Cairo, Egypt – 3 years later
This wasn't exactly the dream job Anna Rendell had in mind.
Well, really, she could be stuck in some factory sewing till her fingers bled or taking care of someone's bratty children or ironing out someone's linens; but still, when she had decided to come to Cairo, this wasn't the job she had had in mind.
Cairo had always been so full of life from what she remembered of it. Streets filled with people selling clothes, jewelry, food farms or freshly cooked food made right on the cart, tapestries with all kinds of colorful designs, and sometimes the occasional monkey that would dance to the tune the owner would play.
But that's not what made Cairo so incredibly interesting. The history that was within the city and around it within the desert had fascinated Anna since she was a little girl.
She had believed that coming to this city, being so close to the incredible discoveries that were being made, that maybe she could be a part of some amazing discovery as well. That someday, she herself, after days spent reading hieroglyphics and digging within the ancient ruins, that she could uncover some unknown Pharaoh or a long-lost city. The news would travel far and wide, scholars would beg for her to be a part of their next project, to help find the next lost treasure, plead with her to join their museum, offer loads of money for her to simply speak at a conference of some sort, to have her name printed in all the papers and held as the next great scholar.
Instead, however, she was locked within the walls of the city documenting the books people had finally returned.
Being a librarian wasn't exactly the exciting "adventurous" job Anna had wanted, but it had its' perks.
There were hundreds of books at her disposal for one. The job was always dully slow, so she had more than enough time to scan the books, learn as much as she could to ready herself for a better future…if it ever came.
It paid well too, which was nice and she did live in the city she loved so much.
But still, even with perks, it was sometimes hard to enjoy it.
Anna tapped the end of her pen on the desk, reading over the list of books for the hundredth time.
She knew they were all there, she just didn't feel like leaving the comfort of the small fan, or climbing the ladder to put them all back.
With a sigh, she leaned back, already regretting her decision.
"Well you lot," Anna said with a small smile as she scooped the books into her hands, "let's put you back where you belong."
It was a slow task. It would be faster with another set of hands but seeing as she was always the only one here, she didn't have a choice.
It was the same motion: check the title, move the ladder, climb the ladder, place the book on the shelf, come back down and start again. Sadly, it probably would be the most exciting part of her day.
"Looks like we will be in the S's today." Anna said, walking to the designated shelf and shifting the ladder ever so slightly along the bookcase. "Let's see, Sacred Rituals. You'll be right uppppppp here." She moved up a few steps, then gently placed the book in its' place. "Now, Sacred Stones. Oh, it's about time they returned you." The ladder creaked as she shifted ever so slightly to place the book in its' home. She continued down the list:
"Sculpture and Aesthetics, don't think I've read you yet…Or maybe I did. Either way, I'll be reading you soon.
"Socrates, I've read you too many times.
"Seth volumes one, two andddddd three." Anna said with a grin, "Good to have you three back. And T—" She paused, re-reading the title. "Tuthmosis? How did you end up over here?"
Anna looked behind her, where the other T's rested on the dark stained shelves. Her shoulder's fell.
She really did not feel like having to move the ladder, or having to climb back up once it was time. Any other slow day, maybe, but it was near the end of the day. The motion had become tiring and she just wanted to be done.
"Alright, you're not that far are you?" She said, judging the distance, "Let's see if we can make it this time."
Placing the remaining books on a free space on the bookcase, she turned herself sideways and took a deep breath.
"Ok, this time, you're going to make it."
Tongue sticking out in concentration, she stretched out her arm and began to lean towards the opposite shelf. Leaning as far as she could, she knew she wasn't close enough so, she repositioned her hand to give her just a bit more length. Inch by inch she let her hand gripping the ladder ease off just a bit, letting her get closer and closer to the shelf.
"Almost…got it." Anna murmured, leaning just a bit further, the book almost brushing the shelf.
"ANNA!"
With a startled yelp, she dropped the book and returned to the ladder. Gripping the dark wood as tightly as possible and avoiding the scrutinizing eyes she could feel staring at her from below.
"Please tell me you were not trying to reach the other shelf…again."
Anna giggled nervously, "What? After the last time? Of course not Kai, what do you take me for?"
Even though she couldn't see him, she knew he was shaking his head.
She had tried this before, numerous times, but the last time had ended in complete disaster. The ladder had come off the case completely, and Anna instinctively leaned back into it to put it back right. But that had been the wrong move. The ladder had slammed into the case, sending it falling and causing a domino effect around the entire library.
It had taken Anna nearly a week, with no sleep, to set the bookcases back up, check the books for damages, reorganize the books and place them back on the shelves.
Kai sighed, "Anna."
