The Tomb Builders

by Kevin Ashman

‘Sleep well, India,’ he said quietly, ‘I’ve got a strange feeling we are going to need all the rest we can get before this thing is over.’

  ----

  Across the city, Rashid waited for an e-mail back from a colleague in police headquarters. After searching the database of passports recorded at the city hotels he had found nothing but had sent India’s information to a friend who owed him a favour. Finally the little box in the bottom right of his screen popped up informing him he had new mail.

  Eagerly he clicked on the icon and after reading the details, picked up the phone to dial the number he knew by heart.

  ‘Muburak,’ he said quietly when someone answered, ‘I’ve found her. India Sommers is in room 138 of the Ramesses hotel. The room is booked in the name of Brandon Walker.’

  ‘Excellent,’ said Muburak, ‘I’ll send my men over immediately. You have done well but there’s one more favour I require.’

  ‘And that is?’ asked Rashid.

  ‘I need sole access to the Sphinx,’ said Muburak, ‘and I need it tonight.’

  ----

  Chapter Thirteen

  Egypt

  2600 BC

  Haji stood at the entrance to the pyramid. Behind him, one of the slabs reached out from the polished sloping walls like an eye lid from a face. The hinged entry stone was propped up by carved poles of polished ebony, ready to be dropped into place at the conclusion of the ceremony, seamlessly fitting into its rebate with no indication of its location.

  The entrance was approximately one third of the way up the sloping walls and to reach it, an army of builders had constructed a temporary ramp, up which, the king’s cortege could escort the royal body.

  For seventy days, the priests had prepared Khufu for the afterlife, seventy days in which they had carried out the mummification process designed to make his body last for eternity. First they had washed it before carefully drying every part, then, after suitable prayers to various gods they had cut an opening in the side, removing all the internal organs and drying them out with salt before placing them in the Coptic jars that would also be buried in the tomb. The heart was left in place as it was revered as the centre of intelligence and feeling, but a barbed hook was forced up through the nostrils to break into the skull cavity and pull out the brain through the nasal passages.

  When all this was done, the embalmers had packed the body with salt and left it to dry out for forty days before washing it once more with Nile water and anointing it with oils to keep the skin supple.

  After that had come the wrapping. Priests packed the cadaver with dried leaves and sawdust to reform the human shape and then carefully wrapped it in swathes of linen strips, placing amulets and charms between each layer as protection against evil spirits. Finally, the death mask was gently fitted to the mummified remains and the whole thing placed in the first of several coffins.

  Haji had witnessed every step of the embalming process, constantly reading passages from the book of the dead, determined that his master was treated with the respect he deserved but finally it was over, the prescribed seventy days were up and all that was left was the internment.

  ----

  Two days later, Haji came to the pyramid to welcome Khufu’s earthly remains and had stood before the entrance since dawn, motionless in the growing heat of the day. He knew the tomb behind him was empty for he had sent his own guards in to check every corner until he was sure his master would enter the pyramid alone except for those deemed holy enough to join him.

  Below him, as far as the eye could see were hundreds of thousands of people who had gathered to see the internment of the great king. Many had travelled hundreds of miles to be here and amongst them were many minor kings from neighbouring countries, each paying homage to Khufu. All along the Nile, hundreds upon hundreds of boats lined up as the royal barge sailed slowly down the river. Behind the barge came many more ships of the Egyptian fleet, each crowded with priests, their skins covered with fire ash in a gesture of mourning. Haji could hear the procession long before it came into view as thousands of horns ripped the air apart as the barges passed. The solid wall of sound resounded across the desert, forewarning the gods that they were soon to be joined by one of their own, Khufu, son of Sneferu.

