Let's go back to your tomb." "In a moment my friend." His green eyes traveled from Will back to his poor excuse for a brother. "I just want to know why you are doing this. What right do you have to strike fear into innocent civilians?" "A simple right to freedom. For centuries I've been forced into isolation but now I have come back to life! I will never go back!" A few seconds of silence filled the room before Ahkmenrah spoke. "My question has been answered, we will leave now." Both the blonde and pharaoh were almost out the doorway when Kahmunrah said, "A word of caution, consider yourselves at the top of my to-die-list."
Those words echoed through Will's head. It had not been the first time he was told he was going to die. Horrible thoughts of death and the soldiers that tortured him passed through his self conscious, voices of hell rand over his mind. Tears filled his eyes as he ran from Ahkmenrah attempting to run away from his own thoughts. The concerned pharaoh tried to catch up, but lost him when he turned the corner. "Will! Will please where are you?" The blonde boy ran to a place where he knew no one would find him, he ran back to his exhibit. Everyone avoided that area because of how disturbing everything was.
Ahkmenrah continued to call out to Will, but never received an answer. He then spotted Sacagawea and Roosevelt walking through miniature displays. "Sir Theodore madam, have you seen a blonde boy, my height, blue eyes, and tattered clothing running by? Oh please say yes." "Sorry sport I haven't seen your lad." Sacagawea quickly asked, "Were the clothes gray and black pinstriped?" "Yes they were." "And what was his last name?" "Shultz, why?" "Shultz is a German name, the only areas that display Europe are on the third level." "The historic events floor!" "Oh no." Sacagawea's delicate hand covered her mouth in shock. "What's wrong my dear?" "I think I know what display he's in."
"Please you must tell me where he is." Her hand slowly came away from her face and onto Ahkmenrah's shoulder. "He's part of the Holocaust exhibit." The pharaoh knew of the Holocaust and nearly broke into tears. "That's why his clothing is tattered." "That also explains who he meant by the soldiers. I remember he had a red circle sewed on his clothes, what does that mean?" "I wish I knew but I don't." "Thank you so much for your help." Ahkmenrah run to the elevator and pressed the 3 button. "I've been a fool how could I not have been more observant? Please be there Will."
Unfortunately the young blonde was not there, or at least not anymore. His shirt was on the ground in front of his display. Nazi flags hung from the ceiling and pictures of the camps lined the walls. Blood red paint covered the exhibit and white tile floors stretched from wall to wall. Ahkmenrah moved closer to Will's glass display case and read the label. "Here is a teenage male by the name of William Shultz, who wears the official camp uniform." "How can they give an event as horrid as this an exhibit?"
Ahkmenrah continued to look around trying to figure out what the circle on Will's shirt meant. He found his answer when he read a large chart framed on the wall. "All the people kept in these camps wore pieces of fabric on their clothing that represented the reason they were there." The pharaoh's eyes scrolled down the list and saw that a yellow star meant Jew, a green cross meant a religion other than Catholicism, a blue triangle meant not a German, and a black arrow simply meant the person was not the perfect race (blonde with blue or green eyes).
However even with this information Ahkmenrah couldn't figure out what a red circle meant. The bottom part of the chart had been torn off and most likely would have said what it stood for. "There has to be more information on these clothes." After searching through every piece of data he could find, Ahkmenrah found a video file on the touch screen information machine respectively named, "Holocaust Info"
"Hopefully this will shed some light on the situation." the pharaoh said pushing a button labeled "Camp Clothing" on the screen. As the chart had said, the computer discussed the meaning of the fabric pieces, but had yet to say the meaning of a red circle. "I already know what the star, the square, and everything else means! What is the circle?"
As if on cue the computer then stated, "Another piece worn was the red circle, which was given to people who were homosexual and were often the first people to be killed off." Ahkmenrah's hand covered his mouth in shock, "That is no reason to kill someone, he's a child! Oh God now I have to find, who knows what's going through his head." I sudden idea on where Will could be quickly came to him.