My Pharaoh

Chapter 5

Paloma

I've been in Memphis for six months now. And the more time goes by, the more I want to leave.

I get out of bed slowly and make a cup of tea on the small stove I have in the cupboard. Like yesterday, I don't have to kill anyone today. I drink my tea and think about that man. I'm weary of him, despite enjoying his presence at the temple yesterday, I need to remain cautious.

There's a knock at my door and Amr is standing there with a piece of paper.

"Don't worry," he chuckles "this isn't for today, I'm just going out of town tonight and won't be back until Wednesday, so I have to give this to you now..."

He hands it to me.

"Be more careful with this one. He's a general, higher in rank than your victims usually are...and more skilled."

He leaves and I close the door. I read the man's information and name. If he's more of a risk to me than the other men I've killed, then I suppose I should go about this in a smarter way than I normally do.

***

I've thought about every way I can go about doing this since yesterday morning. And now, here I am about to leave with Khepiri, in another dress more revealing than I'm comfortable with...or as Khepiri said, a dress that makes me look more beautiful than I usually allow myself to be. Whatever that means.

We walk slowly to the night lounge that this general will be in. It's not too far apparently.

"Is this guy really that bad? Someone wants him dead?" Khepiri asks me.

I shrug. "I never know specifically, but trust me, they're evil."

"I know they are...I'm close to them all the time, I see all the things they hide behind their power..." she looks at me "it just makes me sad, that this many evil men exist within our midst, and that death is the only answer."

"It makes me sad too. But not all places in this country are like Memphis in that way." I reply.

"Is it different in your village?"

I nod. "It's completely different."

"I wish I was born in a place like that."

I glance at her. I want to tell her that a place like that is possible for her. But I feel like it'll hardly make a difference at all.

We arrive at the lounge and it's darker than most places I've been to. The lighting is low, and it's hard to find my target.

Khepiri pats my back before being pulled away by a man, she signals towards a man sitting at the far side of the room, sitting with two other men. "That's your guy." She whispers to me with a sad face, before changing her persona to one that a man will appreciate. I walk over towards him, changing my persona too.

He doesn't seem interested in me at first when I place my hands on his shoulders and greet him. He puts his old hand on mine and smiles. But he doesn't care as much as they usually do.

Finally, after some persuasion, and because two more girls have come to seduce the two men taking his attention, the general turns round to me, with barely a smile, he glares at me.