AN: Here's the next chapter. This one is a bit dark and angst-y. By the way, feel free to visit my homepage. There's a link to my Mummy fansite on it and to an RPG based on the second film. Check it out and please let me know if you want to join or have any questions. Enjoy and thank you for the reviews!
1923
The London rain pounded against the glass panes on the French-double- doors that led from Evelyn's room to her balcony. A wave of thunder rolled in the distance and awoke Evelyn from her not quite peaceful slumber. She had returned from Egypt mere hours ago via ship and rail. Her parents were to arrive home by morning. They were traveling on an airplane. Their hadn't been enough seats left on board on the tiny plane so the Carnahans' sent their precious twenty-two-year-old daughter ahead of them.
The Carnahans', along with family friend Sir Gaston Maspero and their daughter, had recently made a very startling discovery: the tomb of Tutankhamen. So much excitement had buzzed around the tomb's location, the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, that Evelyn and her parents needed a break from the madness. They had decided to return to England for a few weeks until things calmed down a bit and then continue their exploration of one of the most intact tombs in history.
Evelyn had also recently started seeing a young aspiring archaeologist named Daniel. The pair had attended college together and had become fast friends. Besides her parents and her brother, he was the only person she felt that she could trust with her life.
Evelyn had been thinking so much about her recent adventures lately that it was difficult for her to sleep at night. She would lie awake, pondering all of the wonderful things that were contained in that tomb. At this very moment, she was doing exactly that.
Evelyn suddenly felt uneasy. She got up and began to pace her room. Something was not quite right. She heard a strange howling sound coming from the ground floor. At first she didn't think much of it. She assumed that it was either one of the family's dogs, whining about the storm, or her brother waking up feeling the after effects of a long night on the town. However, she began to worry with each second that passed and decided to see what the problem was.
She carefully tiptoed out of her room and entered the hall. As she descended the stairwell she could see her brother on the telephone. He appeared to be very upset. Something is wrong, she thought as she quickened her pace, taking each stair a bit faster. Jonathan must have heard her coming because he turned to face her as she reached the last step.
The look on his face was full of despair. He had been crying, but had attempted to stop when she entered the hall. She wanted to cry just looking at him as he nodded his head and made quiet sounds, letting whoever was on the other end of the line know that he understood. Her heart sank as she took the few steps to where her brother was standing. He smiled at her weakly.
Evelyn carefully put her arms around her brother. She hadn't seen him cry since they were very young, and even then the occasion was sparse. She let go of him and took a seat on the chair next to the telephone stand. Jonathan spoke a few pleasantries to who ever was on the line, bid them farewell, and placed the phone on the cradle.
In the few moments she had been downstairs, Evelyn couldn't even conceive what was wrong. She kept thinking that this was a joke. Jonathan was trying to pull her leg or something. Then her brother turned to face her. His eyes were red and puffy from the tears which were yet again threatening to flow from his eyes.
She looked at him, concerned. "Jonathan, what is it? What's happened?" she asked. She didn't really want to know, but sooner or later she would have to find out.
"Evy..." he started. "There's been an accident..." At this he began to sob.
At that point, Evelyn knew. She just knew.
"Th... The plane Mum and Dad were on went down in the Egyptian Desert about ten minutes ago..." His voice was cracking and fluctuating.
Evelyn couldn't move. She just sat in the chair, staring at her brother. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't accept that her parents were gone. She suddenly burst from her chair and rain through the hallway. When she reached the foyer she burst out the front door and out into the rain.
"NO!" She screamed to the heavens above her, praying for her parents to come back. "No..." She fell to the ground, sobbing. The pouring rain had soaked her nightgown and she was shaking, not only from the cold, but from shock.
Jonathan came to her, lifted her soaking form from the lawn and carried her into the house.
One month later
The Carnahan home in Cairo was quiet. Evelyn sat at her father's desk working through some paperwork. She and her brother had come to Cairo to settle some things that their parents had left behind. Evelyn and Jonathan had gotten both the Carnahan's home, Highclere Castle, in London, and there mere four-bedroom flat in Cairo. Much to Jonathan's distaste, they hadn't left them much in the way of money. Most of their cash had been spent on funding digs and the like. They had also left most of their findings to the Cairo Museum, which enraged Jonathan even more.
