What was once a city of ruins, filled with terror and sorrow, is now on the brink of being destroyed before our eyes. Pillars fell over as sand and dust filled the air, creating a dust cloud, obscuring our vision as the City of the Dead sank back into the earth. I think back to when this city brought so much suffering and sadness to our group. Realizing now that it will never see the light of day again. "What about the others?" I asked as we were still missing three members of our group.
"We'll find them when this is all over Anna. It's too dangerous to find them now." reassured Ardeth. With nothing else to do, we all witnessed the fall of this once dreadful city as the earth took it back to the depths of hell. A giant dust cloud blew in our direction as we shielded our eyes from the sand. Once the air cleared, we looked around to see what was left of this city. Searching for any survivors, Ardeth noticed a group of three running towards a herd of camels. "That must be them," he announced. After the realization that the group had escaped, a thought conjured in my head, wondering if they had killed Imhotep.
"Is it over? Did they kill him?" I had asked. He gave me a concerned look and said, "They must have, otherwise the city wouldn't have fallen." I sighed in relief knowing that the monster who was responsible for my friend's death is finally dead. A smile grew on my face and I knew Ardeth took notice because he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Anna, stay here. I am sure they will be glad to know that I am well." I hesitated in letting him go, but I knew it would be for the best. "That's fine. I'll help Izzy get the plane ready."
I dismounted off the horse and Ardeth rode towards the direction of the group. As I watched him ride off, I couldn't get my mind off of that moment we had before the earthquake. What was he doing? Was he about to kiss me? I pressed my lips with my fingers, wondering how it would be to kiss him. When Qasim grabbed my hand and my thoughts were back to reality. I kneeled next to Qasim as he gave me back my scarf. "Thank you for taking care of my scarf." I said as I grabbed the scarf and wrapped my hair back into a ponytail. I give Qasim a hug and Izzy interrupts by saying, "Well that's something you don't see everyday, now let's get a move on before we see more crazy shit!" he said as he made his way back to the plane. I go to help Izzy prepare the plane for take off, when I hear galloping from Ardeth's horse from behind. I turn and ask Ardeth, "Are they ok?" As he dismounted off the horse, he said, "Yes, they all made it. They are heading back to Cairo as we speak." he said. A weight was lifted off my shoulders, knowing they made it out alive.
"Well the plane is ready for take off, we can..."
"Anna, I should head back to Cairo on my own." Ardeth interrupted.
I paused at Ardeth's response, as I had thought we would go back together and sort this mess out, but I was mistaken. "What?" Ardeth took me to the side and continued to say, "I need to let my people know that Imhotep was defeated. I will meet you back in Cairo in due time, but I need to do this first. Will you wait for me?"
There it was, those captivating eyes, unable to look away. I hugged him farewell as I knew it would take a little while until I saw him again as I whispered to him, "I'll be waiting for you at the museum." I drew back from that hug and then said, "Get back to your people safe."
He mounted his horse and as he looked down to me he grabbed my hand and kissed it. My face I could only imagine to be red from embarrassment, he laughed and said, "I'll see you soon."
He kicked his heels as he sped up his horse and he rode into the desert. My heart was still beating from that kiss he placed upon my hand, then Izzy announced, "Come on let's go!"
I looked once more at Ardeth from a distance and then I went to board on Izzy's plane. As we were taking off, we circled around the ruins of Hamunaptra to gain altitude. Looking back, I wanted nothing more than to see this city up in flames, but now, I had only wished it wasn't at the cost of the lives of my friends. The journey to healing I know will be long and painful. But only time will tell where I go next.
.
.
.
After the events that took place in Hamunaptra, we had arrived back to what remained of the air field and spent the first few nights there. Recuperating from the past few weeks, I had time to get new clothes for Qasim and I. As for Izzy, well, when I had asked him what I could do to repay him for taking me to Hamunaptra, he said "Don't worry about it, I already collected from that trip." Not really sure what he meant by that, but it wasn't long after that Izzy obtained a couple gold teeth following the Hamunaptra incident.
As for Qasim and I, we had returned to Cairo a few days after leaving Izzy's Air field. Standing at the city entrance where we had escaped a week before, I was hesitant to take a step into the city. But with Qasim by my side, he granted me the courage to face what I dreaded to do for a few days now. I knew it was inevitable, and I had to face it sooner rather than later, but I just never knew how painful this would be.
