Author's Note: I have taken some suggestions into account and have changed a little from the movie. I hope you like.
Chapter 9: Hanging On and Hot Air Balloons
When the dark cloud dissipates, Evy and I are on the ground again. The whole place is shaking and sharp rocks are falling from the ceiling. I slowly sit up as Evy quickly stands up. I look over at Uncle Jon and see him hovering over Alex, protecting him. Next to us I see Anck-su-namun steadying herself against the wall looking out. I look ahead of me and dad is nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly a pair of hands comes over the side, Imhotep is pulling himself out. Right next to him, I see dad's hands come over the side. He is also pulling himself up.
"Dad," I hear Alex yell. I look over to him and Uncle Jon tightens his hold around him afraid he might run off. I look up at Evy and I notice she is watching the ceiling. I know she is going to try and help. I am not going to let her do it alone. I slowly pull myself up. The shaking of the floor plus my dizziness makes me lose my balance and I fall into Evy.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asks as she forces me to sit back down.
"I want to help," I say a little pathetically.
"Not with that bump on your head," she says cupping my face with her hand. "Stay here where I know you are safe." I nod my head cringing slightly at the pain it causes. There is no sense in arguing when she is right. She turns back around and continues watching the ceiling.
"Evy, no," dad yells. He has noticed her watching the ceiling. "Get out of here! Take the kids and get out of here!" I can see in her stance that she is determined. "No," dad yells one last time. Evy starts forward with falling rocks hitting the ground around her left and right. She narrowly escapes being crushed.
"Mom!" "Oh!" Alex and Uncle Jon shout at the same time. I wince as their yells cause a pulsing pain in my head. I watch as Evy takes refuge against a pillar. She continues to watch the ceiling. She rushes forward again, looking at the ceiling every once in a while. I see dad slip a little. I try yelling but my voice fails me.
"Hang on, Rick!" Uncle Jon calls out for me. I glance over at Anck-su-namun. It strikes me as strange that she is not trying to help save her beloved. I hear Alex and Uncle Jon breathe a sigh of relief so I look to Evy and see that she has made it to dad. She starts pulling him up. Imhotep looks from them to Anck-su-namun.
"Anck-su-namun," he yells. "Help me! Help me!" he cries out in ancient Egyptian. I look up at her. She looks at him, then at me before yelling back.
"No," she cries as she runs out.
"Anck-su-namun, Anck-su-namun," he says sounding hurt. I can't help but feel sorry for him. The love of his life refused to help him. He glances at me then at dad and Evy who are safely leaning against a pillar. He lets go and topples back into the pit. We all look at the empty spot before dad and Evy come my way.
"It's time we were getting out of here," dad yells. He comes up to me. Before I have a chance to protest, he scoops me up in his arms and starts out. I look over his shoulder and see Alex with Evy and Uncle Jon on either side holding his hands. As we come up the steps to the entrance, dad carefully sets me down so I can stand.
"Whoa," he yells as a pigmy flies through the opening almost hitting him. It looks like the whole oasis is being sucked into the pyramid. "Let's go," he yells as he points to an opening next to Uncle Jon. Dad picks up Alex and Evy grabs my arm and puts it around her shoulder. Uncle Jon comes up on the other side, and together they help through the opening. We come to the outside of the pyramid and my suspicions are proven true. The whole oasis is being sucked up in a whirlpool.
"This whole damn place is going to get sucked up. Let's move up." Dad instructs us before helping Alex. Finally over my bout of dizziness, I insist on going up myself. Evy never leaves my side as dad and Uncle Jon help Alex. We finally reach the top and I look around. There is nowhere else to go. We are trapped and the oasis is still being sucked up.
"Rick, we're trapped," Evy states. I would have rolled my eyes in any other situation. Dad maneuvers Alex and I between him and Evy. Alex and I wrap our arms around each other as Evy and dad wrap theirs around us. It seems that all hope is lost.
"Ahoy," I hear from behind us. We all turn around to see Izzy. He was able to fill the balloon with hot air. I am not at all shocked by this.
"Izzy," dad yells in my ear. I am glad that it does not cause me any pain.
"Come on, come on! Get your butts moving! Hurry up, hurry up. I haven't got all day," he yells at us. Dad picks up Alex and throws him on board. I quickly follow with Evy right behind. Dad and Uncle Jon jump and catch the side. Dad is able to pull himself up but Uncle Jon loses his grip and falls backward. Luckily his foot gets caught in the netting on the side.
"Uncle Jon, hold on," I yell. Dad jumps into action and starts pulling him up. Uncle Jon notices the big diamond and yells to be let down. "It's not worth your life you idiot," I yell at him.
"Yes it is, yes it is," is his reply. He is able to grab it. "Pull me up, pull me up," he yells as the debris gets closer. Izzy forces more air into the balloon and we start to rise. Before we get too far, we are engulfed in the debris…