I finished tucking my long, dark brown hair under my cloak's hook, using it to keep the sun off my skin before heading outside. I don't tan. I burn. It's weird how, unlike my siblings, I burn under the heat of the sun, but it's just how it is sadly. I pulled my mask up over my nose again and slipped on my shoes. I picked up my bag and waited patiently for my siblings. Evie began walking to me with her own bag and then a slightly less organized Jonathan followed behind.
"Ready to go, guys?" I ask them, putting down my bag for a second and adjusting my gloves and made sure I had a dagger in my boot and on my belt. I was wearing a black and navy, long-sleeved dress that also reached just above my ankles.
Jonathan had a hat and a suit on and Evie had a white, button-up blouse and a grey, ankle-length skirt. Evie also had a hat, but it looked fancier and nicer than Jonathan's did. Her hair was in a bun. She also had her earrings on. I never got my ears pierced; wasn't a fan.
"Just a moment, actually." Evie told us, holding up a finger on her right hand and putting her bag down. Running off somewhere in our place. Jonathan put his bag down and shrugged when I looked at him questioningly. When Evie came back from wherever in oblivion she was, she had a smaller cloth bag slung over her shoulder. "Okay, ready." She nodded with a smile, picking her bag back up. I shrugged with a nod and smile of my own and led the way out of the house. Jonathan locked the door behind us and we all headed to Giza Port. There we waited on the docks beside our boat ride, which other passengers were boarding. There were camels, horses, many rooms, a dining room and so on and so forth. It was brilliant and it would only take a couple days and nights before we reached the next port.
Whilst waiting for Mr. O-Connell, Evie spoke up first as I continued to excitedly daydream about the relaxing holiday we were going on. I mean, what could happen during a cruise and during a dig? Not much out of the ordinary, I can tell you that.
"Do you really think he's going to show up?"
"Yes. Undoubtedly sure." Jonathan told us. "Knowing my luck..." He mumbled that bit.
"He may be a cowboy, but I know his breed. His word is his word." I noticed a man with a couple bags walking up to us with brushed, brown hair on his head and a white shirt tucked into his pants and a suit jacket over that. He had a belt that looked like it holstered something, but I couldn't tell what from the crowd he was in. He was also quite far away still. He stood out, because he had his eyes on us and was determinedly walking to us. I turned back to the others when Evie began to talk with her arms crossed again.
"Well, personally I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel." Every description, this unnamed man came closer. I then realize once he was right behind Evie, just who he might be. Rick O-Connell.
"I don't like him one bit." She finished annoyed.
"Anyone I know?" Mr. O-Connell asked cheerfully. Spinning around and stepping back with surprise, Evie's jaw dropped.
"O-Oh..u-uhm..hello." Evie stammered. He cleaned up nicely after prison.
"Smashing day to start an adventure, 'ey, O-Connell?" Jonathan interrupted, saving Evie's skin. He patted O-Connell on his back in a 'old-friendly chaps' manner with his British accent showing through.
"Yeah, yeah, smashing." O-Connell momentarily grinned back before swinging his hand to check that he still had his wallet, his face turning to a frown.
"Oh, no-no! I'd never steal from a partner, partner." Jonathan reassured with a wave of his hands.
"That reminds me...uh, no hard feelings about the--" O-Connell made a punching gesture to Jonathan and seemed apologetic.
"Oh, no-no, happens all the time." He nodded understandingly. I choked and pulled down my mask to get some proper air, laughing at my brother's answer. Not because it was true and terrible, but because it was true and hilarious. The amount of bruises and cuts I had to clean up for Jonathan is uncountable, I'll tell you that much. O-Connell seemed to smile at my reaction, Evie huffed and Jonathan smiled reminiscently.
"Mr. O-Connell." Evie directed his attention to her. "Can you look me in the eye and guarantee me this isn't some kind of flim-flam, because if it is, I am warning you--"
"You're warning me?" O-Connell cut her off. "Listen, Lady. Let me put it this way:
My whole damn garrison believed in this so much, that without orders, they marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. And when we got there, all we found was sand and blood." He paused for us all to let that sink in...'sand and blood.' I wonder if his garrison...
"Let me get those for you." Without warning, he picked up our bags, but before he could get to mine and Evie's, I picked them up in my free hands.
"Let me help you. You have your own bags to take care off anyway." I smiled. He smiled back and nodded.
"Thanks. Jonathan and I are apparently sharing a room," O-Connell nodded as we boarded the boat. We heard Jonathan and Evie complain about the Warden unexpectedly joining us. "So are you and your sister sharing a room?"
"Yeah, we are." I answered. "Hey, can I call you Rick instead of 'Mr. O-Connell'?"
"Sure, but only if I can call you by your first name."
"Sure. I'm Melissa Carnahan."
"Pleasure, Melissa. So let's get these bags in their respective rooms, shall we?" He grinned.
