بازگشت مومیایی فصل 06

Return of the Mummy - Chapter 6

The tent was already hot when I awoke the next morning. Bright yellow sunlight poured in through the open tent flap. Squinting against the light, I rubbed my eyes and stretched. Uncle Ben had already gone out.

My back ached. The little cot was so hard!

But I was too excited to worry about my back. I was going down into the pyramid this morning, to the entrance of an ancient tomb.

I pulled on a clean T-shirt and the jeans I’d worn the day before. I adjusted the scarab pendant under the T-shirt. Then I carefully tucked the little mummy hand into the back pocket of my jeans. With the pendant and the mummy hand, I’m well protected, I told myself. Nothing bad can happen this trip.

I pulled a hairbrush through my thick, black hair a few times, tugged my black-and-yellow Michigan Wolverines cap on. Then I hurried to the mess tent to get some breakfast.

The sun was floating above the palm trees in the distance. The yellow desert sand gleamed brightly. I took a deep breath of fresh air.

Yuck. There must be some camels nearby, I decided. The air wasn’t exactly fresh.

I found Sari and Uncle Ben having their breakfast, seated at the end of the long table in the mess tent. Uncle Ben wore his usual baggy chinos and a short-sleeved, white sportshirt with coffee stains down the front.

Sari had her long, black hair pulled straight back in a ponytail. She wore a bright red tank top over white tennis shorts.

They greeted me as I entered the tent. I poured myself a glass of orange juice and, since I didn’t see any Frosted Flakes, filled a bowl with Raisin Bran.

Three of Uncle Ben’s workers were eating at the other end of the table. They were talking excitedly about their work. “We could go in today,” I heard one of them say.

“It might take days to break the seal on the tomb door,” a young woman replied.

I sat down next to Sari. “Tell me all about the tomb,” I said to Uncle Ben. “Whose tomb is it? What’s in there?” He chuckled. “Let me say good morning before I launch into a lecture.”

Sari leaned over my cereal bowl. “Hey, look—” she said, pointing. “I got a lot more raisins than you did!” I told you she could turn breakfast into a contest.

“Well, I got more pulp in my orange juice,” I replied.

It was just a joke, but she checked her juice glass to make sure.

Uncle Ben wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. He took a long sip of black coffee. “If I’m not mistaken,” he began, “the tomb we have discovered here belonged to a prince. Actually, a cousin of King Tutankhamen.” “That’s King Tut,” Sari told me, interrupting.

“I know that!” I replied sharply.

“King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922,” Uncle Ben continued. “The vast burial chamber was filled with most of Tut’s treasures. It was the most amazing archaeological discovery of the century.” A smile crossed his face. “Until now.” “Do you think you’ve found something even more amazing?” I asked. I hadn’t touched my cereal. I was too interested in my uncle’s story.

He shrugged. “There’s no way of knowing what’s behind the tomb door until we open it, Gabe. But I have my fingers crossed. I believe we’ve found the burial chamber of Prince Khor-Ru. He was the king’s cousin. And he was said to be as wealthy as the king.” “And do you think all of Prince Khor-Ru’s crowns, and jewels, and belongings are buried with him?” Sari asked.

Uncle Ben took the last sip of coffee and slid the white mug across the table. “Who knows?” he replied. “There could be amazing treasures in there. Or it could be empty. Just an empty room.” “How could it be empty?” I demanded. “Why would there be an empty tomb in the pyramids?”

“Grave robbers,” Uncle Ben replied, frowning. “Remember, Prince Khor-Ru was buried sometime around 1300 B.C. Over the centuries, thieves broke into the pyramids and robbed the treasures from many burial chambers.” He stood up and sighed. “We may have been digging for all these months only to find an empty room.”

“No way!” I cried excitedly. “I’ll bet we find the Prince’s mummy in there. And millions of dollars’ worth of jewels!” Uncle Ben smiled at me. “Enough talk,” he said. “Finish your breakfast so we can go find out.”

Sari and I followed Uncle Ben out of the tent.

He waved to two young men who came out of the supply tent carrying digging equipment. Then he hurried over to talk to them.

Sari and I lingered back. She turned to me, a serious expression on her face. “Hey, Gabe,” she said softly, “sorry I’ve been such a pain.” “You? A pain?” I replied sarcastically.

She didn’t laugh. “I’m kind of worried,” she confessed. “About Daddy.”

I glanced at Uncle Ben. He was slapping one of the young men on the back as he talked. His usual jolly self.

“Why are you worried?” I asked Sari. “Your dad is in a great mood.”

“That’s why I’m worried,” Sari whispered. “He’s so happy and excited. He really thinks this is going to be the discovery that makes him famous.” “So?” I demanded.

“So what if it turns out to be an empty room?” Sari replied, her dark eyes watching her father. “What if grave robbers did strip the place? Or what if it isn’t that prince’s tomb after all? What if Daddy breaks the seal, opens the door—and finds nothing but a dusty, old room filled with snakes?” She sighed. “Daddy will be heartbroken. Just heartbroken. He’s counting on this so much, Gabe. I don’t know if he’ll be able to take the disappointment.” “Why look on the gloomy side?” I replied. “What if—”

I stopped because Uncle Ben was hurrying back to us. “Let’s go down to the chamber,” he said excitedly. “The workers think we are very close to uncovering the tomb entrance.” He put an arm on each of our shoulders and guided us to the pyramid.

As we stepped into the shade of the pyramid, the air grew cooler. The low entrance dug at the bottom of the back wall came into view. It was just big enough for us to enter one at a time. Peering into the narrow hole, I saw that the tunnel dropped steeply.

I hope I don’t fall, I thought, a heavy knot of fear tightening my stomach. I pictured myself falling and falling down an endless, dark hole.

Mainly, I didn’t want to fall in front of Sari. I knew she’d never let me forget it.

Uncle Ben handed Sari and me bright yellow hard hats. They had lights built into them, like miners’ hats. “Stick close together,” he instructed. “I remember last summer. You two wandered off and got us into a lot of trouble.” “W-we won’t,” I stammered. I was trying not to sound nervous, but I couldn’t help it.

I glanced at Sari. She was adjusting the yellow hard hat over her hair. She seemed as calm and confident as ever.

“I’ll lead the way,” Uncle Ben said, pulling the chin strap under his chin. He turned and started to lower himself into the hole.

But a shrill cry from behind us made us all stop and turn around.

“Stop! Please—stop! Don’t go in!”