بازگشت مومیایی فصل 26

Return of the Mummy - Chapter 26

I reached into my jeans pocket for my little mummy hand. Pressing my back against the wall, I raised my eyes to the chamber doorway—and waited.

Waited for the mummies to appear.

But to my surprise, Dr. Fielding burst into the room, followed by four dark-uniformed police officers, hands at their gun holsters.

“Ben—are you okay?” Dr. Fielding called to my uncle. “Where is the young woman?”

“She… escaped,” Uncle Ben told him.

How could he explain that she had turned into a bug?

The police explored the chamber warily. Their eyes came to rest on the mummy, frozen in place near the doorway.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Ben,” Dr. Fielding said, placing a hand warmly on Uncle Ben’s shoulder. Then he turned to Sari. “I’m afraid I owe you an apology, Sari,” he said, frowning. “When I ran out of here, I must have been in shock. I remember seeing you outside the pyramid. But I don’t remember saying anything to you.” “That’s okay,” Sari replied quietly.

“I’m really sorry if I frightened you,” Dr. Fielding told her. “Your dad had been knocked unconscious by that crazy young woman. And all I could think about was calling the police as fast as possible.” “Well, the excitement is over,” Uncle Ben said, smiling. “Let’s all get out of here.”

We started toward the doorway, but a police officer interrupted. “Could I just ask one question?” he asked, staring at the upright mummy in the center of the floor. “Did that mummy walk?” “Of course not!” Uncle Ben replied quickly, a grin spreading over his face. “If it could walk, what would it be doing in this dump?” Well, once again, I turned out to be the hero of the day. And, of course, later in the tent, I wasted no time in bragging about my courage to Sari.

Sari had no choice. She had to sit there and take it. After all, I was the one who had stopped the mummy and turned Nila back into a beetle by smashing her pendant.

“At least you’re not too conceited!” Sari shot back, rolling her eyes.

Lame. Really lame.

“Well, that scarab crawled away and disappeared,” she said. An evil smile crossed Sari’s lips. “I’ll bet that bug is waiting for you, Gabe. I’ll bet it’s waiting for you in your cot, waiting to bite you.” I laughed. “Sari, you’d say anything to try to scare me. You just can’t stand the idea that I’m the hero!” “You’re right,” she replied dryly. “I can’t stand the idea. Good night, Gabe.”

A few minutes later, I was in my pajamas and ready for bed. What a night! What an amazing night!

As I slid into the cot and pulled up the covers, I knew it was a night I would never forget.

“Ouch!”