🐫Ҭસ૯ றμறறϓ 1999

🐫іறસଇҬ૯Ϸ સі૬ ૮સનறν૯Я

Enthusiast Evelyn runs around in the dark chamber. Ashley hands Rick a sledgehammer.   
"According to my calculations, we should be right under the Anubis and come up straight between his legs." She chuckles. "Oh my."
"And when tho's dirty yanks go to sleep, no offense" Jonathan starts. "None was taken," says Ashley.
"We'll go up and steal that book right from them." "And you are sure you can find the secret compartment," asks Rick. Ashley looks nervous at the crackling ground.
"Yes if their Egyptologist hasn't already found it" sighs Evelyn. "I say" begins Jonathan and looks around. "What's our little smelly friend got himself up to?" "He went looking for treasure" sighs Ashley. Jonathan nods.
"So once more, let me get this straight" sighs Rick and sits down next to Ashley. "They stuck a sharp red-hot poker up your nose and cut your brain into little pieces?"
"Then ripped it all through your nostrils," asks Ashley and takes her nose protective. "Oh man, that must hurt" swallows, Rick.
"It's called mummification" jokes Evelyn. "You will be dead when they do that" laughs Jonathan and swings with the wooden stick as if he is golfing. "Still," says Ashley. "Yeah that would bring you back alive" groans Rick. "Oh, you two" laughs Evelyn. 
A huge chunk of the roof suddenly gives out and drops a sarcophagus right before them. Scared Ashley leaps backward while Rick protectively jumps in front of her. Coughing Ashley pats the dust off her arms as Rick helps Evelyn up.
"I got you miss," says Jonathan and gives Ashley a hand. "Oh my god" whispers Evelyn.
"Is that a Sarcophagus" whispers Jonathan. "Why would they bury somebody in the ceiling," asks Rick who looks up. "They didn't. They buried him at the foot of Anubis" says Ashley and looks at the hole.
"So, he was somebody of very great importance" grins Jonathan only imagining the gold already. "Or he did something very naughty."
Ashley clears the dirt from the stone box and tries to look for a name. A single hieroglyph appears. "He who shall not be named," says Evelyn. Ashley and Rick stare at each other. Rick dusts off the huge lock. "There is some kind of lock here," he says. "You said these things are made of granite with a stone interior right," asks Jonathan. "Quarried granite with a cobalt lining" corrects Evelyn. "Whoever is in here, he sure wasn't getting out" whispers Rick.
"No kidding, without a key it will take us a month to crack open this thing" sighs Jonathan. "Key" whispers Ashley. "Weren't the guys on the boat looking for a key" Rick looks at her and snaps his fingers.
"You are wonderful Ashley. That thing. Remember" asks Rick and looks at Evelyn. "Hey, that's mine" protests Jonathan and sticks his hand out. Offended Ashley pats his hand. "Ow," Jonathan whispers and pulls his hand back. Evelyn smirks and places the key in the hole. Before she could turn it, they hear the warden his helpless cries.
"Gad" says Ashley and runs towards the hallway.
"Ash" yells Rick and runs behind her. "Hey" says Jonathan and grabs the warden his hands but he is far too crazy at this moment. He pushes Jonathan away and runs towards a stone wall. "No" shouts Ashley, but it is too late. Hastily Rick grabs Ashley and blocks her vision against his chest. The warden bumps against the wall and drops dead. Rick leads Ashley away from the corpse, holding his hand in front of her eyes. "God" whispers Jonathan and takes the man his bag before leaving. "Jon" curses Evelyn offended.
Still shocked by the man his sudden death Ashley is snuggled up around the campfire. She looks at the hungry flames and sighs. "Hey" whispers Rick and shrugs her back. Ashley smiles softly. "What do you think killed him," Evelyn asks.
"I don't know but have you ever seen him eat," asks Jonathan. Evelyn shakes her head. "Looks like the Americans had their own misadventure. Three of their diggers are killed. Something with King Seti and an ancient booby trap made of acid."
"Maybe this place really is cursed" whispers Jonathan. Ashley looks up at him." "Hey" says Rick who noticed this. "No. Come on guys. No" he says. A gust of wind flickers through the camp. The fire flickers and Ashley shares a nervous laugh with Jonathan. "Oh come on you two" laughs Evelyn.
"You don't believe in curses huh" laughs Rick. "No, I believe if I can touch it and I can see it, it's real. That's what I believe." Rick nods and cocks his rifle. He gives her a big grin. "I believe in being prepared."
"Let's see what our friend the warden believed in" laughs Jonathan and takes the man his bag. He reaches into the bag.
"Ahh" he shouts suddenly. Scared Evelyn jumps up while Ashley looks startled at him. "What?"
"What is it" yells Evelyn in answer to Ashley. "Some broken bottle" curses Jonathan. "Oh" groans Evelyn. Ashley lets her head hang while laughing. "Let's see what is in here," Jonathan says after licking his finger. "Well, he may have been a stinky fellow but he sure as hell knew what good liquor is," says Jonathan and holding the bottle in the light of the fire. He takes a big swing. Ashley and Rick laugh while Evelyn amused shakes her head. Suddenly Rick kneels down and sticks his ear to the sand. "What is it" whispers Ashley.
"Stay here" he orders and stands up. "Rick" asks Ashley and follows him. "Wait for me" yells Evelyn and runs behind them. "Hold on, didn't the man just say stay here" shouts Jonathan and sits down again. 
