Priestess of Hathor: Mummy Trilogy

Journey to Hamunaptra

Oakley's POV

The moment we arrive at the Bedouin trading post. The local women lead Evie and I to a tent to give us fresh clothes. While Rick and Jonathan went to get camels while minding Uma. Evelyn purchased a black Bedouin gown, complete with a veil. While i got a red Bedouin gown with matching shawl. The women even did our hair for us after we bathed.

They insisted on escorting us back to our travel party. They all giggle as we reach the camel stand. Jonathan and O'Connell look at us shocked. I smile and head over to Uma, patting her fondly. The Warden joins us and we mount our rides.

O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and the warden are on camels. Me on Uma as we enter the endless, sun-baked Sahara desert. O'Connell leading the way. "Sure hope, you remember the way" I tell him.

"If course I do, it'll take us three days. But we'll be journeying at night as well as during the day. So we'll be there just under two days" he states.

"Never did like camels. Filthy buggers. They smell, they bite, they spit. Disgusting" Jonathan complains.

"Not my fault, they only had camels" I tell him smugly. Evelyn is having the time of her life on top of her camel.

"I think they're adorable" she states patting hers.

"I agree, though I would never trade Uma away" I tell them as I pat her neck. We continue our journey taking a break every few hours for me to give Uma water. As she can't go six months without food or water like a camel. She can only survive two days without water, she can last a two - three weeks with out food though. But best to keep her hydrated in this desert.

Night time the warden is a sleep snoring as Jonathan tries to fall asleep. Evelyn had fallen asleep on her camel. She slowly starts to slide off her saddle. O'Connell reaches over and stops her, then gently pushes her back up onto her saddle, never waking her. "How's Uma?" he asks me.

"I think she needs a quick rest, you continue on. It won't take long and we'll catch up" I assure him. He nods his and I pull Uma to the side. I stop her and dismount. She lays down looking tired. She's not used to traveling day and night. It was usually one or the other on our journeys.

She's still young. Horses can live to be 30 - 40 years old. She is only five. "Here girl, you rest" I tell her as I place two bowls in front of her. One with water, the other with a mix of corn, barley and oats to give her energy. "Once we reach Hamunaptra, you can rest whenever you want" I tell her. She nickers and eats her fill, then washes it down with water as I drink from my water skin.

I notice a group of riders on horse back on a ridge looking out of the desert. Looking in the direction of my group. They must be the same guys who attacked us on the boat. "Time to catch up to the others" I tell her and mount her. She stands up. "We'll be at Hamunaptra the day after tomorrow" I assure her. She nods her head and takes off in the direction the others went. I fall asleep, trusting her to lead us to them.

(Two days later, dawn)

I wake up and ask O'Connell if we're nearly there. As Jonathan and Warden argue about his (the warden's) snoring. "We're almost there" he answers.

"You sure?" Evelyn and I ask him.

"Pretty sure" he says looking down. We all look down and see dozens of skeletons sticking out of the ground. Bleached by the sun and eaten away by desert wildlife. Some of the skeletons look like they're trying to crawl up out of the desert floor.

"What in bloody hell is this?" Jonathan demands.

"Other seekers of Hamunaptra" the warden states shivering in fear. I gulp, maybe Ardeth was right. Maybe Hamunaptra is cursed.

The American Expedition rides out from behind the far end of the dune. The Americans are accompanied by twenty-four native diggers and an Arab Egyptologist. Beni rides lead on a camel, the rest ride horses.

"Good morning, my friend" he says to O'Connell, who nods his head in greeting. The two parties come to a stop a hundred feet apart. O'Connell turns and stares out across the endless horizon, Beni does likewise.

"Well, what the hell we doin'?" one of the Americans demands.

"Patience, my good sahib, patience" Beni tells him.

"First one to the city, O'Connell! Five hundred! Cash bucks" another tells him. Evelyn and Jonathan share a look. The sun starts to rise in the distance, breaking the flat horizon.

"Get ready for it" O'Connell tells us.

"For what?" Evie and I ask him.

"We're about to be shown the way" he tells us smiling. The city of Hamunaptra materializes from thin air.

"Will you look at that?!" the cowboy says.

"Can you believe it?" the one beside him asks.

"Hamunaptra" says the one with the glasses.

"Here we go again" O'Connell says. Hamunaptra fully appears on the far left of the horizon. We all take off racing towards it. O'Connell and Beni are neck-and-neck. Evelyn and I not far behind as her hair flies in the wind.

Beni takes out his camel whip and starts whipping O'Connell. Trying to knock him off his camel. O'Connell grabs the whip and jerks Beni off his camel. Beni slams to the ground. "Serves you right!" I shout as Evie and I pass him. Uma jumping over his body. "Yah!" I say encouraging Uma to go faster.

Evelyn and I over take O'Connell. But I charge ahead of Evie, horses being faster then camels and Uma being a born runner. We pass the gates and enter Hamunaptra. I get her to stop as Evie and Rick join us.

The Americans ride up and look in wonder at the ruins. O'Connell gives them a big, shit-eating grin. "You boys owe me five hundred dollars" he tells them.

"Actually, I won the race. You boys each owe me five hundreds bucks, unless you'd rather lose your gentiles" I tell them smiling innocently. They all quickly give me the money. "Pleasure, doing business with you" I tell them. I lead Uma over to the head of Anubis, the rest of my group following.

A/N

Picture above of Oakley with her new shawl and on the external link of the others all on camels.