Chapter 2: Part II

Later that day, I'm crouched in front of one of the pyramids, brushing dirt off a small shape covered in dust and sand.

This looks like just another slab of stonework...

When am I going to find something exciting, like a stone tablet or pottery?!

Youssef: Hello, little moon!

Heart leaping, I jump up and whirl around to face a grinning Youssef.

Sanura: Oh! Youssef, you scared-

I break off as red and black dots suddenly swim across my vision, and I stumble sideways. Youssef quickly wraps an arm around my shoulders, steadying me.

Youssef: Woah, take it easy! Are you alright? I shake my head, blinking furiously as I wait for my vision to clear.

Sanura: I must have gotten up too fast. I feel so dizzy.

Youssef: How long have you been crouching in the sun like that?

I rub my eyes, trying to think past my head's throbbing.

Sanura:I don't remember.

Youssef clicks his tongue.

Youssef: You archaeologists are terrible at looking after yourselves. You need to stay hydrated! Our desert climate is nothing like what you're accustomed to in Japan. Where's your canteen?

I flush, embarrassed.

Sanura: To be honest, I'm not quite sure.

Youssef frowns, and I brace myself for a scolding.

Instead, he simply nods toward a nearby cluster of palm trees.

Youssef: A little rest in the shade will help. Come on, let's go sit down under those palm trees over there.

Resting is the logical thing to do.. But what I actually want to do is keep working.

If I stop, I just know I'll end up thinking about the dead body and the King's Curse...

Sanura: Thanks, but l'm alright, Youssef. To be honest, I'd rather keep working.

Youssef raises his eyebrow at me before uncurling his arm from my shoulders with a sigh.

Youssef: Suit yourself, but at least have something to drink.

He takes off his canteen and proffers it.

Youssef: You should probably hold onto this until you find your own.

Sanura: Oh, I couldn't-

Youssef: You can, and you will.

He slings the canteen over my shoulder before I can protest further.

Sanura: Oh, well.. Thank you.

At that moment, a worker appears at the edge of the site, calling Youssef's name.

Youssef looks over and responds in rapid Arabic before turning back to me.

Youssef: Well, duty calls.

He pats my head with a smirk.

Youssef: Be good, little moon.

Sanura: Little moon? Where does that come from?

Youssef: It's a term of endearment in my mother tongue. It means you're as bright and as beautiful as the moon.

Heat crawls up the back of my neck, and I look away.

Sanura: Y-You're just teasing me.

Youssef: Me? Never.

I scowl at his retreating form, reaching for a retort and finding nothing.

Youssef's nice, but he treats me like a child! No one's given me a nickname in years, not since..

I walk hastily back over to the pyramid and pull out my tool kit, all too eager to abandon that train of thought.

Time to get back to work!

As night falls, Itsuki, Kaito, and I reconvene beneath the main tent.

Itsuki: Urgh, I think I pulled something in my back.

Kaito replaces the lid on his canteen, looking over at Itsuki without sympathy.

Kaito: I warned you to lift with your legs, not your back.

Itsuki: But I did, I swear! Sanura can vouch for me.

Sanura: That's right, he...

I trail off as I catch sight of Youssef walking toward us.

His usually cheerful face is tense, and I feel my stomach tighten with dread.

Kaito: Is something wrong, Youssef?

Youssef crosses his arms, silent for a long moment.

Youssef: l just informed Dr. Sugiura, but I wanted to let you know as well. I have a report from the coroner.

I tilt my head, perplexed.

Sanura: So quickly?

Itsuki: Yeah, don't autopsies usually take longer?

Youssef: My family is influential in Cairo.I was able to pull some strings to expedite the process.

Kaito raises an eyebrow.

Kaito: You didn't have to do that.

Youssef: I know, but I wanted to. And now.. I'm glad I

did.

Itsuki: Why's that?

Youssef speaks slowly, enunciating each word with care.

Youssef: The coroner positively identified the body as that of the missing worker.

All the breath leaves my lungs.

What?

Itsuki: B-But the body looked so old, just like a mummified corpse. How could it be him?

Kaito shakes his head sharply.

Kaito: That can't be right. There must be some kind of mistake..

Kaito's right. This doesn't add up. I have so many questions.

Sanura: What does Dr. Sugiura think? Surely, he can't agree with the coroner.

Youssef: He doesn't, but he couldn't come up with a plausible alternative either.

He shoots an assessing glance at Kaito.

Youssef: He... didn't seem all that concerned, to be honest.

Kaito narrows his eyes.

Kaito: Dr. Sugiura has a great deal on his mind at the moment. Trust me, he's concerned.

Youssef raises his hands in a placating gesture.

Youssef: I'm only reporting the coroner's conclusions.I'm just as stunned as you are.

Kaito: What about the cause of death?

Youssef: The coroner couldn't find one, though he did note the manner of death was unnatural.

Kaito: Unnatural? What does that mean?

Itsuki lets out a shaky laugh, his face pale.

Itsuki: I imagine he means 'unexplained.' Maybe this really is the King's Curse at work..

Before I can say anything,

Kaito makes a scoffing sound.

Kaito: Magic and curses don't exist. There must be a logical, scientific explanation for this.

Youssef: The phenomena we now accept as science were once thought to be the work of gods thought to be the work of gods

and magic. Perhaps this is one of those same things.

As the two begin to argue, I stare out over the sand dunes, my gaze drawn to the Great Pyramid.

With the sun setting behind it, its surface glows a deep, bloody orange.

Sanura: What if.. What if we woke something we shouldn't have?

Youssef and Kaito fall silent, looking toward me.

Itsuki: If that's the case, then what do we do now?

His question hangs heavy in the air, but no one tries to answer.

I realize my hands are shaking slightly and quickly hide them behind my back.

I don't know what to believe...

Could this really all be part of some ancient curse?

And if so... does that mean more people are going to die?

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