Chapter 3 - Return
No matter how much you're shattered, there's always something to break. This is the dark underworld where Imhotep's pieces were being drained by Shezmu – God of execution and blood, from an unspeakable appearance. Seldom, Osiris used to came to Imhotep to give his once priest a small relief.
-Great Osiris… please… have mercy on your servant…
-Your destiny is forlorn and you must live it until it's undone. – answered Osiris in compassion.
-Oh, please brother… - Interrupted Seth with a monstrous yawn. Seth was the God of Chaos and although sometimes he was useful he usually was a trouble maker. – Give him a break!
Seth had long red hair and a tricky pair of green eyes that sometimes turned red.
-He is reaping the despair he sow. - Said Osiris
-Still worried about harvests…
-What do you want now Seth? – Osiris didn't have much patience with Seth after the murder.
-Oh… - Seth's eyes glowed in red – Nothing besides giving a father the chance to meet his lost child… - he removed some teeth from a skull
-Imhotep will not come back again, under any circumstances. – Osiris said and disappeared.
-Oh really? – Seth smiled and threw the skull away.
As years passed Angelica and Helena's friendship became stronger. They wore a best friend yin-yang necklace. Angelica kept the yin half and Helena the yang half. In 90s a best friend necklace is a must have.
When Helena was 14 her parents died in a car crash. She was the only survivor and had to live with an aunt she hated to escape the foster parent system. She kept touch with Angelica. One year after Angelica's mother, Sarah, got terribly ill.
-I knew we'd be separated, but I expected… - Sarah coughed
-Mother, don't leave me - Angelica still had hope her mother would improve.
-Oh dear… God gives nothing to us… he only lends…
After Sarah's death her husband, Carlos, started to drink and he became extremely aggressive. To avoid him Angelica got a job at a dinner. She intended to go to the same college as Helena so they'd be roommates. Helena was looking for apartments with a cheap rent. She wanted to leave her aunt's house the sooner possible. An evening, Angelica got home to found her father completely drunk. After a small argument he started to beat her. He shouted several times that she wasn't his daughter. Hardly, she escaped to call Helena.
-Pack your things, I'm on the way. – Helena got her aunt's car and went to Angelica's house. Carlos was sleeping. She took Angelica to the doctor and them to her aunt's. Helena's aunt thought Angelica was going to spend one weekend in there as usual and didn't care. Actually she spent more than just a weekend but that made no difference since they did the housework.
Angelica and Helena decided they were going to get an apartment soon. On Angelica's 18th birthday her father called her and even tried to see her but she continued to ignore him. In that afternoon she and Helena were walking downtown when they passed in front of the museum…
-Look, there's an exposition about the Secrets of Egypt! Let's see!
-Okay Lena, but I think most of things are fake…
From all things, one called their attention the most. It was a small box with many Egyptian symbols painted on it. There was no description written. They were making theories of what it could be when a man with gray hair and beard approached them.
-May I help you?
-Oh we… what is this box? –asked Helena
-That's a good question… we're uncertain about that… Would you like to see it closer? – with a key he started to open the glass protection containing it.
-I don't think…
-Come on Angie, it's not every day you may see things close…
-Would you like to open it, miss?- Asked the man
-Well… No harm ever came from opening an old box, right? –Said Angelica as she opened it…
When the top was off a huge hurricane sucked them inside it. The man just kept the small box in his pocket, turned into an Ibis and flew away. He was Thoth.
Colin Whemple was the youngest archaeologist on field. His flaw was thinking he was the expedition chief and start to read and investigate things before calling Mr. Crawford first. He was doing that now, with a black book and the best preserved mummy he had ever seen. He started to translate and read some words from the book.
-Do you want to live again? – Seth asked to Imhotep.
-No. If I'm going to suffer, I'd rather suffer in here. –Imhotep answered.
Seth then showed him how Anck su namun was. Alive and living with another man. To Imhotep that was the exact moment when heartbreak turns into hate.
-Don't you want revenge? – asked Seth, pleased with his pain.
-I don't have any powers left.
-I will give you powers
-you don't keep them, they're with the Great Anubis.
-I said I'll give you them, ungrateful thing!
Osiris arrived. He didn't want Imhotep to come back, but not even he could avoid destiny.
-Leave him alone Seth. – Osiris turned to Imhotep - My priest. In this return, you'll have the option to do both good and evil. If you bring chaos again, your soul will be lost forever. Remember this. - Osiris whispered and allowed Imhotep to leave.
