𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐎𝐇'𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐁 ── AHKMENRAH

𝐕𝐈𝐈. 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐘 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘

I raced up the stone steps eagerly, trying to beat both Dad and Nick. "Listen I want you two to hang around in the security office until everyone gone okay? Then I'll come and get you. Alright?"

"Alright," Nick and I smiled, adding. "Cool thing chinga ling!"

To pass the time, Nick and I pretend imitations of wild animals. Dad smiled, and motioned with his finger to follow him. We followed quickly. "You guys wait here by the T-Rex. I have to check something."

To entertain ourselves we made paper balls to throw them at one another. I found the pamphlets off the desk to make into paper balls.

I whistled through my teeth. "She seems nice." As a dark haired woman walked through, with such anger that I had never seem possible. I added to Dad, who shrugged awkwardly. Dad must of sort of liked her, I think. But a part of me never wanted to believe that he was over Mum.

I managed to pull myself up onto the desk, as I was short, Dad offered to help but I declined so he helped Nick up onto the circular desk.

"You two have the best seat in the house!" He exclaimed.

"Dad, what's going on here?" I muttered. I had to play dumb and play it safe.

"If I told you, you'd probably think i was crazy."  I gave him a concerned look. "So I'm just gonna show you."

I smiled and winked. "Good plan."

"You both shall see in twenty seconds." Dad said taking a look of his watch.

"Nicky you like the T-Rex?" Dad pointed to the display of bones, I remembered when I wanted to touch it's leg. Boy, that museum director wasn't very family friendly.

"Yes."

Here we go. Creepy Larry 101. "Well I call him Rexy." I flinched. "AAnnd he is about to come to life. In five, four, three, two, one." I laughed at his ridiculous dance moves, that he motioned towards bone dinosaur.

We waited for a while, while Dad looked up at the Dinosaur blinking confused.

"Dad?" We muttered in unison.

"Hang on a sec, kids." He stood up now. "Say hello too, Rexy!"

"He doesn't look okay." Nicky whispered to me.

"Dad are you alright?"

I could hear him mutter something, as he ran over to the wax mannequin of Teddy and his horse, Texas.

"Stop! Dad. It's clear something is wrong. Your freaking us out. Let's just go check the tablet." I gave a forced smile.

"Now there's a tablet." Nick exclaimed, he was disappointed again, but this time Dad wander lying. "It's the Pharaoh Dudes, you know the one I'm doing for the assignment." I muttered. Dad rushed in front of us as he led us past exhibits to the Pharaoh's tomb.

Dad whipped out his torch and shone it on the tablets arched on the stone wall.

"It's gone!" I whispered in horror and I let Dad's gaze of fear.

"What's gone?!" Nicky asked, waiting by the door.

I half walked, half ran with Dad to check. "The tablet of Ahkmenrah." I answered.

"I think somebody stole it." Dad called out loud enough for us to hear.

"Yes, of course!" Nick muttered sarcastically.

"I don't think Dad's joking, Nicky." I added as Dad stalked down the hall.

Nick grabbed my hand and we walked down the steps. "Nick..." I said softly.

"Where are you both going?" Dad asked running after us. "Home?" Nick called out. As much as I knew something was wrong, as an oddly familiar feeling settled in my stomach. It was almost like Déjà vu.

Dad managed to stop us in front of an non modern window, not like the older interior.

Then the three of us were startled by the grey van that the thieves were using to steal the artefacts.

We followed Dad down the stairs, and into the room that must of been the storage room. Nick raced towards the tablet. "It's so cool!" He whispered to me. Nick held it up so we could both admire it. We were both startled by an old mans voice.

"You kiddies shouldn't be here!" He ordered as he came nearer. He was tall and frail, with white hair and a patterned scarf. He didn't look like a bad guy. He looked like an old man who should of been in a retirement home.

Another game to view. He was dark skinned and old, just like the first. "Give is the tablet us the tablet, boy."

"Wait a minute Nicky, what's going on here?" Dad asked clueless. Tag along Dad!

Another game to view he was shorter than the others and wore a brown leather jacket. He looked older.

"Give us the tablet." He demanded.

"I'm sorry to tell you this." The tall one muttered. "But you're Dad got fired, he doesn't work here anymore. He got fired this morning. He couldn't hack it."

I couldn't help but believe what these men were saying.

"I thought you said you weren't fired?" Nicky asked.

"I did Nicky, there lying." And I believed Dad almost instantly, once I came to my senses. "Just turn the middle piece and see what I was talking about Nick." Dad was right.

"That is museum property, now give it back!" The tall, old man demanded to Nick.

"No, it doesn't belong to you or the museum. It belongs to Pharaoh Ahkemrah." I yelled, grinding my teeth together.

The old man smiled, "Hmm looks like you've learnt something rather historical." I scoffed, what were they implying and more importantly what did they mean?

"Do it Nick. Trust Dad." I smiled encouragingly. "Just turn it."

The old men grew more frustrated, now. "Give us the tablet."

"Nicky, trust me." Dad pleaded, meeting Nick's eyes.

Nick turned the tablet piece over and everything shone a golden white. It caught my breath, just like the first time.

The old men weren't going down with a fight. They wanted the tablet. The tablet I had vowed to protect long ago.

What?

I could hear the cries of the T-Rex, they had come to life and all the other exhibits.

My eyes widened as they came closer. "Fey, Nick. Run."

"Now." The three old thieves' cries made me push Nick along and run.

I stalked the halls furiously, Nicky anxious by my side. I looked over my shoulder to check if we were clear. "You can't let it go, alright?" Nicky nodded and we both began jog.

My eyes met nick and I managed to mutter, "This is a real Freaky Friday."

Nick laughed. Nicky was only beginning to know the secrets the tablet held, we just had to pass the Egyptian exhibit and make our way to find help, perhaps Teddy and Dad.

As they came closer, I pulled Nick by his shirt collar into the Pharaoh's tomb.

EDITED: 24th of December 2019