Chapter 6
Layla POV
The dawn was approaching. My clothes were mostly dry along with everyone else. Evy walked with her arms crossed overto cover herself. when Mr. O'Connell noticed her being uncomfortable he offered her his coat that he had wore earlier before boarding the barge.
"Thank you" she replied, giving Jonathan a look as to why he didn't offer his. He shrugged and continued to walk. The fat guard found us at the city and I groaned in frustration. The one problem I had with this trip so far is this pig face man.
Not far was a town opening their marketplace. Evy and I went to find a tent whom would offer us new clothing. Jonathan and O'Connell were to get means of travel and the pig face guard was to retrieve us food for the journey.
" I think you should wear the black. It will look so beautiful." I suggest as she's looking for coverings. "Plus…it will cover you better." I added as I looked at the red.
The women urged me to consider the light blue one to go with my blue eyes, tanned skin and black hair, but I thought I would stand out like a sore thumb, so I took consideration to the purple one which she agreed was a better choice for the journey ahead.
As I was finished dressing I found on my pile of old clothes my blade holder…but no blade.
"No." I whispered. I left my dagger on the barge.
I took a breath and pulled myself together, even though it hurts to lose a piece of Ardeth.
" Layla, are you ready?" Evy asked and looked at me for approval. I smile and nod, seeing she is beautiful in her new clothes.
When Evy and I stepped outside, I saw Jonathan arguing with a man about purchasing camels I couldn't help but laugh. Even in the middle of the desert he's trying to keep his money. O'Connell insisted Jonathan pay the man.
They both walked our way and O'Connell stopped when O'Connell couldn't help but admire Evy.
" Well well, look at you dearie. You're just a beauty." Jonathan praised me.I giggled and blushed.
" Oh stop Jonathan!" Giving him one good smack in the arm before we all climbed on our camels.
I patted the animal and whispered him a silent prayer for safe travels, then we were off on our journey.
O'Connell lead the way with Evy and I behind him and Jonathan and the guard behind us. We moved through the hot desert for hours. Through sand storms and throughout the dark night. Evy began to dose as we were close to the city. She leaned over to her left where O'Connell was. Luckily, He used his hand to balance her back on the camel.
" Not much of a sleeper?" I asked, moving to the left of him.
" Got no time to waste. What about you?" He asked.
I shook my head. " It's hard to sleep on a camel. Plus…I have a lot on my mind."
" Having second thoughts?" He countered.
I shook my head no and replied " No, just hate knowing the fact I betrayed someone close to me."
He nodded and agreed. " Don't worry, the first time is always the hardest, but when you do it a couple of times it gets easier."
My problem… is that I won't want to betray anyone, especially not Papa.
" Wake everyone up. We are almost there." He said, but it was almost like he wasn't asking me, but warning me. He wasn't even looking at me, but more into the distance. I gazed over the horizon and noticed several men in black watching over us.
MEDJAI
I woke up Evy, who still struggled to wake up but finally opened her eyes and nodded that she was awake. I look behind me and see Jonathan wack the guard with the stick used to guide the camels. I couldn't help but laugh when the guard woke and mumbled.
Ardeth POV
Looking down at the travelers, The leader was one I recognize. He was spared by my men several years back after a war placed in Hamunaptra. He was the only one to survive his fleet.
"This one is strong." I mumbled.
Upon looking at the travelers, I observed two women. One dressed in black and the other in purple. I must tell my men to be careful with them when we attack. This should just be a warning, not a full attack.
Layla POV
The sun was just peaking from the horizon when we were greeted by the americans.
" Good morining my friend." the skinny man from the other night greeted us, but it was more of a grimace.
" What the heck are we doing here?" one of the americans asked in frustration.
" Patience…Hey O'Connell, Nice camel."
O'Connell patted his animal with respect and the camel smiled.
" Get ready for it." He told us, but Evy looked puzzled.
" For what?" She asked.
He pointed to the horizon ahead of us. " We're about to be shown the way."
Slowly as the sun rose, little shadows danced the sky. I almost thought it was a mirage. My mind playing tricks on my site, but slowly the city became focused.
" Here we go again." O'Connell whispered before I heard the sound of grunts, whips and shouting.
Apparently there was a race to the city. I wanted nothing to do with it. Looking ahead I watched the weasel try to cheat O'Connell by smacking him with the guide stick , but O'Connell pulled the device away from him and pulled him off his horse. The race was all Evy's as she was the first to cross the city lines.
"Woohoo! GO EVY!" Jonathan cheered.
I could hear Evy's sounds of joy from back here, almost in the back of the crowd.
I saw the group waiting for me and I proceeded to the city. As my camel crossed the path into Hamunaptra, my vision clouded and a sharp pain rushed my head. I groaned and leaned over my animal. Flashes and pictures invaded my head. Pictures of the past with ancient priests and sacrifice, and Medjai! Murdering Medjai!
