بازگشت مومیایی فصل 12

Return of the Mummy - Chapter 12

I let out a startled cry.

“LET ME REST IN PEACE!” the booming voice repeated.

I saw Uncle Ben lower his chisel. He spun around, his eyes wide with surprise.

I realized the voice came from behind us. I turned to see a man I had never seen before, half hidden in the shadowy tunnel. He made his way toward us, taking long, steady strides.

He was a tall, lanky man, so tall he really had to hunch his shoulders in the low tunnel. Bald except for a fringe of dark hair at the ears, he had a slender face, an unfriendly scowl on his thin lips.

He wore a perfectly ironed safari jacket over a shirt and necktie. His black eyes, like little raisins, glared at my uncle. I wondered if the man ever ate. He was as skinny as a mummy himself!

“Omar—!” Uncle Ben started. “I wasn’t expecting you back from Cairo.”

“Let me rest in peace,” Dr. Fielding repeated, softer this time. “Those are the words of Prince Khor-Ru. Written on the ancient stone we found last month. That was the prince’s wish.” “Omar, we’ve been over this before,” my uncle replied, sighing. He lowered the hammer and chisel to his sides.

Dr. Fielding pushed past Sari and me as if we weren’t there. He stopped in front of my uncle and swept a hand back over his bald head. “Well, then, how can you dare to break the seal?” Dr. Fielding demanded.

“I am a scientist,” my uncle replied slowly, speaking each word clearly and distinctly. “I cannot allow superstition to stand in the way of discovery, Omar.” “I am also a scientist,” Dr. Fielding replied, using both hands to tighten his necktie. “But I am not willing to defile this ancient tomb. I am not willing to go against the wishes of Prince Khor-Ru. And I am not willing to call the words of the hieroglyph mere superstition.” “This is where we disagree,” Uncle Ben said softly. He motioned to the four workers. “We have spent too many months, too many years, to stop just outside the door. We have come this far, Omar. We must go the rest of the way.” Dr. Fielding chewed his lower lip. He pointed to the top of the door. “Look, Ben. There are the same hieroglyphs as on the stone. The same warning. Let me rest in peace.” “I know, I know,” my uncle said, frowning.

“The warning is very clear,” Dr. Fielding continued heatedly, his tiny raisin eyes narrowed at my uncle. “If anyone should disturb the prince, if anyone should repeat the ancient words written on the tomb five times—the mummified prince shall come to life. And he shall seek his vengeance on those who disturbed him.” Listening to those words made me shudder. I stared hard at Uncle Ben. Why hadn’t he ever told Sari and me about the prince’s threat? Why hadn’t he ever mentioned the words of warning they had found on an ancient stone?

Was he afraid he might frighten us?

Was he frightened himself?

No. No way.

He didn’t seem at all frightened now as he argued with Dr. Fielding. I could tell they had had this argument before. And I could see there was no way that Dr. Fielding was going to stop my uncle from breaking the seal and entering the tomb.

“This is my final warning, Ben—” Dr. Fielding said. “For the sake of everyone here…” He motioned with one hand to the four workers.

“Superstition,” Uncle Ben replied. “I cannot be stopped by superstition. I am a scientist.” He raised the chisel and hammer. “The seal will be broken.” Dr. Fielding tossed up both hands in disgust. “I will not be a party to this,” he declared. He spun around, nearly hitting his head on the tunnel ceiling. Then, muttering to himself, he hurried away, disappearing quickly into the darkness of the tunnel.

Uncle Ben took a couple of steps after him. “Omar—? Omar?”

But we could hear Dr. Fielding’s footsteps growing fainter as he made his way out of the pyramid.

Uncle Ben sighed and leaned close to me. “I don’t trust that man,” he muttered. “He doesn’t really care about the old superstitions. He wants to steal this discovery for himself. That’s why he tried to make me stop outside the door.” I didn’t know how to reply. My uncle’s words startled me. I thought scientists had rules about who took credit for what discoveries.

Uncle Ben whispered something to Nila. Then he made his way back to the four workers. “If any of you agree with Dr. Fielding,” he told them, “you are free to leave now.” The workers exchanged glances with one another.

“You have all heard the words of warning on the tomb door. I do not want to force anyone to enter the tomb,” Uncle Ben told them.

“But we have worked so hard,” one of the men said. “We cannot stop here. We have no choice. We have to open that door.” A smile crossed my uncle’s face. “I agree,” he said, turning back to the lion seal.

I glanced at Sari and realized that she was already staring at me. “Gabe, if you’re scared, Daddy will let you leave,” she whispered. “You don’t have to be embarrassed.” She never quits!

“I’m staying,” I whispered back. “But if you want me to walk you back to the tent, I will.”

A loud clink made us both turn back to the door. Uncle Ben was working to pry off the gold lion seal. Nila had her camera poised. The workers stood tensely, watching Uncle Ben’s every move.

Uncle Ben worked slowly, carefully. He slid the chisel behind the ancient seal and gently pried and scraped.

A few minutes later, the seal fell into my uncle’s hands. Nila busily snapped photograph after photograph. Uncle Ben carefully passed it to one of the workers. “That’s not a Christmas gift,” he joked. “I’m keeping that for my mantelpiece!” Everyone laughed.

Uncle Ben gripped the edge of the door with both hands. “I’m going in first,” he announced. “If I’m not back in twenty minutes, go tell Dr. Fielding he was right!” More laughter.

Two of the workers moved to help Uncle Ben slide open the door. They pressed their shoulders against it, straining hard.

The door didn’t budge.

“It might need a little oiling,” Uncle Ben joked. “After all, it’s been closed for four thousand years.” They worked for several minutes with picks and chisels, carefully freeing the door. Then they tried once again, pressing their shoulders against the heavy mahogany door.

“Yes!” Uncle Ben cried out as the door slid an inch.

Then another inch. Another inch.

Everyone pressed forward, eager to get a view of the ancient tomb.

Two of the workers moved the large spotlights, aiming them into the doorway.

As Uncle Ben and his two helpers pushed against the door, Sari and I stepped up beside Nila. “Isn’t this amazing!” Nila cried excitedly. “I can’t believe I’m the only reporter here! I’m so lucky!” I’m lucky, too, I realized. How many kids would give anything to be standing right where I am? How many kids would love to be one of the first people in the world to step into a four-thousand-year-old tomb in an Egyptian pyramid?

The faces of some of my friends back home suddenly popped into my mind. I realized I couldn’t wait to tell them about my adventure here!

The door scraped noisily against the dirt floor. Another inch. Another inch.

The opening was almost big enough for a person to squeeze through.

“Move the light a little,” Uncle Ben instructed. “Another few inches, and we can go in and shake hands with the prince.” The door scraped open another inch. With a great heave, Uncle Ben and his helpers forced it open another few inches.

“Yes!” he cried happily.

Nila snapped a photograph.

We all pressed forward eagerly.

Uncle Ben slid through the opening first.

Sari bumped me out of the way and cut in front of me.

My heart was pounding hard. My hands were suddenly ice cold.

I didn’t care who went in first. I just wanted to go in!

One by one, we slipped into the ancient chamber.

Finally, my turn came. I took a deep breath, slipped through the opening, and saw—

—nothing.

Except for a lot of cobwebs, the chamber was bare.

Totally bare.