Anna bit her lip, looking down to the plumb man at the bottom of the ladder. She winced a bit at the annoyed look on his face, "Ok, so if I said I was—"
"Sons of the Pharaohs, Anna!" Kai exclaimed, "Did you not learn your lesson the last time?"
Anna grabbed the rest of the books, slowly making her way down the ladder, "Of course I did."
"No, I don't think you did, seeing as I just saw you trying to pull the same stunt again."
Anna hugged the books to her chest, looking at Kai's shoes nervously.
He really needed to polish them.
"Anna," Kai sighed and this time Anna looked up, "I know you inherited your Father's stubbornness but you know better."
Anna had to bite back a smile, "Mom always said he was as stubborn as a mule."
"And she was quite right too." Kai chuckled.
Anna giggled, then bit her lip, "I'm sorry Kai. I know I shouldn't have but…I just…the walls close in sometimes and it gets so dead and quiet in here I just need something exciting."
"I don't think knocking over hundreds of books over is exactly exciting Anna."
"Ok, no, that part isn't, but the risk of pushing them over is kind of exciting."
"Oh good lord," Kai rubbed his forehead, "you are your Father's child."
"Mama said that a lot."
Kai chuckled, "And she spoke the truth." Kai looked up, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know you want adventure as much as your parents. But, right now you are a librarian and librarians do not take risks. Especially with expensive and old books. Ok?"
Anna nodded her head, "Sorry Kai."
Kai smiled, "It's ok. Just next time, if you want excitement, go explore the museum or see how well you've gotten down hieroglyphics and try and translate the ruins. But don't risk the books, please."
With a sigh, Anna nodded once more. "I'll try." She murmured.
Kai snickered, "What am I going to do with you?"
"Help me find the adventure I've been looking for all my life?"
"Or keep to your parent's wishes and watch after you."
"While also helping me find adventure?"
"And make sure you get a good education and learn as much as possible-"
"And helping me find adventure?"
"While making sure you are well on your feet and able to provide for yourself." Anna raised her brow, "Alright yes, and help you find adventure." Anna smiled, "But I still have an honor to keep to your parents and, rest their souls, I must follow it."
"You've done a pretty great job so far." She said looping her arm through his, resting her head on his shoulder "I think they would be most proud of your efforts at keeping me somewhat manageable."
"Proud, amazed and probably give me a raise and a month's long vacation." Kai laughed at Anna's glare, "Alright, finish shelving the books and you can leave after. Go get an early start to the weekend."
Anna perked up, "You're the best Kai!"
"I try my best."
The rest of the books didn't take long, thankfully. The sun was just beginning to set when Anna turned the lamp off at her desk.
She made for the back door when a sound echoed across the library.
Anna looked to the doorway leading to the museum.
Odd, Kai had left an hour ago to go to the market. No one should be in the museum.
"Hello?" Anna called, taking a step to the doorway. If someone had wondered into the museum, then she would have to make sure they found a way out. She didn't want to but, if Kai was gone she had no choice.
The sound came again, a soft shuffling as though someone was dragging their feet across the floor.
Anna sighed, closing her eyes. She just wanted to get home and rest, but it seemed someone else had a different plan.
Anna walked briskly to the doorway, heading down the hallway as she called "If anyone is here, the museum is currently closed. We should be open again in an hour when the curator returns."
There was silence as she peered into the museum. The torches were still lit along the walls, setting the mood for the earie room. It was something Kai had come up with, to try and make the room spookier. Honestly, the room was already spooky enough with so many mummies on display either in their coffins they were found in or in glass boxes, propped up so visitors could get a full view of the aged body. Among the coffins were several artifacts that had been found with the said bodies on display; gold boat figurines, cat statues, some even their jars with their removed body parts. One recovered pharaoh had a large carved statue of Anubis within his tomb, which now sat promptly in the middle of the room.
Kai had nailed the atmosphere perfectly since Anna had sudden chills go down her spine. She looked around, spotting no one within the room.
The sun lowering made the room darker than normal, even with the torches still lit. Needing just a bit more light, Anna pulled one of the nearby torches out of its' hold.
"Hello?" Anna called once more, walking cautiously. She didn't know why; it wasn't like any of the mummies had come to life and were coming to get her. Just something told her to walk as quietly and carefully as possible, which was hard enough as it was with how clumsy she was.
Nothing but the crackle of the torches filled the room as Anna made her way past the rows of artifacts.
Slowly she eased her way into the room, peering down each row of artifacts.
"Abdul?" Anna called out.
"Mohammed?"
Anna gulped, "Bob?"
There was another sound from across the room and Anna jumped. Biting her lip to hold back a potential scream, she eased her way towards the noise, leading her to an old open coffin.
She looked around once more, eased her way to the coffin. With a deep breath, she reached her hand out and prepared to peek inside when the mummy shot up.