I gasped and shot up from my hunched position as my vision returned to Hamunaptra and my three worried friends.
" Are you alright?" Eva asked, and the throbbing pain subsided.
" I think so." I said, breathing in slowly.
" You should rest. You haven't slept at all through our journey. We will set up camp and you can relax." O'Connell offered and I accepted greatly. Perhaps the desert is getting to my senses. Rest is definitely needed.
Two hours later, I feel much better, with no pain returning to my head as I got up and saw Evy cleaning ancient mirrors. I saw one across from Jonathan that could use tending to.
" How do you fare, Layla?" Eva asked.
" Better . Mr. O'connell was right… much needed rest." I said, but I still can't shake the feeling that it wasn't due to the lack of rest.
She smiled and nodded as I walked to the opposite mirror.
" Jonathan, you're supposed to catch the sun with that."
Eva and O'Connell shared a moment when he handed her an archeological tool kit. Very sweet of him.
" Move missy. I'm gonna be rich! Look for bugs! I hate bugs!" the guard pushed me out of his way towards O'Connell as he climbs down into the underground levels of Anubis statue.
Next down was Evy, Then Jonathan, and the guard pushed me out of the way.
I looked back out through the city where the Americans enforced their workers to build their camp. In the distance I can see the line of men in black are still observing us. That burn in my head begins to come back, but I ignore it and take my turn down into the statue.
We walked through several tunnels until we found the legs of Anubis. We looked around for possible openings when we heard a noise coming from behind the statue. O'Connell informed us to go against the stone. He pulled a revolver and pulled the clip back arming the gun. In a quick thrust, we revealed ourselves to the men who made their entrance who also had their rifles on us.
The Americans.
I sighed in relief.
" Scared the bejesus out of us O'Connell." The attractive american told us.
" Likewise"
The men were bickering back and forth about whom were to dig here, when I noticed Evy kick several rocks down a crack in the ground. There were more levels below us. We can dig up and sneak it from beneath them.
Evy looked my way and nodded.
" Lets be nice, Children. If we are going to play together we must learn to share." Evy told the men.
" There are other places to dig." I added, hoping to convince him to leave them.
Evy placed her hand on his shoulder and she squeezed it.
Somehow, O'Connell agreed and lowered his guns.
We backtracked till we found a lower level. Evy was looking at the hyrogliphics and found that where we stood was right beneath the statue.
" We should come right up between his legs." Evy said as she joined us in digging the ceiling.
We continued to dig for a little while, and we took a water break. Evy was explaining about how mummification was performed.
" So let me get this straight, they rip out your guts and stick them in jars?" Rick asked, and Evy explained more of what was done.
" You know how they took out your brains? They would shove a sharp red hot poker, stick it up your nose, scramble things about and then rip it all out through your nostrils."
Rick made a painful expression. "Jeez, thats gotta hurt."
" It's mummification…you will be dead when they do this."
I shook my head and moved towards Jonathan just as he was going to hit another rock. He thrusted a little too hard and swung the digging tool deep into the ceiling, and something crashed to the floor shocking all of us. We all moved closer and examined the large box.
"My god….it's a sarcophagus." Evy gasped.
We all looked up at the empty hole where it had laid.
"Buried at the base of Anubis." I whispered.
My head began to hurt again, but I did my best to ignore it.
We gathered all of our digging equipment and began to dust off the remains of sand and rock.
" So who is it?" Jonathan asked
I looked over the writing on the coffin and my body shook. " He that…shall not be named." I whispered.
Rick blew over the sand that eve missed and revealed a weird shaped metal.
"This looks like some sort of lock."
Jonathan rose his shoulders and shrugged . " Well, whomever was in here sure wasn't getting out."
" It will take a month to crack this thing without a key." O'Connell added and I nodded.
" Good, let's leave him in there." I motioned but I can see Evy developing a plan.
" A Key. Thats what he was talking about. The man with the hook. On the barge. He was looking for a key." She explained and twisted the puzzle box and placed it on the identical metal on the coffin.
A scream shook through our caves and the group rushed to find the source. I took two steps before my vision became blurred again, only this time I was shook to the ground. This time I bought flashes of men chanting, Medjai rushing the minion priests and their leader whom appeared to be inside the sarcophagus. The scream in the vision brought me back to the vision of the cave and the coffin where more screams echoed then stopped. I rushed to find Evy and Jonathan and when I did I found on the ground the body of the warden. Dead.
Once again, I do not own any rights to the movie or it's actors, but I simply love the story and making character additions. Please review and Follow/Favorite so you can be informed of the next chapter! Thanks guys! Hope everyone has a great new year! Till next time- LisaBGreen
