Prelude To A Kiss
Thanks everyone! Don't worry about it STC! ;) This chapter is for you! (Dedicated to SilentTrainConductor, who needs very much so to update, don't you agree? Lol only messing.)
Right, this chapter is more action packed than usual, with less thoughts, but trust me I am going to get the balance right! (It's a very hard balance to get...the right mixture of fluff, action, thoughts etc But I will get there.)
Another sneaky reference to Max Allan Collins novelization, I couldn't resist!
Disclaimer; don't own, and cannot afford to own.
Chapter 8
"What?" I find myself exclaiming, even though I heard the Egyptologists desperate cry. I hear a distant rumbling, a long, earthy rumbling that appears to be chittering.
Chittering?
The chittering of some kind of bug, some kind of bugs legs rubbing together. I look to Rick, only to see such shock in his eyes, that I have to see what he's looking at.
I follow his tensed face, until I can see the sight that has caused him to be so still, and I let out a gasp at what I see.
Perfect timing as always, Jonathan sits up, drunk with tiredness.His hair is all over the place, he reaches up like a sleepy child and rubs at his eyes.
I see his reaction to the swarm that is steadily advancing at us.
Then, with impossible speed they decend, covering the camp and everything in it.
Screams of the poor diggers as the locusts fly at them in their swarms form a horrific tune.
"What the-" I jump up, my shotgun at the ready. Evelyn stays sitting, determined to keep possession of the book
"HOLY SHIT!" I shout when I see the sea-like swarm of locusts heading towards the City. The sound is deafening.
I watch Evelyn unsteadily get her footing against the sand. The Americans run up to our rear, looking dumbly and with slight curiosity at the unbelievable sight before us.
The flying disease decends upon us and I instinctively grab Evelyns hand tightly, causing her to leave the book behind and run like hell towards the underground passageways. Judging from the cursing behind us, it must be her brother.
The chittering is like a buzzing in my brain, and I need to get away from it. Evelyn is gasping inbetween breaths, asking, a hint of disbelief to her tone-
"What was that? Locusts don't fly in swarms that large-"
Her question goes unanswered, until we are deep in the tunnels of the city. I pluck a torch from the wall as we go, left by the Americans probably. We go on until we reach a familiar tunnel. I stop and look at her, concerned but also seeing past the little coincidence. "You okay?"
She nods. Her brother comes up behind us, breathing like he's never took a breath before. "Sod that for a lark. We're not running anymore, are we O'Connell?"
I shake my head, and then notice that I'm still holding Evelyns hand. She's got mine in a vice-like grip, and judging by her demeanor, she has no intentions of letting go.
"Would anyone mind telling me what going on?" He asks, raising his eyebrows.
I open my mouth to answer, but stop when I hear a horrendous noise.
I feel claustraphobic in the tunnel, and I clung to O'Connells hand. What I just witnessed is- peculiar- to say the least.
Just when some kind of normalcy is returning, for it is quite now, almost too quiet...the floor beneath us begins to shake violently, and I have a dire feeling that what we just witnessed is only the beginning of some strange events...
I grab hold of Jonathan, an action that leads in me letting go of O'Connells hand. Jon holds onto me back, trying to steady us both against the wall.
Judging from his lax face and stubble, he's still half asleep. He looks really sweet- not at all annoying.
Yet.
Out of the sand, rises a sandcastle of a sort, and from it bursts thousands of scarabs, pouring as though fluid would from a water spout.
Lit by Rick's torch the chittering black sea hastens towards us, and we all scream.
I form the word- "SCARABS!"
"GO GO GO!" shouts Rick as we tear back through the passageway, the black creatures in tow.
Clutching Jonathan, I run, occasionally turning back to see where the scarabs are but to find myself petrified to the point that I regret looking. At regular intervals, I hear the 'bang' of the shotgun, and I jump, as does my brother.
"Do you know where you're going?" I ask as we sprint back throught the tunnels; tunnels that were designed to look alike and made solely to get intruders hopelessly lost.
If I take the look on his face and assess it, I don't think this is a very good idea.
Oh no, what have I done? Locusts, scarabs...
My feet are beginning to ache against the hard floor, as is my chest. I feel Jonathan slow down.
"Keep going!" I shout, hearing the scarabs behind us.
Cleverly, I just made him miss another passage entry. Brilliant.
I hear Rick behind me. He has obviously given up on the whole gun-them-back idea.
This cannot be happening!
Holding Jonathan's hand, I find myself in an open space we haven't explored before, and I would have usually investigated before running around in such a place, but now simply isn't the time. In strange unison we all split up; Jonathan and Rick jumping off the bridge like stone onto two pedestals, and myself climbing into a dark side slot.
The room is quite large- clearly an annex of some kind. It seems to bare some relation to Anubis, I'm not sure why but it is crudely crafted out of dark rock, therefore I imagine it has some significance to the night or afterlife.
