Hi, I'm LaughinLunatic and this is my first fanfic or second really but that was years ago. Anyway this Mummy story was done in collaboration with one of my good friends. She's a lunatic too. I do not own Ardeth, Imhotep, or the idea of a tribal people called the Medjai. What I do own are all the other characters and a used car. Now sit back, relax and enjoy.

The Mummy III: Curse of Anubis

Isis sat cross-legged on the plush carpet pouring over the black book, quietly jotting down notes in the composition book on her lap. Long dirty blonde hair hid her face from the outside world as she translated the ancient writing. Her blue eyes widened as she realized exactly what book lay open before her on the floor.

"So what ancient tome are we studying today O'Connell?" The young woman jumped slightly as a voice broke the silence. She slammed the book shut and rose from her position on her living room floor.

"You scared me half to death Lin," Isis admonished the other girl. Where Isis was light haired, Aislin Neshoba Dardar had dark hair that cascaded down her back in hundreds of curls and her eyes were a gold-green color that reminded some of cat eyes. Lin, as Aislin preferred to be called merely grinned at her friend's words.

"Hmmm, you don't look shriveled up to me like the other mummies at the museum." It took a moment for the words to register in Isis's mind.

"The exhibit!" Lin nodded as she took a seat in a plush armchair. She had already past by the New Orleans Museum of Art once that day to watch as they put up the sign announcing the special exhibit of ancient Egyptian artifacts, and mummies. She had sped to Isis's house in the Garden District so that they could go together as planned. Both girls were enamored with ancient Egypt and knew more about hieroglyphics and the pharaohs than most Egyptologists.

For Isis, Egypt was in her blood. Though she was also of British descent her she considered herself a daughter of the Nile at heart. While her father had never felt the passion for Egypt that his daughter did, the past generations of his family contained many Egyptologists, archaeologists, and librarians who specialized in ancient Egypt. Isis' grandparents had seen to her education in that respect, teaching her how to speak ancient Egyptian and read hieroglyphics. They had even taken her on a dig when she was ten before their car accident.

Lin, on the other hand, traced her family back through many nationalities but Egyptian wasn't one of them. Her name itself hinted at her heritage, "Aislin" was Irish, and "Neshoba" was Choctaw. Her great grandmother had insisted on her middle name, she had been a wise woman, or so everyone had told the girl. Still, Lin had never gotten beyond a few basic words and phrases in Choctaw or Irish Gaelic, something about Egypt had ensnared her as a young child and she had been devouring all the information she could find on it ever since.

"So are we going?" Lin asked as she fiddled with her car keys. Isis nodded and set the book behind the pictures aligned on the hearth. When Lin raised an eyebrow Isis just shook her head.

"I'll explain later," she promised and the two headed out to Lin's car. The whole way to the museum the young women talked about what they hoped to see and other things that related to their favorite topic. The ride went by quickly since many people were spending the day preparing for Endymion which would be rolling that night, the girls agreed to go and enjoy the pre-parade privileges of extra beads after browsing through the exhibit.

"Isis look at this," Lin called softly across the room while the curator glared at her. Isis walked over slowly taking in everything around her. The displays of pottery and jewelry were all around them and soft music played from the speakers in the room. Lin gazed down at a diamond larger than her head, she glanced over at Isis.

"Do you know what this is?" The seventeen year old asked in a whisper. Isis' own mouth felt dry. The plate next to the diamond said that it came from Tutankhamen's tomb but Isis believed otherwise.

"It looks like the diamond from Ahm Shere," a derisive snort from behind them caused the girls to turn around.

"Ahm Shere is merely a piece of Hollywood fiction. The fact that you believe such drivel makes me worry for your generation." The uppity curator drawled. Lin glared.

"The fact that you're part of an older generation makes me believe that evolution just might be real. Tell me, have your children transcended the missing link phase or will your family forever be nothing more than a bunch of Neanderthals?" With every word the curator's face turned a deeper shade of red and now it was almost purple with rage and lack of oxygen. Lin smirked at him.

"Don't forget to breathe; we can't have you killing off any brain cells. You have so few to begin with." With that she walked away before the man could say anything or kick her out. Isis followed chuckling. She found Lin's short temper and sharp tongue quite humorous when not aimed at herself. As they made their way through the building both girls began to grow excited. They had saved the mummies for last.

