The Mummy (9 page)

“We have sacred animals.” Eddie Brooks spoke up. “Mercury Cougars, Jaguars — ”

“Says a lot for our culture, doesn't it?” Mr. Drury commented. “Okay, class, we have a short time left. You may go back to any part of the exhibit you want to see again, anything you found particularly fascinating. I'm sure Ms. Wilson will answer any more questions you have, as will I. And Lana, perhaps?” He looked at Lana. “You seem fascinated by this mummy, Lana. Anyone you know? Knew?” he teased.

Wouldn't Mr. Drury be surprised if Lana answered that she felt as if she knew, had known, Nefra?

“I heard you were here when the wedding necklace was stolen.” Mr. Drury was determined to get Lana to talk to him. “Do you think you'll find it?”

“We hope we can.” Lana walked away from Nefra, the spell broken. Mr. Drury followed her. “It will certainly be a black mark on our museum if we don't.”

“Lana, come over here,” Josh called from across the room. Lana smiled at Mr. Drury and walked toward Josh. He took her arm. “Now you owe me one for rescuing you from Dreary.”

“Oh, Josh, you're so thoughtful.” Lana hugged him. “Listen, I've been thinking. If I ask Marge to take my shift tomorrow night, can we go to a movie?”

Josh pretended he had to think about this unpredictable move on Lana's part. “I'd have to cancel three things, but I think I can manage. Is this the payback for the rescue job?”

“No, maybe you can have an extra hug for that.” The idea of a night off pleased Lana. She had been at the museum too much. She realized she was starting to think of nothing except Egypt. “Listen, I'm not going back to school right now, though. Mr. Drury says I can stay here, since classes will be over by the time we get back.”

“Okay, I'll call you in the morning.” Josh stepped closer and for a second Lana thought he was going to kiss her right in front of Marge, Mr. Drury, and the class, not to mention Antef, who had joined them. Instead Josh whispered in her ear, “I don't really want to take someone else to the game tonight, silly. I'll just have to miss you.”

He left her standing there feeling warmth from his love. The rest of the class followed as Drury signaled that it was time to leave. He waved at Lana. “See you tomorrow, Princess.”

She wished he hadn't said that. She was starting to suspect that getting her hair cut to deliberately imitate classic Egyptian style was a mistake. But she certainly couldn't feel disappointed that no one had noticed.

She left the exhibit only long enough to freshen up, have a snack, and get her vest.

Marge was at the T-Rex having coffee when Lana hurried in and ordered a Coke. “Lana, come and visit for a minute. You put those kids up to all those questions?”

“Not me. They're creative all by themselves. Don't you wonder how high school teachers survive us year after year?”

“You couldn't pay me enough.” Marge laughed. “But then there are a few like you who give us hope.”

“Don't put me on a pedestal. Fortunately, I have a lot of interests that keep me out of trouble.” Sort of, Lana thought.

“You still having those dreams?”

Lana had finally told Marge about her dreams. She had had to unload on someone, and Marge seemed safe. Now Lana appreciated someone to talk to about what had happened last night. “Marge, last night, I know Nefra came and stood at the foot of my bed. And he called me Urbena. He was so real — so very real. Am I losing it or what?” To her surprise, Lana started to cry.

“You're losing it, honey.” Marge moved close and put her arm around Lana. “Maybe you're doing that lucid dreaming stuff where you program your dreams. You want to dream this stuff, so you do.”

Lana wondered if there was some truth in what Marge was accusing her of. “Well, I have imagined living in ancient Egypt, and I confess I'm in love with that gorgeous boy-king. But I didn't want to have the dream I had last night or the nightmare I had last week.” Lana hadn't told anyone about being buried alive. She related the dream to Marge now.

“My stars. That's enough to keep me awake all night. Wonder why you dreamed that?”

“I have no idea. I — Marge, this is going to sound crazy, but do you believe I could be tapping into — well, into some thoughts or information that's — that's in the air, or in these relics, or — I'm finding it hard to put this into words, but after I had the dream, I wondered if Princess Urbena really did commit suicide or if she could have been murdered.”

