Chapter 1: Part II

Itsuki and I trade looks as we begin walking through the complex.

That was... succinct. Kaito seems like the complete

opposite of Youssef. But perhaps I've simply gotten

the wrong impression.

I quicken my pace until I'm walking alongside him.

Sanura: So, have you been in Egypt long? Itsuki and I are

students-are you studying too?

Perhaps I've seen him at the university, and that's why he looks so familiar.

Kaito: I've been here two months. And no, I'm a recent graduate.

His tone is clipped, forbidding, and I slow down again, letting him move on ahead.

As Itsuki catches up to me, I lower my voice to a whisper.

Sanura: I didn't know Dr. Sugiura had a son. Do you know anything

about him?

Itsuki: Not much. I hear he's Worked on excavation sites all over the world with his father. One of my professors calls him the most promising young Japanese archaeologist in decades.

Sanura: Well, I hope he's willing to impart some of his knowledge. He doesn't seem too keen on working with us, unlike Youssef.

Itsuki: Youssef's definitely more immediately friendly.. Then again, Kaito wouldn't be the first researcher to dread the arrival of interns. I'm sure once he sees how serious we are, he'll warm up to us soon enough.

I nod, feeling bolstered by Itsuk's optimism.

Sanura: You're right.

After getting us set up with tool kits, Kaito methodically takes us around the dig site.

Kaito: We currently need help with both cataloging artifacts and excavation. Where would you rather start?

I glance at Itsuki, but he just shrugs.

Itsuki: I don't mind doing either, so you can pick.

Sanura: Alright then.. We'll help catalog artifacts. I want to see what you've found so far, so I have a better idea of what to look for.

Itsuki: Good idea.

Kaito: Very well, follow me.

The next two days pass in a blur of activity.

Although Kaito remains curt and unsmiling, Youssef is more than talkative enough to compensate.

Dr. Sugiura, meanwhile, comes by to oversee our work on several occasions, giving invaluable pointers and advice.

(It's everything I dreamed of. l'm already learning so much!)

On the third day, we're working by the pyramid again when Kaito calls us Over.

He and Dr. Sugiura are standing in a shallow trench, scraping away at a dirt wall where a stone surface is showing through.

Kaito: This carving here seems intentional, doesn't it?

Itsuki and I clamber down into the trench to investigate.

Itsuki: Wait a moment... those look like they might be hieroglyphs!

Itsuki fumbles for his tool kit, and before long we're all brushing sand delicately away from the stone surface.

Sanura: It's a door!

Dr. Sugiura: A door?!

As the professor crouches to investigate, Kaito flips through his notebook with a frown.

Kaito: There's no mention of a door or chamber here in previous surveys.

Youssef: Then it just hasn't been discovered yet.

Itsuki: But what could it be?

Dr. Sugiura: We'll find out!

Straightening up, Dr. Sugiura motions Youssef over, and the two of them shove the stone door open together.

The revealed passage is so dark it hurts my eyes.

Dr. Sugiura: Ill go first.

The professor fetches a torch and lights it.

Kaito: Is that wise?

Youssef: You should call one of the workers to investigate first-

Dr. Sugiura shakes his head.

Dr. Sugiura: You two know as well as I do about booby traps. l'd never forgive myself if any of the students or workers were hurt because of my negligence.

Itsuki looks at the professor with admiration.

Itsuki: Be careful, Doctor.

Dr. Sugiura nods and slowly enters the chamber.

His figure is immediately swallowed by darkness, and | strain my ears for any sound.

A few minutes pass in silence.

Kaito shifts on his feet behind me, and I turn to see his usually passive face animated with worry and excitement.

Kaito: If we don't hear anything soon, I'I-

A loud grating sound cuts him off, and the ground trembles as something heavy thuds down onto it.

Sanura: What was that?!

Kaito: Dr. Sugiura!

Thankfully, we soon hear Dr. Sugiura's voice from the depths.

Dr. Sugiura: I'm alright! Enter one at a time, and make sure not to touch anything.

One by one, we light torches and inch our way into the darkness.

Before long, the passageway opens up into an ornate chamber.

This isn't just any room-it's a tomb!

Youssef gazes around, whistling in appreciation.

Youssef: Look at the walls.

I raise my torch, marveling at the drawings and inscriptions that climb all the way to the ceiling.

