In the Stars

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

My Sentiments Exactly

"It's so...dark."

Charlotte spit out what felt like a spider's web. Swiping her hands in front of her face, she tried to banish the sickening feeling of being caught in that spinner's silk.

"It's a mausoleum. No one here cares about light." Melanie's sarcasm didn't fear closed in spaces apparently.

She walked in front of Charlotte, her back within arm's reach. It took everything Charlotte had not to reach out and grab the other woman's jacket.

They had pried the door to the crypt open with a crow bar. Melanie made it look easy, though Charlotte suspected she'd had practice. Deductive reasoning told them which of the moss covered doors belonged to Orion- the one with fresh scrapes against the ancient door.

"Turn on your torch," Melanie said.

She's always so demanding. Charlotte pursed her lips against the urge to back talk. Instead, she flipped the switch on the flashlight she'd brought with.

Light flooded the space within, bringing the sepulchral space to life. It was exactly as she'd envisioned- eerie shadows played against the catacomb-like walls, lined in dirty marble tiles. In the middle of the space was a large casket, also in thick marble. The fancy ornamentation reflected the Egyptian theme of the plot, with obelisk shapes at the corners and hieroglyphic etchings.

"Makes sense," Melanie said, folding her arms and leaning back to survey the room. As if she was considering it for office space.

"What does?" Charlotte had a hard time not crinkling her nose. Though the air was actually on the dry side, it still smelled of mildew and whatever lived in that unsupervised space. The thought of the critters who'd taken up residence there made her skin crawl.

"That they'd choose someplace so egotistical to hide their shit," Melanie replied.

Charlotte considered this observation and nodded. It did feel like they'd entered the tomb of some pharaoh.

"Do you think the machine is in the coffin?" she asked, searching the corners for signs of a mechanical device.

"Looks like it. Nowhere else it could be."

Melanie moved towards the casket. "Here goes," she said, looking up at Charlotte. The uncertainty that flitted over her eyes was welcome. It made Charlotte feel better about her own reservations.

"Ready," she replied, lifting her hands to grip the slab that covered the sarcophagus.

It was heavy. She'd known it wouldn't be a light task, but she was embarrassed by how much she grunted as they pulled at the rock. When it began to give, relief burst in her chest cavity.

Once it was moved enough to peer inside, the women took a moment to breath. Then they looked at each other, nodding in mutual agreement.

"It's...small." Melanie's face was incredulous as it took in the contraption sitting inside the coffin.

"Pretty unimpressive," Charlotte said.

She'd expected something a lot grander. Something more steampunk Victorian, an H.G. Wells throwback. Instead, it resembled a hamster cage, complete with tubes and a wheel-like piece.