Chapter 6
Charlotte
I can’t even see the hand in front of my face, but I can see a pair of glowing yellow eyes coming from where the door to the room would be.
“Now now, what do we have here, pet?” comes a scratchy female voice that I can only assume belongs to the glowing eyes across the room. “I was told you would be gone by this hour. Guess it’s just my luck that I get a snack and my prize.”
Those eyes aren’t just normal glowing eyes. Nope, they are yellow eyes with slitted pupils like a snake. Creepy does not even begin to describe this situation as my heart rate is soaring to the ceiling.
I have to act fast or this psychopath is going to kill me. I’m not sure what she is after, but she isn’t going to get her hands on me or the stone if I have anything to say about it.
I see the eyes start to move towards me and around the large table in the room. I quietly reach in my bag for the pepper spray that I know is in the side pocket. I’ve never utilized it before but this will be the only distraction I can use to make it out of this room.
“Oh, pet. You are going to taste so good. The master will forgive my gluttonous thoughts as long as he gets the tablet,” that strange voice says as the eyes get even closer.
I send up a quick prayer to whatever gods are listening, and slide the safety off of the spray. Without second guessing myself, I aim and spray in the direction of the eyes which are now only a few meters away.
“Owwwwwwwwww!! Nooooooooo!!” the woman screeches.
This is my chance. I bolt for the door on the other side of the room while my hand sweeps the table. It catches hold of the stone slab, and I gather it in my arms on my way out.
Quickly, I head down the hallways that I know will lead to the main atrium. At least there will be light coming from the glass geometric ceiling in that part of the museum. I need to hide and call for help because there’s also no way I am going to let this nutjob run rampant through this museum stealing priceless artifacts.
As I open the door leading into the atrium, I am immediately greeted with dim moonlight as it lights up the white marble interior of the main area. I run to the center library area and hop the counter. The only sound is my heavy breathing because I am clearly not made for running.
I set the stone slab down on the floor next to me and get out my cell phone to dial the security desk. The number continues to ring and ring with no answer. My stomach drops. Either the night guard has fallen asleep or he’s been knocked out. Regardless, help is not coming quickly and I need to think of something fast.
Before I can start to put together a plan, I hear the bang of a metal door opening from the atrium and a dark scratchy laugh.
“You will pay for that, pet,” comes that same voice that I thought I escaped from. It looks like my diversion didn’t give me as much time as I thought.
I hear slow footsteps moving in my direction. As I peek my head above the counter to see who is causing all of this chaos, my pursuer comes into view.
It is a tan woman of average height with dark frizzy hair that is partially dreaded with beads braided into the dreads. With her sandals, flowing pants, and short black top, she looks like a normal boho dressing tourist. Of course, the still glowing yellow, slitted eyes give her away as other and much more dangerous than she appears.
She continues to walk around the atrium and eventually leaves my line of sight. I need to make a run for it. If I can make it to the Egyptian wing to the right of me, it’s a straight shot to the front entrance which I should be able to open from this side of the door. From there my escape plan gets a little fuzzy, but getting out of this museum seems a solid first step.
Since I want to make a silent getaway, I slide off my flats so that I can run barefoot. Then, I gather the slab and my bag in my arms and send up yet another prayer to the gods that I make it out alive.
I creep around the counter of the library in the center of the atrium and look to the left and right of the entrance to the room. I hear the woman’s footsteps, but they seem to be on the other side of the atrium.
Now is my chance. I take off running to reach the Egyptian wing entrance which is only about a 100 meters slightly to my right. I’m almost through the entrance when a hard impact to my left shoulder causes me to lose my balance and fall, sending the stone sliding through the entrance and out of my sight.
Still sprawled on the ground, I realize there is a knife sticking out of my shoulder. My left arm is screaming in pain and causing my vision to swim. I can tell I’m losing blood, but I need to keep moving. Unfortunately, I look up to see the woman prowling slowly in my direction.
“So close, yet so far. Oh how I am going to enjoy eating your soul, my pet. I bet it tastes like regret and unfulfilled passions,” she says with a menacing smile. “Your ka won’t even make it to the Duat once I’m through with you.”
She steps up to my side and gets on one knee to look me in the eye. “Any last words, pet?” She grabs the knife and yanks it out of my shoulder causing me to let out a blood curdling scream.
Suddenly, there is a loud crash from the ceiling and I throw my arms up to keep the glass from getting in my face but it is everywhere and I feel it biting into my arms and legs. I dare a glance to the ceiling and my breath catches.
A golden winged man is landing on the other side of the atrium. As I completely lift my arm away from my face, I realize it’s not just any man. It’s the man from Trinity College, Horus, and he has two handguns pointed at my crazed attacker.
“Step away, Ammit. You will not come out of this fight alive,” I hear him say, but my vision is still swimming as I struggle to stay conscious.
“Ah, little prince, we were wondering if you would turn up for the tablet as well. No matter, I shall just take this tablet from my pet here.” I hear her say as she pulls my bag off my shoulder and dumps out the contents.
Her eyes go wide and she starts to shake. “What? No, nooooo! I know you had it. Where is it? Where is the tablet?!” the crazed woman screams in my face, but I can barely register what she is saying.
Next thing I know, a hand lands on her shoulder and rips her backwards into the central library. Books and rubble go flying and the sound of bullets fill the air, but all I see before my mind goes black are large golden wings shielding me from the debris.