Turn and Run

Anck-su-namun instinctively reached out and grabbed Nefertiri to steady herself, then the wall, as the floor began to shake so violently, it sounded like the structure around them was roaring.

Then, over the sound of chaos around and before them, O'Connell's voice floated right over it all to Nefertiri. No... to Evelyn O'Connell. Anck-su-namun had been all but forgotten. Evelyn's eyes were pinned to her husband, who was hanging off the edge of a deep chasm that had opened up in the ground several metres away. He was shouting for her not to come save him. To leave, to get their son and run.

She did not. Evelyn O'Connell dashed forward, dodged fire and rocks, and against all odds, reached the edge of the chasm and grabbed hold of her husband. She used every bit of strength she could muster to help him.

Anck-su-namun watched in shock as the O'Connells were soon enough holding one another and catching their breath, leaning against a wall. While her own lover was still barely hanging on for dear life not far at all from where Rick O'Connell had been rescued.

Imhotep's desperate begging snaked through the roaring flames and falling rubble. His eyes were wide, full of fear, and he was able to reach his arm in her direction, but not pull himself up. Anck-su-namun met his eyes through rubble and the dust and the flames, and for a minute, she froze.

She could see herself running so clearly. Shaking her head at the man who risked everything to bring her back to life, turning around, and just leaving to save herself instead. It would have been so easy.

So... easy...

No! Oh, how could she? She swallowed hard and bit back tears as she dashed forward towards the chasm, trying her best to dodge falling rocks like Evelyn O'Connell had done, and just barely managing to do so with enough grace and fast-reflexes to reach Imhotep with only a few scrapes.

By the time she reached him, the O'Connell's had already left. They'd run to safety like Anck-su-namun had almost done. If they actually made it out alive, they were probably luckier than Anck-su-namun and Imhotep would be.

At least we will die together this time, Anck-su-namun thought.

Imhotep held onto her when she reached for him, and she stared past him in shock at the hundreds - thousands of hands reaching from deep within the chasm, desperate to tear Imhotep apart.

"Save me!" he begged again.

"I'm!" She pulled and pulled, but he was too heavy for her. "Trying!"

It wasn't like she was doing all the work; Imhotep was doing all he could to facilitate his saving. He kicked at the chasm's wall, trying to catch a bit of rock that would allow him to push himself upwards. The best Anck-su-namun wound up being able to do as he did this was hold him steady.

Finally - he did it! He found a rock with his left foot and pushed himself as far up as possible, and Anck-su-namun gathered all her remaining strength to pull him up until he was able to swing his leg over the edge of the chasm and climb to safety.

He cried out in relief and hugged her tightly, but she couldn't hold him back, her arms gave out and dropped lifelessly at her sides while she finally began to sob. Imhotep then held her by her shoulders and said something she could barely hear, then pulled her to her feet, grabbed her hand, and led her out of the temple.

The Oasis in its entirety was being engulfed by sand around them. Anck-su-namun could no longer think clearly, but Imhotep guided her with no hesitance in his movements. He held off some of the sand whirling around them with his powers, and guided her to a limestone structure of some sort, perhaps a beacon, and instructed her to climb.