Chapter 1-
She slid her cold hand down her pale face. The world seemed to crash down on her every day. It seemed to hold still for her as she sobbed in confusion. Newlywed Evelyn O'Connell was starting to hate the days that passed her by. Rick. His name stuck like a bitter knife in the heart. He promised he would love her forever, but that promise was slipping through their fingers. It was only months after Hamunaptra, and the burning love in her heart had already vanished. It was that damn gold. Evy wished more then anything Beni hadn't left the treasure in their sacks. She remembered the look of passion that shone clearly on Rick's every time he gazed on it's shimmering surface. He hadn't looked at her like that since that last fateful night in the City of the Dead.
Evy bit her knuckles to calm her nerves, while staring with malevolence at the telephone. She and Rick had another fight, the same one they always had. He was in America, making his fortune in gambling, leaving his miserable wife back in England, alone, as usual. Suddenly, the telephone rang, surprising her out of her sad reverie. Evelyn picked it up hesitantly, her face drained of all colour, and picked it up.
"H, hello?", She said after a second.
"Evy?", Jonathan's voice carried into her ear, "Hello my sweet, baby sister, how's life in good o'l England?"
Evelyn instantly remembered how that twit Jonathan was also in the U.S. with Rick, being greedy as usual. She sighed tiredly.
"Why are you calling, Jonathan, are you now Rick's spy?"
She could hear laughter in his voice as he replied.
"Rick? He refuses to even be near me! If we're walking together, he insists that I stay ten feet behind! No, no, my dear sister, you won't have to be worried about that. I did accidentally walk into the room when he was yelling at you though, are you feeling okay?"
Evy instantly forgave him, and smiled at his concern for her.
"I'm fine, just a bit shaken up. Things will calm down. How is Rick?"
She could almost hear Jonathan rolling his eyes.
"Having fun as usual, he comes back drunk every night, and is a pain in the ass."
Evy's face fell, she had hoped he was miserable, instead, she was now miserable. But she also suspected it was actually her brother that was the pain. Jonathan quickly finished his sentence.
"But I'm almost positive that he misses you, in fact, he told me the other night."
"Sure he did, Jonathan," Evelyn replied cynically.
Her brother's voice sobered.
"Promise me something, Evy."
"What?"
"After this, go out and have a good time. Forget about Rick for now, get a makeover, or whatever girls do to look good. I want you to have fun, and I know for a fact that Rick is having a wonderful time, so you have to as well. Promise?"
Evelyn thought about it for a moment, before nodded her head.
"Alright, I'll go."
"Wonderful! Send me a picture! Whoops, I'm looking out the window Evy, and all I can see is a pretty woman dying for MY attention, see ya!" He hung up.
"Bye," Evy whispered in the mouthpiece.
She hung up the phone, and walked to the mirror in the small living room. Evelyn looked in the glistening mirror and gazed at the ghastly figure in front of her. Her eyes were dark and sunken, bags clouding her pale face. Her nose and eyes were still red from crying, and her body was thin from not eating. Evelyn nodded to herself, her decision was made. She picked up her coat that lay on the chair, and walked swiftly out of the door.