Chapter Four
Larry tells me to stay in his security office so he can lock up and change, and leaves. This time, he doesn't lock the door. My eyes find the keys he left on his desk, and an idea hits me. An awful idea, but a good one, too. I grab the keys and his big black flashlight, tucking the keys into my palm and creeping from the office. I don't see him. I walk down the hallway quickly and back into the main hall. I climb the main stairs, passing exhibits that regard me with varying levels of interest. I'm trying to retrace my steps from earlier in the evening. I almost walk past the secluded hallway, but I stop myself before I can walk by. It seems darker than before. I click on the flashlight, allowing the beam to sweep the hallway before I walk down it. There are so many keys on this ring, how do I know what the right one is? Oh. They're labelled. I see some labelled Mayans, Lions, and Front Doors before I find what I believe is the correct one: Ahk. That's what Larry said they called him, right?
I slip the key into the gate, turning it until it clicks.
I pull the gates open with a creak. Just then, a loud metallic clang sounds right in front of my face. I'm so shocked that I drop the flashlight, which rolls further into the exhibit. I take several deep breaths to calm my racing heart. I'm okay. I have no idea what that was! I tentatively swipe the air in front of me, and my palm connects with a metal pole. That's all. Hm. Do poles come to life, too? I'll have to make this quick. The flashlight has illuminated a pillar covered in glyphs, again something along the lines of eternal time and the moon's sacred light. I pick it up, only realizing my hands are shaking once the beam starts wavering. I sweep it up the walls, illuminating the hieroglyphs that are all over the walls and pillars. The room is pitch dark and as silent as a tomb, despite my erratic breathing and pounding heart. I can see that the metal spear is connected to the stone hand of a twenty foot statue, frozen in place. Creepy. Did that thing come to life and try to stab me? At this point, I wouldn't be surprised. The flashlight glares off of something in the back of the tomb. It's a golden square. Could it be the tablet? I walk towards it, my flashlight still quivering. I'm kind of scared. Beneath the tablet is the sarcophagus. But it's open. What am I about to see? A decomposed mummy? Chills creep up my spine.
"Is it time, already?" a voice asks.
I gasp. I point my beam towards a man emerging from behind a pillar towards the back of the room. He looks normal enough, except for the outfit he's wearing. A golden crown typical of lower Egypt adorns his head, with jewelry and beads covering his neck and waist, and a golden robe that sweeps the floor. His stomach is uncovered, revealing the tan skin beneath, and he has a floor length skirt complete with sandals. His eyes look tired and sad, nothing like the proud king I had envisioned. Still, this must be him.
"Larry, put that down. It's in my eyes."
I'm speechless. I can barely comply, lowering my flashlight to the floor. He blinks at me, before realizing that I'm not my uncle. Suddenly, his posture straightens, and his features gain a regal quality to them.
"I am Ahkmenrah. Fourth king of the fourth king, ruler of the land of my father's. Who are you?" his voice sounds a lot more menacing than it did before. He doesn't look like the sad man I saw just a few seconds ago.
My mouth can't even form a complete sentence. I should at least give him my full name, "Alexandria?"
"I'm sorry Alexandria, but you're going to have to leave. The museum is closed, and so is this exhibit."
He's rather cold. But what did I expect him to be? Not friendly, certainly. I want to ask him as many questions as I can, but he doesn't seem to be in the mood for an interview.
"Right. Should I go get Larry for you?"
"You know Larry Daley?" he asks, inquisitive.
"Um, yeah. He's my uncle."
"Why are you here?"
"Well, I flew in from Oregon this morning. I'm staying with Larry for a year before I end up having to do something with my life and-"
"No. What are you doing here? In this exhibit?"
"Oh." I can feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. Duh, you idiot.
"I, uh, I wanted to see you."
"You wanted to see me?" he repeats, tilting his head ever so slightly to the right.
"Yeah I guess I just wanted to see a pharaoh but I saw you so now I guess I'll be going."
I'm starting to ramble and I know it. I need to get out of here before this can become more awkward.
"What's going on in here?"
I turn to find Larry standing in the doorway, casting me a disapproving glare.
"I was informing Alexandria that this exhibit is closed, and that she should leave." the pharaoh murmurs, his impassive eyes boring holes into mine.
"Alex? You stole my keys?"
My blush is now burning hot. This is awkward. That's my cue. I look at the Egyptian man one more time before turning away, walking out of the exhibit quickly. Larry takes his flashlight and keys as I pass. I hide right by the exit, with the hopes of hearing their conversation. I can.
"She's your niece, then?" the pharaoh asks.
"Yeah. Visiting me for a while."
"A year, she mentioned. She's rather odd."
"Not usually. I think you threw her off her game."
"Oh?" Ahkmenrah sounds accusatory, almost daring Larry to tell him that it was his fault for making me look like an idiot. It is his fault, though.
"Nothing." Larry mumbles.
Ahkmenrah is kind of a jerk. What's his deal? Did his feelings get taken out of him along with his organs? I check the time on my phone again, it's one thirty. I'm quite tired. Their voices bring me back to the present again.
"Will you be bringing her tomorrow?" Ahkmenrah asks.
"Ah, maybe. If she wants to come."
