Penny - April 27, 2003
Everyone was asleep, dog dead tired he realized, from the birth of the baby and taking care of the mother, who still may loose her life, Kit thought sadly. Poor little Squirt. It was hard to grow up with out your Mom or your Pop, either one for that matter, he thought as he tiptoed to the door, past the cradle, where the baby slept.
When Asyria started to fret, he grimaced looking quickly around making sure no one had heard her. It sure as hell wouldn't do any good if someone woke up and saw him heading toward the door now, when he was so close to his freedom and Alan Skarzinski. Asyria fretted again and he went to the cradle and looked at the tiny bundle. She screwed up her face, ready to cut loose with a wail, Kit thought, would no doubt wake the population of Bumfuck Egypt, but would turn the inhabitants of this hut upside down and mess up his plans to escape back to civilization from the stone age.
He reached into the cradle, scooping her up in his arms, as his eyes darted to the people that slept in the room. "Shhh, cher'. Hush now," he whispered. "You're gonna wake the gorilla, cher', then he'll eat ya! You want that big monkey to eat le petite cher'?" She looked up with large bright eyes and stared at him, instantly quieting. "Naw! I didn't think so. I wouldn't want the big monkey bitin' my ass either!"
Again Asyria screwed up her tiny face, ready to cry. "Shhh! I'll knock out his teeth for ya, okay?" he smiled. "Come on, let's you and me go sit down someplace quiet." He walked into another room. No one was here and that was good. If no one was in here, they wouldn't wake up. He sat with her in the far corner on the dirt packed floor. Kit rocked Asyria taking in her tiny features. She had the Med-Jai's dark eyes. Eyes that were so dark brown that they were almost black. She also had a head full of her Pops dark hair, he grinned, but other than that, she looked like her Mom, at least from what he could tell.
Her eyes grew large as she in turn and in her own way, seemed to take in everything about him. Asyria waved a tiny fist in the air, and managed to grab a handful of sandy blonde hair and tugged, as babe and teenager watched each other in total silence. He gently pulled the hand away and looked at the fingers, almost as if he were committing each tiny line and fingernail to memory. "OOO-WEE, cher'. You got some teeny weeny fingers. How you ever gonna paint them boogers, huh?" She laid there watching with as much wonder in her eyes, as the young man that held her. Kit smiled and began to sing softly to her.
"As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!"
"Oh sisters let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down,
Oh sister's let's go down,
Down to the river to pray."
"You like that cher? My Mom, she taught me. She loved to sing. So did my Pop. They could have sung on the radio, they were so good, but Pop was too busy chasin' the bad guys and Mom, well she taught music, ya know...What? You want more? Shoot cher' I got me a voice like a hippo with a sore throat!...Huh? Okay, if you say so. Here goes."
"As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
God Lord, show me the way!"
"Oh brothers let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down,
Come on brother's let's go down
Down in the river to pray."
She clutched his finger in her fist, still watching him. "I wonder what Mom would've had?" he asked absently. "My Mom was gonna have a baby when she was ki...when she died, so...well...you know...But don'tcha fret, cher'. Her and Pop and Papere, why...they're all helpin' with that little one. And you know what? When I get done doin' what I have to take care of...See me? I'm gonna help 'em too."
"As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about the good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord show me the way!"
"Oh fathers let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down,
O fathers let's go down,
Down in the river to pray."
Kit continued to rock and sing softly to her, while she cooed at him and blew tiny bubbles.
"As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about the good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord show me the way!"
"O mothers let's go down
Let's go down, don't you want to go down,
Come on mothers, let's go down,
Down in the river to pray."
"Wonder if she'd of been pretty like you, cher'? Me and Pop, why we'd have had to beat them ol' boys off with a stick! Shoo-wee! Your Papa, he's got his work cut out for him...He better sharpen that scimitar right now, zuRar mela 'ika. That means Little Angel, in Arabic. Betcha didn't know that! Yeah it does... Naw!...I wouldn't kid you. Betcha your Pop calls you that a lot, when he gets to know you. You gotta kinda look over him right now though. He's worried about your Mama. But like I said. He'll get to know you and cher' you are gonna be so lucky. And then your Mama, she's gonna get to know you and dang! You are gonna have so much love, you won't know what to do," he whispered, as his voice cracked with emotion.
