Harri Potter in: the Mummy Returns

Chapter 9

We rode all night, and by the next morning, we could see the new location. We stopped by the river to refill our water supply, and it was then I saw it. A blimp. I smiled.

Imhotep steps by me and says lowly, "I will have to take care of them."

I took a deep breath and said, "And I will not stop you. I believe they'll make it."

He nods, and I gain Alex's attention to distract him from what Imhotep is about to do. A few minutes later, and Imhotep comes back, face grim.

We do not smile at each other, and he steps over to Anck-su-namun. Together, the whole party heads into the Jungle.

***

A full moon shines down on the dark jungle. The High Priest and Lock-Nah are on horses, leading a walking caravan of black turbans carrying torches. Imhotep, Anck-su-namun, Alex and I are up front, leading.

Everyone's eyes widen in horror as they came upon hundreds of rotted skeletons scattered throughout the jungle. Some piled high, others lying off by themselves. Many appear to have been barbecued alive on fire spits. All are wearing the various tattered remains of once glorious uniforms and armor.

We have walked for several hours now, and Alex is getting tired. I place him upon my back and put a feather-light charm on him.

Imhotep looks at me and said, "You can carry him?"

I smile and say, "I have magic. We'll be fine."

The high priest looks around and points, "Over there, Roman Legionnaires. And there, turn of the century French, Napoleon's troops."

Lock-Nah looks terrified, "What in the name of Osiris did this?"

Everyone is terrified, even Anck-su-namun. The only ones who weren't were Imhotep and myself; Alex was too tired to care.

The caravan comes into a clearing. Far off in the distance, we all see the tip of the gold pyramid spiking the stars. Imhotep grins.

The High Priest, Lock-Nah, and Anck-su-namun all smile.

Alex is suddenly looking very nervous, and he whispers, "Am I going to die, Harri?"

I hold him a bit tighter and say, "Never."

I narrow my eyes as I see Lock-Nah and the High Priest conversing, looking at us. I then see the High Priest approach Imhotep and say lowly, "My Lord, now there is no need for the boy."

Imhotep look back at us and shook his head, "We need the bracelet in the temple." Then he ignores the High Priest. Imhotep lied. Why did he do that? I see Anck-su-namun glare at us, and I gave her a knowing grin.

Suddenly, for no reason, Lock-Nah's horse stops and starts bucking and whinnying wildly, with the High Priest's horse doing the same.

The whole caravan is forced to come to a stop. The two men prod at their spooked horses and curse them in Arabic. A gentle breeze begins to blow through the jungle and swirl around the caravan, accompanied by a creepy sound, like an eerie wind whistling through dry bones. I could feel the magic in the air and stiffened in anticipation.

Imhotep also seems knows what's coming. He tenses, getting ready for whatever it is. One of the black turbaned men sees something lying against a tree, almost molded into it. He slowly approaches. It is a hideous pygmy corpse. Branches and vines have grown through its bones, which are bleached a ghostly white. The man leans in for a closer look at the gruesome thing. Its crusty eyelids suddenly snap open. The man screams. It has no eyes. It hisses through rotted teeth and stabs him in the chest with a small spear. The man screams louder and dies.

As the breeze turns into a strong wind, Lock-Nah and the High Priest are thrown from their horses. All the black turbaned men aim their guns into the foliage, their fear-filled eyes sweeping the jungle. The creepy noise is getting louder and closer.

I hold Alex closer and have my wand at the ready.

A black turbaned man suddenly jerks forward screaming. He spins around, his back is plastered with blow darts. The surrounding foliage suddenly comes alive with movement, accompanied by a horrible hissing sound. Arrows and blow darts explode out of the bushes. I immediately put up a protego, watching as the darts and arrows prick my shield, but none come through. The black turbaned men all panic and aimlessly open fire.

Imhotep grabs Anck-su-namun's hand and starts to pull her away. He looks back at us, and motions for us to follow him. I shook my head and pointed to Alex. He looked sad but turned around and left us. Anck-su-namun lunges back and grabs the Book of the Dead off her pallet. They both then go off into the jungle.

Suddenly we hear, "Alex!" I stop, and whip around, seeing Rick charge through the foliage. I stop and cast a protego on him as well and he rushed forward, enveloping us.

I see Lock-Nah spin around and is about to throw his scimitar at Rick's back, when Ardeth leaps out of the fray and the two men immediately go at it. All the other men are screaming, running, shooting, and dying.

Rick takes Alex from me and puts him over his shoulder. Alex is now looking back. His eyes pop wide, and he screams, "Dad, behind you!"

Rick and I spin around and see two hideous pygmy skeletons hot on our tail. He lifts his shotgun and fires. Both barrels, point blank, and blows the pygmy skeletons to smithereens.

Ardath and Lock-Nah are fiercely battling away. Scimitar against scimitar. Ardath is clearly more pissed-off, more aggressive. He spins around and slices Lock-Nah's chest, then uppercuts him across the stomach. Lock-Nab drops to his knees, mortally wounded.

Ardeth stares down at him, and says, "That's for Horus."

The huge man who grabbed Evy at her home runs up behind Ardeth, about to decapitate him with a scimitar. Ardeth doesn't even see him, and at the very last second the huge man is hit by multiple bullets.

Rick and Ardeth look up on a ridge and smile. I step closer to Rick and say, "Evy and Jonathan?"

They nod, and I look grim, "We must get Alex to the temple. If he does not get there before sunrise, he will die; the bracelet is sucking the lifeforce out of him."

Rick looks terrified, and Ardeth said, "I must go and signal my men. If Imhotep raises the army of Anubis, my men and I must be there to head them off." He then turns his horse, and before he gallops away yells, "Good luck, my friends!"