Perhaps that isn't the best train of though to catch onto.
I gather my breath as I watch the hideous creatures dart past us, a couple throwing themselves off the bridge to a certain death.
I lean back against the cool rought stone, enjoying the oxygen that's filling my lungs. I close my eyes, in an attempt to make sense of what just happened.
I hear Rick reload, no doubt being prepared for a return visit, and Jonathan's cussing.
I feel like some strange idol, standing in this side slot thing. It's clearly designed to hold a statue of some kind, but there aren't any hieroglyphs which is unusual.
I mean, this place is just a mine of information! I can't help myself- even at a time like this- from indulging myself in its relics and past, not to mention the knowledge to be gained for the future.
I cast a look over at Rick, he's standing is tensed, ever the alert. He does look rather dashing, even in all this excitement...
As I prepare to get down from the cut out wall I hear a slipping noise, and realise too late that the rock can't take my weight.
Don't be ridiculous! Rock can hold any amount fo weight within reason!
Halted by the thought, I let out a weak cry when I find myself falling backwards- almost as though the wall had never been there.
I land rudely on my backside, in complete darkness. Sand and rock are cutting into me, surprising feelable through the fabric of my dress. It's eerie, and I can't say I enjoy being stuck on the floor. Ever the optimistic, I gather myself up and head toward the only light source in the room- a shaft that allows the moon in. No doubt in some parallel to the moon god Knum.
The room isn't that large, probably intended to be some kind of prayer room. The hieroglyphs are incredibly clear, so the room must have been unused for a long time after it was made.
I brush myself down, thinking this cannot possibly get any worse, when I see Mister Burns standing in the middle of the room.
See Evelyn? Things cannot get any worse, in fact they just took a turn for the better! Now I can find a way out with the help of Mister Burns and get back to O'Connell and my brother.
"Oh Mister Burns, I was beginning to get scared. I lost my brother and-"
He turns around at the sound of my voice, and upon seeing his face I scream until my throat aches.
"Ahhhh!"
Blood is streaming down his face like horrific tears, and his eyes sockets are well, oh my God they're empty!
I cannot begin to image the pain he is in, for all I can register is the fact that he has no eyes. Caught up in panic, I evily don't go near the man, for somewhere in my addled brain says it might be contagious.
He stares back at me, even though he cannot see me. This un-nerves me greatly, and I press my hand to my mouth to stop me from being sick.
What happened to him?
As if in answer, as I stare helplessly at the mans swaying form, I hear someone walk up behind me. Raspy footsteps like sand rubbing against a smooth surface.
When I turn around, expecting it to be O'Connell, or at least my brother, I scream again when I see a sight that sends shivers all over my spine and makes me doubt my sanity even further.
That mummy just took a step towards me.
I take a step back, almost inviting some kind of sickening dance. It takes another step towards me, rotten bandages and flesh falling to the floor, a stench that can only be described as death itself eminating from the, the thing. I feel my stomach heave as I stagger backwards, praying that my eyes are playing tricks on me.
Its eyes, looking out of place against it's yellowed and decayed flesh dart about and look me up and down in the most demeaning of fashions.
I choke on the smell, and almost faint from the shock, as my mind refuses to accept the happenings before me. The room begins to spin, and I desperatly ask, unable to stop looking at the thing for some stupid reason-
"Please help me Mister Burns-"
But he is on his knees, crawling away blindly. In response he gurgles-
"He took ma tongue!"
Blood erupts from his mouth, splashing and staining the sand from his attempt at speaking.
Oh no. Anxiety builds up in my chest as the creature looks as Burns dismissively, and then looks back at me. I find myself backed up against the wall, and I make my way along it, trying to reach an exit, all the while my eyes trained on the creature for any reaction or sudden movement.
He trains my steps, standing proudly if possible, as though being half dead and rotted is an everyday occurance.
His lips widen, almost in a crude smile, and the barely existent skin stretches and in places peels away.
"Anck-Sunamun?" He reaches out a hand, and I pull a face, my eyebrow raised. I stifle a scream.
That's an ancient name! Why is he calling me an Ancient name? My mind is racing.
"Come with me my Princess Anck-Sunamun." He asks me and if I could have derived any form of sincerity from his 'voice' then I'm sure it would have been then. I notice the pink tongue moving inside his blackened mouth and doubt my prior thought.
He takes a daring step towards me, and I have nowhere to go. I begin to breath hard, knowing that if someone doesn't come and help me now then I'm buggered, for use of a politer phrase.
Almost on cue, an American accent that has no impediment exclaims-
"Evelyn! There you are. No time to be playing hide and seek-"
I don't look at him, wishing he would take me away, but wishing that he would go away at the same time, so that he doesn't have to face what has been showing an awful lot of interest in me.
"WOAH!" He yells, touching my arm gently, putting his muscular body in front of mine. This action seems to anger the creature, who's face contorts angrily and lets out a shrill primordial scream- its jaw unhinging to horrific length.