"Look Little Angel. I gotta get. Can't sit here and rock you all night and sing, besides it'll be dawn soon, and I got places to go and things to do." And a bastard to kill, he thought to himself. "So look you gotta go to sleep. Okay? What?...One more verse? Well...Okay can't say no to a pretty girl, I guess. It wouldn't be gentlemanly, but that's all. Just one more."
"As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about the good old ways
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord show me the way!
He watched her dark eyes droop and he kissed her forehead. Suddenly he pulled back.. What the hell was he doing? The last thing he needed or wanted was to get tangled up with these people. NO! NO! NO! He glanced down at her again and shook his head furiously. "No zuRar mela 'ika, I'm the last person in Hell, you'd ever want around. Where I'm usually at, people always wind up dead."
He quietly carried her back, laying her in the cradle and covered her with a blanket, then slipped out into the dark. It was still an hour before dawn, but that gave him more than enough time to get too the end of the tunnel. He was glad now, he'd paid attention when they talked about it. It amazed him the big gorilla thought he was too damn dumb to pay attention. As far as O'Connell was concerned, if it cost a nickel to pay attention, Kit couldn't afford to listen. "Surprise Asshole!" Kit grinned as he walked to the end of the tunnel, waiting for the sun to crest the dunes. "Guess what you old knocker? I ain't so dumb after all!" He smiled brightly as the portal opened before him and he saw O'Connell the camel waiting below . As he walked through thinking about his fateful meeting with Alan Skarzinski he began to sing one more time.
"As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about the good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
"O SINNERS LET'S GO DOWN,
LET'S GO DOWN, COME ON DOWN,
O SINNERS LET'S GO DOWN,
DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY."
Shelby (pen name Eviefan) April 27, 2003
Morning was announced by Asyria's cries, which lasted as long as it took for Ardeth to get up and take her to Nefret so she could nurse. The tired mother could barely stay awake, let alone hold the baby secure enough so she could have her breakfast. She barely noticed as Ardeth settled next to her, gathering both she and the baby in his arms, slipping his arm under the baby, who finally settled down.
The new father looked down at the tiny baby, amazed that she was his, that he had a part in creating her, and knew that he would protect both of them at all times. He saw movement in the left far corner of the room, and saw Evelyn enter with fresh linens for both mother and child.
Seeing Ardeth holding Nefret and the baby in his arms, took Evelyn back quiet a few years to when Alex was a new born. At times such as this she missed those times, when she could hold him in her arms, and protect him, knowing where he was almost all of the time. These days she counted herself lucky if she even got a hug from him. He was at that stage in his life where he saw motherly affection as something to push away. "How are they fairing this morning?" she asked as she made her way to their pallet. As she drew closer she saw how pale Nefret looked, and wondered how they would get her back to the Med-jai village.
"Asyria is doing well. Nefret..." He broke off as she stirred, and leaned his head to her right ear whispering to her softly in Arabic. She spoke something, barely audible, but Ardeth understood her need. "She is thirsty," he said looking back at Evelyn, as the baby began to stir in his arms. When Evelyn offered to take the baby he agreed, but only after both he and Nefret gave her kisses, and reassurances that they would see her soon.
Before Evelyn even started out of the small room Nefret and Ardeth were sharing, she as well as anyone within a ten mile radius of their cottages heard Rick's booming voice.
"I'm going to kill that Little Shit!"
Only Asyria, whose tummy was now full of her mother's milk seemed not to notice that he was less than happy, and was content to rest against Evelyn's shoulder as she was carried into the main part of the hut.
When she entered the room where she, Rick, Alex, and Kit had slept, she found her husband pacing, while Alex sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Evelyn took a few more steps to the cradle and laid Asyria on her side, then covered her with a blanket before going to her husband. "Rick?" she asked, not sure what Kit had done this time.
"He's gone Evie. I give him a break, thinking he realizes he can't take on Alan Skarzinski on his own, and he betrays my trust. I'm going after him, and when I get my hands on him," Rick said as he marched over to their supplies, and began gathering things up for his journey.
"I say what is all the yelling for," Jonathan asked as he walked into their hut with Gabrielle behind him. He watched as Rick stuffed things haphazardly into his Rucksack, and realized they were short a person. "I see Kit has done another vanishing act," Jonathan said as both Evelyn and Rick glared at him. He turned and looked at Gabrielle. "I think we should give them time to sort things out. What say you and I find something to eat?" he asked as he took her hand and pulled her away, knowing that right now being around his brother-in-law could be harmful to his health.
