The New Night Guard: A Night at the Museum Fanfiction

Chapter 1: The Tour

"So, Ms. Robinson, what made you choose the night guard life?" Larry Daley asked. He turned to the young woman with him as they both made their way down one of the corridors of the museum.

"Well, to be completely honest with you, Larry, the pay is steady and it's close enough to home that I can walk here when the weather's good. That way I can save money on taxi fare. And I like history. Those documentaries where people reenact some scenes from history always interested me, so the atmosphere here is pretty cool. Also, like we established earlier, if I can call you Larry, you can call me Gwen," she said with a reassuring smile and eyebrow raise. He smiled back.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," he said. He wasn't really smiling about the name calling. It was the "reenacting history" that got to him. "So here is the diorama room, or more formally known as the Hall of Miniatures."

"Aw, man, I used to love making dioramas for school projects," said Gwen. "Of course, these are much more advanced than anything I ever made." She circled the room. She looked over the Mayan temple, still in the process of being built and the rest of the people hunting near the plastic vegetation. Continuing counterclockwise, was a Roman square with most men in armor, some riding chariots, and the rest of the people in togas; after that was a train with a trading post and cowboys on horses, and Chinese and Irishmen working on the railroad. With each display, Gwen placed her hands behind her back and leaned close to see the details and to avoid the temptation of touching.

"If you take this long with each exhibit, it'll take me a week to show you the entire museum," Larry said with a touch of sarcasm.

"Oh! Sorry. Yes, let's move on," she said. Before they left the room, Larry closed the glass casing around the Mayan scene. Gwen thought it was strange that he didn't do the same to the other dioramas, but she let it slip her curiosity.

***

As they walked by display cases of weaponry, vases, and other artifacts, Gwen decided to regress to their conversation from earlier in the day.

"So, why are you moving on from the night guard life?" Larry had mentioned him giving his two-weeks notice. She continued, "Or did you get a better position somewhere else?"

"No. Well, not a better position of being a night guard, but a better position, nonetheless. I run my own company now. Maybe you've recently heard of it. Daley Devices?"

"Sorry, I haven't," she said, shaking her head.

"Well, it's really taking off now, and this job... eleven-fifty an hour isn't something I need anymore."

Gwen nodded, "I get it. A better opportunity. And your own business at that. Good for you, man. Don't let anyone get in your way." She patted him on the back.

"Thanks," he smiled. "Now, coming up here is the Egyptian Hall with the Pharaoh Ahkmenrah and his tablet."

"Wait," Gwen said as she put up her hand stopping Larry in his tracks before going into the temple.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"You mean an actual mummy of a pharaoh is in there?"

"Yes?" he answered. He questioned if he had misspoken. "Is there a problem?"

"Umm... well, I..." Gwen began fixing her tie on her uniform. She now understood why men did so when they were nervous. It became difficult to swallow when you got scared. "It's just—" her explanation was cut short when Larry interrupted her.

"Don't tell me you're afraid?" he grinned. But he understood the eeriness that lingered within the tomb.

"Listen, I just don't like seeing death up close, okay?" Gwen explained. "And besides, I don't like the idea of some human being having their body on display for the world instead of being left where they were buried. Take us, for example. Wouldn't you think it was disrespectful if someone buried our caskets but then dug it up years later for people to gawk at?" Larry placed his hands on his hips, looked toward the sarcophagus, and sighed.

"Yeah," he said. "I would find that disrespectful."

"Glad you see it my way," Gwen said. "Now, can we go to another exhibit? Please?"

Larry agreed and showed her the rest of the museum. He showed her the Hall of American History that displayed Sacagawea, no longer behind glass. Not that Gwen had known about the change. They then went upstairs around the balcony to pass by Attila the Hun and to the Hall of African Mammals. Larry's tour wasn't in an orderly fashion as one would find had they been following a docent, but he wanted to make sure Gwen saw his favorite exhibits first and eventually get to the rest of the museum before nightfall.

"And here we are again in the lobby," said Larry. "With Teddy Roosevelt and Rexy."

"So, did you name him, or is that what the staff knows him as?" Gwen smiled. She liked that Larry didn't take his job too seriously. Honestly, she was afraid of this job being a bore. But she was a night owl and she liked the way Larry talked about each exhibit. He knew a little of everything and that was quite impressive; especially for just being a night guard.

"I named him," said Larry. "But I think it's caught on by now." He then glanced up at the giant window above the doorways. Three, he thought to himself, Two... one. The sun had set, and the only source of light were the lightbulbs inside. Unbeknownst to Gwen, the tablet also was illuminating. What she did notice was slight movement from the T-Rex as its tail lowered.

"Is that thing falling apart?" she asked with concern in her voice. As Rexy turned his head towards them, Gwen wanted to say, "Oh, never mind, it just looked at us." Instead, she screamed, "WHY DID THAT T-REX JUST LOOK AT US?!"

Rexy took the exclamation as a sign of playfulness and wagged his tail. It only took him three steps to make it to the front desk that Gwen was now cowering behind.

"Relax," assured Larry. "He's harmless. Rexy, this is Gwen, the new night guard. Gwen, meet Rexy."

"What the hell kind of prank is this?!" she said still in shock as she came out from her hiding spot. The T-Rex then nuzzled the front of his skull against Gwen as gently as he could manage; but it was still enough for her to be knocked down.

"You'll get used to him," Larry said. He clapped his hands together, "Now, time for you to meet the rest of the family."

Oh, God, thought Gwen, The rest.

She thought about all the different exhibits she had seen earlier and realized that there was much more to this job than she had signed up for.

"Lawrence!" shouted a voice from behind them. "I see you're not the only one in uniform." Gwen turned to see Theodore Roosevelt riding his horse across the foyer.

"No..." Gwen said below her breath, finally standing up.

"Teddy, this is Gwen Robinson. She'll be taking my place. Gwen," Larry motioned his hand, "The twenty-sixth president of the United States."

"A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Robinson," Teddy reached down from atop of Tex and gently shook her hand. "I hope you enjoy your time with us."

"Sir," Gwen began, still in disbelief, "It's such an honor to meet you. You're my second favorite president."

Teddy furrowed his eyebrows, "May I ask who is your first?"

"Well, abolishing slavery wasn't easy with a country divided against itself," Gwen said. "So, my number one spot would have to go to Abraham Lincoln." Teddy smiled at her.

"A great man and a great accomplishment. He deserves that spot." Gwen smiled back. She still couldn't believe it.

I just spoke to a president, she thought, Who has been dead for years... what is going on?

"Now," Teddy interrupted her thought process, "It is time that I leave you two to do your jobs, as I assume Lawrence here will keep you very busy meeting everyone tonight. Good evening to you both." Teddy saluted and rode off. Gwen shook her head and pivoted to Larry.

"I demand an explanation," she said.

"And you'll get one," Larry said. "I knew you wouldn't believe me if I just told you. And believe me, I was in your shoes once. When I had my first day on the job, nobody was there to guide me. Besides, you'll have it easier than I did. Everyone gets along now."

Gwen rubbed her face, still stressing about what she had and was going to witness in her new day-to-day—or really night-to-night—job.