Summary of last post:

Bruce received an invitation to tour a pyramid park called, Little Egypt, before its opening. He invited the Daredevil Girls, of which his sister, Becky, was an affiliate, in an attempt to impress them enough to allow him membership. Once there, they meet up with Ahmed, who is assigned to be their guide. They begin with the life-sized, and very realistic, pyramid.


The Story Continues:

"'And now you stand on the threshold of a dream, my young friends,' Ahmed said. 'I hope the brisk walk up the pyramid stairs didn't over tax you.'

"'We're fine,' Tabby said.

"She spoke for herself, of course, as the rest of us were panting and gasping for air. We had climbed a very long and steep stairway, way too reminiscent of the real ones.

"'Before we go in,' he continued, 'please allow for a few precautions required by our host. Place these lambskin gloves on to protect anything you might touch. Also, place all purses and bags in one of the lockers to your right. You may reclaim them once we return outside. I apologize for the tight security, but once you see the priceless treasures, you will appreciate our vigilance.'

"Very reluctantly we parted with the items, placing them in the locker Ahmed directed for our use. In went the camera bag, the carphone with hidden candy bars, sketchpad, first aid kit, and even Sage's empty pet carrier. The cookies were confiscated and thrown in a large trashcan by the door.

"The only thing, besides the candy bars, missing the careful scrutiny of our guide, was the small notepad and pen Bruce had stored inside his pocket. Ahmed proceeded to lock the metal cabinet, and stuff the key inside his shirt.

"'What about our cat?' Sally asked. 'Can she come with us?'

"'Indeed she may, as the ancient Egyptians greatly honored her species. I only ask that you watch her closely.'

"He paused while Sally picked up Sage, and tucked her firmly in the crook of her arm.

"'Very well,' he said. 'Now, relax and enjoy your adventure. Before beginning, I want you to pause and reflect on the significance of what you are about to witness. Such splendor has not been seen for many generations of man. It is offered to you, today, as a very special treat. Waiting inside is a small vision of the beauty of my country, and the glory of my ancestry.'

"Reverently, he eased open the great door and allowed us to enter. It took our eyes a moment to adjust to the dim lights, but when they did, we were floored by the spectacle before us.

"Little bits of glass and gems, embedded in the walls and floor, caught the light from a multitude of candles and lamps, and reflected it like a sparkling kaleidoscope.

"On the walls hung enormous tapestries depicting various scenes including the exploits of Pharaohs, assorted temple activities, and even, simple domestic settings, such as a pharaoh and queen playing with their children. I wanted to go over and touch them through gloved hands, just to feel a part of the past, but remained rooted to my spot in humble reverence.

"To either side of the atrium I noticed two sets of narrow steps spiraling upwards for about twenty stories. The floors appeared to be around six feet in width; barely room enough for two people to walk abreast. I felt dizzy thinking about having to climb those impossible steps, especially after having just struggled with the ones outside. I sure hoped they were not a part of the tour.

"In the center of the room stood an enormous golden statue of a Pharaoh. He held a crook in one hand and a flail in the other, both of which were crossed over his chest in the typical Pharaoh stance, and represented royalty. His face, and beautifully adorned neck, were unusually elongated, giving him an almost comical look. A womanly chest and hips, and a sagging belly, added to the uniquness of the figure.

"'Is that Akhenaten?' Bruce asked.

"'Yes, it is,' Ahmed said in surprise. 'You're a smart young man.'

"'I don't know about all that, but I do like archeology.'

"'Archeology? Yes, I suppose it would seem that way to you.'

"'Wasn't Akhenaten married to Nefertiti?' Bruce asked, oblivious to the strange comment.

"'Again, yes.'

"'Oh, I've heard of her,' Tabby said. 'She was supposed to have been one of the most beautiful women that ever lived. I saw a replica of her bust at a museum in Houston.'

"'She was quite beautiful,' Ahmed said, 'and a good person. I am quite pleased with your seriousness and knowledge. You and your companions aren't like other young people your age. Mike Holly was wise to have invited you to join us.'

"'And, again, we appreciate the opportunity,' I said. 'We may not have quite the background Bruce has in history, but, I think I can speak for us all by saying, this place is amazing.'

"'You are quite welcome, and now, if you please, we will continue the tour in the basement, at level one.'

"'Basement?' Elizabeth said. 'No one has basements around here. It's too close to sea level.'

"'Don't worry, our walls are firmly reinforced. You are quite safe from drowning.'

"'From drowning,' Elizabeth whispered to me, 'but what else are we not safe from? I'm not sure I feel comfortable following him into a dungeon.'