Once Jonathan was away, Evelyn walked over to her son. "Will you go help them?" she asked, needing to be alone with her husband, so she could try and cool him down, and get him to see things more clearly.
Like Jonathan, Alex knew when to leave his parents alone, and after allowing his mum to give him a hug and kiss, and even returning it, he walked out of the hut, in hot pursuit of his uncle and Gabrielle.
"Rick, we need to think this through..."
He cut her off. "No, we don't. Kit is heading to his funeral, and I owe it to my sister to keep him on this earth. You help our friends here, and I will be just fine," he said as he finished packing and zipped up his bag before slinging it over his shoulder. Evelyn's hand taking his and pulling on him knocked Rick off balance, and he stumbled, hitting his head against the edge of the table before going down, saying a stream of other cuss words before it was all over with. His hand went to the bump forming on his forehead as he looked at his wife, amazed that she had been able to do all of that. "Well, you got me off my feet," he finally said as he let his anger pass.
Embarrassed that she had done such a thing, Evelyn was at his side in an instant. "I am so very sorry, but sometimes you don't stop to think," she said as she sat down next to him.
"I know, that boy has a way of making all of my rational thought fly out my ears. We do need to get to him before Alan does, but we also need to get Nefret and the baby to a place that will help them," he said as he put his left arm around her shoulder, pulling her to lean against him.
"I need to take them back to my village," Ardeth said, coming to see what all of the commotion was about.
Rick thought for a moment then came up with a plan. He sent Ardeth after the rest of their group, then after getting back to his feet, and helping Evelyn to her's, he told her what he was thinking.
Far away from the portal, and from his Uncle's fury, Kit road O'Connell the Camel in the hot desert sun, whistling the tune to the song which he had sung to the baby that morning, thinking about his parents. He felt angry at himself for getting even a little bit attached to them, knowing that he was better off alone, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he somehow belonged with them. "Ahh, that's hogs swallow, I belong with no one but me," he said as he gave his ride a pat. "So O'Connell, why don't you and I take a break, I don't know about you, but I'm so hungry I could eat a gallon of sand.
When given the command, O'Connell the Camel lowered to the ground, allowing his rider to step off. He laid still as Kit put up a small tent, so that he could escape the heat of the sun, then accepted the little bit of water Kit gave to him.
"Yeah, you and me. All I need is this," Kit said as he looked out at the land ahead of him. It all looked the same, nothing but sun and sand as far as the eye could see. "I'll tell you something, after I get done with that bastard, I'm going to dance on his grave," Kit said as he took a bite of dried beef, then chased it down with a swallow of water.
His rest only lasted twenty minutes, then once again they were on their way to finding and fulfilling Kit's destiny.
On the other side of the portal, two groups went their separate ways. Ardeth, on camel with Nefret more or less cradled against his chest, heading for the Med-jai Village. Behind him, Evelyn had fashioned a harness to hold the baby, and was on a camel of her own. On his left side Alex road on his own camel, wearing an angry expression on his face, not pleased that he wasn't going with his father and Uncle to help rid the world of Alan Skarzinski. Gabriel and Senbi were staying behind, to wait for everyone's return, and for the battle to end.
Going the way Kit was traveling, toward the East, Rick and Jonathan road on horseback, hoping to catch up to the youth, though both knowing that he would likely reach Hamunaptra and Alan before them. Neither of them had much to say, both knowing what needed to be done, and so it seemed a storm was coming, and how it would all end, was the only uncertainty which plagued Rick's mind.
Penny - October 8, 2003
Kit blinked, realizing he was starting to doze off on top of O'Connell. He had ridden the better part of the day and he was starting to get sore now. Hopefully that blowing wind that came out of the east, had helped put enough distance between his so-called uncle, and wipe out his tracks long enough, that he could find a place to camp for the night. With real luck, O'Connell wouldn't find him at all. When refuge finally presented itself he was grateful. A rocky outcropping with an overhang that seemed to lead into a small cave and from the size of the opening, he could even stash his riding partner in side.
"BUDDY," he hollered in the blowing wind. "YOU BETTER DO YOUR BUSINESS NOW AND NOT INSIDE THAT DAMNED CAVE!" Kit realized he only had one problem with the stubborn, obnoxious animal. He wouldn't go inside. "FINE HAVE IT YOUR WAY!" he'd yelled as the wind got stronger. "BE AS DUMB AS HE IS!" He slung his right leg over the camel, grabbing his rucksack and dropped from the camel's back, landing on both feet. "It's your funeral, Dipshit!"