Evelyn had taken a position as "Curator's Assistant", which was more like filing, shelving books, and translating, than actually assisting, at the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. She refused to return to England for the time being. There was too much nonsense about a "curse" and the tomb of Tutankhamen. Coincidentally, one of the family dogs died the same night as her parents and the entire world was in an uproar. People were also suspecting that her parents expected their deaths. They had their wills drawn up mere months before the accident, and they had sent their daughter to England by other means of travel to "save" her. As far as Evelyn was concerned, it was a load of you know what.
Evelyn and Jonathan hadn't seen each other much since the accident. The whole ordeal had become too much for him to deal with. For a while, Evelyn had thought that her brother would become an archaeologist like his parents. He began going on more digs and paying more attention to his future. At one point, he had even stopped drinking.
Evelyn was just beginning to see a growth in her brother and then It happened. He was rarely home anymore. He spent so much of his time floating from casbah to pub and back again that the field of archaeology had disowned him as a member. At one point, he had been recognized by the Bembridge Scholars, but he had drank away any future he had in receiving any rewards in Egyptology.
Evelyn's relationship with Daniel had ended abruptly after the accident as well. The two were still friends but Evelyn's new chores left little time for a relationship. She now felt as if she would end up an old maid, just as her brother had teased her about for years when she was a child
After finishing her paperwork, she retired to the parlor. She sat down on a sofa and let out a long sigh. It was nearly midnight now. Any minute now her brother would come barreling through the front door, smashed beyond reason. It was amazing how much things could change in just one month.
Sure enough, Jonathan came into the house, minutes after Evelyn had thought he would; only he wasn't drunk. He was actually quite sober. He plopped down on the sofa next to her grinning.
"'Ello, Old Mum," Jonathan stated. "Did you get that paperwork taken care of?"
"Yes," She answered.
"How did it go at the museum today?" he asked.
"Good, good. Have a good night?" Evelyn asked, astonished that her brother seemed coherent enough to walk straight and form a complete sentence.
"Actually I did," he answered. "I met a fascinating gentleman at the pub and I was so caught up in conversation with him that I didn't feel like drinking."
"Really? That's odd," Evelyn said coolly, "I thought everything made you feel like drinking."
"Not everything."
"Hmm." she said pondering if this really was her brother and not some imposter.
"Actually, I didn't drink tonight because I think we need to talk..." Jonathan said, calmly.
"About what?" she asked, though she had a pretty good idea what he meant.
"You know what I mean," Jonathan answered.
"Oh," Evelyn said quietly. "That."
"Only if you're up to it though, you know..." he said, concerned that she would be upset.
"Hmmm," she replied.
"So," Jonathan started.
"Well, Daniel and I-" She started, not wanting the conversation to move in his favor.
"No, Evy, that's not what I meant."
"I know," Evelyn said. "I know, Jonathan."
"Then why won't you talk to me about it?" he asked.
"Because I'm not sure where to start," she answered, casting her eyes to the floor.
"Are you afraid?" he asked.
"No, not really. Just," she paused, "still a little broken- hearted, that's all."
"Oh, for goodness sake, I'm not talking about bloody Daniel!" he shouted.
"Neither am I," she said, turning to look him in the eyes.
"Oh," he said, quietly, "sorry I shouted, then."
A moment of silence passed between them. Finally, Evelyn spoke. "Are you afraid?"
"No," he said, "I'm terrified... I'm just so confused. What do I do now? My parents are gone, I'm left here to take care of my sister, and I'm broke." He sighed. "I don't know what to do Evy."
"Don't worry. We'll get through this, or die trying," she teased.
"Hey," Jonathan said, "the jokes are my department, not yours."
"Sorry," Evelyn said. "I think you're rubbing off on me."
"Now, that's a scary thought," Jonathan said, a look of mock horror on his face.
"Isn't it?" she asked, with a laugh.
"So this is it then," he said. "Just you and me now, sis. Left to brave the world and grow old together."
"I don't know about 'together'."
"Face it Evy. Neither of us are the marring type. You're too smart and I'm too fickle," Jonathan stated.
"Oh, I suppose you're right," Evelyn replied. As much as she hated to admit it, he did have a point.
