City of the Dead

Chapter 19

"Here we go again," I announced as Izzy, Qasim, and I were staring at the ancient city of Hamunaptra. My heart started to beat faster as if my body recognized the anticipation of fear this city has brought upon me and my friends. "Alright, you two stay here, I'll be right back," I said, but when I tried to walk away from the group I felt someone grab my hand to stop me. I turned towards the person and it was Qasim who was squeezing my hand so tightly as if he knew what horrors this city holds. I kneeled down to his eye level and said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you, I'll be back before you know it." I proclaimed when Qasim started talking to me in Arabic. Izzy then translated to say, "He said, he's not afraid that he'll be alone, he's afraid that you will die in there." My eyes widened as the words of Qasim resonated through me like a train. I couldn't hide my emotions as a small tear ran down the side of my cheek. I untied my scarf to release my braids and wrapped the scarf around Qasim's small wrist then I proposed a deal with him, "This scarf was my mother's, I want you to make sure you keep this scarf safe until I get back, if you can do that for me, then I promise I'll return safe and sound, deal." I say as I present my hand for him to shake. Izzy translated and when he finished, Qasim took my hand and we shook on it.

I took Qasim's head and placed a kiss on the top of his exposed forehead. I then said to Izzy, "You and Qasim stay here with the plane, if anything happens do not hesitate to leave. I'll be back, hopefully with everyone still alive." I went to give Izzy a hug when he said, "Don't do anything reckless, we both want you back in one piece now." I laughed as I said, "Well I kinda have to give you back your pants, so you'll see me soon." I smiled at Izzy and Qasim as I departed from the group. I trailed down the sand dunes, following the footsteps of the group before me. When I was drawing near the ruins of Hamunaptra, I heard the voice of someone struggling. I crouch down to hide behind a pillar, as I looked over to see who it was, I recognized the thin man. It was Beni. The man responsible for helping Imhotep kill my friends. My anger grew as Beni was dragging a fairly large bag filled with gold. Struggling to place the bag on top of the back of a camel, I took my opportunity to confront him.

I grabbed my gun from the holster taking brisk steps towards Beni as he was admiring a gold jewelry box in his hand, I grabbed him by his shoulder to have him face me and pointed the gun to the temple of his head.

"No please! Don't kill me!" he begged. The rage building inside of me as I face the man who helped kill my friends.

"You're begging for your life now?! Did my friends beg when Imhotep took their lives? HUH?!"

I yelled, pressing the gun into his temple, leaving an impression on his skin.

"Please, I had no choice, he was going to kill me if I didn't help him."

"So you were just trying to save your own skin then. Doesn't make it any better!"

"No no no wait! I can give you anything, please anything."

"It's too late, nothing you can do can bring them back." I released the safety of the gun, loading in a pistol in the revolver, as my finger was softly pressing on the trigger when suddenly, someone grabs the gun from my hand. I looked towards the man to see it was Izzy.

"Izzy, give me back the gun." I said in a threatening tone, all while holding Beni in my grasp with the other, making sure that he didn't leave.

"So this was what you were going to do huh." Izzy asked as if I was in the wrong.

"This was never about your friends, this was about getting revenge." he continued.

"Izzy, if you only knew half of what I've been through, you would understand. But this coward deserves everything that's coming to him. So give me back the gun!" I yelled, but as soon as I said that, Qasim came into view and the emotions that stirred inside me earlier were gone. My anger formed into sorrow and the expression of fear that Qasim gave me as I had Beni's shirt entangled in my grasp, made me realize how this might look.