Tickle Torture Tales: The Tomb of Torment

CHAPTER FIVE: A BIT TIED UP

Sandy Crevice sat in silence upon a private jet, chartered to convey her from Heathrow to Cairo; the techie tagging along at her request. Roxy had spent much of the intervening time sealed away inside the bathroom, succumbing to a nasty bout of travel sickness; yet now, as the jet soared high above the Mediterranean Sea, the girl's cheek nestled against Sandy's shoulder as she slumbered softly in her seat. For the remainder of the flight, Sandy flicked through her private journal, a collection of handwritten notes and musings she had compiled over the years on the subject of ancient history, comprising information obtained from many occult grimoires detailing the resurrection of the dead; by now, not a shred of doubt remained in her mind that the dessicated corpse of Queen Tikeltootsi could walk the earth once more, assuming the earthly remains had indeed fallen into the wrong hands.

Finally, the jet touched down upon the tarmac of Cairo International; the adventurer rousing her peacefully purring companion from her slumber. Attired in a tight cotton, khaki-coloured vest exposing her midriff; matching flip-flops and tan-coloured cargo shorts, Sandy emerged from the jet; appreciating the warm blast of air about her bare toes as the midday sun seared the runway. Soon, Roxy shuffled down the steps, wincing somewhat as she clutched at her unsettled stomach; clad in a crimson T-shirt emblazoned with an amusing meme; coal-coloured skinny jeans and black Havaianas; eyes buried beneath the dark lenses of expensive sunglasses.

"Geez, who left the heating on?" she grumbled, joining her travelling companion upon the runway.

"I told you before we boarded that you shouldn't travel to Cairo wearing dark colours, they absorb the sunlight, so naturally you're going to feel far hotter!" shrugged Sandy, feeling little sympathy for her friend.

"I shouldn't have come to Cairo at all..." sulked the assistant.

Presently, the pair headed towards the airport's concourse; passing through customs, they collected their luggage, a couple of well-filled rucksacks, before taking possession of a hire car awaiting their arrival that the adventurer had booked earlier that morning.

"Strange, no sign of Rosie..." observed Sandy, somewhat puzzled at the Egyptologist's uncommon absence of punctuality; no matter, if she received no word from Rosie, she would simply pay a visit to her friend's apartment, she pondered. Seating herself behind the steering wheel of the silver 4x4 as Roxy settled upon the passenger seat beside her, Sandy adjusted the air conditioning before speeding away from the airport.

Soon trapped in traffic, it took no little time to reach the five-star Suntrap Hotel, located in the Gezira Island district of the city, surrounded on all sides by the waters of the Nile; upon settling inside the luxurious penthouse suite she had booked in advance, Sandy had soon unpacked her possessions, whilst her friend opted instead to throw herself face down upon the soft silk sheets of a single bed with a wince.

"So what's the plan?" groaned Roxy eventually, curling up into a fetal position upon the mattress, clutching at her aching stomach.

"The plan is to catch up with Rosie as quickly as possible, for she may well have learned more about this mystery since last we spoke!" explained Sandy, slipping a soothing arm around the assistant, "Though I think it would be best if you remain here and rest for a while!"

"You won't hear any complaints out of me!" agreed the girl.

"I thought not!" smiled Sandy, "I'll return for you this evening with Rosie, and then the three of us can dine together in the restaurant - assuming you can stomach the concept of eating anything, that is!"

Leaving Roxy behind as the assistant began to balk at the mere thought of food, Sandy returned to reception on the off-chance the Egyptologist may have left a message in the intervening hour or so since arriving in Cairo; in the absence of any communication from her friend, the adventurer clambered into the 4x4 once more before speeding away across the city towards Rosie's apartment.