Chapter 9
Charlotte
The first thing I notice is that my eyelids feel like they weigh as much as a hippo. It takes considerable effort to try and pry them open. In doing so, I realize that they are dry, crusty, and my vision is blurred.
After blinking a few times, a figure starts to come into view hovering over me on my left side. He is a handsome, well-built man with his long dark hair pulled back and spectacles on his beautifully angular face. His eyes are such a deep blue that they mimic the bluest lagoons of the Pacific. After staring into those arresting eyes for far too long, I realize that his lips are moving and he is speaking to me.
“Charlotte Fletcher? Can you hear me?” comes his deep soothing voice.
“Yes,” I croak. I clear my throat a couple of times and try talking again. “Yes, I can hear you. Where am I?”
As I start to look around, I realize I’m in a very sterilized looking room with white polished walls and metal tables and counters. As I am scanning the room, I realize there is someone on the table next to me in a museum security uniform.
“Excuse me? Do you know Harry? He’s on the daytime museum security team. Sir?” I turn back to the handsome stranger and ask, “Is that man alright? Can he hear me?”
The stranger gives me a pitying look that I don’t understand. “Charlotte, I’m very sorry but that night guard is dead. Please tell me what you remember?”
My brain is no longer functioning. I am solely absorbed on one word.
Dead. Dead. He’s dead.
“Breathe, Charlotte. Take a deep breath,” his calming voice says and I start to comply. “That’s it. In slowly and then out.”
“Where… where am I?” I ask in a shaking voice focusing only on the white ceiling above me while still attempting breathing exercises.
“You are in the Temple of Isis.”
“You should be dead. Lucky for you, Horus seems to have a soft spot for you,” comes a deep feminine voice. I look and see a beautifully striking woman sitting on the counter across the room. It’s hard to tell with her sitting, but the black, skintight battle suit she is wearing shows that her body is toned for combat. With her black straight bob and narrow violet eyes, she is intimidating to say the least. It also doesn’t help my nerves that she is tossing a thin blade and catching the tip without even looking. Suddenly, that spurs a memory.
“Oh how I am going to enjoy eating your soul, my pet. I bet it tastes like regret and unfulfilled passions.”
As I gasp and start hyperventilating again, the male stranger moves into my field of vision, “Charlotte, please take a deep breath. Did you remember something?”
“Clearly she did, Anubis. Stop asking her dumb questions,” replies the female.
“If you aren’t going to help, Bastet, then get. out.” he growls and his eyes start to glow blue.
My eyes feel like they are about to bug out of my head. This can’t be happening. Not again. Apparently, none of what happened was a dream and these beings that are here with me… they have the names of gods. Could they truly be the Egyptian gods of old?
The man named Anubis looks towards me and his eyes go back to normal. “I’m so sorry, Charlotte,” he says in a soft voice. “I know this must be extremely confusing and probably a bit terrifying. My name is Anubis and yes, we are the gods that you are thinking of. That less than tactful woman over there is Bastet and we were able to save you and stitch you back up. Please, I know this is overwhelming but we need to know what you remember.”
“What… what I remember?” I ask in a quiet voice. “Wait… you said we are in the Temple of Isis? As in Egypt?”
“Yes, we are technically in Aswan which is where the temple was restored several decades ago after it was moved from Philae. I will explain how you got here momentarily, but we need to know if you remember what happened to you.”
“Yes, I am starting to remember some things.” A flash of memories filter through my head. A blackout. Glowing golden eyes. Glass raining down… and wings. “He has wings,” I whisper in awe.
“Yes, Horus does have wings. What else do you remember?”
“Golden eyes… a woman. She… Ammit… she wanted my discovery. Oh no! My stone tablet! Do you have it?!”
“That’s what we were hoping you could shed some light on. Ammit did not leave with it, but we cannot find its whereabouts either.”
My heart sinks. What was supposed to be my big break is now lost or stolen. Then another memory comes to me.
“Papyrus,” I murmur.
“What do you mean?” he says in that gentle voice of his.
“Do you have my bag? It has my things. There was something with the stone slab, a piece of papyrus. I need my computer, please. It has pictures on it.”
“I’ll go get it. I grabbed your belongings before you were brought here. I think they are with Thoth,” replies Bastet as she gracefully hops off the counter and saunters out of the room.
“Good, very good, Charlotte. What else do you remember from three days ago?”
“THREE DAYS?! Bloody hell, Charlie probably thinks I’m dead! I bet Marium answered me and I haven’t responded. Oh! What will she think of me? How unprofessional!”
Anubis takes me by the shoulders since I’ve shot up into a sitting position on the table and looks into my eyes, “Charlotte, I don’t know what you are talking about but you need to breathe, please. Horus would be very unhappy with me if he went to all this trouble to save you only for you to hyperventilate and die.”
I nod slowly and start my slow breathing counts. Once I feel centered again I ask, “Horus saved me? I remember he was there. He shot at Ammit and he had these beautiful golden wings.”
“Well, doe eyes. I’m glad you find my wings beautiful,” croons a familiar voice.