Entering the room Isis noticed that they were alone. Not many people had come today and not many people would come at all in the month that the exhibit was in New Orleans. Isis sighed, thinking for the millionth time that she'd been born in the wrong millennia. The room had darkened lighting and the only true lights to see by came from the bright bulbs placed under the glass cases of the sarcophagi to show them off. Isis hadn't realized that Lin had left her side until she turned to speak with her. Looking around she saw the girl staring at a closed sarcophagus standing in the back of the room. Hairs rose on the back of her neck as she drew closer. The name plate simply said, "Adult Male, Period of Seti I, Name unknown". Isis cast a worried glance at her friend who seemed to be in a trance.

"Lin, Lin, Aislin," the dark haired girl shook her head and turned to Isis.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Glad to see her friend back to normal Isis shrugged.

"I just thought that'd we'd better get going if we want to get any free throws from the floats." Lin nodded.

"Yeah sure, let's go." Neither spoke as they left the museum and walked across the park to where the Krewe of Endymion sat in their floats hanging up cups and strings of beads in preparation from the parade. The girls called to those riders that they knew through family and friends and soon were back to laughing and joking, forgetting the odd happenings at the museum. They returned to Isis' house in the late afternoon, having driven a parish over to retrieve some of Lin's belongings so that she could stay for the night. They entered through the back door into the kitchen and found Isis' father sitting at the counter drinking iced tea and reading the Sports section.

"Hi Mr. Rick," Lin greeted the man as Isis went to give him a peck on the cheek.

"Hello Lin, I've raised your rent this month since we not only board you but feed you too." Lin laughed.

"I'll pay you as soon as they consider school an occupation and I see my first paycheck." She agreed before exiting into the living room. Isis came in a few moments later with two soft drinks and some chips. The two girls ate and watched The Mummy while discussing graduation and the trip to Egypt that was to follow.

"I can't believe I finally get to go back. The dig was so much fun when I went with my grandparents." Isis' tone was light but her face darkened slightly at the mention of her deceased relatives. Lin patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Well then you can be my tour guide alright? Just lead me to the Pyramids of Giza, Hamunaptra, and the entrance to the underworld and we'll all be happy." Lin's bouncy attitude brought a smile back to her friend's face and the two once again looked towards the television screen.

Around nine that night, Isis' parents had gone out with some old friends and the two girls sat lost in their separate books. At some point Lin rose and went to grab the book from the hearth. She frowned when she realized it was locked shut. She looked around the room to see if she spotted the key, Isis would not want to be disturbed while reading. Something on the bookshelf caught her eye. The oddly shaped metal key had been given a new job as a bookend apparently. Lin gently pulled the key away and breathed a sigh of relief when the books stayed upright. Setting the key in place she turned it clockwise until she heard a definitive click. Pulling the book open to the first page her eyes roamed over the hieroglyphics before her. Her gaze grew distant and she looked as she had when staring up at the mummy in the museum. Her eyes were not even on the page any longer but she somehow knew what to say.

"Amun-Ra Amun Dei

Yatuhai Yatuhai Yatuhai!"

Isis' head snapped up in attention as the lights of the house flickered and her friend's words continued.

"Lin, no you must not read from the book!" She shook the other girl violently. Lin's eyes drew focused once more as her voice died away. She stared up at Isis.

"What the Hell just happened?" Isis was paler than a ghost as she replied.

"Oh nothing, you just read from the Book of the Dead and called a mummy back to life." Lin frowned, her greens eyes skeptical.

"Even if I did read from the book of the dead, no real mummy ever had the Hum Dai placed upon it right?" This calmed Isis slightly.

"I hope you're right, for all our sakes." The two stared at the black book in a daze for a few moments. Lin flipped it closed and pushed it away from herself. Isis turned on the TV.

"Let's watch the parade. It'll get our minds off of this." Lin nodded in agreement, and both found a seat on the sofa. Floats were rolling down the streets of the city throwing beads and cheap gifts. They weren't expecting what happened just minutes after they began watching.

A reporter stood amongst the crowd speaking until a scream distracted the camera man. The crowd of parade goers was running in a panicked stampede. After them an inhuman figure walked down the street. Beetles scuttled along noisily. The poor news crew didn't have a chance as the lethal scarabs attacked them. Lin and Isis were already in the car and headed towards the parade route.

"Whoever found the canopic jars would be in Egypt right?" Lin asked in a shaky voice.

"No, that's why the exhibit is touring in the U.S. first; it was discovered by an American team. They travel with the exhibit." Isis corrected. Lin let out a long string of expletives as her foot came down harder on the gas pedal.