"Bring her. She wants to know more about me, I think. A small tour of sorts would make me feel better."
"If that's what you want, then sure. She'd love to come. She wants to be an Egyptologist, you know."
"Oh?"
Ahkmenrah confuses me. The things he says completely contradict his tone of voice.
"Well, are you going to be okay? I have to go, but I'll have Teddy come get you to wrap you up."
Wrap him up?
I can hear the apprehension in the pharaoh's voice, "That's alright. Good morning."
"Good morning." Larry replies.
I hear Larry's footsteps come towards me. I hope he's not upset with me. Larry exits the exhibit, pulling the metal gate shut but leaving it unlocked, before he looks at me.
"Why were you in there?"
"Curiosity?"
He starts walking, not waiting to see if I'm going to follow. I do anyways.
"Of all the exhibits, you had to pick the one that was locked?"
"I'm sorry, Larry, I just wanted to see a real pharaoh-"
"It didn't live up to your expectations, did it?"
"I-" his question is so spot-on I have to pause, "well, uh, no. Not really. I was expecting-"
"Someone a little less depressed?" Larry says.
"Well, yeah."
Larry heaves a sigh, "Ever since he came back from the British museum, he's been listless. Not wanting to run tours, not wanting to interact with anyone. He holes himself up in the exhibit and doesn't say a word all night until I come back to wrap him up. I'm worried about him."
Suddenly all of those pieces of evidence click together. That email from the British museum, that woman wanting a tour… The pharaoh was different before I got here. Why couldn't I have come before this?
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. The museum curator is upset because Ahk not being a part of the night time stuff is really hurting our visitor income. But I'm just worried about his well-being."
"Why would he be upset? Why did he even go to the British museum in the first place?"
"We went to the British museum to… to explore."
Larry's a terrible liar, but I'll let it slide. I have a feeling he's not really supposed to be telling me this, anyways.
"He ended up being reunited with his parents, so we decided to let him stay for a while even though the museum transfer wasn't official by any means. I told him that, but he didn't seem to understand. Ever since he got shipped back, he's been unresponsive. You're actually the first person he hasn't sicced his jackals on, except for me."
"Jackals?" I echo.
"You didn't see them? They're twenty foot tall stone statues. His guardians."
"Oh, those. Well, I almost got impaled, but then they froze. Why do you think that is?"
"Not a clue. He wants you to come back tomorrow night, though. Perhaps to teach you a lesson." he chuckles.
"I don't want to come back if he's going to be mean."
"Nah, he won't be. You're the first person he's interacted with in a positive way in quite a while."
"That's what you consider positive?"
He casts me a sidelong glance, "It's a good first step. What did you say to him, anyways?"
"Nothing that didn't make me sound like a blubbering idiot. I blinded him with your flashlight?"
"Well, that's bound to make a good first impression."
We step out into the warm summer air. Even in the wee hours of the morning, the air is slightly humid and warm. We make the walk back to the apartment in silence. Only in the elevator does he speak.
"Did you like it?" he asks.
"Yeah, I did. It was cool. I'm excited for tomorrow night."
"Me, too. I'm interested in what Ahk is going to do."
"Hm."
We enter the apartment, where Nick is laying on the couch, watching a crime show.
"How was it?" he asks, without looking up.
"Fun. I'm tired, though."
"Go to bed, then. We can talk tomorrow."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Larry and I make our way down the hall, he wishes me a goodnight before he steps into his room. I get ready for bed and crawl under the covers. As per usual, sleep doesn't come. Mom has always said I'm nocturnal, because my body refuses to sleep during the night. I had to take a heavy sleeping pill before bed each night, but I didn't bring any with me this trip. Crap. No matter how tired my body seems to be, I don't fall asleep until sunrise. Ever. I'm not even going to try.
I grab my phone from the nightstand. Might as well practice my Arabic. I've been learning to speak Arabic and read hieroglyphs, and I alternate every night. Tonight, it's Arabic. I have a little language app that teaches me things, and I'm already on the twenty sixth level of thirty. I would call myself fluent enough to converse with a commoner, but I want to be able to speak with an Egyptologist, and I want to be able to translate documents. Four more levels to go. I'm all right with hieroglyphs, but practice makes perfect. Maybe, if Ahkmenrah is in the mood tomorrow, he can teach me some more Arabic, too. I'll bet he will be surprised that I know it. Maybe I can redeem myself.
The hours fly by, I get to level twenty seven, and the city starts to come alive at six. Finally, I start to get tired. I shut my phone off and lean back against the pillows, allowing sleep to claim me.
hello! sorry it's been so long, I've been crazy busy. I'll try to update more frequently! so... what do we think of Ahk? he's kinda a jerk, huh? maybe he'll be better once he realizes how awesome Alex is. just saying. ;P also, thank you thank you to my newest friends, hayhay196, ChoKyumiCassie, SummerMistedDragon, bluekat1997, scowgirl2000, avatarange, Selene Isis Morgan, Transformers' BABY, Ben's Niece, GraceQuinn11, PhoenixTears589, and BeckyBoo12221! thank you so much for favoriting and following, your support means the world to me! please remember to review, favorite, and follow (and check out my other story "Rose as Red as Blood"!). see you next chapter lovelies XOXO