Whemple couldn't believe he had brought a dead man to life. He was terrified and still fascinated.
-Serve me or die. –Imhotep said, grabbing Whemple's neck.
-My master - he answered as he knelt.
Imhotep was living again, but yet he was powerless. Fearing the Medjai he decided to hide until his blood filled his flesh completely again. That would take time, even years, but at least he had someone to help him. He wasn't going back to the underworld. Not this time.
Anck su namun never understood why she couldn't find Imhotep.
The O'Connellls were really happy with their lives. Now Alex and Lin were engaged and anxious to marry. Johnathan was trying his life in South-America and Rick and Evelyn imagined their mission as parents was finishing. But it wasn't.
In one night Evelyn dreamed about the judgement, the gods and the child. She remembered everything although she didn't believe it completely. She had a vision she was Nefertiri again and that the Mirror of Ra would lead her to her lost child, who had just came back to her world. She wanted to return to Egypt immediately.
-Evie, are you listening to yourself? – Rick thought that story unbelievable
-Rick, I know how this sounds but… can we just check? This is important to me.
-Alright. Let's go. – "The things I do for love" he thought
And they headed to Cairo.
Anck su namun felt her daughter had returned too. She dreamed about her and knew she was close. She was going to found her and they'd be reunited again. Finally her will to live returned to her heart. She laughed to herself. Crawford got inside the room. He had returned from a long summer in England. A storm was beginning.
-Meela… we need to talk.
-You're back! – Anck su namun was glad to see him. She didn't love him as deeply as Imhotep but Crawford was dear to her.
-There's no good manner to say that… I loved you for almost 18 years but since some time I'm unhappy. I met someone on England and I think we should go separate ways… I want the divorce, Meela.
Out of the darkness, hands grabbed Crawford's head and turned it, breaking his neck. He felt dead on the floor. Anck su namun screamed his name. She reached her dagger and asked who was there. Only a thunderclap answered. Then, Imhotep emerged from shadows. His face regenerated but yet fragile, with more lines than before, his hair was buzzed and he was dressing a black overcoat.
-Imhotep, you have returned! – She said gladly and surprised.
-From the ashes and hate. – Said him as he grabbed her neck and pulled her next to him.
-I'm sorry I… - She started to suffocate
-I only asked you a moment of help after suffering an eternity for you!
-Please… don't kill me…
-Why not?
-because… we have a daughter
-Lie! It is his!
-No, it's from you… that's why I left you… I was afraid…
He let her go and she felt on the floor, holding her neck.
She told him everything. He didn't believe she was his child but he agreed to help Anck su namun to find her. As soon as she buried Crawford they would seek the Mirror of Ra.
-If she isn't my daughter I will kill you both. – Imhotep said as he vanished into thin air. Literally.
When Angelica and Helena woke up they were in a completely different place. Was that some kind of historical festival going on? Everything was old-fashioned and they were calling attention with their jeans and colorful clothing.
-Where the hell are we!? – Asked Angelica.
-You ask me? We were victims of some wicked witchcraft! We're on PAST! – Helena screamed.
-Calm down! Sure there's a better explanation. Hey kid, can I have a newspaper? –Angelica bought a newspaper from a boy. It dated 1951 – The Egypt Gazette.
– OH MY GOD! LOOK AT THIS HELENA!
-Hey lady, this bill is counterfeited! Give back my newspaper! –cried the boy, taking the newspaper from her motionless hands.
-This can't be happening! Look, there's a restaurant in there, let's ask for help. –Said Helena.
As they entered the restaurant they met an old lady at the balcony.
-Excuse me miss, we need help. – Helena said. She and Angelica we're shivering.
-Oh you came for the help sign! Yes, I need waitresses. Can you begin now? – She said loudly. She seemed to have some audition problem.
-Oh no. WE need help. We're LOST and ROOFLESS –Angelica said loud.
-Oh, I see… I have a good suite I can rent for you, cheap! follow me… -The woman answered happily.
-No! we…
-Do you also need singers? My friend sings well and plays too! – Helena interrupted Angelica.
-That's what we were looking for Angie… A place with cheap rent!
-But Helena, we're lost! Without money! And…
-Exactly! I know it's pretty crazy but do you have any better ideas than a job and a place? Let's just see it!
-Alright. Let's go. "The things I do for friends" – She thought.