Kit left him standing there and headed toward the opening, while fighting the wind every step of the way. Before he went inside he said a silent prayer to the powers that be, that he didn't have to share his new digs with any asps or scorpions. It wasn't that he was afraid of them, he just didn't want company in his bed roll. It had a tendency to put a crimp in his plans, especially scorpions, since he was allergic to the bites. Just inside the opening he pulled out a small candle and a box of wood matches, crossed his fingers and moved away from the opening and out of the wind. He struck the match and lit the candle, and as the light illuminated everything, his mouth dropped open and he stared in awe at the painted wall of the small obscure temple. "Sonuvabitch," he whispered, recognizing a great number of symbols. His heart pounded against his spine, as he reached out to touch the inscription above the small alter.
A heart of black I do possess,
Show me the light in the color of red
He looked around taking in his surroundings and remembering what he'd read in the book. The walls of the temple depicted two different scenes. One of a man holding the scepter with what appears to be a red glow coming from the top. Seth is standing in front of the man, offering him the symbol for eternal life; the ankh. The other, a man holding the same scepter, but with what appears to be a white glow coming out of the top. This man is being observed by many of the other Egyptian gods; Osiris, Isis, and Horus, just to name a few, but these gods do not interfere or offer temptations.
He almost whimpered, biting his lip to keep the tears at bay. This was the temple to that bloody bastard Seth! This was where they'd found the damned scepter! His hand shook so hard he almost dropped the candle and he cursed the ancient god, for being the cause of his parents and Papere's death. "I'll send you and Skarzinski to Hell you sumbitch! YOU WATCH AND SEE IF I DON'T! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!" He reached up scrubbing hot tears that started to fall. Somewhere in his head he heard laughing, only there wasn't nothing happy about it.
It was an evil from the beginning of time and he shivered. "Yeah? Keep yuckin' it up, Joy Boy!" he screamed at the laughter in his head. "I can laugh too. We'll see who's got the last laugh when you and Skarzinski is roastin' y'all's asses in Hell!" The pain that went through his skull brought him to his knees, half blinding him and caused his stomach to roll.
Before he passed out, he heard the voice, like a thousand snakes hissing inside his head, speaking in it's ancient tongue. "We ssshall sssee, Little One."
Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) October 11, 2003
Ardeth's astute gaze fell upon Evelyn and Alex once again. Alex watched his mother with a worried expression. Evelyn was lost in such deep thought that Ardeth doubted she would notice if the ground suddenly opened and swallowed them up. He slowed his camel's pace until he was side to side with Evelyn. He was not good with communication on personal levels as it was still a very new thing to him, but he was learning.
"Evelyn, what troubles you?"
They stood as a voice came from the corner of the tent. "You gents have a nice little nap?" Skarzinski came out of the shadows and walked towards Evelyn, who was still passed out on the ground. Rick began to struggle at his bindings again and Skarzinski smiled in anticipation.
He squatted down in front of Evie and smacked her awake. "Stand up. It's show time," he practically sang. Her eyes were still a little glazed but she managed to give him a dirty look. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and began to stand. "I said STAND UP!" She had no choice but to follow the direction her hair was going or risk getting scalped.
"GET YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF HER!" Rick yelled.
"Oh, I haven't even begun getting my hands on her. Why, this one has an even sweeter body than your sister did. But I can't fault your sister for that. She was, after all, five or six months with child."
Evie gasped. "You are a monster!"
He put a hand to her throat and lightly squeezed. "You haven't seen anything yet. Just you wait." His eyes roamed her face. "Nice." His eyes roamed the rest of her body. "Very nice." He looked to Rick and gave a cruel smile. "Your wife has more spirit than your sister did. She will most definitely give me more pleasure." Especially with her brother and husband having to witness the whole thing and not being able to do anything about it he thought.
Rick and Jonathan struggled so hard against the pole that they nearly brought the tent down. They froze as they saw the glint of a blade flash from Skarzinski's side to rest against Evie's neck.
"You keep up that thrashing and I'll kill her very slowly and painfully." He slowly ran the side of the blade down to the V of her blouse, ready to slice it open.
A/N: Please review!