  Eventually the barge sailed up the man-made canal to the same landing Khufu had visited only a few months earlier. Again the people bowed low as he passed but this time, the air filled with wailing as they mourned for their lost king. Haji was pleased, the outpouring of grief was money well spent for though the loss of a king was indeed a terrible thing, Khufu had not endeared himself to all of his people and it had cost many credits to achieve a suitable demonstration of sorrow,

  Slowly the cortege made its way along the causeway and up the ramp to where Haji awaited its arrival. At the head of the procession, Omari walked slowly, flicking blessed oils as he went, purifying the path to the king’s final rest. Behind him walked the two children, each carrying a statue of Anubis and behind them came the coffin, borne on an enormous litter carried by a hundred soldiers dressed in nothing but black kilts and the black cloth of mourning upon their heads. It was indeed an impressive sight and many in the crowd collapsed through the combination of heat and emotion. Finally the coffin arrived before Haji and the soldiers lowered it to the floor. Haji stepped forward and with his own oils, blessed the casket before it was ready to enter the pyramid. Gradually the hordes below fell silent and Haji opened up his arms to pray to the sun.

  ‘Oh great Ra,’ he called loudly, ‘father of Shu and Tefnut. Provider of life, warmth and growth, hear me now before the people of your world. Acknowledge this king, Khnum-Khufu, first born of the god Sneferu, gifted from the loins of Hetepheres. His time amongst us has come to an end and we offer him back to the halls of the gods. Take him aboard your heavenly boat and lead him through the halls of Duat unto justice of Anubis. There let his heart be weighed against the feather of Ma’at to prove his worthiness and grant him passage to the two fields of Osiris. This we beseech thee.’

  As the crowd erupted in acknowledgement, the sounds of horns once again ripped through the air and Haji turned to face the pyramid. He flicked oil toward the entrance.

  ‘Osiris,’ he said, ‘God of gods, accept us now unto your realm.’ Without another word he stepped beneath the entrance stone and headed into the descending passage. Ten soldiers on either side of the coffin each took a handle and lifted it from the litter before following Haji inside, their role, to carry the casket of the king through the corridors of the pyramid to his final resting place.

  Outside the crowd roared their approval as the coffin bearers carried their precious cargo inside. For many, the construction of the monument had taken up much of their lives and it was all aimed at this very moment, the internment of Khnum Khufu. Though many tore the fabric of their clothing in angst, just as many cursed him under their breath, glad to see the end of a brutal and heartless ruler.

  ----

  Sagira and Adio stepped inside the entrance to the pyramid, their eyes wide with awe as they saw the enormity of the building close up for the first time. They had been told they were to lead the king’s coffin into the tomb and there to say prayers over his sarcophagus whilst the final ceremonies came to an end. Behind them they heard the sound of the coffin upon the wooden rollers and the grunts of the men as they hauled it along the narrow passages. Slowly they walked forward, comforted by the familiar tones of the priests’ prayers. The way was lit by rows of candles along the base of the walls and the passage descended steeply away from the entrance.

  ----

  Finally they reached the bottom of the shaft and stepped into a candlelit chamber. Despite the heat, the children stared around them in awe. The flickering light bounced off the walls, making the contents glisten as if in daylight and throughout the chamber lay riches beyond imagination. Chests of precious stones lay open for everyone to see and golden amulets hung from fixtures in the walls, protection against evil spirits. Miniature ca
rvings of weapons and soldiers lay in rows at either side of a red granite sarcophagus, its lid standing against the wall to one side. Food and wine of all descriptions were stored in carved pots to symbolically feed the king’s Ka in the afterlife and beautifully painted scenes adorned the freshly plastered walls, depicting the life of Khufu.

  ‘It’s wonderful,’ whispered Sagira.

  ‘Shhh,’ said Adio, ‘the coffin approaches.’

  ----

  Haji stood at the far end of the tomb, reading from the book of the dead as the soldiers brought the coffin into the chamber. At his signal, they lifted the casket into the plain granite sarcophagus and stepped back against the walls. Haji came forward and anointed the coffin with the oils.

  ‘Khnum Khufu, lord of the earth, Ruler of Khemet, smiter of our enemies, accept these gifts to light your way.’

  He nodded toward Sagira who stepped forward and placed her figurine of Anubis in the sarcophagus.