I had to make plans for my friend's funerals.
As we made our way through the city, I held Qasim's hand tighter as we drew closer to the museum. Witnessing the aftermath of the events that occurred in Cairo. There were shops in ruin, dead bodies still being brought into light and citizens without a place to call home, begging for food or money. It was upsetting seeing these people's lives being destroyed in a matter of days. I would have never known that the power of Imhotep would create this much devastation.
We continued to walk through the city until we had reached the steps of the museum. Looking at the museum I noticed the building doors broken, most likely from that mob we had witnessed before. We entered through the main entrance, climbing through the broken doorway. To see that the inside of the museum was much worse. Artifacts on the floor, papers torn to shreds and tapestry that looked to have been burned.
I took Qasim's hand as we made our way to the main office of the museum. Hoping that Ardeth was waiting for us there. When we had arrived at the office, I looked around to see the room was empty. But knowing him he would probably sneak up from behind me again. As I looked through the office, Qasim sat down on the couch in the office. I then extended my search to the library, then to the Pharaohs exhibit and so forth. Each time I wandered into the next room, Qasim followed after.
The night drew near and I knew my search for Ardeth would be cut short. So I scrounged up some food from the museum kitchen as Qasim and I feasted on stale bread and jam. Afterwards, we headed back into the office, as I started preparing Qasim to go to sleep for the night. I lit a broken oil lamp in the office. I laid Qasim on the couch and started humming a song for him to fall asleep. It didn't take long for him to sleep, as I took this opportunity to look around the museum once more. I wrapped a blanket around me and took the oil lamp to be my light.
Walking through the museum, I was taken back to when I first arrived here. I was so desperate to find something to save my friends, but it was a waste. I made it to a section in the library where it was not completely destroyed by Evelyn and made a small area for me to sit in. Placing the lamp in front of me, I kept staring at the light, like it was a fire fly buzzing through the air. It reminded me of those long summer nights, when we would spend the summer in the woods and we would chase the fireflies. Remembering how Bernard was having a hard time catching these balls of light, as we soon realized shortly after that he needed glasses. David being stubborn as he was, would tell us how stupid it was to catch fireflies. Then there's Isaac, who was a master of catching these bugs and placing them into jars.
I started crying thinking about my friends once again. When it was only a matter of time when I would soon bury them. I started humming the same song I hummed to Qasim, in hopes that it would stop my tears from falling. It was a long night, I eventually fell asleep, but I hardly remember how or when I did. All I remember was me waking up in a field of long grass.
The wind hit my face as my hands were brushing the grass between my fingers. I thought to myself, if this was heaven, because not long after, I saw her.
My mother, standing right in front of me. Wearing that scarf over her hair and a long flowing green dress and her face, filled with such beauty, that what people said about me being the spitting image of her was true. The resemblance was uncanny.
"My daughter." she said, holding out her hand towards me. I went to grab that hand as she brought me closer to her "Oh how I missed you my Annabelle." She caresses my face as I shed a tear. "You have gone through so much, and I am so sorry I couldn't be there for you." I cried more, as I had missed the feel of her warm hands. When I noticed three figures from the distance walking towards us. It was them. They gathered around me as I expressed to them my feelings. "I'm sorry...*sniff*... I wanted to save you all....*sniff*... and I couldn't do it. Please forgive me...."
Isaac grabbed my face wiping a tear from my cheek and said, "There is nothing to forgive Anna." as he hugged me, like it was the last time I would ever get to see him. "We will always be with you, no matter where you go and we will be waiting for you, when the time is right." I cried more into his shoulder, holding him tighter as I didn't want to let him go, because if I did, then he would truly be gone.
"Annabelle, it's time." my mother announced. I didn't want to let them leave, not without leaving something for them. I grabbed Isaac's face and with a nudge, I kissed him. The kiss was so warm and gentle as tears kept running down my face. He gave me the biggest smile anyone could receive and when it was time, I let him go. The four of them walking together as a door had emerged and they were gone. Leaving me in that peaceful meadow with my thoughts. I looked up to the sky to see a beautiful sunset, mesmerized by the pinks and oranges that filled the sky and I was finally at peace.