'"Stop worrying,' I whispered back. 'This is a theme park, not a haunted house.'

"Ahmed bowed slightly, seeming not to have heard our exchange, and then led us to an intricately woven rug on the floor beside the far wall. He lifted it, knelt down, and inserted a key into a lock on a panel. He stepped back as a door swished upwards.

"'I'll bet they didn't have those back in ancient Egypt,' Becky said.

"'Actually, they did,' Ahmed said. 'It's sort of a primitive hydraulics system, and is accomplished with a series of springs and pulleys. I'm pleased it caught your attention.'

"'I knew about them,' Bruce said, but was cut off as Ahmed descended the stairs, beckoning us to follow.

"Like everything else in the Pyramid, the steps were steep and gruelling. My legs had already begun to burn when we finally reached bottom. Once there, however, my discomfort quickly disappeared. Arrayed before us, were rows upon rows of meticulously carved tables with artifacts tucked safely under thick panes of glass. Ahmed explained each display, and then, allowed us to roam around and look. Since we couldn't actually touch any of the items, I ran a gloved hand across several surfaces as though to invite a part of their history into my soul.

"I could spend hours telling you about the grandeur and beauty of this place, but we haven't the time, and there is much more to my story left to tell. Suffice to say, we were enthralled beyond measure, and even Elizabeth seemed to have forgotten her misgivings.

"After giving us ample opportunity to discover his people's past, Ahmed, finally, led us to another rug, and another secret doorway.

"'We go, now, to the second basement level,' he said.

"'How many levels are there?' Becky asked.

"'Come, come,' Ahmed said, again waving his hand for us to follow. 'Life is full of levels.'

"Resigned to the strangeness of the tour, we clambered down another staircase, and ended up on, yet, another floor. This level was well lit, and for as far as our eyes could see, appeared to be an indoor amusement park, absolutely dwarfing the one outside. There were rides, games, skill booths, and everything, it seemed, but places to buy food.

"I had to wonder if people ever ate in this park. Anyway, we, finally, saw other kids. They were frolicking about as though unaware the Daredevils had arrived and, it seemed, were having more fun than we were. Ahmed gave a sneering grunt, and led us to a secluded room closed off by a door. He pulled the key out from around his neck and unlocked it. We walked inside and found a large screen, and stadium seats for about twenty people.

"'Please, sit down,' Ahmed said reverently, 'and I will turn down the lights. Here you will be given the opportunity to view a film about the life of the great Pharaoh, Akhenaten."

"'When the story began, images of the statues of Akhenaten and Nefertiti appeared before us in godlike splendor. Following, was a brief history of the Pharaoh and his family displayed in stunning cinematography. It seemed his father, Amenhotep III, died about 1352 BC, and left the young king to rule in his place.

"Unlike most of the people of his time, Akhenaten believed in only one god, Aten, who appeared as a disk in the sky, radiating energy to people below. I thought of the the necklace Ahmed wore, and wondered if he shared similar beliefs.

"Akhenaten, the film went on to say, had the shrines of other gods torn down, and new ones dedicated to Aten built. Many of his people, and religious leaders, were violently unhappy with the changes. Even though his beautiful, and much loved, wife, Nefertiti, supported her husband's religious convictions, most continued to hate him.

"Three daughters, Meritaten, Meketaten, and Ankhesenpaaten were mentioned, but no sons. It was suggested, the Pharaoh had a considerably large harem of wives besides the queen, Nefertiti, and so a male child was a distinct possibility. When Akhenaten died young, however, he left no apparent heir. More was said about his wife and nephew, Tutankhamun, but, I'll let you ask Bruce about that later if you're interested.

"After the film stopped, the lights in the arena flickered back on, and Ahmed sauntered in.

"'Well, what do you think?' he asked.

"'It was incredible,' Bruce said. 'Do you know where the mummy of Akhenaten is now?'

"'Indeed I do,' Ahmed said. 'He is here, as well as those of Nefertiti and their three daughters.'

"'No way,' Tabby said. 'How, on earth, did you get them?'

"'It took years and a great deal of effort, but Mike Holly is a very rich man, and money sometimes buys things that aren't for sale.'

"'I hear that,' Tabby said.

"'Do you have any other mummies?' Sally asked.

"'Quite a few, actually.'

"'Cool,' Bruce said, 'so where do you keep them?'

"'In the third basement level,' Ahmed replied.

"'Of course,' Elizabeth said.

"'And we're going there, right?' Tabby asked.

"'If you dare,' Ahmed said with an upraised eyebrow."