  ‘Father Khufu, feeder of the poor, let me light your way through the halls of Duat. Take my hand that I might lead you.’ She stepped back and Adio took her place.

  ‘Great Khufu, healer of the sick, let me help you through the halls of Duat. Take my eyes so I may show you.’ He placed his figurine in the sarcophagus and stepped back, relieved that his task in the ritual was done.

  Haji stepped forward again and after a final prayer, nodded to the soldiers who lifted the lid onto the sarcophagus.

  ‘Go in peace, Khnum Khufu,’ said Haji, ‘take your place amongst the gods.’

  All of the soldiers as well as half of the priests turned and left the tomb, leaving the rest behind them.

  Sagira looked at Adio nervously, waiting for Haji to signal that they too could leave, a signal that never came.

  ----

  Outside the entrance, Omari waited for the emergence of the funerary party. Once they had emerged he turned to the two soldiers standing at his side.

  ‘At my command,’ he said, ‘you know what to do. Strike well and you will be rewarded, fail in your task and you will feed Sobek before this day is out.’

  Mensah nodded in acknowledgement as did Manu. Omari turned to face the crowd.

  ‘People of Khemet,’ he announced with his arms raised, ‘our king, the living god that was Khnum Khufu has set forth upon his journey, praise be to him and Osiris.’

  ‘Praise to Osiris,’ answered the crowd and Omari turned to face the soldiers.

  ‘Seal the tomb, ‘he roared and as one, both soldiers swung their heavy mallets to knock away the braces supporting the hinged lid. The granite door swung down with a crash, locking into place and sealing the tomb forever. Immediately, several masons stepped forward with pallets of white paste to fill the joints and rough granite stones to eventually sand them smooth.

  The reaction from the crowd was mixed. Some roared in appreciation while others stared in confusion as they realised only half the priests had emerged.

  ‘What about the rest of them?’ some shouted.

  ‘What about the children?’ shouted others.

  Omari turned to address them once more.

  ‘People of Khemet, mourn not for the loss of our brothers and sisters for they travel to the two fields with our glorious king, there to evermore serve him in the palaces of the gods. Theirs is a wondrous fate and was met with glory in their hearts. Blessed are the children for they light the way of Khufu through the darkness and will be praised for a thousand years.’

  The crowd started cheering again and in the distance the sounds of minstrels cut the air, the signal for a month of celebrations to begin.

  Omari led the way back down the ramp followed by the priests and the soldiers. Behind them, the sun shone off the pure white limestone and he knew that within a few hours, not only would the entrance stone perfectly match the others but the ramp would soon be dismantled and soon the position of the entrance forgotten by the people. The tomb was sealed forever, locking the king and the children inside.

  ----

  ‘What was that?’ shouted Sagira, as the sound of the falling granite echoed through the chamber, ‘why are they shutting the tomb?’

  Haji looked down at her.

  ‘Calm yourself,’ he said, ‘yours is a greater fate.’ He turned to the remaining ten priests. ‘You know what to do, continue with the internment.’

  To Sagira’s surprise, the priests removed the lid of the sarcophagus and reached in to open the wooden casket.

  Adio gasped as they removed the heavily wrapped corpse and started back up the passage, carrying the king between them. The children followed Haji, totally confused as to what was happening.

  ‘Perhaps we are going back out,’ whispered Adio but his hopes were dashed when Haji called a halt three quarters of the way up.

  ‘Stop,’ said Haji, ‘this is the place.’ The priest reached up and placing his both hands in a cleft in the ceiling, pulled down a hinged slab to reveal another tunnel disappearing into the gloom. Five of the priests climbed up and received the mummy from those below before disappearing into the darkness above.

  ‘Haji, what’s happening?’ asked Sagira, ‘where are they taking him?’

  ‘Fret not, child,’ said Haji, ‘the chamber witnessed by so many of the builders is but a ruse to fool the ignorant. Those that just left this place think the king now rests below and though they have all sworn vows of silence, if their tongues are loose, then the rumours will be of the chamber below filled with riches. Any robbers daring to defile the resting place of a god will seek him in the bowels of the earth while your king rests in a hidden chamber above.’

