Deadly Secrets

Chapter 7

I woke with a start, my heart drumming in my throat. Leo knelt over me casting a shadow. His hands were set firmly on my shoulders. I could tell from the arch of his brow that he was deeply worried. "El-Eleanor?" His eyes grew teary as his hands began to shake. I sat up a little and placed my hand on his head,

"It’s okay. Shh, it’s okay." His small body fell limp in my arms and hugged me tight.

"You ca-can't leave me. Don't leave me; I don't want to be alone." His words were barely whispers, but they seemed to scream in my head. I held him close till his sobs subsided. I said it was just a lack of sleep and nothing was wrong. But I still called Jane to make him feel better and she instructed for me to stay home. I wasn't staying home because I was tired though. If I went to school I know Leo would worry all day and Jane knew that too. I kissed his forehead and watched him get on his bus. I leaned against the door and slumped to the floor. Gathering my knees to my chest I let out a sigh. What had happened to me? I dreamt….It was her.

        I know it was the ancient goddess Ms. Crazy had mentioned. A cold shiver went up my spine, "Baset." I hadn't let myself say her name before now. The syllables rolled off my tongue and tasted sweet in my mouth. She was fighting, she was fighting a snake. And the people she mentioned…It wasn't like I saw her doing all this. It was more like her words echoed through my head. It was a brief overview, like a summery at the back of a book. Is that even possible, am I going crazy? I didn't even know about some goddess with my last name until yesterday. Maybe I'm just over thinking it, worrying over something that's, well, stupid. But it couldn't hurt to be sure. I climbed the stairs up to my room. My legs felt like sand and it seemed like everything was spinning. Well you did just faint Eleanor.I flipped open my laptop and opened Google. I swear Google has the answer for everything. I typed in 'Ancient Egyptian Bastet' There were several hits.

~Her name could be translated as "Devouring Lady" Baset was one of the most popular goddesses of Ancient Egypt. She is generally thought of as a cat goddess. She was the patron of the sun originally, later she is seen more connected with the moon, as well as cats, women, and secrets. To those who were in her favour, she gave great blessings, but her wrath was legendary and she was sometimes listed as one of Ra's avenging deities who punish the sinful and the enemies of Egypt.

        She personified the playfulness, grace, affection, and cunning of a cat as well as the fierce power of a lioness. She is linked to the other goddesses who were known as the "eye of Ra", most notably Sekhmet, Hathor, Tefnut, Nut, Wadjet and Mut. Her link with Sekhmet was the closest. Not only did both goddesses take the form of a lioness, they were both considered to be the spouse of Ptah~ The 'Devouring Lady' part kind of put me off balance. But from the sounds of it she was a pretty important person, as well as a rather vicious one. There was a poem too.

TEMPORA MUTANDUR                                                                                      

O, Bast, look downward through the centuries,

And see

Thy children!

Timorous through the streets

Some crouch, the sport of every ruffian lad;

Cold-blooded tortures wrench their tender limbsIn name of

Science: others meet their end

Choking and struggling in the deadly gas,

Whilst white-clad savants, smiling, book their throues,