AN: That's all for now! Remember to keep the reviews coming! I have the next chapter already written so expect it within the next few days. I'll put it up sooner depending on how many reviews I get. Thanks for reading!
1923
The London rain pounded against the glass panes on the French-double- doors that led from Evelyn's room to her balcony. A wave of thunder rolled in the distance and awoke Evelyn from her not quite peaceful slumber. She had returned from Egypt mere hours ago via ship and rail. Her parents were to arrive home by morning. They were traveling on an airplane. Their hadn't been enough seats left on board on the tiny plane so the Carnahans' sent their precious twenty-two-year-old daughter ahead of them.
The Carnahans', along with family friend Sir Gaston Maspero and their daughter, had recently made a very startling discovery: the tomb of Tutankhamen. So much excitement had buzzed around the tomb's location, the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, that Evelyn and her parents needed a break from the madness. They had decided to return to England for a few weeks until things calmed down a bit and then continue their exploration of one of the most intact tombs in history.
Evelyn had also recently started seeing a young aspiring archaeologist named Daniel. The pair had attended college together and had become fast friends. Besides her parents and her brother, he was the only person she felt that she could trust with her life.
Evelyn had been thinking so much about her recent adventures lately that it was difficult for her to sleep at night. She would lie awake, pondering all of the wonderful things that were contained in that tomb. At this very moment, she was doing exactly that.
Evelyn suddenly felt uneasy. She got up and began to pace her room. Something was not quite right. She heard a strange howling sound coming from the ground floor. At first she didn't think much of it. She assumed that it was either one of the family's dogs, whining about the storm, or her brother waking up feeling the after effects of a long night on the town. However, she began to worry with each second that passed and decided to see what the problem was.
She carefully tiptoed out of her room and entered the hall. As she descended the stairwell she could see her brother on the telephone. He appeared to be very upset. Something is wrong, she thought as she quickened her pace, taking each stair a bit faster. Jonathan must have heard her coming because he turned to face her as she reached the last step.
The look on his face was full of despair. He had been crying, but had attempted to stop when she entered the hall. She wanted to cry just looking at him as he nodded his head and made quiet sounds, letting whoever was on the other end of the line know that he understood. Her heart sank as she took the few steps to where her brother was standing. He smiled at her weakly.
Evelyn carefully put her arms around her brother. She hadn't seen him cry since they were very young, and even then the occasion was sparse. She let go of him and took a seat on the chair next to the telephone stand. Jonathan spoke a few pleasantries to who ever was on the line, bid them farewell, and placed the phone on the cradle.
In the few moments she had been downstairs, Evelyn couldn't even conceive what was wrong. She kept thinking that this was a joke. Jonathan was trying to pull her leg or something. Then her brother turned to face her. His eyes were red and puffy from the tears which were yet again threatening to flow from his eyes.
She looked at him, concerned. "Jonathan, what is it? What's happened?" she asked. She didn't really want to know, but sooner or later she would have to find out.
"Evy..." he started. "There's been an accident..." At this he began to sob.
At that point, Evelyn knew. She just knew.
"Th... The plane Mum and Dad were on went down in the Egyptian Desert about ten minutes ago..." His voice was cracking and fluctuating.
Evelyn couldn't move. She just sat in the chair, staring at her brother. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't accept that her parents were gone. She suddenly burst from her chair and rain through the hallway. When she reached the foyer she burst out the front door and out into the rain.
"NO!" She screamed to the heavens above her, praying for her parents to come back. "No..." She fell to the ground, sobbing. The pouring rain had soaked her nightgown and she was shaking, not only from the cold, but from shock.
Jonathan came to her, lifted her soaking form from the lawn and carried her into the house.
One month later
The Carnahan home in Cairo was quiet. Evelyn sat at her father's desk working through some paperwork. She and her brother had come to Cairo to settle some things that their parents had left behind. Evelyn and Jonathan had gotten both the Carnahan's home, Highclere Castle, in London, and there mere four-bedroom flat in Cairo. Much to Jonathan's distaste, they hadn't left them much in the way of money. Most of their cash had been spent on funding digs and the like. They had also left most of their findings to the Cairo Museum, which enraged Jonathan even more.