"Roger, that!" I grinned back. Our rooms were pretty close, so we went our separate ways when we absolutely had to. He was fun to talk with. I chose my bed, put my bag on it and placed Evie's bags on her bed. That was when Evie walked in with a huff. Here we go. She began to excitedly rant about this trip, then it turned slightly annoyed by Rick's earlier behaviour and attitude. After an hour or so of rambling, ranting and excitement, yet annoyance, she calmed down, dug through her bag and pulled out two books, tossed one to me and pulled me outside with her. I had no choice but to read with her it seemed.
We found a good sitting area near some camels and horses and away from other people. Evie began reading her book after putting on her reading glasses, so I took a look at the book she gave me. 'Mysteries and Myths of Hamunaptra.' 'Of course I have to read this. I suppose she actually thinks it'll help our dig, then?' She caught me looking up at her with a 'are-you-serious?' face, so she sighed and told me very motherly: "Don't look at me like that. That book will help you, I bet you'll find. When we arrive and have better knowledge of Hamunaptra, you'll be thanking me."
"Evie. Let's be real now. I love a good book like the next person. But...I thought it might be an enjoyable passing time."
"It will be." She glared, then turned back to her own book which I caught the title of: 'Hamunaptra's Past and The History Around it.'
God help us all.
And so...we read. As the sun began to set and crew men lit candles and lanterns around the cruise, we read and read. Page after page after page after page. 'I should've stayed with Jonathan.' I mentally growled when I looked up at Evie for the hundredth time. She paid no attention to my glares and continued to read peacefully. I had read and tried to enjoy reading and absorb the information. But it was just so...boring? Yeah, boring. That's the word. I like history as much as Evie, I really do. However, this was meant to be a vacation and a cool travelling expedition! I guess I just had something else in mind when it came to 'relax.'
The moon had risen and I had given up on reading that darn book. Evie looked displeased, but continued her own reading anyway. I shrugged and continued staring at the Nile and the reflection of the moon over it. It had become colder as usual at night in Egypt, so I pulled my mask back to cover my face and nose, keeping me partially warm. I failed to notice the approaching figure. Evie was drowned in her book so there was no one to warn us. The crashing sound startled the heartbeats out of Evie and I. Metal landing on metal and sliding across fabric and wood. I squeaked and Evie gasped; both of us did so with fright.
"Sorry; I didn't mean to scare ya both." Rick apologized with a face that was clearly being forced to refrain from laughing. He had taken off the top suit, leaving his tucked in shirt. I could see he had holsters on his belt, but I couldn't see where the pistols were.
"The only thing that scares me, Mr. O-Connell, are your manners." Evie retorted, placing emphasis on certain words to get her message across.
"Still angry about that kiss, huh?" He chuckled a little.
"Well, I-mean, if you call that a kiss." She sat back and crossed her arms crossly. Rick's face turned sour, so he flipped open the bag he just threw down and began taking out and loading guns, leaving the safetys' on them on so he wouldn't accidentally hurt anyone. 'So that's where his pistols were.'
"A-Are we going onto the battlefield?" I asked slightly scared. 'My vacation's fading into the distance...I thought it was supposed to be relaxing.'
"Ladies, there's something out there. Something's underneath that sand." He told us, loading another of his guns. I curiously tilted my head at his statement, hearing the other meaning behind it. But Evie seemed to be thinking something else.
"Yes, well, I am hoping to find a certain artifact. A book, actually." She told us matter-of-factly. "Jonathan thinks there's treasure. What do you two think is out there?" She never was the superstitious type like me.
"Danger?" I answered truthfully, but unsurely.
"In one word. Evil." Rick told us, loading yet another gun. "The Bedouin and the Tuaregs' believe that Hamunaptra is cursed." He explained warningly. I shuddered at the thought of visiting a cursed place. Suddenly, all the fun was taken out of this adventure.
"Oh, look; I don't believe in fairy-tales and hokum. Not like my sister and brother do. But, I do believe in one thing: that one of the most famous books in history is buried there. The Book of Amun-Ra." She told us. "within it is all the secret incantations of the old kingdom. It's also what first interested me in Egypt as a child. It's the reason why I came here. Sort of like a, 'life's purpose pursuit.' " She explained, excitedly.
"And the fact that they say it's made out of pure gold means nothing to you?" Rick asked, not entirely believing that would be correct.
"You know your history." Evie told him shocked. She didn't answer his question though...
"I know my treasure." He corrected, having finished his guns, he began to strap and holster a few--putting the others back into the bag. No one said anything, so he began speaking again. "Your brother and sister are correct to believe those types of stories." He shrugged, gesturing to me whilst speaking. I shrugged. I wasn't sure of what to say, so instead, I took of my gloves and began to trace the patterns/words on the back of my hands quite nervously.
"Um..." Evie broke the awkward silence. "By the way...why...did you kiss me?" She asked nervously and awkwardly.
