𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑻𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 - Ardeth Bay

THREE

THREE|HAMUNAPTRA

"What was that large banging noise?" Tiye ran into the library part of the museum. Seven years had passed and Tiye returned to Egypt with her new family, Evelyn and Jonathan Carnahan. Evelyn and Tiye worked at the museum ran by Tiye's father while Jonathan just enjoyed himself in Egypt. Dr. Bey and Tiye very rarely discussed the almost marriage but not a day goes by that she does not think of her fiancè.

"Ask your dear friend, Evelyn." Dr. Bey grumbled to her before storming out the room.

"Are you okay, Evy?" Tiye grabbed her friends shoulders and checked her over for any visible wounds.

"I'm fine. The library, however." The two women glanced around at the destroyed room, bookcases had fallen over, some artifacts had smashed to the floor and books were everywhere.

"We better start cleaning up." As Tiye bent down to pick up a book a clank snapped the pair's attention towards the ancient artefacts room. Glancing at each other they slowly walked towards where they had just heard the noise.

"Hello?" Evelyn called out before grabbing a lit torch from the wall and stepping further into the room, Tiye following closely behind. The two heard another soft thud and kept glancing around the room.

"Abdul?" Tiye called out, wondering if one of the other workers were doing something in the room. "Mohammed? Bob?"

A clattering noise behind the two women caused them to jump around and slowly approach a sarcophagus. They both screamed as the mummy sat upright in its bed, making a hissing noise. Laughter soon followed and Jonathan sat up beside the mummy.

"Have you no respect for the dead?" Evelyn snapped at her brother, holding her hand over her heart.

"Of course I do." Jonathan laughed, hoisting the mummy's arm up so it looked relaxed. "But sometimes I'd rather like to join them."

"Well, I wish you would do it sooner rather than later, before you ruin my career the way you've ruined yours." Evelyn ranted, grabbing the mummys arm and placing it back into the sarcophagus. Tiye grinned at the exchange between the two siblings, giggling to herself. "Now get out."

"My dear, sweet baby sister, I'll have you know..." Jonathan began to step out the coffin and that is when the stench of alcohol hit the two women's noses. They both stepped forwards and helped the man out the fragile exhibit. "That at this precise moment my career is on a high note."

"High note, ha!" Tiye laughed sarcastically.

"Oh, Jonathan, please, I'm really not in the mood for you. I've just made a bit of a mess in the library, and the Bembridge scholars have rejected my application form again." Evelyn started ranting again. Tiye walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her to sit on the edge of a statue. "They say I don't have enough experience in the field."

"You'll always have me, old mum." Jonathan moved away from the sarcophagus and kneeled in front of his sister, grabbing her hands.

"And me." Tiye inputted, smiling at the pair. Jonathan leaned forwards and kissed both their foreheads lovingly.

"Besides, I have just the thing to cheer you up." He ran back over to the sarcophagus and began to dig around, searching for something.

"Oh, no, Jonathan, not another worthless trinket." Evelyn sighed, causing Tiye to laugh at her reaction. "If I have to take one more piece of junk to the curator to try and... Well for you..."

"Where did you get that?" Tiye asked, staring at the metal box in Evelyn's hands.

"On a dig down in, uh, Thebes." Jonathan lied. "My whole life I've never found anything, Evy. Please tell me I've found something."

"Jonathan." Evelyn gasped as she pressed something and the top snapped open, creating a star like shape with a note inside.

"Yes?" He sat down beside his sister and watched as she took the note out.

"I think you found something." The three of them stared in wonder at the mysterious paper as Evelyn opened it to reveal a map.

"We have to show my father." Tiye stood up abruptly and began to walk to her father's office.

They arrived at the curators office and waltzed straight on inside, Evelyn gently placing the map on to his desk.

"You see the Catouche there. It's the official royal seal of Seti I, I'm sure of it." She explained as Dr. Bey scanned over the map.

"Perhaps."

"Two questions." Jonathan spoke up. "Who the he'll was Seti I, and was he rich?"

"He was the second Pharaoh of the 19th century dynasty, said to be the wealthiest pharaoh of them all." Tiye bestowed her knowledge to him, grinning at the mention of wealth.

"Good. That's good. I like this fellow." Jonathan chuckled. "I like him very much."

"I've already dated the map. It's almost 3,000 years old. And if you look at the hieratic just here, well, it's Hamunaptra." Evelyn grinned to herself happily, Tiye sending her a proud smile.

"Dear God, don't be ridiculous. We're scholars, not treasure hunters." Dr. Bey said mockingly, sitting back in his chair. "Hamunaptra's a myth told by ancient Arab storytellers to amuse Greek and Roman tourists."

"Yes, I know all the silly blather about the city being protected by the curse of a mummy nonsense, but my research has led me to believe that the city itself may have actually existed." Evelyn tried to convince the curator to believe her. Tiye sighed at her father's ignorant thinking and sat in a chair by the large fireplace, crossing her arms.

"Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?" Jonathan questioned, glancing up at his sister.

"Yes. The City of the Dead, where the earliest Pharoahs were said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt." Evelyn smirked at her brother, watching as his eyes lit up.

"Yes, yes, in-in a big, underground treasure chamber." Jonathan began to pace as he remembered the old stories his parents would tell him. Dr. Bey scoffed at the siblings and lifted the map to get a better look at it. "Oh, come on. Everybody knows the story. The entire necropolis was rigged to sink into the sand on the Pharaoh's command. A flick of the switch and the whole place would disappear beneath the sand dunes, taking the treasure with it."

"As the Americans would say it's all fairy tales and hokum- Oh, my goodness! Look at that!" Dr. Bey cut himself off by lighting the map on fire. Tiye jumped up as he chucked the map over the desk. Jonathan and Evelyn followed her, all three kneeling down and patting away the flames.

"You burnt it! You've burnt off the part with the lost city." Jonathan gasped as the three of them glanced at the damage.

"It's for the best, I'm sure." Dr. Bey linked his fingers and watched the three of them. "Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra. No one's ever found it. Most... have never returned."