Reincarnated

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Day 40.

I snatch a random food package off the shelf and hold it up to the flickering light, squinting as I scrutinise it. My face falls the moment I turn it over. The writing on the back of the mustard-yellow pack is 100% Egyptian, and therefore 100% illegible to me. I groan to myself and resort to shaking the packet in a weak attempt to figure out what the hell is in it. It crackles like a box of loose jigsaw pieces, the pieces ricocheting off the edges of the packets with dull echoes. My eyes narrow even more.

Perhaps it's some sort of dry food? Maybe dried noodles? I suck in a sharp breath as an idea hits me. Ooh, or beef jerky?! I would kill for some beef jerky right about now.

Before I manage to uncover the preserved perplexity in my palm, a raised voice suddenly pierces the air, achingly familiar and terrifyingly feral. I flinch, my eyes widening.

Crap. I thought I had more time than that. I still haven't decided what the hell this food is. I glance back at the packet, my nose crinkling. Or if it's even edible.

There's another loud shout, this time in a much lower and testier tone. That gets my attention. Cursing under my breath, I glance around surreptitiously before hastily shoving a couple of the packets in my pockets and scurrying away.

Yes, that is correct. I, Kiara Collins, am officially a self-confessed thief. A self-confessed thief who has no idea what she just stole. There's a sense of irony in that, I swear.

I hurry out of the store and duck around the corner, heading to the back of building where I'd left the rest of my party. The raised voices I'd heard earlier grow in pitch and frustration the closer I get, until I'm practically being deafened by their conversation.

"— mythological creatures! How has it taken us over three weeks to even get a whisper of where they are?"

"They are creatures who have adapted to the art of a perfection camouflage, Hazel." Ahmose snaps, sounding exasperated. "Trying to locate a creature that adept at hiding in plain sight is no easy task."

"I don't think you quite understand how vital it is that they are mythological creatures! People aren't just going to bat an eyelid at a creature they think isn't real, Mummy-boy! They're going to scream it from the top of the freaking pyramids!"

"It is highly offensive to climb the pyramids. No person in their right mind would undertake such a feat, even those from your generation."

"Those from my generation? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what you suspect it means. You have a complete disregard for the importance of the most sacred things."

"Excuse you, you mouldy mound of bandages, I am an aspiring archaeologist! I have the biggest regard for sacred things!"

"Guys!" I jump in between the two of them, not liking the murderous expressions on either of their faces. My gaze flits between them as I give the two of them a stern look. Hazel doesn't react at all, her expression never wavering from it's deep-set scowl, but at least Ahmose has the good sense to look a little sheepish. "You both need to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down?" Hazel exclaims. "Did you not just hear him insulting me to my face? He is just asking me to whip out my karate moves!"

"Yes. Calm down. And you haven't learnt karate since you were twelve, so stop acting like you're a pro at it. You didn't even get past your yellow belt." I retort, shooting her a hard look and pushing her back when she surges forward again. "We are all tired and hungry and at the end of our tether, alright? We're not going to get anywhere if we end up killing each other over a small misunderstanding."