Star

Chapter 16- Night in the Museum

Coal drove in silence.

The woman—Efya, she learned—had gotten the tears of Oya for them after delivering multiple threats to Coal's person if anything were to happen to Star. But at least, they had it. Star held the vial filled with glowing blue liquid in her hands now and then she put it in the brown sack Doreen gave them.

She looked at Coal. "What's next on the list?"

He grunted in response. His wounds healed surprisingly fast and the tattoos on his hand glowed dimly as he stopped bleeding gradually. So, it was less physical hurt than more of his own pride that was wounded.

"What's next?" She repeated.

This time, Coal answered, "The Crown of Hwanjile,"

Star cocked her head, "How're we going to get that?"

Coal looked at her now, "We're going to break into a museum."

"Yes!" Star whooped. "Finally." She stopped when she saw Coal looking at her, shaking his head.

He turned his head back to the road. "You're... a strange one."

She slid back into the seat, smiling. "I know."

The National museum of Nigeria stood strong in the night with its dusty boarded up windows and a small number of entrances. It was built over fifty years ago and said to house artefacts that would make any archaeologist's mouth water.

Coal and Star looked at it now through the windshield of the car as they tried to count the number of security guards.

"One," said Star.

Coal cocked his head, "There could be more."

"But it's been an hour," she groaned, "and we don't have much time."

The lone security guard in question picked up a bottle of Gulder next to a pile of empty bottles and started drinking. In some moments, he was stumbling around, looking for where he kept his chair (it was behind him), and in another, he fell flat with his face on the ground.

Star looked at Coal who sighed and undid his seat belt. "Fine," he said, "but you stay in the car." With that, he took a small black bag and left the car.

He stopped walking as he heard other loud unsubtle footsteps behind him. He stopped, turned and sighed again.

"What?" Star said. "It's boring in the car."

"You also can't get killed. In the car." Coal pointed out.

"But it's just a museum," Star said. "What's the worst that could happen? Getting attacked by a cobweb?"

Coal thought on this for a moment.

"Fine," he said. "But stay behind me." He glared at her. "I mean it."

Star nodded as she followed him past the gate and the sleeping guard and into the museum where darkness met them.

They got to the museum entrance and Star looked up at the large wooden doors with wooden Ifa heads craved into them. They were doors carved with intricate tools and singular intent. They were doors built to serve aesthetics and security. But most importantly, they were doors that were locked.

"How do we get it open?" Star asked as she looked around for something, maybe to knock the door with. Meanwhile, Coal simply walked up to the door and placed is hand on it as he whispered a word, the tattoos on his arm glowed a dark purple and Star heard the click a door makes when the lock has been magically picked. It creaked open and Coal walked in, not bothering to look behind him.