I half hide behind Rick's broad back, but can see enough to gather that Rick will react.
"AHHHHH!" He yells right back, firing his gun at it, sending bones and flesh flying backwards. His once gentle grip on my arm tightens drammatically as he drags me away. We rush out of the room, only to bump into a stunned Jonathan.
"What? What's with all the shouting?" He asks hurriedly.
"Come on Jonathan!" I manage to get out, wanting to flee this place and not return for all it's worth.
I cling to Rick desperatly, my mind thinking all the what if's possible.
With remarkable speed and clarity, Rick gets us outside, and we emerge under the night sky. The stars are winking at us, almost as if to scorn us for doing something naughty.
He turns to me. "What in hell was that?" His eyes are desperate, seeking some kind of reassurance.
I shake my head, unable to offer it. "I have no idea."
Despair passes between us, and I want nothing more than to retract me earlier actions and go back to us both being alone in the desert...
There is a horrible thundering noise, as hoofs pound against the city's old foundations. I hear cursing as the two remaining Americans and Beni appear behind us.
"Christ. Where's Burns?" Demands Henderson. I feel a unique guilt, a guilt that I left an attacked man behind to a certain death.
"Rick-" I begin, but I am silenced when a tall foreboding figure gets down from his steed. Guns are trained at us, and Jon is one of the first to put his hands up in a surrender.
I shoot him a glare, but follow suit. I notice that Rick doesn't. I give him an annoyed but desperate glare and I lowers his shotgun. His face doesn't look very reassuring, and I feel awful for it.
Evelyn raises her hands at the darkly robed men, and trys to instruct me to do the same. Like hell I will!
"You bastards!" Yells one of the Americans when the mysterious men pull a groaning Burns forward. The poor bastard has no eyes...
I look at Evelyn who closes hers. No doubt she feels responsible.
"What did you do to him?" They ask, drawing their weapons.
"We saved him." retorts the leader, returning his blade to its place at his side.
"I told you to leave, leave this place or die, but you refused. Now you may have killed us all."
"I got him. I blasted the bastard to kingdom come!" I tell him, hardfaced. I hear Evelyn sniff and Jonathan cough gently. His face seems to pity me, and I don't like the look he's giving me. He brushes past us, and those who raised their arms lower them again.
"Know this, this creature is the bringer of death. He will never eat, he will never sleep, he will never stop." He tells me, his accent heavy and obviously local. He continues away, heading deep into the tunnels from where we so quickly retreated. With a bellowed command in his native tongue, the other robed men follow him.
The two Americans rush to their friends aid, and I look on helplessly. Evelyn walks past me, as fast as she can, some kind of bug up her ass. Jonathan takes a step up next to me, saying-
"This can't be very good, can it?" He scratches his head. "What happened?"
I refrain from telling him everything, afterall, He knows as much as I do. "You'd be better asking your sister." I reply, heading off to gather our camp together.
I'm getting outta this hell hole.
Didn't I tell her not to read the book? Didn't I? Look what she's done...
I walk away, unable to cast the image of Burn's face from my mind. That poor, poor man...
Because I read from the book..if I'd only thought about what I was reading, translated it to myself before I spoke it out loud.
What was the last thing I said? "Yatuway..."
Arise...
Oh Evelyn!
I begin to sob, not for myself but for Mister Burns...and everyone. I shouldn't have read the book. Rick was right, I shouldn't...
I stop my walking at the entrance to the City, and look out to where Rick andme stood hours before.
I want to be back there, retract my words and actions, and because of my stupidity some dead creature, a creature from hell has arose and it's all my fault.
Curiosity killed the Cat, as they say.
I hear the grunting of camels as well as smell them.
"C'mon Sis. Up onto your camel and we'll be off." Jonathan stops his camel next to me and motions for me to get on the one behind him that O'Connell is holding still.
I walk around and take the reins from Rick when the camel lowers itself. He doesn't look and me, and instead of letting my sob happen I raise my chin a notch higher and get onto the camel.
He slaps the beast and it gets up, and I almost fall off. I'm exhausted, all the excitement has taken its toll on me, and I hope that when we get back to the safety of the Fort I can try to erase Mister Burn's poor face...
I look longingly at Rick's back, as he leads us off into the middle of the desert.
After a few hours of thinking, I pull my camel up to his. "I'm sorry."
I hold my breath, expecting anything than what he does.
"It's not your fault."
"I shouldn't have read from the book. You told me-" I protest weakly, already believing the opposite.
"They opened the chest that had the book in." He tells me finally. "So it's their fault."
He's saying it half heartedly, and get the sickening feeling that he hates me.
More time passes, and in the middle of the night, when it is at it's coldest and the camels are tired we stop. I did not knwo that the American party were following us a great distance behind until we began to set up camp again.
Perhaps now I can have a moment to talk to Rick.