Evelyn had taken a position as "Curator's Assistant", which was more like filing, shelving books, and translating, than actually assisting, at the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. She refused to return to England for the time being. There was too much nonsense about a "curse" and the tomb of Tutankhamen. Coincidentally, one of the family dogs died the same night as her parents and the entire world was in an uproar. People were also suspecting that her parents expected their deaths. They had their wills drawn up mere months before the accident, and they had sent their daughter to England by other means of travel to "save" her. As far as Evelyn was concerned, it was a load of you know what.
Evelyn and Jonathan hadn't seen each other much since the accident. The whole ordeal had become too much for him to deal with. For a while, Evelyn had thought that her brother would become an archaeologist like his parents. He began going on more digs and paying more attention to his future. At one point, he had even stopped drinking.
Evelyn was just beginning to see a growth in her brother and then It happened. He was rarely home anymore. He spent so much of his time floating from casbah to pub and back again that the field of archaeology had disowned him as a member. At one point, he had been recognized by the Bembridge Scholars, but he had drank away any future he had in receiving any rewards in Egyptology.
Evelyn's relationship with Daniel had ended abruptly after the accident as well. The two were still friends but Evelyn's new chores left little time for a relationship. She now felt as if she would end up an old maid, just as her brother had teased her about for years when she was a child
After finishing her paperwork, she retired to the parlor. She sat down on a sofa and let out a long sigh. It was nearly midnight now. Any minute now her brother would come barreling through the front door, smashed beyond reason. It was amazing how much things could change in just one month.
Sure enough, Jonathan came into the house, minutes after Evelyn had thought he would; only he wasn't drunk. He was actually quite sober. He plopped down on the sofa next to her grinning.
"'Ello, Old Mum," Jonathan stated. "Did you get that paperwork taken care of?"
"Yes," She answered.
"How did it go at the museum today?" he asked.
"Good, good. Have a good night?" Evelyn asked, astonished that her brother seemed coherent enough to walk straight and form a complete sentence.
"Actually I did," he answered. "I met a fascinating gentleman at the pub and I was so caught up in conversation with him that I didn't feel like drinking."
"Really? That's odd," Evelyn said coolly, "I thought everything made you feel like drinking."
"Not everything."
"Hmm." she said pondering if this really was her brother and not some imposter.
"Actually, I didn't drink tonight because I think we need to talk..." Jonathan said, calmly.
"About what?" she asked, though she had a pretty good idea what he meant.
"You know what I mean," Jonathan answered.
"Oh," Evelyn said quietly. "That."
"Only if you're up to it though, you know..." he said, concerned that she would be upset.
"Hmmm," she replied.
"So," Jonathan started.
"Well, Daniel and I-" She started, not wanting the conversation to move in his favor.
"No, Evy, that's not what I meant."
"I know," Evelyn said. "I know, Jonathan."
"Then why won't you talk to me about it?" he asked.
"Because I'm not sure where to start," she answered, casting her eyes to the floor.
"Are you afraid?" he asked.
"No, not really. Just," she paused, "still a little broken- hearted, that's all."
"Oh, for goodness sake, I'm not talking about bloody Daniel!" he shouted.
"Neither am I," she said, turning to look him in the eyes.
"Oh," he said, quietly, "sorry I shouted, then."
A moment of silence passed between them. Finally, Evelyn spoke. "Are you afraid?"
"No," he said, "I'm terrified... I'm just so confused. What do I do now? My parents are gone, I'm left here to take care of my sister, and I'm broke." He sighed. "I don't know what to do Evy."
"Don't worry. We'll get through this, or die trying," she teased.
"Hey," Jonathan said, "the jokes are my department, not yours."
"Sorry," Evelyn said. "I think you're rubbing off on me."
"Now, that's a scary thought," Jonathan said, a look of mock horror on his face.
"Isn't it?" she asked, with a laugh.
"So this is it then," he said. "Just you and me now, sis. Left to brave the world and grow old together."
"I don't know about 'together'."
"Face it Evy. Neither of us are the marring type. You're too smart and I'm too fickle," Jonathan stated.
"Oh, I suppose you're right," Evelyn replied. As much as she hated to admit it, he did have a point.
AN: That's all for now! Remember to keep the reviews coming! I have the next chapter already written so expect it within the next few days. I'll put it up sooner depending on how many reviews I get. Thanks for reading!