Night life || Ahkmenrah

Four

Damien was lounging on top of the stone lid of the case containing the sarcophagus. One knee raised, the other ankle hanging in the open air. He peered down at the golden face of Ahkmanrah's visage decorating the lid. It was strange that beneath the image lay Ahkmanrah's real face. Damien wondered if he actually looked like that, but doubted it. The pharaoh's face was hugely glorified with literal gold skin and eyes lined with lapis. Signing, rolled back onto his back as he reclined against the stone. He threw one arm under his head as he stared at the ceiling lazily.

"So what's it like, coming back to life every night?" Damien asked. "I mean. You were born in around 1300 bc, right?"

There was a rapid two knocks echoing from inside the coffin. Damien sat up. "What? Did we get the dates wrong? When were you born?"

A pointed silence.

"Ah, sorry", Damien frowned. "I can't hear you. Not that you can probably talk much through those bandages. Sorry". He flopped back down onto his back on the stone, kicking his feet lightly in the air over the edge. "When we get you out, I'll have so many questions to ask".

There was a light shaky tapping. Like someone was wriggling their knuckles against the lid. Light and teasing, like the noise made when someone rattles a table with mirth. Damien guessed that Ahkmanrah was laughing. "Are you laughing at me?" He scowled.

One tap.

"Wow", Damien rolled his eyes. "Glad to keep you entertained". There was no real heat to his words and the lighter tapping came again. The noise made Damien chuckle, amused by the amount of emotions Ahkmanrah was quickly displaying despite their limited communications.

"If this is a museum", Damien thought aloud as a idea sprung to him. "Then there must be security guards. Guards with keys. Or a curator's office with keys to this case. If I get the keys. I can let you out". He pushed himself to his feet, the idea making him hasty. "You hang there pharaoh", he waved at the sarcophagus. "I'll be back before the night ends".

There was a rapid flurry of tapping. Damien frowned, unable to tell what Ahkmanrah was trying to say. "Relax. I'll be back in a bit. You can last a few hours without me talking to you". He waved again and began walking out of the room. Both the jackal headed guards inclined their heads at him as he passed. Damien nodded back nervously, still wary of their large frames.

He walked quietly out of Ahkmanrah's exhibition. The corridors were white marble with polished stone floors. His heart thumped nervously as he peered around. It was hauntingly silent and gloomy. Only a few lights were on, leaving parts of the corridor in shadow. Damien followed the corridor round and out to a wide hall. This area was brighter. The entrance hall was grand and ornate. The second floor curved round with the centre open to the floor below.

Damien instinctively ducked behind a pillar as voices echoed up from below. He peered round the stone as footsteps sounded. "Keep that dinosaur shut up", a gruff male voice called. Something snarled and Damien blinked. There was a dinosaur here?

"Where's the bone Rexy? Go get the bone!" Something clattered and great thumping footsteps followed. Damien looked down to the ground floor just in time to watch as a huge tree skeleton ran past, it's tail swinging excitedly. Rexy, the dinosaur disappeared down another corridor.

Three men came into view. They were old, perhaps in their sixties to seventies. All of them had white hair and were dressed in a blue uniform that Damien guessed was the security guard set. The smallest man was grumbling and waving his heavy torch around angrily. The dark skinned man was walking a cane after his two friends. "Hey Teddy!" The tallest man called. "No funny business tonight, only warning you once or you'll be spending the night in the safari exhibit".

On the other end of the hall, on a deep red pedestal, a man in a old uniform held his hands out innocently. "Nothing planned for tonight Cecil", he reassured. Behind him, a house whinnied and stomped its hoof on the stone.

"I see you buster!" The small security guard yelled.

"Gus calm down". One chastised as the three guards walked round a corner and disappeared. Teddy visibly sighed. He pushed up the thin wire spectacles on his nose and looked up. He caught sight of Damien and his eyes widened. Teddy looked around for the security guards quickly. Once he was satisfied they were gone, he waved.

Damien skipped lightly down the steps and across the floor. "You're Theodore Roosevelt", he greeted. "I've heard of you. Nice to meet you". Teddy shook his hand with a wide grin.

"You must be new. Call me Teddy lad. When are you from?" Teddy patted him on the back, obviously excited at the idea of someone new.

"I'm Damien Jean. Died in 1940. Nice to meet you. My brother was a big fan".

"Excellent. Glad to hear it. What exhibit are you in?" Teddy asked. "The Guards always lock the gates to each one. How did you get out?"

"The Egyptian exhibit", Damien replied. "Do you know where the keys are to the sarcophagus? I told Ahkmanrah that I'd get them".

Teddy's face froze for a minute. "The Egyptian exhibit did you say?"

"Yes".

"You want to let the pharaoh out?"

"Yes", Damien was confused and starting to feel a little frustrated. "He doesn't deserve to be in that coffin every night".

Teddy sighed deeply. "How long have you been here lad?"

"A week or two".

Teddy nodded. "The pharaoh exhibit has been here for six months. Every night the tablet brings us all to life. And every night the security guards lock us in our halls. If they catch you, they'll do the same to the Egyptian exhibit".

"But the keys"-

"Are attached to Cecil's belt. They're on a hook. You're not going to get close son. Others have tried". Teddy patted him on the back sadly.

Damien deflated slightly. "I'd better get back before they notice I'm missing". Teddy nodded, eyes kind.

"See you later Damien". Damien waved as he took the stairs two at a time. He scurried back to the Egyptian exhibit. Face a frown while keeping a look out for any of the security guards. The corridor was as dark as before. Damien could hear Ahkmanrah screaming and banging on the lid of his coffin. He nodded at the jackal guards and they returned the gesture as he stepped through.

"Ahk", he called. "It's me!" The screaming stopped. Damien knelt down besides the sarcophagus and tapped reassuringly on the lid.

Ahkmanrah tapped back and Damien smiled. "I'm sorry", he apologised. "It seems like getting the keys will be a little more challenging. Can you hang on a little longer?"

There was a moment of anxious silence where Damien felt his pulse racing. Then one tap. He sighed and rested his forehead agains the glass. "I'll try and get you out. I promise".

A jaunty tune replied. Tap tap tap. Damien grinned.

Unedited