Sunlight streamed through open window, casting its golden rays upon the waking Katrina's face. She muttered and rolled away, a pillow moved to block the rude light. The clock dial showed 7:35am, and the alarm sounded shrill. Its call echoed through the small apartment, rousing its animal residents while those humanoid grumbled and turned over. One slender hand flew over, slamming down on the snooze button and the annoying beep stilled.
Five minutes later the shrill call sounded once more, and Katrina rose into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes with one hand and turning the alarm off. She stumbled into the shower, tripping over the sleek feline that wove its frame between her legs.
Twenty minutes later, she made her way to the kitchen, her stride no longer plagued by pesky felines. Upon entering, she was greeted with a smile from her roommate, who was standing over the kitchen sink, cigarette held in one hand. Katrina smiled, then shook her head. "I thought I told you to quit."
"It's not that easy."
"Yeah it is Mel, give me the smokes." She held out her hand to the roommate.
"No." Mel backed away, clutching at the cigarettes. Katrina sighed, went to the sink and grabbed the other's hand. After a brief struggle, she managed to take the cigarettes from Mel, and quickly dropped them into the sink, turning on the faucet in the process. She then turned and shoved Mel in the direction of the bathroom, and grabbed a cup of coffee.
Choosing to ignore the dirty glare shot at her, she threw the soggy cigarettes into the trash and made her way into the living room. Settling on the couch, she turned the T.V. on. Headlines flashed across the screen, CNN anchors talked about the most recent tragedies and happenings. One of the headlines caught Kat's attention, being more out of the ordinary of the usual. Turning the volume up, she listened to the anchor.
Mel walked out, toweling off shoulder length auburn hair. Glancing at the screen, she grabbed a mug off the counter and made her way to Katrina's side. "Hmph, finally something semi interesting is going on." She said, gazing at the screen. Kat simply nodded, watching the T.V studiously. Images flashed of a dust covered trunk, and people spoke into the camera. Few words registered in Katrina's mind, and those that did seemed to fit into her confrontation the night before, which she assumed was a dream. Strange symbols and runes adorned the trunk, lined in silver and gold, as well as some unknown metals. The camera panned to the curator of the museum, who said that until the box and its content were classified, it would stay in the museum's care for study.
Mel glanced at Katrina, who was leaning forwards, coffee cup clasped in bloodless hands. "Kat? You ok?" Mel inquired, concern flecking her emerald eyes. Katrina made no move at the question, as if in some other world. The T.V once again shot the box, being carried into the museum under heavy guard. The image shifted back to the anchor, who moved onto another story. Katrina sat back, as if just awaking from a dream. What the hell? She thought, placing her mug on the table beside the couch. Shaking her head, clearing her mind, she turned to Mel, as if only noticing her for the first time. Mel gazed back at her, terribly concerned about her friend.
"Kat? You ok?"
"Yeah .. just .. it's weird." She shook her head again.
"I know, did you see some of those symbols? I couldn't read any, could you?"
"No .. not entirely, though I have a feeling I may know what they say."
"You do?"
"Unfortunately." Katrina blinked, then focused her eyes on Mel. "Do you think you could get me into the back? I want to look at that trunk, and whatever is inside." Mel nodded, taken aback by the other's serious tone.
"Yeah, if you don't mind breaking in that is."
"I don't care, I just need to see something."
Mel nodded, watching as Kat rose and walked into her bedroom. The cat jumped up onto the couch, pawing at the towel still in Mel's hand. Absently stroking the feline, she gazed after Kat, pondering her strange behavior.
~ oOo ~
Melanie waited inside the museum, dusting random artifacts. It was just after the displays closed, and most of the archeologists and other scientists had left for the day. Mel had used the excuse that she had some studying to do, which she did, but never intended on doing it. The keys lay on a hook just inches out of her reach, and her fingers itched to take them off the hook.
A soft rapping on the side door caught her attention, and she ran towards it. Swinging it open, a soaked Katrina stumbled in, staring out behind her with horror. Mel slammed closed the door and bolted it, turning to see Kat sink to the ground, shaking visibly. "Kat, what happened?" she asked, concerned about her friend's condition. She sunk into a kneeling position beside the other, hand placed on one drenched shoulder.
Katrina shuddered, then stood, ignoring the inquiry into her strange manner. "Is it in the back?" Melanie nodded quickly, and went to fetch the keys. Kat turned to face the storm outside, startled yet not surprised to see cold, reptilian orbs of glowing yellow peering in one of the windows. She turned away, and went to Mel, following the other into the storage and study area of the museum.