“You mean you think you dreamed what really happened thousands of years ago? Urbena's mummy isn't here, but Nefra knew what happened, and now he's told you and you dreamed it?”

Lana tried to laugh. “How's that for a plot for a weird movie? Do you think I'm nuts?”

“No, but you're getting really strange, Lana. But hey, you certainly have my attention. I love thinking this could happen. I don't know what good it will do for you to solve a six-thousand-year-old murder mystery.”

“I don't either, but — ” Lana started to tell Marge that someone today, in the present, was also trying to frighten her. For some reason she didn't. Maybe another time. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “Hey, I'd better get to work. We could sit here all night talking, couldn't we? Thanks for being my friend, Marge. Not many women would want to befriend a kid with strange ideas.”

Marge hugged Lana as they walked out of the T-Rex. “I could hate you because you're beautiful and intelligent and weird, Lana. But I like to think I'm fairly free of prejudice.”

“You are, Marge, you are.” Lana wondered what Marge would think about Seti, a cat who acted like a dog. She'd tell her that story later. Marge was a good audience.

Sure enough Seti was waiting for Lana outside the museum when she finished her shift and started home. Lana had stopped worrying and started looking forward to Seti meeting her. The way things were going, this seemed like one of the more normal things that was happening.

They were halfway home when Lana was doubly glad that Seti was with her. She stopped, listened. The night was silent except for passing traffic. A giant harvest moon floated above the horizon and would light up the entire sky in a couple of hours. Lana wished it was light now, or that she'd taken the long way home.

Again she took a few steps. Again she stopped. Footsteps crunched on the gravel behind her, but stopped every time she stopped. She got up the nerve to look back every time she stopped, but she couldn't see anyone.

She tried to prepare herself for seeing the mummy figure again. By now she'd thought about it so much, accepted so many strange ideas that had run through her mind, that she wasn't even sure it
was
someone dressed up in a costume. Could it be, was it possible — She glanced over her shoulder, took a few steps, looked back again.

Seti didn't seem alarmed. He ran along just ahead of Lana, and twice he glanced back as if to say, what's wrong? Why aren't you following me?

If — if the mummy, the real mummy of Nefra were following Lana, wouldn't Seti know it? He knew so much. Was she expecting too much of him?

She swung around. “Who is it? Show yourself. I'm not going to be afraid this time. Just come out of the shadows and tell me what you want.”

Silence. No insects. No night birds. No couples enjoying the dark pathway.

“Seti. Come.” Lana bent down and scooped Seti into her arms. She held the cat close, expecting him to protest. But he didn't. Now he, too, looked back into the shadows. His ears were at full alert. He seemed to be listening.

“Show yourself! I'm not afraid.” Lana called out.

This time she got an answer. But not words. Just soft, whispery laughter that went on and on and on. Rising and falling … endlessly.

Chapter 12

Lana ran the rest of the way home, not caring if someone was watching, laughing at her. By the time she closed the front door and leaned on it, catching her breath, she felt a knot of anger form in her stomach and icy tremors in her sweaty body.

Seti meowed to let her know she was still clutching him tightly. He hadn't complained once about bumping along in her arms as she ran.

“What can I do, Seti, what can I do?” she whispered as she set him on the floor.

“What can you do about what?” She didn't realize her mother was standing close enough to hear her.

“Oh, nothing, Mom. Nothing. I have so much to do to keep up with school and this job. It's worth it, though, so don't think I'm complaining. Just trying to decide what to do first.”

“Lana, you've always worked harder for what you want than any kid I know. I'm proud of you. Do you know that? I hardly ever remember to say it.” Her mother pulled her close and hugged her. Lana hugged back, enjoying becoming a little girl and having her mother comfort her.

“Thanks, Mom. I have a good role model. You worked really hard after Dad died to keep things together, to buy this house. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Sweetie. Hungry?”

“Of course. What's for dinner?” Lana wasn't sure she could choke down any food, but when she smelled the vegetarian pizza that was one of her mother's tastiest concoctions, she changed her mind. She pushed away the whispering—her fear, her anger. She washed her hands at the kitchen sink, sank into a chair, and let her mother wait on her.