  ‘Are we going up there?’ asked Adio.

  ‘You are, let me help you.’ He lifted the children into the mouth of the ascending passage and after handing them a lit candle each, followed them up.

  ----

  The five priests below replaced the ceiling slab covering the entrance and using a bucket of plaster previously prepared, carefully blended the patch so it matched the rest of the ceiling. Once they were satisfied, they returned to the lower chamber and knelt in prayer before an image of Anubis. Finally the senior priest stood and retrieved a knife from within his robes.

  ‘Glory be to Anubis,’ he said.

  ‘Glory be to Anubis,’ answered the kneeling priest before him and as he closed his eyes, the first man cut his throat with a swift slice of his blade.

  The victim fell forward onto the floor, blood pouring from his wound as the killer moved along to the next man.

  ‘Glory be to Anubis,’ he said again quietly and as the kneeling priest repeated the mantra, he too had his throat sliced wide open.

  The ritual was followed twice more until there were four corpses on the floor of the chamber, each a willing sacrifice to the glory of the gods. The last priest said a prayer over their bodies before opening up his arms to the figure of Osiris on the ceiling above.

  ‘Lord Osiris,’ he cried, ‘accept me into your glory.’ Without any more hesitation, he plunged the blade into his own chest, severing his heart in two.

  ----

  For what seemed an age the children climbed the ascending passage, following the remaining priests and the body of the king. Before long they saw the passage ahead was blocked and the men in front stood in an alcove to one side.

  ‘Come close,’ said Haji and once they were all in the niche, he produced a knife and cut away at a set of ropes set into the wall. For a few seconds nothing happened and then Adio cried out.

  ‘The walls are moving.’

  Sagira looked up and saw that the dead end she thought lay ahead was sliding down the passage toward them. Quickly they pushed themselves further back and winced as the huge block of tapered granite slid past to lodge itself in the tunnel behind them. The roar was deafening and the air filled with dust but once it settled, the priests continued up the now clear passage with their holy burden.

  ‘That was the way out,’ whispered Adio to Sagira.

  Sagira didn’t answe
r as she realised it was impossible to raise the stones and the blockages were meant to be permanent. This was to be their fate, to be sealed in the pyramid with the dead king.

  Twice more, Haji released huge granite plugs to slide down the access shaft, their roar deafening in the darkness but finally the passage levelled out and they passed through a hall lined with statues of all the gods until they could see the open entrance to the king’s chamber ahead.

  The group entered the tomb, this one also lit by hundreds of candles. At the centre was a red granite sarcophagus already holding an empty wooden coffin. The priests carefully put the body inside and knelt in prayer around it.

  Haji once more read from the book of the dead and as the priests prayed to their gods, he produced a knife and walked behind them. One by one he carried out the same deadly ritual that happened in the lower chamber, cutting the throats of the willing priests as each said their last prayers to their deities. Finally there were only two priests left, Haji and one other.

  The two men looked down at the spreading pool of blood before turning to look at the children. Sagira crouched in terror in a corner of the room while Adio stared in shock at the horror he had just witnessed. Slowly he looked up and saw Haji approaching him, his bloody knife held in his giant fist.

  ‘Please,’ whimpered Adio, pressing himself back against the wall, ‘don’t hurt us.’

  Haji didn’t answer but as he closed in on the terrified boy, Sagira closed her eyes and sobbed uncontrollably, knowing her life too, would soon be over.

  ----

  Chapter Fourteen

  Egypt

  2014

  It was past noon before Brandon awoke. His body ached from the beating it had taken in the subterranean tunnels and it took a few moments before he realised where he was. He sat up and looked at the crumpled bed where India had slept for the last few hours. The sound of the shower explained where she was and Brandon took the opportunity to get dressed and fill the kettle. Eventually India emerged from the bathroom her body wrapped in a towel with her hair held up in another.