Past dusty boxes and old relics they walked, until they reached an area with many warnings about it. Mel inserted a key, and with a quick twist of her hand, the door swung open, creaking and groaning at the movements. Katrina and Mel cringed at the sound, turning to expect flashlights shining upon them.
Their eyes only met a stale darkness, and both hastened inside the room. It's contents where mostly study equipment, a sarcophagus lay half opened in a corner. Boxes lined walls, piled on top of each other unceremoniously, contents spilled out onto the floor. Another two doors led off from this room, one left open and showing it's use as a storage and filing facility. The other lay closed, and tight at that. Mel handed the keys to Katrina, who walked towards this second door, Mel heading to the first.
Trying many of the keys, finally one clicked and the door opened, louder on un-oiled hinges than the first. The old wood even groaned at the movements, sounding through the room and beyond. Mel came out of the other room, following Katrina into the darker. In her hand was a flashlight, which she held aloof while handing another to Kat. The lights panned around the room, searching for a switch.
One of the flashlights fell on a large trunk, covered in sheets, tossed carelessly in a dark corner. Breath caught in her throat, Katrina advanced on the half hidden object, Mel just behind her. The lights panned over it once more, then separated, one towards the door and the other held aloof over the trunk. Katrina knelt beside it, pushing away the sheets and other things it was buried beneath. Mel leaned over one shoulder, watching as Katrina attempted to open it.
"Locked, damn it"
"Should I go back and look for a key or something?"
"No, I might be able to pick it."
"Hope so. I saw this really freaky looking dude outside the window. Scared the crap out of me when I looked up."
"What did he look like?"
"Not even sure it was a he. All I saw was these yellowish eyes."
"Fuck, this isn't good."
"Why? What's going on?"
"Just let me get this thing open and I'll tell you"
Slender fingers ran over the small, simple lock which had not been opened for centuries beyond count. After a few brief moments of examining it, she pulled a small paper clip from her pocket, twisting the wire into a straight rod. Inserting the crude implement into the lock, she twisted part of the wire, bringing her hand away from the lock. Then she turned the wire, and the lock clicked in release. Yet she felt a slight stinging sensation just as the lock was opened, and in her finger was a tiny, almost invisible golden needle. She wheeled, and would have fallen but for Melanie standing behind her.
She fell back, a numbing sensation creeping up her forearm. She kicked at the trunk, and it sprung open with a billowing cloud of dust. Coughing and gagging, she managed to sit up, removing the needle while doing so. Melanie watched her, concerned at the seriousness of the seemingly futile injury.
Katrina rose into a kneel, gazing into the trunk. One hand waved the dust away, and reached inside the trunk. Fingers shifted over many things, finally grasping one, she lifted it out and fell back. In her hands was a dusty old tome, aged beyond years. Pieces of parchment crumbled at the slightest touch, yellowed in age and stiff from lack of use.
Katrina's hands slid over the leather bindings, moving backwards. Melanie settled on the filthy floor beside her friend, curiosity shining in hazel eyes. The other shakily drew the front cover away from parchment, before thought dawned on her.
"Hey Mel ... Could you get me some paper and a pen?" Mel blinked, awaiting the other to explain. "For what?" She inquired with a sigh when Katrina did not reveal her idea. "I'm gonna copy everything... 'cause this book will be dust by the time I finish reading it."
"Good idea" Katrina never looked up when Mel scurried away, nor when the other female returned with a thick stack of paper and numerous writing utensils. Taking them without a word, Katrina set about copying the pages from the tome, each page crumbling away when she turned the page. Melanie bent over the trunk, removing its contents for Katrina to view after. Removing another volume from the trunk, Melanie also set about copying its contents.
Hours passed; neither moved from their studious task. Masses of paper were soon filed with writing, double sided. Thunder sounded outside, shaking the building. Katrina looked up in irritation as her precariously placed flashlight rolled aside.
Melanie looked up, pushing leather bindings away. Six volumes lay, crumbled to dust beneath the girls' light touches. Katrina sighed, gazing listlessly over the stacks of paper, piled into piles according to their volumes. Flickering over to the trunk, closed and with the remaining contents laying atop it, Katrina crawled over to it.