"Well, I was about to be hanged. It seemed like a good idea at the time." He answered with a shrug. Well...that backfired for Evie; didn't it? She huffed, slamming her book closed and grabbing the book I was previously reading. She brushed past Rick making us raise our eye-brows at her; grabbed my wrist with her free hand and pulled me with her and back past a very confused Rick. Unable to make my own life decisions and choices it seems; I followed her back to our room where she slammed the door shut behind us. She put the books back in her bag and began to pull out her nightclothes which consisted of her black, lace nightgown and matching underwear. She also pulled out her bathroom essentials. During all of this, she had been grumbling and mumbling incoherent phrases in every language under the sun.
She stormed into the bathroom, slammed that door behind her and began her shower to cool off. I just stood there. Uncertain as to why I was even pulled in here with her, but maybe it's because she wanted to know my calming presence was nearby. So I stuck around and began to pull out my own night clothes and bathroom essentials. My nightclothes were basic and plain, unlike her lace. My nightgown was black, but it also had my favourite colour on the edges: pale yellow. I had matching underwear and a mask too. I didn't sleep in it, obviously; but I put it on in the morning after I change. Because I get changed, I often don't wear gloves to bed...too uncomfortable.
Once Evie had finished her shower, I went in after her. Not many words were spoken between us, but she seemed to have calmed down a little and kept her hair from being unnecessarily washed or just wet from the water. I bathed under the warm water and was careful to not get the water in my hair. Afterwards, I towel-dried, redressed and put my stuff back in my bag, making sure to hang the towel on a towel-rack to dry. I then decided to hang my mask around my neck, because you never know what will happen when you're not in the safety of your own home. Then some small talk with Evie.
"Still annoyed, Evie?"
"A little, yeah." She sighed, walking to the door during her pacing. That's when we began to hear shouting and gunfire. This startled us greatly, of course. Evie looked at the door in surprised and I leapt for my bag which had my recently packed dagger. A man with a hook for a hand, kicked the door open and put a scimitar to Evie's throat. Then he gestured to me with his hook hand warningly:
"Attack me and she dies." He warned, not even looking away from Evie's frightened eyes to acknowledge me further. I huffed, keeping my hand on my bag, but not opening it. I feared for my sister's life. "Where's the key?"
"W-What key?" Evie stammered; both of us were completely confused by his question.
"The key!" He persisted, "Where's the key!?"
"W-We d-don't know w-what key!" I stuttered out.
"Evelyn! Melissa!" Rick's voice shouted from outside.
"The key, the key!" The man insisted, pushing the scimitar closer to her neck to hurry us up. But it was too late, because Rick ran in after seeing the door kicked open, saw the man threatening us and quickly spun his guns out of their holsters and shot the man who was quickly approaching him. This man fell to the ground in his black robes and I just realized...he had the same tattoos as me on his cheeks. Oh no...did we just--
"Let's go! Evelyn! Melissa! Come on!" He urged. I grabbed my back and Evie her's and we ran out after Rick. These black robed men were fighting us and setting the place on fire, and people were jumping into the Nile for their lives. Rick tossed our bags to the side because they'd weigh us down in the water, then proceeded to throw Evie into the water, push a reluctant Jonathan and Warden after her, then turned to me who pushed him overboard. I was about to jump when I spun around with my dagger to deflect a scimitar which was going for my head. Somehow it worked, and the man stepped back in shock.
Then it clicked.
I didn't have my mask on and he could see the tattoos on my cheeks and the back of my hands.
Good job, self, you screwed up.
You had one job and you failed.
So much for 'what could go wrong on a simple cruise?'.
"You..." The man began. "Have the markings of a Medjai warrior. You...are a Medjai's soulmate." He told me, his voice shaking with surprise.
"Yeah...no clue what that means, but cool story bro." I jumped at him, catching him off guard and somehow managed to flip him overboard, shouting sarcastically whilst doing so: "Man overboard!!!" Then I ran a little away from that spot and jumped into the cold, freezing Nile waters. I swam to the nearest shore and saw Evie coughing water, the Warden shivering and Jonathan standing beside Rick. I pulled myself up, feeling completely frozen and numb and saw another island quite a distance from us, but not too far.
"Hey, O-Connell!" Some random Hungarian accented man called from over there. "Looks like we've got all the horses!" He gestured proudly to the horses and other men who were making sure they were okay.
"Hey, Beni!" Rick called back, "Looks like you're on the wrong side of the island!" Upon this realization, the man kicked at the sand and possibly began spewing Hungarian curses at us--but I never learned Hungarian so...yeah. With no where else to go, we walked across the sand; following O-Connell's directions, and somehow managing to actually stumble across a town.
"Good job, Rick!" I cheered excitedly.
"All in a good night's work." He brushed off in response. The sun had begun it's ascent over the horizon. This woke the town up and it quickly became alive with people when we entered its gates. The women of a nearby women's clothes shop, right next to a men's clothes shop, took pity on us girls who were in ruined nightgowns. They took us in and helped us find the right clothes.