The Mediator: Egyptian Style

Okay, we're going out today. As much as I enjoyed yesterday, we really should go out today. We came here for adventure and fun. I had my fun and adventure inside yesterday. Now I need to have my fun and adventure today outside, if you catch my drift.

So after my shower that morning, I threw on a bikini, a pair of boardshorts, a cami, and some flip flops.

Hey, it gets pretty hot in Egypt. And then I figured when we get back, we could go for a swim in the hotel pool, since we haven't quite done that yet.

Sure, we've been here for a total of five days, but we haven't been doing so much outside the bedroom.

But, hey, cut us some slack. It's our honeymoon. Really, what did you expect for a honeymoon? Chastity? Yeah . . . no. I don't think so.

And after a few rounds last night, Jesse and I decided we wouldn't use our telekinetic powers in public. Unless it was an emergency. I mean, I tend to freak out when he does it because I so do not expect it. So we'll just use it when we're together . . . alone . . . and don't feel like doing much talking . . . hehe.

I was majorly bored waiting for Jesse to come back from getting breakfast. I put the clothes that were still in my suitcase in the dresser in the bedroom. Then I took all of our dirty clothes and put them in a garbage bag to bring to the Laundromat down the road.

But . . . that only took me, like, five minutes.

Then I remembered the book I bought the day before when I was still angry with Jesse.

So I got up and walked over to where it sat untouched, still in the bag, on the kitchen counter. I grabbed it out of the bag and went to sit back down on the loveseat in the bedroom area.

I opened the book to the cover page.

Ancient Egyptian Enigmas and Myths

By Harrison Matthews

Holy shit.

My eyes bugged out when I read that. Okay, I didn't even realize that I bought a book by our recent ghost. Then maybe he knows about what's happening.

Those screams we heard the other day in the Red Pyramid . . . maybe he knows about that. Maybe . . . maybe he reacted the way he did because it was in his book and—

Okay, Simon, don't get ahead of yourself.

This is majorly freaky shit, though.

Coincidence? Or something more . . . ?

Okay, now I'm thinking Twilight Zone crap.

Just read the damn book, Simon.

And that's what I did. I flipped to the first page and started reading.

...and after Nefelinuf was killed, she desired revenge. Since Akhantirfu was nowhere to be found after she murdered Nefelinuf, Nefelinuf vowed that anyone who was related to Akhantirfu would be killed and would hold the same fate that she did. And anyone that got in her way of this elimination would also be killed...

That paragraph struck me. It meant something. I knew that there was more to this story than what meets the eye.

It's like, my mediator senses were going haywire.

And right after I was finished reading the first chapter, Jesse came back.

He came right up to me and kissed me on the lips. Then he saw the book in my lap and chuckled. "Susannah, are you reading?" he asked with a smirk.

I punched his arm. "Yes, I am, Jesse. And . . . well, what I've got here is really interesting. And by some coincidence, this book is by someone we are currently . . . mediating . . ."

Jesse practically grabbed the book out of my hands. "Susannah . . . did you buy this on purpose?"

"Well, duh, I bought it on purpose. How do you buy something on accide—?"

"No. I mean, did you know who the author was? Susannah, I think we are on the verge of a large mystery . . ." he trailed off and looked at me. There was something in his face. Excitement?

Well, yeah, I guess. Only Jesse would find excitement in solving an ancient Egyptian mystery.

Well, besides Scooby-Doo and his pals at Mystery Inc.

Jesse and I quickly ate our breakfasts and skedaddled out of the hotel so we could go where we were supposed to go today, which was . . . I have no clue.

"Jesse," I said, as he was driving toward wherever we were going.

He looked at me and smiled, then turned his head back forward. "Hmm?"

"Um . . . where are we going?"

He chuckled. "I forgot to tell you?" he asked. He shook his head, replying, "We're going back to the Red Pyramid, Susannah. I am pretty sure that's where Mr. Matthews was murdered, even if he wouldn't tell me. He seemed pretty . . . what do you call it? - oh, yes - weirded out whilst we were in there. And those screams . . ."

He didn't have to say anymore. I knew. There was some pretty freaky shit there.

I really didn't want to go in there again, but if Jesse would be there beside me, I guess it would be okay.

But I just . . . had a really bad feeling about it.

Disclaimer: The Mediator characters all belong to Meg Cabot. She is the genius, not me.