"Kat, I think we should haul ass out of here while we're ahead." Melanie uttered softly, standing at the doorway. Her eyes flicked between the watch around one wrist, Katrina and the storeroom on the other side of the doorway. Katrina growled, replacing artifacts back into the trunk. Retrieving the lock, she deftly replaced it, gathered the stacks of paper and followed Melanie towards the front of the building.
Five minutes later the shrill call sounded once more, and Katrina rose into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes with one hand and turning the alarm off. She stumbled into the shower, tripping over the sleek feline that wove its frame between her legs.
Twenty minutes later, she made her way to the kitchen, her stride no longer plagued by pesky felines. Upon entering, she was greeted with a smile from her roommate, who was standing over the kitchen sink, cigarette held in one hand. Katrina smiled, then shook her head. "I thought I told you to quit."
"It's not that easy."
"Yeah it is Mel, give me the smokes." She held out her hand to the roommate.
"No." Mel backed away, clutching at the cigarettes. Katrina sighed, went to the sink and grabbed the other's hand. After a brief struggle, she managed to take the cigarettes from Mel, and quickly dropped them into the sink, turning on the faucet in the process. She then turned and shoved Mel in the direction of the bathroom, and grabbed a cup of coffee.
Choosing to ignore the dirty glare shot at her, she threw the soggy cigarettes into the trash and made her way into the living room. Settling on the couch, she turned the T.V. on. Headlines flashed across the screen, CNN anchors talked about the most recent tragedies and happenings. One of the headlines caught Kat's attention, being more out of the ordinary of the usual. Turning the volume up, she listened to the anchor.
Mel walked out, toweling off shoulder length auburn hair. Glancing at the screen, she grabbed a mug off the counter and made her way to Katrina's side. "Hmph, finally something semi interesting is going on." She said, gazing at the screen. Kat simply nodded, watching the T.V studiously. Images flashed of a dust covered trunk, and people spoke into the camera. Few words registered in Katrina's mind, and those that did seemed to fit into her confrontation the night before, which she assumed was a dream. Strange symbols and runes adorned the trunk, lined in silver and gold, as well as some unknown metals. The camera panned to the curator of the museum, who said that until the box and its content were classified, it would stay in the museum's care for study.
Mel glanced at Katrina, who was leaning forwards, coffee cup clasped in bloodless hands. "Kat? You ok?" Mel inquired, concern flecking her emerald eyes. Katrina made no move at the question, as if in some other world. The T.V once again shot the box, being carried into the museum under heavy guard. The image shifted back to the anchor, who moved onto another story. Katrina sat back, as if just awaking from a dream. What the hell? She thought, placing her mug on the table beside the couch. Shaking her head, clearing her mind, she turned to Mel, as if only noticing her for the first time. Mel gazed back at her, terribly concerned about her friend.
"Kat? You ok?"
"Yeah .. just .. it's weird." She shook her head again.
"I know, did you see some of those symbols? I couldn't read any, could you?"
"No .. not entirely, though I have a feeling I may know what they say."
"You do?"
"Unfortunately." Katrina blinked, then focused her eyes on Mel. "Do you think you could get me into the back? I want to look at that trunk, and whatever is inside." Mel nodded, taken aback by the other's serious tone.
"Yeah, if you don't mind breaking in that is."
"I don't care, I just need to see something."
Mel nodded, watching as Kat rose and walked into her bedroom. The cat jumped up onto the couch, pawing at the towel still in Mel's hand. Absently stroking the feline, she gazed after Kat, pondering her strange behavior.
~ oOo ~
Melanie waited inside the museum, dusting random artifacts. It was just after the displays closed, and most of the archeologists and other scientists had left for the day. Mel had used the excuse that she had some studying to do, which she did, but never intended on doing it. The keys lay on a hook just inches out of her reach, and her fingers itched to take them off the hook.
A soft rapping on the side door caught her attention, and she ran towards it. Swinging it open, a soaked Katrina stumbled in, staring out behind her with horror. Mel slammed closed the door and bolted it, turning to see Kat sink to the ground, shaking visibly. "Kat, what happened?" she asked, concerned about her friend's condition. She sunk into a kneeling position beside the other, hand placed on one drenched shoulder.
Katrina shuddered, then stood, ignoring the inquiry into her strange manner. "Is it in the back?" Melanie nodded quickly, and went to fetch the keys. Kat turned to face the storm outside, startled yet not surprised to see cold, reptilian orbs of glowing yellow peering in one of the windows. She turned away, and went to Mel, following the other into the storage and study area of the museum.