"BAHHHHH!"
Anna screamed, jumping and nearly dropping the torch as the mummy sat straight up in his coffin.
As she tried to catch her breath, she heard familiar laughter. Turning back to the tomb, she clutched her chest and glared as she watched her brother sit up with another loud cackle.
"Sven!" Anna cried over his laughter, "Do you have no respect for the dead?"
Sven looked at her, smirking as he pushed his hair back. "Of course I do!" He said, placing the mummy back down in its resting back. "But sometimes, I'd rather like to join them."
"You almost did with that stunt Sven."
"Oh please," Sven chuckled, hopping out of the coffin. "You wouldn't hurt your dear old brother would you?"
"I would if it meant he would stop terrorizing me."
"Oh poppycock. You're exaggerating."
"Am I?" Anna deadpanned, eyeing the mummy.
"What? That?" Sven shrugged, "Wasn't even my best work really."
Anna rolled her eyes, "What do you want Sven?"
Sven placed his hand on his heart, "Now sweet baby sister, do you only think I visit you because I want something?"
"Yes."
"I am hurt."
"Look, I have lots to do and I'm not in the mood." Anna sighed, placing the torch on a nearby holder. "My application to go out for some field experience has just been denied. Which is stupid because they said I don't 'have enough experience in the field'. Saying that it's great that I've gone to school and have all this knowledge on the subject, but they're not sure it would reflect on the field. So they recommended I get some field experience first and have my skills put to the test first before applying to them. Which makes no bloody sense because then how do they expect me to get damn field experience if they won't accept me to get some." Anna sat with a huff, leaning her head back against a nearby glass display. "I'm going to be stuck in this museum for the rest of my life it seems."
"Alright, first off, language." Anna huffed a laugh, looking to her brother. Sven winked, "And second," He knelt, grabbing her hands and squeezing them gently. "You'll always have me, old mum."
Anna looked at him. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"Did it work?"
"Not really no."
"Well, damn."
Anna bit her lip, trying to hold back her laugh as her brother chuckled and sat beside her.
"If that didn't cheer you up then maaaaybe," Sven turned to his pockets. "This will."
"Oh Sven," Anna said, shaking her head, "not another one of your trinkets."
Sven, though as smart as Anna knew he was, did not do well in college. He found it quite boring, he had told her, and it just didn't suit him. She didn't blame him; Sven never was meant to venture to college as she had. He was always meant to explore the world and see what it held.
And Cairo was no exception.
Every day he would roam the city; searching for anything that looked ancient or interesting for Anna to look at. Sometimes, he was lucky to hitch along on digs, or would simply sneak onto the site and grab the first thing he could find. Then there were the card games that he would easily bet his life savings on just to get his hand on anything that looked ancient.
Most of the time, if not every time, they had been nothing but fake 'ancient gold relicts' or a shiny stone tied to string that was sworn to be some 'ancient protector' when really it was nothing but a piece of stone someone had painted and sold off to some fool of a tourist. Leaving Anna always disappointed, and Kai somewhat annoyed.
"If I have to take one more piece of junk to Kai to try and…" Anna blinked, hesitating as Sven held the object in front of her, "sell for you."
The object was dark, nearly black in color, in the shape of an octagon. The size of a grapefruit, the relic sat perfectly in her hand as the top and bottom were completely flat. The stone figure was covered in dark etched symbols along its sides that Anna immediately recognized as hieroglyphic.
Anna grabbed the stone object, carefully taking it from Sven's grasp. "Where did you get this?" she murmured.
"On a dig down in Thebes." Sven said, scratching his head with anxiousness.
"The one from three weeks ago?" Anna questioned as she slowly examined the relic.
"Yeah."
"And you're just bringing this up now?"
"Well, I wasn't sure because I didn't want to bring you another piece of junk, as you call them."
Anna peered at him from the corner of her eyes, feeling her lips tug up into a smirk. She turned back to the object, feeling the engravings and searching for something that might lead to what exactly this was. Looking closer at it, the top caught her eye. Eight small triangles encircled a small circle within the middle. The way they sat, the way they were engraved, there was no doubt that they opened. With how the sides were inches tall, there was a good chance that something may be hidden within it. A secret compartment within the object itself; or it was the purpose of the object in the first place.
Then there had to be a way to open it.
"Listen, Anna." Sven said, leaning closer, "The whole time we've been here I've never found anything." Anna felt something along the sides. A small circle that was raised on the side of the object. "Please tell me I found something."
Anna pressed the circle, and with a soft click the object reacted.
They both gasped.
The top opened, just as Anna had guessed, and inside sat a piece of folded parchment.
"Sven."
"Yeah?"
"I think you've found something."