Sanura: It's Osiris, the god of death and rebirth.

Kaito: This must predate the surrounding chambers by at least a hundred years, maybe more.

Dr. Sugiura: Come, look here!

Glancing up, I find Dr. Sugiura leaning over an open sarcophagus in the center of the room.

I hurry over, and my jaw drops as I look down to see the mummified corpse inside.

Dr. Sugiura, meanwhile, seems less interested in the body than the two items buried alongside it.

He reaches gingerly inside the sarcophagus and picks up a long golden rod and book.

Dr. Sugiura: This looks like it was a scepter of some kind, symbolizing the power and dominion of ancient Egyptian gods. And this here... Yes, this appears to be a personal record, perhaps a journal.

Dr. Sugiura gently wraps the book and scepter in a

protective cloth.

Dr. Sugiura: Let's get these to the surface for analysis.

Kaito: But shouldn't we photograph everything first?

Dr. Sugiura: No, it's late. We'll get started mapping the tomb and cataloging artifacts tomorrow.

As Itsuki's shoulders slump in disappointment, Youssef lets out a breathless laugh.

Youssef: Don't worry, Itsuki. This tomb isn't going anywhere.

Dr. Sugiura: Youssef, Kaito, help me put the lid back on. We wouldn't want our new friend getting cold.

As we make our way back down the passageway, I can't help

but glance back one last time, heart pounding with the thrill of discovery.

Who was that mummy, and why was he buried here? I can't wait to find out!

The next morning, Itsuki and I arrive to find a somber mood hanging over the field site.

Workers huddle in small groups, muttering and darting uneasy glances at us.

Sanura: What's going on?

Itsuki: I'm not sure. My Arabic isn't good enough to make out what they're saying. Oh, there are Youssef and Kaito. Maybe they'll know.

Sanura: Good morning. Is everything alright?

Youssef gives us a thin smile.

Youssef: Not quite. One of our workers didn't appear for his shift this morning.

Kaito: Apparently, he didn't return home last night either.

Itsuki: I hope he's alright.

Youssef: So do we all.

Kaito: In any case, we're a little shorthanded as a result, So we won't be working on the new chamber yet. The focus today is going to be sieving for artifacts. You should find a spare mesh screen over there.

I push down a flare of disappointment and nod, moving over to help Itsuki assemble the screen.

For the next few hours, we're kept busy sifting through dirt and sand for shards of pottery and other small artifacts.

Around noon, Kaito walks over to me while I'm sifting through the dirt with my trowel.

Kaito: Where's Itsuki?

Sanura: He went to get some more water from the main tent. He should be back-

A high-pitched wail of fright cuts through the air, and the

trowel tumbles from my hand.

Sanura: That sounded like Itsuki!

Kaito and I race off in the direction of the sound.

Eventually, we spot a figure kneeling at the base of a small sand dune on the edges of the complex.

As we come closer, I see it's Itsuki.

Kaito immediately drops beside him and grabs onto his shoulders.

Kaito: Itsuki, look at me! Are you hurt?

Itsuki: N-No, but..

Youssef: Itsuki! What's wrong?

I look up to see Youssef racing toward us.

Itsuki: Over there, it's..

Itsuki points a shaking finger toward a shallow depression in the sand a few yards away.

My heart in my throat, I follow Youssef and Kaito to investigate.

Half-buried in the sand lies the shriveled husk of a human body.

Kaito: What in the world.

Youssef swears under his breath, turning to take me by the shoulders.

Youssef: Don't look, Sanura. I push his arms away, fighting back a swell of nausea.

Sanura: N-No, I have to see. That's-that's a mummified corpse, isn't it?

Youssef lets go of me with a sigh before turning back to crouch in front of the body.

Youssef: I'm not so sure.

He pinches a piece of fabric hanging off the bony arm between his fingers.

Youssef: These are modern clothes.

Sanura: That's impossible. That corpse looks-well, completely desiccated-

Suddenly, a group of workers crests the dune, spotting the body with a cry of alarm.

Youssef straightens up hurriedly, turning to Kaito.

Youssef: Quick, get your father!

As the workers descend upon us, voices raised in panic, I stare

at the corpse, somehow simultaneously entranced and horrified.

Who was he? What happened here?

Is this really a mummy dressed in modern clothing...

.... Or is it something worse?

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