The Adventurer & The Librarian

Chapter 9: Anubis

Once they'd decided on a dig site, William and the rest got to work by a statue of Anubis.  They'd eventually found an area in which there was an opening into a chamber.  Bonnie got to work on tying a rope around a column so they could rappel down while William and Jonathan cleaned off the ancient Egyptian mirrors nearby.  Hassad merely stood around to watch.  The man was quite lazy.

Which is why William found it highly amusing how Bonnie kept smacking Hassad lazily with the rope. 

"Hey!  Hey!" Hassad snapped quickly. 

"Don't want to get hit?  Stand somewhere else," Bonnie said dryly.

Hassad moved a little further away, watching Bonnie work.  "Why are we even digging here?" the warden asked.

"That's the statue of Anubis," William began.  "Its legs go deep underground.  According to Bembridge scholars, that's where we'll find a secret compartment containing the golden Book of Amun-Ra."  William looked toward the sun then to his brother.  "Jonathan, you're meant to catch the sun with that."

Once Bonnie finished making the lapel, she cleared her throat and walked up to William.  "So, uh, what are these old mirrors for?" she asked softly.

"Ancient mirrors.  It's an ancient Egyptian trick.  You'll see."

"Uh huh," Bonnie said before clearing her throat again.  "Uh, here," she said, holding out something bound in leather.  "This is for, uh, you."  William looked at the leather and blinked before looking at her in confusion.  "Go ahead.  It's something I borrowed off our American brethren.  I thought you might like it," Bonnie smiled almost shyly.  "You might need it...for when you're, uh...uh, yeah..." she backed up, making a hammering motion with her fists before turning away and glaring at the grinning warden.  "What are you looking at?" Bonnie snarled at Hassad before walking off.

William opened the leather and was astonished to find a set of archeology tools.  He raised his head, immediately catching her eye, and smirked at her with a raised eyebrow.  Bonnie was about to jump into the chasm with the rope around her, and she gave him a bright smile.

"Hey!  Look for bugs," the warden said.  "I hate bugs."

Bonnie rolled her eyes before going down into the chasm.  William quickly tied up his new tool set and tucked it into his jacket before going to the edge of the opening.  "I'll go next," he said excitedly.

The rope was thrown back up and William went down the same way Bonnie did, then he tossed up the rope so the other two could come down.  He looked around in wonder at the room they were in.  Bonnie had already lit a torch and was looking around.

"This is marvelous!" William said in happy shock.  "Do you realize we're standing inside a room that no one has entered in over three thousand years?"

"Yes," Bonnie replied.  "Bet you're gonna have fun with that tool set."

William chuckled.  "Yes.  Thank you for that, by the way," he said, making his way over to her as she continued to look around. 

"You're welcome."

William smirked as he got closer.  "I don't believe anyone's ever stolen something for me before."

Bonnie straightened, probably now aware of how close he was behind her.  "I borrowed it."

"So does this mean I have to give it back?"

The adventurer turned to face William, smiling at him.  "No."

The librarian grinned.  "Whoo!" Jonathan said as he landed, shaking his hands around.  "What is that god-awful stench?!" When Hassad also made his way down, Jonathan sniffed him and shook his head.  "Oh."