C12: Death comes on swift wings
Aida's eyes flickered open. She'd passed out again and every time she woke up, she felt even worse. She was slowly being driven mad, ever since the sun had risen.
Keeping to their words, Imhotep and his men had ridden out on camels and left her, tied up just behind the ruins of Karnak. Some of them had even waved at her, Alex calling out that he'd come back. She'd been so full of hope, but when the first rays of the sun had hit her, she knew she was in trouble. She knew she would not survive the day.
She had tried desperately in vain to tug herself free, taking a break every now and again, but after two hours, she knew it was fruitless. Her wrists and ankles were bruised and beginning to burn with the strength she used and not only did the pegs not shift, but the rope would not break.
After three hours, she had stopped screaming and crying out for help. No one was there. No one could hear her, and no one was coming. Only her tears gave her some relief when the heat set in.
She had begun to feel weak and her skin was stinging. The wine had dehydrated her quicker and her hunger had gone. Her stomach was in tight knots and the wine just made her feel nauseous. There was a vile taste in her mouth and her tongue scratched at the roof of her mouth like sandpaper.
She grew weaker as her skin began to burn, the sticky red wine attracting more than the rays of the sun. It had attracted ants and insects and she had writhed about the place, desperate to get them off, but all that got her was her sore skin scratching at the sand. She'd felt every little bite and sting, but when she grew tired, she became numb. Everything hurt so the pain mingled. She had to concede that Meela and Lock-Nah had been especially creative with her punishment.
Somewhere around midday, when the sun was at its hottest, she'd lost the will to fight. She lay there, sweating and in pain, hoping and praying…for death to come. She became confused and dizzy and then, the hallucinations set in.
She began to hear voices.
"Mama! Mama, please, where are you!"
She shut her eyes tight.
"What's this one called?" Amina pointed to a picture and giggled when her mother used her fingers to 'creepy crawl' across the page.
"That, my dear, is a black widow spider," her fingers skittered and tapped across the page, "beautiful, but deadly!"
"And," Amina turned the page and pointed to another picture, "what's this?"
"Oh," she made her hand into straight and wiggled about the place, "is a snake. Specifically, a python. They like to squeeze their prey to death. Like this!"
Amina laughed and yelled as her mother squeezed and kissed her face.
"Mama!"
Her eyes flickered open.
"Amina," her voice was hoarse but she still said her daughter's name, "I'm sorry."
"Aida?!"
"Auntie Aida!"
Her chest began to tighten as her eyes fluttered shut again.
She was sitting on the grass, watching Alex and Amina run around the garden, chasing one another. Another beautiful Sunday picnic in the summer sunshine. Rick and Jonathan were squabbling as they cooked meat outside, Rick demanding they do it 'the American way'. Evy was sat next to Aida, eating sausage rolls and laughing as Alex ran after Amina with a full bucket of water.
"Aida, do you think we should help?" Evy enquired but slouched back as she finished eating.
"I mean, I'll get wet when someone trips and accidentally gets it over us," she dusted off the crumbs from her hands and covered her eyes as she looked at the sky, "do you think it will ever rain?"
"We're in Britain, of course, it'll rain. Never stays hot for too long."
"Auntie Aida, come on!" Alex called out, running away from Amina know as she had the upper hand and a wet frog she'd fished out from the pond.
"On my way," she laughed and held out her hand for Evy, "come on you and me!"
Her eyes flickered open again and she cried out softly as a small wave of pain washed over her. Something had stung her at her wrists, her sore, swollen skin so sensitive.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry I couldn't protect anyone!"
"Aida!"
"A-Ardeth?"
Her eyes shut once more, and she finally felt ready to sleep again.
Aida rolled her hips once more and with a loud cry, Ardeth came undone beneath her. Exhausted, hot, and wanting to stay near him, she collapsed forward and rolled to the side. He automatically pulled her close to him and held her.
"I need…some water," she gasped, breathlessly, but giggled at the wave of pleasure that had rendered her a mess.
"There is some in the other room. I will return."
She kept her eyes closed when he slipped out from beneath her and went to fetch the water. She felt only utter bliss, but her thirst was growing.
"Ardeth," she called out and stretched against the soft sheets, "Ardeth, I love you. Ardeth?"
Her eyes opened and she found she was quite alone in her hotel room.
"A-Ardeth?!" She sat up and looked around. He was gone.
But where?!
She looked to the open window where the sun had risen and was coming in. It was so bright. Blinding.
"AIDA!"
Her eyes shot open. Above her, a shadow flew past. It made a squawking sound, and she knew she wasn't dead.
'Oh God, vultures?! But…that voice.'
"Aida?!"
For a moment, her heart jumped.
"Ardeth?" She croaked out and listened.
Her name came again, this time from a different mouth.
"Aida, Alex? Where are you?!"
She did hear them! She knew those voices!
"I'm here!" Ignoring the pain and the dryness, she managed to raise her voice loud enough to scream, "I'M HERE!"
She kept screaming, tears of relief streaming down her face, and suddenly, a familiar figure came out of nowhere, bounding towards her.
Rick skidded and fell to his knees beside her.
"I got you. SHE'S HERE!" He called out and then looked back down at her, holding her face tenderly, "Aida, it's us! It's alright, you're safe now! BAY! SHE'S HERE!"
Rick pulled out his switchblade and began to saw through the ropes at her wrists. A few moments later, Ardeth came into view.
"I'm here!" She sobbed, unable to stop herself, even after she'd been found, "I'm…I'm here!"
"Aida, look at me!" Ardeth switched his attention to holding her face and trying to get her to talk as Rick swiftly untied her.
But even when the rope was cut away and her wrists and ankles were severed, she was unable to move. Everything ached. She could only sob.
"She's hysterical," Rick put away his knife and looked over her damaged body, "attacked, dehydrated and left out in the sun. Quick, move her into the shade."
Ardeth tried to be gentle as he picked her up and began to carry her, but although he was strong and kept her steady, she still cried out as her pain swept through her.
She didn't know where they put her, but it was cooler and Rick placed his jacket down below her so they could settle her. Jonathan came whizzing up after hearing the cries and yells and gasped when he saw the state she was in.
"Oh, sweetheart," he immediately helped lower her to the floor, allowing her to use his lap as a pillow, "Oh my god, what have they done to you?"
Aida began to shake all over.
"It's alright, shh, it's alright now. Ardeth, hand me that bag."
Between them, they each pulled out what was necessary to help and got her drinking water, bathing her sore, hot skin. She guzzled greedily but had to stop to let herself breathe, her nose blocked because of her crying. Whilst the water washing over her brought relief, it still stung.
In the distance, she heard Evy call for Rick and he hurried away, leaving the other two with her.
"They took him," she opened her eyes and looked at Jonathan, feeling only guilt, "They took Alex! I couldn't stop them!"
"I'm sure you tried your hardest," Jonathan tried to soothe her the best he could, but it was fruitless, "Aida, we're going to move you and treat you. Can you stand?"
She shook her head.
"I can't…I can't move! Everything hurts!"
"Aida," Ardeth said and she tilted her head to look at him, his eyes full of concern, "we're going to get you out of here. Rest for now. Rest."
Feeling safe and knowing that he would look after her, Aida cried and cried, but allowed herself to finally fall asleep.