Past dusty boxes and old relics they walked, until they reached an area with many warnings about it. Mel inserted a key, and with a quick twist of her hand, the door swung open, creaking and groaning at the movements. Katrina and Mel cringed at the sound, turning to expect flashlights shining upon them.
Their eyes only met a stale darkness, and both hastened inside the room. It's contents where mostly study equipment, a sarcophagus lay half opened in a corner. Boxes lined walls, piled on top of each other unceremoniously, contents spilled out onto the floor. Another two doors led off from this room, one left open and showing it's use as a storage and filing facility. The other lay closed, and tight at that. Mel handed the keys to Katrina, who walked towards this second door, Mel heading to the first.
Trying many of the keys, finally one clicked and the door opened, louder on un-oiled hinges than the first. The old wood even groaned at the movements, sounding through the room and beyond. Mel came out of the other room, following Katrina into the darker. In her hand was a flashlight, which she held aloof while handing another to Kat. The lights panned around the room, searching for a switch.
One of the flashlights fell on a large trunk, covered in sheets, tossed carelessly in a dark corner. Breath caught in her throat, Katrina advanced on the half hidden object, Mel just behind her. The lights panned over it once more, then separated, one towards the door and the other held aloof over the trunk. Katrina knelt beside it, pushing away the sheets and other things it was buried beneath. Mel leaned over one shoulder, watching as Katrina attempted to open it.
"Locked, damn it"
"Should I go back and look for a key or something?"
"No, I might be able to pick it."
"Hope so. I saw this really freaky looking dude outside the window. Scared the crap out of me when I looked up."
"What did he look like?"
"Not even sure it was a he. All I saw was these yellowish eyes."
"Fuck, this isn't good."
"Why? What's going on?"
"Just let me get this thing open and I'll tell you"
Slender fingers ran over the small, simple lock which had not been opened for centuries beyond count. After a few brief moments of examining it, she pulled a small paper clip from her pocket, twisting the wire into a straight rod. Inserting the crude implement into the lock, she twisted part of the wire, bringing her hand away from the lock. Then she turned the wire, and the lock clicked in release. Yet she felt a slight stinging sensation just as the lock was opened, and in her finger was a tiny, almost invisible golden needle. She wheeled, and would have fallen but for Melanie standing behind her.
She fell back, a numbing sensation creeping up her forearm. She kicked at the trunk, and it sprung open with a billowing cloud of dust. Coughing and gagging, she managed to sit up, removing the needle while doing so. Melanie watched her, concerned at the seriousness of the seemingly futile injury.
Katrina rose into a kneel, gazing into the trunk. One hand waved the dust away, and reached inside the trunk. Fingers shifted over many things, finally grasping one, she lifted it out and fell back. In her hands was a dusty old tome, aged beyond years. Pieces of parchment crumbled at the slightest touch, yellowed in age and stiff from lack of use.
Katrina's hands slid over the leather bindings, moving backwards. Melanie settled on the filthy floor beside her friend, curiosity shining in hazel eyes. The other shakily drew the front cover away from parchment, before thought dawned on her.
"Hey Mel ... Could you get me some paper and a pen?" Mel blinked, awaiting the other to explain. "For what?" She inquired with a sigh when Katrina did not reveal her idea. "I'm gonna copy everything... 'cause this book will be dust by the time I finish reading it."
"Good idea" Katrina never looked up when Mel scurried away, nor when the other female returned with a thick stack of paper and numerous writing utensils. Taking them without a word, Katrina set about copying the pages from the tome, each page crumbling away when she turned the page. Melanie bent over the trunk, removing its contents for Katrina to view after. Removing another volume from the trunk, Melanie also set about copying its contents.
Hours passed; neither moved from their studious task. Masses of paper were soon filed with writing, double sided. Thunder sounded outside, shaking the building. Katrina looked up in irritation as her precariously placed flashlight rolled aside.
Melanie looked up, pushing leather bindings away. Six volumes lay, crumbled to dust beneath the girls' light touches. Katrina sighed, gazing listlessly over the stacks of paper, piled into piles according to their volumes. Flickering over to the trunk, closed and with the remaining contents laying atop it, Katrina crawled over to it.
"Kat, I think we should haul ass out of here while we're ahead." Melanie uttered softly, standing at the doorway. Her eyes flicked between the watch around one wrist, Katrina and the storeroom on the other side of the doorway. Katrina growled, replacing artifacts back into the trunk. Retrieving the lock, she deftly replaced it, gathered the stacks of paper and followed Melanie towards the front of the building.