The sudden sounds of horses, yelling men, and gunfire wail over the American camp. Rick throws the elephant gun at Evelyn and looks at Ashley. "Go back to the camp" he orders. Ashley looks at him. "But!" "No buts" he yells and starts the fight with a heavily armed man.  Jonathan holds the bottle tight, grabs a gun, and runs behind her. "Ashley" he shouts and shoots the man who was creeping up to her. The American camp is under siege. Two dozen riders gallop through the ring of fires. Firing rifles sound everywhere. Several diggers are killed as they run. The Americans leap out of their tents and kill some riders. Daniels is shot, he spins and falls. "Daniels" whispers Ashley and helps him up. Daniels looks at her. "Thank you miss," he says and  shooting the man who attacked her almost. She helps him towards a tent where she hides him from the crossfire.  Henderson and Burns run to his aid. "Thank you miss, we'll take it from here," says Burns. Ashley nods and hastily runs in the direction Rick went. She races through the ruins and bumps into Benni. It doesn't take long before she realizes that he is trying to hightail out of there.
"Going somewhere," she asks offended. "Just looking for you, I wanted to be with my friend" he defends. Ashley rolls her eyes. "C'mon friend" suddenly Rick says and drags Benni back to the American camp. "No, why do you like to fight so much" Benni protests. "I told you to go back to the camp," he says angrily to Ashley and points towards the hills.
"I will, I don't like to fight. Why do you like it" cries, Benni. "Because I look good while doing it" grunts Rick between his teeth and pushes Benni forwards.
Surprised Ashley looks at how Rick tackles a rider off his horse.
"That's my brother" she whispers proudly. Hastily she dodges a rain of bullets. Her stomach lays flat in the warm sand while she looks into the dead eyes of a digger.
"God" she whispers and crawls backward on all four. Afraid she turns her head as her back bumps into a strong back. Ashley her heart beats in her throat as she looks into his eyes. The warrior that Rick just smacked off his horse! But those eyes... She looked into them before. Is he the rider from the hilltop? Time seems to stop as the duo observes each other. His smooth tanned face is covered in tattoos. Symbols of an ancient tribe. When he lashes out at her she screamingly tries to run away from him. But who is she kidding, the trained warrior is faster of course. "No" she protests and tries to fight against his strong arms.
"Be still" he orders. A warm accent flows through his rough voice. Afraid Ashley freezes when he puts the scimitar blade on her troth. His strong-arm rests on her collarbone. With his other hand, he takes a hold of her slender wrists. They both fit in his one hand. His bewitching smell of burned wood and chili peppers stroke her nose. His muscular body pushes her forward in the middle of the fight.
"Enough" he yells. His loud voice draws everyone's attention. Ashley her heart beats rapidly in her chest. Rick abruptly stops loading his gun. Rage reflected on his face. "Ashley" he grunts. "You son of a bitch!!"
The heat in his voice makes the Americans stop their fight. They turned their heads toward him.
"Let her go" orders Daniels. "Now," says Jonathan in his bravest voice. The warrior doesn't seem really impressed with their courageous act. For a moment he stays silent. Then he rasps his troth and barks a command at Rick. "Drop your weapons." Slowly all the Americans drop their weapons. "Leave this place." he orders and steps backward. Ashley bites her lip and closes her eyes for a short second. Rick takes an impatient step forward.
"Leave this place or die" the warrior yells. Hastily he grabs a better hold of Ashley. She trembles into his grip. "There is enough blood spilled on this land".  He removes the scimitar from her neck and pushes her into the warm sand. Ashley huffs and lifts her head. Her whole body trembles. The warrior jumps back on his horse and disappears, Rick rushes over toward his sister. Gently he holds her in his arms.  "Are you alright?" Ashley nods. He kisses her forehead and hurries towards Evelyn. She lies not so far away, knocked out on the golden sand. Worry fills his face as he lifts her head onto his lap. "You are okay miss" Jonathan whispers and stares into Ashley her eyes. Ashley takes a deep breath. She tries to hide her trembling hands. Nervous she swallows. She drops unannounced through her quivering legs.
"I have you miss," says Jonathan nobly and grabs her upper body. "Sorry," Ashley stammers. "Ah, no big deal" Jonathan replies and escorts her back to camp. He puts her down on a cot and wraps a blanket around her shoulders. "I'm sorry you went through that" Jonathan says and offers her the bottle. Ashley looks over her shoulder. "I shouldn't."
"Come on, one zip can't hurt right" laughs Jonathan. "After what you just went through." Ashley soft takes the bottle and takes a big zip. The liquid burns in her throat. Coughing she hands him the bottle back. Jonathan laughs and pats her back. "You'll get used to that. "No, she won't," says Rick and pats Jonathan on his head.
"Are you okay" he whispers and kneels before Ashley. He looks in her eyes. "Yeah" stammers Ashley and looks away from his eyes. Rick takes her chin and pushes her gaze back into his. "Ashley, I know when you are lying. I told you to get back to camp. Why didn't you?" Tears sparkle in
her eyes. "I... I don't know" she says. "Ash" whispers Rick. "It's okay."
"I don't want to lose you too" she says softly and bursts into tears. "Oh Ash" whispers Rick and holds her closely in his arms. Rick kisses her forehead and rests her head against his sternum. "Ashley, you will never lose me" he whispers silently, Evelyn sits down next to her. She rubs her back and puts her arm around the slender girl. Ashley closes her eyes and sobs softly. She holds Rick's shirt tight. Afraid he might slip away. With all the power she has she pushes the world out. For a moment ... For a moment everything has become too much.