I think that's actually how the ancient Egyptians felt, pinkxjellybean, but they believed that the body had to be intact for the soul to truly be at peace.
Chapter Three
Kahmunrah squatted down and examined the eye, feeling the paint, almost tracing the lines. Tally stared down at the eye, and the dot in the center moved to its original position, for all to see. "Oh, now that's something."
"Do you have any decent idea of what the hell all this...this...insanity means?"
"No, but I have the feeling I should."
"Oh, for the love of..." Tally shot to her feet and stormed out to the lobby, her eyes looking around for some kind of expert when her mind flashed on something she left at Cecil's apartment: his notes. Deciding she didn't want to run home at a time like this, she instead took off toward the locker room, having checked for witnesses. Cecil's old locker had been pried open, though by what could be put to debate, and at first glance it looked like not a corner of it remained untouched. She snuck a closer look and found that not only had a part of it remained untouched, it was a whole corner, in which lay a key.
Tally pulled the key out of the locker and examined it in better light, wiping the dust off. Inscribed on the key fob was the number '13', nothing more. She turned the key over, but there was nothing on the other side. Pocketing the key, she walked out of the locker room, only to meet a series of strange looks from several exhibits. She shook her head and tried to make her way back to the Hall of Miniatures when Larry stopped her. "What was that?"
"Nothing. It's...nothing."
"Doesn't look like nothing."
"I...I just..."
"If you don't wanna talk about it, just say so."
"I'm trying!" Tally jerked away and walked through the lobby and the front doors, pausing at the top of the stairs.
"Did you find anything?" Tally turned to see that Ahkmenrah had joined her.
"Just some old key," she said flatly, turning to face the highway once again. "When I get home tomorrow, I'm gonna take another look at all those notes Cecil kept."
"Cecil kept notes?"
"Lots."
"You think they hold a key of some sort, no pun intended?"
"Maybe. I'd have to check."
Ahkmenrah stepped up to Tally's side, pausing a moment before he asked, "Is it just me or do you have a talent for picking beautiful places to stop and think?"
"You're just saying that."
He turned to smile at her. "So are you." Tally found herself having to stifle her giggles.
Jedediah took Octavius' hand and they walked down the Hall of Miniatures to where Kahmunrah still stood by the painted symbol. "Is it safe?" Octavius called from a safe distance of about twenty feet. Kahmunrah narrowed his eyes, but he nodded once. They continued their walk toward the symbol when the dot shifted it's position again. Jed leapt back, inadvertently dragging Octavius with him. Once Octavius ensured his shoulder was fine, he watched the symbol, keeping himself between it and Jed.
Kahmunrah furrowed his brow, stood up, and stepped back. Octavius licked his lip and asked, "It's not supposed to do that, is it?"
"No, it's not."
"This one-does it always do that?"
"As far as I know."
"Is it watching us? Is that why it moves?"
"I don't know."
Octavius turned toward Jedediah, who had more or less composed himself and was watching Kahmunrah with narrow eyes. "Jedediah, you haven't said one word to this man," Octavius whispered.
"Whaddaya want me to say?"
"Something, at least. Something civil."
"One word," he said aloud, so that Kahmunrah could hear, though he didn't check for Kahmunrah's reaction. "Happy?" he whispered to Octavius.
"It's a start."
Larry looked around the lobby, seeing that Tally and Ahkmenrah have finally decided to come in. Ahkmenrah walked back to the Egyptian wing, and Larry walked over to Tally. "Hey, uh, sorry about what happened earlier."
"Don't worry about it. You're more used to weird and unusual than I am."
"Yeah, but it's no excuse for...yeah."
"Don't try so hard." Tally smirked. "So, what's weirder? Exhibits coming to life every night or moving symbols?"
"Say what?" Tally laid out what had happened in the Hall of Miniatures as far as she knew. "Oh. I'd have to say the whole moving symbol thing. You can get used to exhibits coming to life every night."
"If you had the choice, Cecil or Kahmunrah? Why?"
"Well, Kahmunrah was a jealous freak, and Cecil was greedy... Wait, you're asking me which sin's worse."
"Very good," Tally said with a smile.
"Can't say."
"Okay, good answer." She shrugged and looked around the lobby. "Guess we just do what we do."
"Whatever that might be."