“Why don't you take one of the new mysteries I brought home from the library, go to bed early, and read?” Mrs. Richardson had watched Lana eat and now sat at the table with her, drinking a cup of coffee. “Take your mind entirely off Egypt. Scare yourself while safely in your bed.”

Lana had enough of a mystery on her hands without taking on someone else's plot. And she certainly didn't need to scare herself further. But maybe it would be distracting. And the safety of her bed sounded wonderful.

Seti was perfectly willing to go to bed early. He curled into the folds of the fluffy comforter that Lana pulled up almost to her chin. For a few minutes he purred, then he slept so deeply he stopped making any sound.

About nine-thirty, when the main character in Lana's book had gone into an old house by herself — silly woman — Seti woke and leaped off the bed. He jumped onto the windowsill and stared out into the darkness.

“See anything?” Lana asked.

Meow
, Seti replied. Then he wiped at the window pane with his paw.
Meow
.

“I was going to keep that window closed, Seti. Not that it does any good. You'd find a way to get out.

Seti blinked and patted the window again.

“You have a box downstairs.”

Seti patted the window a third time.

“Oh, all right. But come back in two shakes of a cat's tail.” Lana got out of her warm nest and raised the window slightly, then pushed the screen out, leaving a narrow crack. She'd close it when he came back. He never strayed far from her anytime she was home. It was almost as if he were guarding her. She laughed at the idea. Guarded by royalty, a sacred black cat.

Her eyes returned to the book, and she read until the page began to blur. She struggled to keep her lids open. They got heavier and heavier. Automatically, one hand raised slowly, snapped off the bed lamp, and she slid down into the soft warmth of a dream.

I
walk in a procession, tall, proud, wearing a heavy headpiece and a long gown with a train dragging the ground. In my hand I carry a staff like a scepter. On one side of me a slave carries a polished wooden stand, holding Nefra's favorite book. On the other side another slave bears Nefra's hunting hawk, tethered to his wrist. On a small wooden platform, carried by a third slave, rides a cat. It is Seti sitting tall, regal. His tail curls round his body and across his front feet. He stares straight ahead, his expression solemn
.

The air is sweet-smelling from the perfume of many bouquets of flowers, but the sweetness contrasts with wailing and moaning, screeching, and crying. I look down and find my dress, although new, is ripped and frayed as if I have torn it myself in my agony
.

My heart is a heavy granite stone. My white slippers shuffle slowly through the dust, soiled and ruined, moving to the beat of the mournful musk
.

I feel tears slide down my cheeks, amazed there are any left to shed now that this day has arrived
.

Despite the cacophony of sounds around me, I hear the tiny, intrusive noise
.

A thin, papery rattle slipped into Lana's consciousness. Slowly she came awake and realized she was in her bedroom, not in some — some procession.

Again she heard the skittering noise as if Seti was knocking a ball of paper across her bedroom floor.

“Seti? Is that you?” She reached up and flicked on the bedside lamp. “Seti?” She glanced at the window, realizing she hadn't closed it when Seti came back. That she had fallen asleep before Seti returned. Had he come back?

She pulled herself upright. “Seti, where are you?”

Just as she was about to throw back the covers and step out onto the cold floor, she heard the skitter again. The sound was like a hoarse whisper along the floor.

Leaning slightly, her eyes traveled past the braided rug beside the bed and into the shadow near the rocker three feet away. Her left hand tightened on the roll of comforter in her fist. Her right hand tried to dig into the mattress at her side.

Crawling across the floor were two huge scorpions, side by side as if partners in some bizarre ballet. They slid along together, tails curled overhead, ready to use their painful weapons.

Her right hand flew to her mouth, stifling the scream that lodged behind her clenched teeth.

The scream escaped and shredded the night air as she spotted the third scorpion, poised three inches from her left hand, in the bed with her.

Chapter 13

Lana, holding herself perfectly still, screamed at her mother who rushed into the room. “Be careful! On the floor.”