Buffalo Mesa Mummy

Chapter 19

“This is all so unreal.” Maria said, shaking her head. “A couple of days ago we were playing ‘2 on 1 soccer’ in our backyard and tonight we are sleeping in a previously undiscovered ancient cliff dwelling.”

“Not to mention finding a hidden room under a hotel in a ghost town and the body of a missing girl, mummified, in a secret tunnel.” Charlie added.

“Samantha, her name is Samantha and she isn’t missing anymore.” Maria said sharply.

“Sorry.” Charlie mumbled, remembering how his sister insisted they use Samantha’s name when referring to her.

“One thing for certain; this has been an interesting adventure so far. Let’s just hope we can get out of here in the morning. Our dads will be coming home soon and we haven’t checked in since we got to The Town.” Peter said.

Maria suddenly pulled her radio phone out and tried to contact her mother. Peter could tell from the look on her face that she hadn’t gotten a signal.

Charlie got up and added some wood to the pile and squatted, poking at the fire with a stick. “It will get cold tonight so if any of us wake up they should add a couple pieces of wood to the fire. This room being small and the stone walls will help keep some of the heat in.”

Charlie lay down on his pallet and after wiggling around a little said, “I hope I can sleep.”

Peter and Maria smiled at each other when they heard his breathing go into sleep mode less than five minutes later. Peter got up and slid his mats up the wall so that he could use it like a chair. Maria thought it was a good idea and did the same. With the fire blazing and warming the area they were quite comfortable. For a long time they both just stared into the fire deep in their own thoughts.

Maria turned toward Peter and suddenly asked, “What do you think you will be doing five years from now?”

“Where did that come from?” Peter asked.

“Oh, it is just something mom has asked Charlie and me since we were little. When one of us was worried about something or making big plans she would always ask ‘will it matter in five years?’ or ‘what will you be doing five years from now?’”

“Why five years and not two or ten?” Peter questioned.

“Well, mom said that five years was long enough for everything to change, but not so far away that you couldn’t imagine it.” Maria explained.

“Your mom is like a magic woman or something. She always knows what to say and it is like she reads your mind.” Peter said, intrigued at the five year thing.

“Yea, well it sounds cool to you, but try living with someone that can read your mind sometimes. It is kind of hard to get away with anything.” Maria laughed.

“That would be a downside. Anyway, let me think. What will I be doing five years from now? My birthday is coming up pretty soon so I would be close to twenty-one, and pretty near have my degree in archaeology. So I guess I will be looking for a job.” Peter said.

“You don’t have any doubts about being an archaeologist?” Maria queried.

“Nope,” Peter said with conviction, “I knew what I wanted to do since I was a little kid. I guess growing up with archaeologists as parents it seemed natural to want to be one too. Anyway that’s my plan. What’s yours? I mean the five year thing and all?”

Maria didn’t answer for a moment; she just stared at the fire. When she looked at Peter she said, “For a long time I didn’t know for sure what I wanted to do, you know, for a real job and all. Now I know what it is.”