~THEBES~
The Lost City
By Shainna Powell
I had been there for centuries killing all who come close enough to disturb the Egyptian City in which my body is obligated to watch over. Every passing week brings new adventurers, and I am again excited by the case of death. They come in search of gold in which the city has much to offer. They seek answers, wanting to know why my people suddenly disappeared those thousands of years ago, leaving know trace as to why.
I watched the sun rise slowly above the horizon and there appeared three shadowy figures in the distance. My sharp eye had missed them before and I began to question myself. How long had they been there? Their feet walked steadily on the sand beneath them and they approached the entrance of the city. I observed them carefully from the shadow-filled corner in which I dwell. They stopped and stared at the city for only a matter of minutes until they began to stride forward walking straight to the gleaming pyramid standing proudly in the center of Thebes. I could not let them get far. Grabbing my Eluteciou, an ancient Egyptian tool used to put someone into a deep sleep by shooting a pin-like object from a long gold pipe, I headed to the pyramid. I walked up the fragile stone steps, and entered the opening called the cabbel. It was engulfed in cobwebs, which had gathered rapidly over the years. The walkway smelled of stale air and thick dust. The inside was dark like a night with no moon and my eyes struggled to find the way. I could hear their voices although they sounded frail and muffled. Slowly I floated across the stone floor, dragging my fingers along the wall to guide myself. I could feel the worn symbols that covered the walls scrape against my bare hand. As I turned the corner I stopped. There was light ahead. There they sat, flashlight in hand scanning the word-covered walls and jotting down notes. The aim was perfect. Pulling the Eluteciou to my mouth, I shot once successfully. Before the other two had a chance to react, I shot them as well, one at a time. It took only a few seconds, and they were fast asleep.
Dragging them one by one to the small mummification room located on the musty last floor of the sturdy pyramid, I strapped them to large slate tables to reassure they would not get away if the drug wore off early. Because there was no time to waste, I did not bother to take out there insides but rather began to enclose them in the first layer of wrap, then carefully applied a sealing powder over their bodies and began with the last layer. This layer always took the most time, and time I apparently did not have. Working quickly, I finished the last person.
Carefully, I left the foul smelling room and just outside guided myself to a small storage closet which had been my own creation. Inside were five oversized silver crates. Pushing one back to the room, I struggled. It was big and incredibly heavy, forcing sweat to roll from my dark head. My body wished to give up, but I knew the reward would be great in the end.
I once again entered the overwhelming room, and with my last burst of strength, I slid the crate next up to the slate table in which the first person lay. They had not yet awoke from their endless sleep but were still stuck in a deep trance aware of anything happening around them. Taking his head first, I lowered my victim into the silver deathbed and continued with the next two people, putting them all into the very same enclosure. Using what strength I had gained back, I lifted the rounded top in which I had spent many nights to complete to perfection and placed it carefully on the enclosure. I then felt the crate shiver and knew one of my prisoners was on the verge of awakening. Picking up the gold key I put it in the lock. Turning it quickly, they were now trapped for eternity and forever cursed by the legend of Thebes. I stuck the key in my pocket, and walked away.
My victims were now fully awake and in complete confusion and fright. Their scream echoed throughout the walkway in a sweet melody and their cries for help engraved themselves in my innermost thoughts, and would remain until the end of time.
I reached the cabbel and from there the sounds of terror dissipated with the night sky. I returned to my shadow filled corner and waited once again for the next to dare approach the Lost City of Thebes.