Night at the Museum: The Pharaoh's Desert Flower

An Unexpected Encounter

                                                                                  TORI'S POV

  After a couple of days shopping and taking pictures, we finally went to see the Broadway musical Anastasia. Then the next day we found out that the Halloween concert party that we wanted to go to was sold out. I found a brochure about a new event that was hosted at The Museum of National History called 'Fright Night at the Museum'. It was a costume party type of thing with 'scarey' exhibits, and a dance party at the end. I asked my mom if we could go and she said 'yes'. So on Halloween night we all dressed up to go. I dressed up as Rey from Star Wars (TFA), my mom dressed up as Elvira, my sister dressed up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast (Village), and Tiffany's friend Shelby dressed up as a track star. My medium brown hair looked perfect my neutral makeup made my light brown eyes pop, and my costume looked like I stepped out of the movie because it was my cosplay that I made to wear at conventions. Traffic was horrible, but we made it to the museum. Inside it looked so cool. It looked so scary with the lights lowered and flickering. A few exhibit fluorescent lights were on but the mod was set for Halloween. Cobwebbs hung from the very tall ceiling and chandeliers, making the place look even more old.  

  There was a night guard running from a T-Rex. I screamed, and so did my mom and sister. "Th-that's gotta be animatronics right?", I stuttered. "Beats me.", Shelby replied," I just won't go anywhere near it."  Atilla the Hun was in the corner of the room telling scary stories to children. I stopped in to listen. I got complimented on my costume, hair and makeup, and so did my sister. Even though I couldn't understand a word he said, the story wasn't scary, but it was funny the way Atilla was trying to explain it. I giggled a little to myself. Then Atilla looked right at me and glared. He stood up and and walked closer to me and said something I couldn't understand with a serious expression. "Uh oh Tori, I think you're in trouble!" , my mom teased me. Tiffany and Shelby giggled. Then Atilla said another serious thing to me, as if trying to explain what he was saying. I understood none of it. "I'm sorry. I can't understand you.", I calmly and carefully said. He gave me his hand as though to shake it, and then he did something unexpected by lifting me off the ground in bone crushing embrace shaking me up and down. "Can't. Breathe.", I squealed, and he let go.  

  Tiffie snapped a quick picture and my mom laughed hard and so did Shelby. They were all red in the face from laughing, but all the color drained from my face as I was mortified. Atilla grabbed my hand like he was going to kiss it and gave me a respectful look. I inclined my head to him,"It's alright. It was a bit of fun." I then gave him a smile which he returned. Then he said another thing that I couldn't understand, and I just nodded and smiled. He then returned to his seat and still smiled at me as if he knew something that I didn't. I just smiled and waved goodbye. "Well, I think someone has a boyfriend.", my sister giggled at me. "Shut up.", I waved her off. We then went to see the miniatures.  There was Cowboys, native Americans, Romans, and Myans. The Myans were locked up, but the Romans and Cowboys roamed freely. A tiny little remote controlled airplane came flying right at my face. "AHHHH! HEY! Who's controlling that thing?", I yelled. "Hey Gigantorinas! We were just try'n to scare you! It's our last time scaring folks so we pulled out the big guns! Ain't that right, Octavious?", the tiny cowboy said to the tiny Roman general. "Whatever you say. I feel slightly nauseous.", Octavious sounded like he was gonna throw up. "Octavious, I thought you had gotten used to this here flying contraption. It's been four nights.", the tiny cowboy was worried for his friend. 

   "It has only been four nights and I had a very bad feeling about it to start with.", Octavious said to the tiny cowboy. I grabbed the plane that was circling me, "Seriously guys who's controlling this thing?" "The little Capuchin behind you. Now his name is Dexter, and he may look like an adorable little ball of fur, but he is mighty mischievous.", the tiny cowboy explained to me. My mom and sister looked at each other and then to me, and we looked behind us to see the most adorable little monkey smiling at us. "Oh. Oh my gosh! He's he's so cute!!", I smiled a lot. Dexter walked up to me and climbed up on my shoulder and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and my sister took a picture of it. "You are so precious. Thank you sweetheart!", I said to the little cutie. My sister smiled at him and he smiled back at her. My mom put her hand over her heart and just smiled at the little monkey. Shelby just smiled. We all took turns petting him and cooing at him. I gently sat the plane down for the tiny cowboy and Octavious to climb out. "Thank you mam'.", the tiny cowboy tipped his hat at me. "I am forever grateful.", Octavious said, "Seriously if there's anything you ever need, it is done." "Octavious man, it wasn't that terrible.", the tiny cowboy said. "The plane was being controlled by a monkey. I think that is reason enough to be completely terrified.", Octavious replied rather harshly. "Wow, Oc. I'm surprised at you. We've been through a lot of scary stuff together and after all of that you a scared of a little plane ride? Wow.", the tiny cowboy continued. 

