Chapter 27

Ptolemy

Kathleen was relunctant to go. That much Ptolemy could tell. But she did leave eventually, leaving Ptolemy alone with her parents.

Ptolemy crept out of Kathleen's room and walked over to the guardrail of the stairwell. He peered down the level below. All was silent; no one was present. Ptolemy's guessed Kathleen's parent's were still sleeping. Besides, the sun had just come up a few hours ago. Ptolemy remembered when he would sleep in because he felt like it...Knowing Bartimaeus was over him made him smile in his dreams...But that was long ago; it didn't matter now.

Ptolemy gently rested his left hand on the rail as he slowly walked down the stairs. In all honesty, he was nervous. What would Iris and Alfred think of him once they got to know him better? They had only gotten a glimpse of him before. But Kathleen said they were nice to magicians. Perhaps that could be his advantage. But then again, could he trust her parents? Could he confinde in them that he was somone who conversed daily with creatures from another world. That he had been to that world? Ptolemy decided to keep the last bit to himself.

Downstairs, the first person Ptolemy met was Iris. She had a bubbly personality about her, and was going on working in some area, generating heat from some machines. Iris looked up to him and gave him a charming smile. "Nathaniel! I see you're up bright and early. Did I wake you?"

Ptolemy shook his head. "No, of course not. I'm use to getting little sleep," He remembered back to when he was being attacked, followed, almost murdered by assasins that his cousin hired. Those were troubling times...

"Really? Why is that?" Iris' voice broke through his thoughts. Ptolemy looked up to her. She tiled her head slightly to one side in curiosity. "Where are you from?"

Ptolemy felt it was safe to at least tell her that. "Egypt."

"Egypt? Really? I hear that's a nice place to live. Do you think?"

"Yes. Egypt is a lovely place. You should visit it sometime."

Iris sighed. "I would if I could. But I can't. With the budget we're on..." She drifted off and went to preparing food. She changed the subject. "Nathaniel, you look peckish. Are you hungry?" In response to that, his stomach growled. The sides of his mouth felt as though they were burning, and he felt like he had a knot in his stomach that was eating itself. He nodded. "Alright. Let's see what we have that intrests you. Follow me."

Ptolemy followed Iris into the kitchen. Or, at least, that's what he thought it was. It was so strange looking; nothing like the ones back in Egypt. He didn't know any of the big box-y things uses. It was as if he was a child first going into one of the temples of Egypt. All wide-eyed, oohing and aahing at pretty much everything inside.

Iris walked over to a big metal thing that was about half her height. But Ptolemy walked over to a large, white, rectangular thing. It had to be twice his height.

Ptolemy's interest garbbed at him. He grabbed a part of the white thing that jutted out at him and slowly, cautiously, pulled. A gust of cold air shot at him. It was plesant, but also cold and too sudden. Something deep within the box clicked, a humming followed. Ptolemy gasped and fell backwards. He felt the shock of the fall.

Iris looked over at him. "Nathaniel, dear, what's wrong?" She helped him up.

"What is that...thing?"

"You mean the refridgeorator?"

"No. That big white thing," Ptolemy pointed to it.

"Yes, that's a refridegorator. They don't have any in Egypt?"

"No," Ptolemy answered as he dusted himself off, corrected his loincloth. "I suppose Egypt isn't as advanced as London."

"I suppose not," Iris agreed. "Perhaps it'd be better if you stayed out of the kitchen until the food's done."

Ptolemy nodded in agreement. "Good idea." He stopped for a moment. "Do you have any books I can read? About djinn?"

Iris shook her head. "Sorry. We're not magicians."

"But aren't you allowed to read any books you want?"

Iris shook her head sadly. "No," she answered as she closed the refridgeorator door. "The magicians are in control. We don't have as much liberty in that area as--I'm assuming--you do. They makes all the laws. Commoners like us don't make a fuss about it--after all, the government is made up of magicians--we stay on our own and the magicians don't bother us. If we go by the rules we don't get hurt. I suppose it's a fair ecosystem." She moved off to what she was doing before. Ptolemy followed after her, but made sure to keep out of her way.

He decided he was still in the way and took a seat at the kitchen table. At least there was something in this room that wasn't alien to him. Once Irisbegan to contine on with her cooking again, a sweet smell filled the air. That strange knot felling in his stomach seemed to grow in unison to the smell. The sides of his mouh again burned. For the first time in about two thousand years, Ptolemy was hungry.

A/n

OK, I know I said I was going to update everyday, but I can't this year! Damn administrators for the laptops blocked Fanfiction. And ya know why? The filter says it has 'Sexual Materials'. Seriously! I feel like...UH! But whatever. I'll try to update as much as possible, but it probably won't be everyday as I had planned. I hope someone catches on to the thing in this chapter...