The Goddess of Mystery

Chapter 1- The Egyptian Family

I ran down the streets of New York City, heading towards the one place that gave me the serenity I so desired. Bumping in to many of workers heading home for the night, and tourists exploring the night life of the city, I mumbled a short 'sorry' towards them as I continued to run. To run towards the one place where I was free from the judgment of my parents and others- The Museum of Natural History. Reaching the museum, I went up the steps taking two at time. It was impressive I didn't trip, seeing as that I was still wearing those 6-inch heels that my mother forced me into wearing for her gala.

Stopping right in front of the doors, I tried to compose myself as best I could. Straightening out the two-piece white ball gown and wiping off the smeared mascara from under my eyes. It was a few minutes after closing, but 10 minutes before it was sundown, there was still some light so it was easy for me to find my way to the museum. Even if it was dark, I still wouldn't be able to miss this place because of how frequent I visit it as soon as it closes. It was safe to say that the night guard and I were friends- although he was more like a father figure to me than my own father is. One of the many doors was always unlocked for me, and it was the same one every time.

I pushed the door open, the only sound coming from the door closing and my heels clicking against the floor. Walking inside I noticed Larry, the night guard, sitting behind his desk, his head lifting up and greeting me. "Hey Amunet, wasn't expecting you tonight." I managed to muster up a small smile and greeted him back, explaining that I couldn't stay any longer. "Do you mind if I just..?" I stopped my sentence, knowing he would understand what I was asking. Nodding his head, he got up and started walking towards the break room, "only ten minutes tonight, ok?"

I didn't bother answering him back, instead running towards the Egyptology department while hearing Larry chuckling from behind me. As I reached the sarcophagus, I ran my hand along the top of it until reaching the side of the wall that held the tablet. "Good afternoon, Pharaoh Ahkmenrah" I whispered, giggling to myself. I knew about the powers that the tablet had, I once stayed too late and was there when Ahkmenrah woke up, just as he did any other night- coughing from the copious amounts of dust and debris that was still left in his 'coffin'. Let's just say that Larry could hear my scream all the way upstairs.

Ever since then I wasn't allowed to stay after sunset, I tired fighting Larry about it but it was like there was a big secret nobody was telling me. Although, I'm sure the secret about the whole museum coming to life is bigger than whatever they could possibly be hiding. As I examined the hieroglyphs on the walls, I noticed the tablet started glowing. I knew it was too early for the exhibits to come to life, I still had 6 minutes until sunset. Ahkmenrah had not started to wake up, and so that was kind of a good sign. But that means there might be something wrong with the tablet.

As I started to walk out of the room to get Larry, it had sounded like someone called my name.I turned around to see no one there, but I heard it again. "Amunet" a small voice had whispered. One of the words on the tablet had stood brighter than the rest of it- if that was even possible with how bright the rest of it already was. I slowly made my way over to the tablet, setting my hand under the word, trying to see if I could decipher it. Before I could, a bright white light flooded my vision making me fall back onto the ground, covering my eyes with my right arm, my other keeping me up.

I could tell the tablet had stopped glowing, but it was still too bright in the museum. I slowly moved my arm from my face and my eyes widened as I noticed four people staring at me, one woman and three men- one who looked an awful lot like Ahkmenrah, meaning this might all just be a dream. My eyes widened as a few guards surrounded me, pointing their weapons at me. I was terrified- close to a panic, but I managed to squeak out "Where am I?" All the while staring at the family that were dressed in what seemed to ancient Egyptian royal clothing. At least that's what I could tell from the countless paintings I had seen of the egyptians, and how the family were each wearing crowns.

I could clearly tell that words I was speaking were not English, but Ancient Egyptian. The one night I spent with Ahkmenrah, he had spoken a few words in Egyptian, and taught me few words. But, these were words I did not know. I'm sure my eyes had widened more if that were possible. The eldest of the group had stood up off his throne and approached. "It is I who will be asking the questions. I am Pharaoh Merenkahre, and this is Queen Shepsheret." I definitely knew I was in Egypt as soon as I heard the words I'd spoken were coming out as Egyptian instead of English. And, as this Pharaoh stood in front of me speaking in his native tongue, I could fully comprehend every word he had spoken, like I had known this language my entire life.

The pharaoh continued speaking, his wife now standing in front of him helping me up and shooing the guards away. "What is your name, and where do you hail from" he had spoken in his loud, booming voice as the queen gave me a comforting smile. I wiped of the small amount of dirt that was on my white dress, and smoothing it out. "My name is Amunet, and" I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence, as all those in the room gasped, and I could see Kahmunrah and Ahkmenrah walking to stand next to their parents, Ahkmenrah whispering " The goddess of mystery" as his eyes were filled with wonder, and another glint in his eye I could not tell what it meant.

It was an understatement to say I was bewildered at his comment "I'm sorry, but I'm not a Goddess, far from it actually. I'm just a normal, everyday girl." Under my breath I whispered low enough so they couldn't hear, "Who just so happens to have traveled to the past." Ahkmenrah looked at a loss for words "but your beauty shows different to what you say you're not", I looked down blushing and when I looked up he mirrored the redness of my face. As I looked at what I presumed to be his mother, she was smiling at her son, for she had never seen him act this way towards a girl his age.

Cutting off the short silence Merenkahre spoke up "if you are not a goddess, then how did you appear in the middle of my throne room, with no one seeing you enter." I froze, not knowing how to answer this question, but I had to come up with something and fast. I'm not sure if I could reveal that I was from the future, especially in front of all these people. I could possibly get him to agree to talk in private, not wanting to share so much about what happened to me just moments ago. I shared with the pharaoh of old about discussing this in private, and reluctantly he agreed, with the convincing of his youngest son. Since the prince took my side so easily, Merenkahre couldn't not take your side, but told me that Ahkmenrah would accompany us, and will listen to the story as well.

In the back of my mind I thought it was for him to learn how to become a fair and trustworthy pharaoh, but I knew there was something else to the reasoning. The pharaoh led us both out of the throne room, and him taking our lead. As Ahkmenrah started walking next to me, he held out his arm for me to take. I gladly did so, my left hand holding onto the crook of his elbow, we were both madly blushing, but neither of us realized that the other was. As you reached Merenkahre's study, I began to grow nervous, and tucked a small curl behind my ear that had fallen loose of its pin.

Merenkahre was already seated behind the desk, as Ahkmenrah and I sat at the two chairs that were in front of him. Crossing my legs and folding my hands on your lap, I gulped. I knew he would find out sooner or later that I was not from here, so I had started from the beginning. How I was from 4,000 years into the future, Ahkmenrah and his tablet were at the museum, and he was brought back to life by the tablet every night. I told him how the tablet glowed, and spoken my name, and how it was written on it, also. It felt like it had taken me hours to explain everything, but it had only taken barely an hour. An hour, that could decide my fate, whether i would be declared crazy and thrown in their cells, or would be accepted and helped by the royal family of Egypt. And it all rested into the fate of one mans hands, Pharaoh Merenkahre.