  " I went on a plane. I went from Kansas City, Kansas to New York in one trip. Let me tell you. It was scary. But I'm here aren't I? And you survived. I'm sure your friend....I'm sorry I didn't catch your name.", I asked. "My name's Jedidiah, but my friends call me Jed.", the tiny cowboy tipped his hat again. I smiled and continued, "It's nice to meet you, Jed. I'm sure your friend Jed would never let anything bad happen you. If you two have been through a lot together, you can certainly bank on that." I smiled at Octavious. "You are as wise as you are beautiful.", Octavious inclined his head toward me, and then looked at Jed,"I am sorry, Jed, my friend." "Hey no apology needed, man. I'm always here for you, brother.", Jed said as clasped each other in a hug. I smiled at the tiny men and giggled. They turned to me and smiled. "You sure are  pretty  gigantorina. Bet all the Gigantors where you live are try'n ta court you.", Jed said to me. "Oh no. I don't. I don't think that -I don't have a boyfriend.", I stuttered. "Well, well, well, guess you-", Jed was interrupted by the night guard. "Hi, I'm Larry Daley. I'm a night guard here at the museum. Is everything alright over here? Jed?", Larry looked at Jed with an unreadable expression. "No sir, everything's fine here. We're just chatting up a storm. Are you alright Gigantor? You don't look too good.", Jed sounded worried. 

  "Yes, he does look rather pale in the face.", Octavious added. "I'm alright you guys. I just was being chased by a gigantic T-Rex.", he explained the the tiny fellas. "Yeah that's the first thing we saw when we walked in. Is your huge friend following you?", I asked a bit nervously. Tiffany, Shelby and my mom looked behind Larry to see if there was any sign of the huge dinosaur. "Uh no he isn't he's being detained now somewhere else in the museum, so. I didn't catch your name.", he said. "Oh, my name is Tori and this is Tiffany my sister, my mom, Tammi, and my sister's friend Shelby. I introduced them all and they each said 'hi'. "It's nice to meet you all. Your costumes look nice.", he smiled at us. "Thank you. Is there any other exhibits here that you recommend?", I tried not to laugh as Dexter climbed onto Larry's shoulder and slapped him on the cheek. Larry rubbed his face,"Um, well have you guys seen Easter island head? Or the Egyptian exhibit?" "No, we haven't yet.", my smile brightened when he mentioned the Egyptian exhibit. " I would go to to Easter island head and then to the Egyptian exhibit, then make your way around. There's lots of cool stuff up there. But be careful not to get lost, and stay together. It's a lot spookier up there than down here.", Larry smiled at us as we left. "Ok. Thank you for the recommendations and tips." , I waved at him. 

  As we were walking away, we heard Larry scold the monkey for slapping him and scold Jed, "Jed, I thought I told you to stop flirting with the guests." "I'm sorry man, I just can't help it! She was pretty, and women love me!", Jed yelled up to Larry. "Jed, you're half her age. She looks like she's about 16, and she's a million times bigger than you.", Larry reasoned with him. "You know he's got a point.", Octavious chimed in. "You're supposed to be on my side. Besides size don't matter. Age don't matter. It's the heart that matters. And I have a humongous heart.", Jed said. "Yeah I know, Jed. I know.", Larry fought a smile. Meanwhile we made our way up to the Easter island head. There was fog everywhere. "Do you dum dums dare enter and bring me gum gum?", the huge Easter island head spoke. "Animatronics. Has to be.", I said to my mom and sister. We walked pass and though the dark hallways and rooms where exhibits roamed freely. Occasionally there were some jump scares and in the last room, we went through there were quite a lot of them. Then we finally made our way to the Egyptian exhibit. I was currently distracted by Dexter walking through the halls looking all cute a cuddly, and he was holding something. 'Uh oh', I thought, 'Those must be the nice night guard Larry's keys.' "Dexter. Come here, Dexter. Come on, cutie, come to Tori. Come on sweetie.", I cooed at him like a puppy. He tilted his cute little head to the side, and smiled at me. "Dexter, come on cutie. Come here come to Tori.", I tried again but he smiled at me again and made cute little kissy faces at me. "Dexter, ", just then I heard my mom, sister, and Shelby scream and then laugh. 

  "Dexter, you're making me miss all of the fun! Your friend Larry needs those keys, sweetheart.", at the sound of another scream followed by laughter the little snot rag ran fast down the hall and out of sight. I sighed. The sounds of my mother, sister and Shelby's voices faded further down the hall. I wanted to catch up to them, but there was no way I was going to miss the Egyptian exhibit. So I walked in, greeted by huge jackal statues and thought out of the corner of my eyes I saw one of them blink. 'I must be seeing things.', I thought. I walked past a sarcophagus to look at the huge pillar of hieroglyphs, and took some pictures.