A Night Spent at the Museum of Natural History (Completed✔️)

Rescue

I became vaguely aware of a voice and scratching noises, scrabbling. It felt as though they were in my head. Someone tore the lid away and dragged me out of this prison. Now out in the open my body involuntarily took a huge, sharp intake of breath and I coughed and wretched, feeling like someone had completely dried out my lungs and windpipe. I rested my head on whoever had plucked me from death's firmest grip on me yet, slowly taking further deep breaths. The trembling ceased and my head slowly started to clear. Everything was echoey and loud. I was still very much afraid.

"Becca?" A voice clawed into the silence, disturbing the nothingness in my mind. It scratched, I wanted to know who was speaking.
I tried desperately to look up at whoever it belonged to but I couldn't lift myself from the floor more than a few inches. I collapsed back down as I felt my eyes threaten to roll back again. I was on the verge of passing out.
"Rebecca! Can you hear me?" There it was again, It was a familiar voice but my brain was too scrambled to know who it belonged to. I lay very still for some time, focusing on breathing.
As I slowly regained more consciousness I began to notice things. I was no longer dying. Relief washed over me. I was in a room which was poorly lit but there was some light at least. Someone was holding me, cradling me in their arms. They were also calling my name and shaking me feverently.
I finally managed to part my dry lips and reply,
"Ahkmenrah"
I had made the connection now, I knew who had pulled me out and saved me, who was still holding me now, wanting to know if I was alright.
"I'm, i'm okay" I said with a voice like sandpaper.
He seemed to relax, I felt his body slump slightly.
"Thank the gods" he cried and rested his head on the top of my own.

"She's going to be okay?" Came another concerned voice, someone who had not long joined us.
"I think so" Ahk replied.
I realised then that it was Sacagewea.
"She saved us all, she deserves more gratitude than we can ever demonstrate for her bravery" this time Teddy spoke, quieter than usual. I looked up, as my vision clarified, to see him holding his hat in one hand and clutching Sacagewea's hand in his other.
"What happened to the thieves?" I managed to ask finally, urgently trying again to get to my feet.
"You needn't worry about them. Lawrence returned just as they were attempting to leave." Teddy explained.
"Then all of the exhibits mobbed them and they are currently tied up by the main desk being guarded by Columbus, the civil war mannequins and the miniatures" Sacagewea added.
With Ahkmenrah's help I managed to sit up. He would not let go of me, clearly still deeply concerned about me.
"I, we all thought we'd lost you" he managed to say.

"Rebecca! Is she okay?" Asked Larry as he ran towards our little gathering, the tablet in his hands and with the little capuchin called Dexter perched on his shoulder.
"I'm fine, well, a bit battered and bruised but I'm alright" I called out whilst motioning to Ahkmenrah to try and help me stand up.
I swayed and wobbled for a moment but managed to support myself my gripping his arm. Sacagewea came forwards and propped me up by my other arm. I smiled at my small group of new found friends as they slowly escorted me back down to the main hall. The three men were all awake now and very unhappy. They were struggling and kicking but held fast with ropes. The civil war mannequins and the miniatures along with a large bronze statute, who I took to be Columbus, had them surrounded. I was feeling stronger now and I couldn't help but feel angry as I overlooked the three of them. At least they hadn't gotten away, the museum's occupants had made sure of that. I kept my distance but glared at them with pure hatred. They had tried to kill me, they almost managed to, part of me, no matter how small, would have been more than happy to return the favour.

Larry fetched a first aid kit in a little green box from his office and he and Sacagewea tended to my wounds. Larry also had a few bruises, no doubt where he got involved in fighting off and tying up our angry hostages. My eye was the worst; it had probably turned a raw bluey purple by now. The other scratches and bruises were more bearable but my wrist was also sprained, something else which had happened during the struggle of me being forced into the sarcophagus. Ahkmenrah took out one of the stretchy pristine white bandages from the box and gently wound it around my wrist. I couldn't help but smile at the irony in this action. When they had all finished tidying me up they stood back and he helped me to my feet again.

"I'll call the police as soon as the sun is up and report this, we don't want them seeing you all alive. Hopefully then these guys will be taken away and then repairs to the egyptology department can take place pretty soon after. Things will be set right soon enough don't worry, people" Larry reassured us all.
"Good work Lawrence, I trust that Rebecca will get the credit she is due for saving the tablet at least?"
"Of course, we will probably have to both give statements, although we should figure out what to say without mentioning you guys... Claiming that all the exhibits came to life and helped might seem a little far fetched" he grinned.
"Don't worry, I won't tell them you left either" I added.
Larry nodded appreciatively.

"What do we do now?" Asked Ahkmenrah.
"Well I didn't go out to buy that pizza for it not to get eaten and there's still three hours until sunrise..."
"I never got to see the planetarium" I piped up.
"Alright then, we'll all go to the hayden planetarium and eat pizza, i'll go try and switch the power back on so that we can actually watch the show" Larry suggested.
There was a general murmur and nodding of approval from the surrounding exhibits. Columbus and the civil war guys seemed happy enough to stay behind and keep watch over the three men. I wondered how any of them could even see in the first place, if at all, since they had no eyes or facial features whatsoever but soon decided not to question how the magic of the tablet worked in such detail, since its existence defied all known logic and fact anyway.

Later I found myself in the planetarium, surrounded by my new friends and resting my head on Ahk's shoulder as we watched the show. It was awe-inspiring and beautiful and I felt so happy and secure for the first time in as long as I could remember. I closed my eyes and lay down, letting my head sit in Ahk's lap. He stroked my hair gently.

"So do you think you'll be coming back here soon? Larry did say he'd let you in at night..." He asked.

"I can't imagine a better way to spend my Tuesday evenings." I answered, opening my eyes and smiling up at him...

And it was the absolute truth.