Hi you guys! I'm sorry it's been so long. Hang in there with me, I have one more week of real school and then a week of exams . . . then I'm done for the summer! (Then I get to start driver's ed!!) Thanks so much to all my reviewers. Reading all the reviews just floats my boat. I have a question though, which if anybody could answer in their next review, it would be much appreciated. How do you put italics in your writing when using the HTML format? I can put italics in on my word program, but when I transfer the story to my document manager all the italics get taken out and it's normal print. Can anyone help me? Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. If I did, I would be a rich movie director named Stephen Sommers.
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Chapter Four: Glimmers of Understanding
Evy stretched on her bed and yawned. She kept her eyes tightly closed, trying to will herself back into sleep. But the sun was shining on her eyes, and sounds of the city began to slowly but surely force her to wake up. She sat up, yawned again, and looked over to her balcony. Rick was standing there, his back to her, feet spread apart and hands clasped behind him. Evy grinned as she gazed at him. He had easily and unconsciously slipped into his role as bodyguard, instinctively watching for any signs of danger.
She softly walked over to him and touched his shoulder. "Good morning, Rick," she said. "Do you see anything interesting?"
Rick smiled down at her. "Not until you woke up," he replied. "You're the best sight around here, for sure."
Evy blushed, and looked at him with a glance that conveyed her thanks. "Yes, well, Rick, I think we should start trying to discover why we're here. This is almost like a dream come true for me, you know . . . to actually be in Ancient Egypt! I'm sure I could discover some things that would really impress the Bembridge Scholars . . . but anyway, that's not the point. We can't stay here forever."
"I know, Evy," Rick nodded. "I miss Alex so much - and I even miss Jonathan a little," he grinned. "We need to find out how to go home. Have you ever read of anything like this in your research?"
"No," Evy admitted. "I really don't know. Time travel is not discussed in any of the books I have read. I didn't even realize that the Ancient Egyptians were aware of the concept of time travel."
Rick let out his breath. "Great. So what do you think we should do?"
Evy shrugged. "Maybe if we found someone we could trust, we could ask them about it. The problem is, who can we establish a trust with as quickly as possible?"
"Well, we know it won't be Imhotep or Anck-su-namun," Rick muttered. "Speaking of which, I want you to be really careful. Those two are still around, and we already know how dangerous they are. Promise me you won't go anywhere alone, without me . . . Evy? Are you okay?"
Evy was staring off into space, and breathing rapidly. She had been startled when Rick mentioned Imhotep and Anck, and she had suddenly understood something. If everyone - Seti, Imhotep, and Anck - was still around, that meant the fateful night of Seti's murder had not yet occurred . . . and perhaps could be prevented.
"Rick?" she said, looking up at him with big, thunder-struck eyes. "I think I know why we're here."
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"Evy? What is it?" Rick asked in concern. She looked like she had just discovered that the world was really flat after all. He gently gripped her arms, and bent down so his face was level with hers. "Why do you think we're here?"
"Imhotep and Anck-su-namun haven't murdered Seti yet," she said. "So maybe . . . maybe . . . we can keep them from ever doing it at all. We can stop it all from happening."
Rick pulled away, stunned by her words. Of course . . . of course. It was so simple, so logical, so brilliant, that only Evy would ever realize what they could do.
Change the history of the world . . .
Rick closed his eyes as the impact of what would change hit him. Pharaoh Seti would never be murdered. Anck-su-namun wouldn't commit suicide, driving Imhotep to attempt to raise her from the dead. The Med-jai would not be forced to perform the Hom-dai on Imhotep, forever making a monster . . .
And all the horror and dread and fear of Hamunaptra and Ahm-shere would never have to happen. All the deaths . . . the Americans, the native diggers, the Med-jai . . . even Beni, the curator of the British Museum, and Lock-nah.
But what if Anck and Imhotep simply murdered Seti another night? Would Anck still kill herself, and would Imhotep still be the recipient of the Hom-dai?
If none of that did happen, what effect would it have on Evy and Rick? Would they even meet each other, let alone get married? If Imhotep had never been changed into the undead, their destinies couldn't still be intertwined. Could they?
Rick took in a deep breath, and looked into Evy's eyes. "We have a lot to talk about."
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The story's starting to pick up now! I love, love, love reviews! And if you can help me with my question, please review and tell me!
Till the next update . . . ; )
