Cursed Times - What Now?

Chapter 46 - Osiris

Trueth was nowhere. Or everywhere. All at once. Whereever she was, it was freezing cold. But this was good as it helped to numb the howling agony in her leg.

Or maybe Metjen dulled the pain before he and Seisi propelled themselves into that fading light which had swallowed the Al-Nours. Trueth remembered the explosions and wondered whether the atoms of her body were being catapulted into Nirvana right at this moment. She might be experiencing the last split second of her life where everything flashed before her inner eye.

If I have disintegrated why am I still here? By now, that split second must have passed.

Trueth waited, but she saw nothing remotely resembling her life. Instead, she beheld only darkness with the occasional spark in it. She found this annoying. Did her life not qualify for a flashback?

Or had they arrived on the other side? Did Metjen and Seisi between them drag her to where she did not want to be--to an ancient civilisation? Those were chronically infamous for how they treated their females. Not that he had treated her any better; the last thing she needed was being close to that guy.

Trueth thought of the crawling blackness and the red veins that had pulsed in it and shuddered. Staying behind with the demons would have been hell. Literally.

Trueth hoped Metjen did not make a mistake, and these monstrosities were coming after them as she was lying here--assuming she was lying somewhere after all and assuming there was a here. Thinking about that idiot also was a bad idea. It made her eyes burn, and she was in enough pain already.

Trueth?

The question echoed as if spoken in a vast gallery. This was downright impossible, her head was not that large. Could a woman not try to recall her life and die in peace these days? Nothing was sacred any more.

Trueth!

She opened her eyes and checked the ceiling. No Nut this time. She only saw the familiar glittery greyness of stones that resembled those back in the first corridor. She groaned.

'In the name of the Devourer, we must help her!'

'I have not the power to heal her, you are the Enlightened One.'

'I'm what? Never mind, I'm-eh-spent.'

'Rubbish.'

'I say, can't mother-'

'I'm checking what we have, dear. And I'm amazed our stuff has turned up at all. I had forgotten about our provisions.'

'Excuse me... ,' Trueth said.

'Fascinating, completely and utterly fascinating!'

'Howl!'

'Mew!'

'Oh Hathor, give us strength... .'

It sounded as if her friends were all present and accounted for. The still forms rose before Trueth's inner eye, the dust that had been Iseret and those people from the temple, turned from one moment to the next. She shivered once more and tried again. 'Excuse me... .'

No chance, the others rummaged through the containers for something to use as a splint. Trueth was a healer. She should be able to heal herself... .

A spicy essence drifted into her nostrils, followed by a warm hand on her forehead as Seisi's voice drifted into her mind. Do not attempt this. You will not succeed as it is not the way.

With Seisi's help, she sat up in time to stop Metjen's mother from setting her leg, assisted by the professor. 'I believe the idea is to take painkillers first,' Trueth said feebly.