Alex came home from school one day with a thick library book entitled, 'Egyptian Myths: The Parts They Left Out'. He became immediately engrossed and his parents always found him lying on his bed, absorbing every word.

A few days later, the book finished, Alex went downstairs to talk to his mum. She was discussing with Rick about whether she should take a few days off her job as Head of the Department of Egyptology and Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum.

'I think you need the time off,' Rick said.

'Oh, I don't know,' Evie waved her hand dismissively, 'I don't think you really need a holiday if you like what you do. It's just that lately, I've been feeling a little run down.'

'Then let's go. I've heard there's a place called Australia. Alex's cousin said it's an excellent place and she used to live there. Oh, hey Alex.' Rick greeted his son when he noticed he was there. Evie twisted around in her seat.

'Oh, hello darling. Have you finished the book yet?'

'Yeah. I thought you might like to see this,' Alex said as he opened the book at the marked page and passed it to his mother who skimmed the words.

'Alex, this is the myth of Sekhmet's wrath. I've read this before.'

'Who?' asked Rick.

'Sekhmet. She's the lion-headed goddess of destruction and vengeance. It is said that the Egyptians turned away from Ra and the sky god grew angry and unleashed the Eye of Ra, who turned in Sekhmet. He sent her to destroy the disbelievers and she almost destroyed the human race.'

'Wait a second. His eye turned into a killing machine?'

'Exactly.'

'Yeah, yeah, read the next page, mum,' said Alex impatiently.

'Sekhmet was tricked into stopping when the gods mixed beer with the pools of blood. When Sekhmet drunk from the pools, she became too drunk to continue. Alex, I already know this,' Evie said gently, so as not to belittle her son.

'No, you've got to keep going,' her son urged.

Evie sighed. 'However, a papyrus found ten years ago tells the myth differently.' Her voice began to sound more interested. 'Sekhmet was not stopped by drunkenness, but by a golden ankh. The papyrus tells of how the priests of Ra surrounded the goddess and the head priest used a powerful golden ankh given to him by Ra to send the goddess back to the gods' realm. The priestesses of Sekhmet were outraged and demanded that they return the goddess to this realm to finish the purge. So the priests hid the ankh in an abandoned underground temple dedicated to Sekhmet in Memphis. It was the most obvious place as the priestesses believed that the priests would hide it far from the cult's centre. Soon after, the priestesses disbanded and swore to bring back their goddesses, so that she could finish what was started. They were never heard of again.'

'Pretty cool, huh?' grinned Alex.

Rick wasn't grinning. He was looking at his wife. He groaned. 'Oh, no.'

'You know,' she said a thoughtful smile on her face, 'it practically tells us where to find it –'

'No.'

'–and we did say I needed some time off –'

'No.'

'– and I haven't been on a dig in ages –'

'Evelyn, no. Just no.'

'Oh come on, Rick. It's just a dig. What could possible happen on a dig?'

'You know, you really need to stop saying that.'

Evie got up and wrapped her arms around his neck. 'Oh please, Rick, for me,' she said softly with a mischievous grin. 'It'll just be us, you and me...'

'And me,' added Alex.

'Oh no, you're staying here,' replied Rick determinedly.

'Hey, I found the myth, I get to go. Besides, do you really want to leave me here, alone, with Uncle John?' Alex raised his eyebrows.

Pause.

'Good point. I suppose he's coming then.'

Evie nodded. 'It'll be good for him. He's old enough,' she rubbed her nose against Rick's, 'he won't get in the way of things...'

Alex picked up his book and rolled his eyes. 'Really, get a room,' he muttered in disgust as he walked back upstairs. Inside, he was excited that he had found something they had not.