𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑻𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 - Ardeth Bay

eight

"Do you realise we're standing inside a room that no one has entered in over 3,000 years?" Evelyn announced excitedly.

"Whoo! What is that god-awful stench?" Jonathan exclaimed as he finished climbing in, still standing beside the rope then noticing the warden coming down it. "Oh."

"And then there was light." Evelyn walked over to another ancient mirror and cleaned off the cobwebs before adjusting it to catch the sun.

"Hey, that is a neat trick." Rick chuckled. Tiye gasped excitedly as she glanced around the now lit room, automatically knowing exactly what it was used for.

"Oh my god, it's a sah-netjer!" She squealed joyfully, her eyes darting around the place to get a better look.

"Huh?" Rick looked at with confusion.

"Its a preparation room." Evelyn translated for him.

"Preparation for what?" He asked.

"For entering the afterlife." Evelyn said dramatically as they all began to walk further through the room.

"Mummies, my good son. This is were they made the mummies." Jonathan dumbed it down for him as he lit his torch with Ricks. They all continued down an old, dark, cobwebbed filled tunnel, Rick leading the way with the two women following close behind. Suddenly the sound of bugs filled their ears. They tossed and turned, glancing all over the place for the sight of the bugs but could not see any.

"What was that?" Jonathan asked after silence filled the tunnels once more.

"Sounds like..." Rick trailed off, raising his gun just in case.

"Bugs." Tiye finished Ricks statement, her hand grabbing Evelyns and squeezing it tightly.

"She said bugs." Evelyn turned around and whispered to the men behind her.

"What do you mean bugs? I hate bugs!" The warden shouted. Tiye rolled her eyes at the man's stupidity and huffed in annoyance.

"The legs of Anubis." Evelyn announced as they entered a room, the rest of the Anubis statue in front of them. "The secret compartment should be hidden somewhere inside here."

The sounds of muffled voices and moans echoed around the room. Tiye grabbed the secret silver dagger she kept under her dress and raised it, prepared to stab anything unusual.

"Hold this." Rick whispered, handing his torch to Evelyn so he could take his other gun out its holster. They all backed up against the statue, Rick pushing the two women behind him safely. Rick swung around the statue with guns raised, men shouting caused Evelyn and Tiye to turn the corner. The Americans stood in front of them, guns also raised and faces ghastly white.

"You scared the bejesus out of us, O'Connell." One of the Americans sighed, lowering his gun slightly but still keeping it raised.

"Likewise." Rick grinned.

"Hey. That's my tool kit." Another American stepped forwards after noticing the brown satchel in Evelyns hand.

"No, I don't think so." Rick aimed his gun at the man.

"Okay. Perhaps I was mistaken." The man raised his hands up in surrender.

"Well, have a nice day, gentlemen. We have a lot of work to be getting along with." Evelyn spoke up.

"Push off! This is our dig site." A man stated, spitting the words out vemonously.

"We got here first." Tiye spat, tucking her dagger away and glaring at the Americans. All the men raised their guns again causing the two women to roll their eyes at their childish behaviour.

"This here's our statue, friend." An American stated.

"I don't see your name written on it, pal." Rick sassed back.

"Yes, well, there's only five of you and fifteen of me. Your odds are not so great, O'Connell." Beni grinned. Tiye and Evelyn both looked down, noticing a gap in the floor indicating there was a room underneath. Evelyn kicked a few stones in and confirmed their suspicions.

"I've had worse." Rick growled.

"Yeah, me too." Jonathan inputted.

"Oh, look. For goodness' sake, let's be nice, children." Evelyn stepped forwards, standing between the guns. "If we're going to play together, we must learn to share."

"There are other places to dig." She lowered a few guns before turning to Rick and giving him a knowing look, grabbing his bicep and lowering his arm.

"Come along, men. Let us leave these children to their sandbox before they have a tantrum." Tiye grinned as she watched the Americans glare at her. She waltzed forwards and indicated with her hands for them to step aside and let her past. Evelyn laughed lightly as she followed behind the Egyptian and strided past, the others following behind.