Night at the Museum

by Michael Anthony Steele

  They turned and strolled over to Teddy’s display. “Yeah, he’s ready to take on the world. All by himself.”

  “Then you’ve done your job,” said Teddy.

  They stopped when they reached Teddy’s frozen horse. “You know, Lawrence, some men are born great, others have greatness thrust upon them ...”

  Larry rolled his eyes. “I know, I know ...” It was the same advice Teddy had given him during his first night at the museum.

  Teddy held up a finger. “Let me finish.” He took that finger and pointed at Larry’s chest. “You, my friend, have proven yourself to be something even more rare than a great man. You’re a good man, Lawrence. It’s been an extraordinary journey and I shall never forget you.”

  They stared at each other for a moment before giving each other a farewell hug. Teddy patted Larry twice on the back and released him. The twenty-sixth president of the United States climbed onto his horse and drew his saber.

  “I have no idea what I’m going do tomorrow,” said Larry.

  Teddy’s eye’s sparkled. “How exciting.” He gave Larry a wink and then raised his sword high, getting into position.

  The light from the rising sun filled the windows. The warm glow washed over Rexy, the front desk, and the entire main hall. Larry looked at Teddy and saw him as a wax mannequin, frozen in place. Larry’s wild adventure in the museum was over.

  “Bully!” shouted Teddy.

  Larry started, jumping back.

  Teddy roared with laughter. “I gotcha! Still works after all these years!”

  Larry held his chest. His heart raced but he chuckled at the joke. “You got me ... again.” Then Larry’s smile faded. “Hey Teddy?”

  “Yes?” asked the former president.

  “Thank you,” said Larry.

  Teddy smiled. “You’re welcome.” Then he cocked his head. “Smile, my boy.” He turned to look out the main windows. “It’s sunrise.”

  Larry followed his gaze and saw the first sun rays burst through the windows. It was beautiful. He turned back and saw that Teddy was frozen in place. Now, it was truly over.

  Larry picked up his bag and headed for the main doors. He glanced back one last time before stepping outside. He inhaled the crisp winter air and it truly felt like a new day. Nick was sitting halfway down the main steps. Larry dropped his bag and sat beside him.

  “You okay?” asked Nick.

  “You know what?” asked Larry. “Yeah ... I am.”

  Nick looked over his shoulder. “I’m going to miss this place.”

  “Yeah,” Larry nodded. “Me, too.”

  They sat in silence watching traffic go by. Bundled up pedestrians filled the sidewalks and dog-walkers crisscrossed Central Park across the street.

  “So,” Larry said, breaking the silence. “Ibiza.”

  “Yeah, look, that whole DJ thing,” Nick sighed. “I don’t know if that’s the thing for me. I just know it’s the next thing.” Nick shrugged. “I’m just ... figuring it out. You know?”

  Larry nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

  Nick laughed. “Heck of an adventure, Dad.”

  Larry nodded. “It was.”

  “I should get back to Mom’s.” Nick set off down the sidewalk. Larry stood and watched him go. He knew he couldn’t watch out for him forever. Just like his friends at the museum, he’d have to let him go soon. Nick was no longer his little boy. He was well on his way to being a man. A good man, Larry thought.

  “They grow up fast, don’t they?” asked a voice behind him. Dr. McPhee stepped up beside him. They both watched Nick disappear into the crowd. “I’m childless, personally,” McPhee continued. “Happily so.”

  Larry turned to see the disheveled museum director. He wore the same suit and topcoat he’d been wearing the last time they were together. McPhee’s hair was a mess and there were stains on his coat and trousers.

  McPhee noticed Larry’s stare. “Well, I spent the night in the reservoir,” McPhee explained.

  Larry cocked his head. “Why?”

  McPhee shrugged. “I didn’t know what else to do. Been wandering the park all night.”

  Larry frowned. “That sounds ... unwise.”

  “It was,” agreed McPhee. He sighed. “Regrets ... I have a few.” Then he clapped his hands together. “Your mission. Was it a success?”

  “Yeah. It was,” replied Larry.

  McPhee waved a hand at the front of the museum. “So everything will go back to the way it was before?”

  Larry shook his head. “Not the way it was. But that’s okay. Ahkmenrah and the tablet are on permanent loan to the British Museum.”

  McPhee’s jaw dropped. “You don’t ... remotely have the authority to do that.”

  Larry grinned. “Yeah, but you will. I’m going to tell Dr. Phelps that the whole planetarium disaster was my fault. I’ll convince her to give you back your job.”

  “But then she’ll just fire you,” said Dr. McPhee. “What good would that do?”

  “That’s okay,” replied Larry. “It’s time to move on.” Larry dug out his museum key ring and handed it over to Dr. McPhee. He pulled the flashlight from his belt and offered that up, too.

  “I don’t actually need a flashlight,” said McPhee. “I’m not going to be a security guard. I have loads of lamps in my office. I’m over-lamped.”

  Larry waved the light. “It’s symbolic.”

  McPhee nodded and accepted the flashlight. “Best left unsaid. Emotions. Feelings. Right then.” He gave Larry a small smile and then climbed the steps, toward the museum.

  Larry picked up his bag and headed down the sidewalk. It was a beginning of a new day and he really didn’t know what he was going to do next. He smiled as he remembered what Teddy had told him. It was exciting.

  Three years later, Dr. McPhee stood on the same steps where he last spoke with Larry Daley. The snow had long since melted away and Central Park was lush and green. The doctor had no idea what Larry was up to lately. Frankly, he didn’t care. Larry did make good on his promise to take full responsibility for the planetarium fiasco. McPhee had been reinstated as museum director, and he had filed the necessary paperwork to have Ahkmenrah and his tablet transferred to the British Museum. He had even sweetened the deal by shipping over the pharaoh’s sarcophagus and other artifacts from his tomb. The young pharaoh’s new home was officially now in McPhee’s mother country—England.

  That was ... until now.

  Dr. McPhee gazed up at the banners adorning the front of the museum. A large image of the Tablet of Ahkmenrah adorned one banner while an image of the pharaoh’s jeweled sarcophagus was on the other.

  “For a limited time only,” he read the banners. “King Ahkmenrah returns!”

  Dr. McPhee climbed the steps to the museum. The artifacts were being installed that night and tomorrow was the opening day.

  Okay, McPhee cared a little about Mr. Daley’s current whereabouts. As a courtesy, he had tried contacting the former night guard, letting him know that the tablet and the pharaoh’s mummified remains were visiting. After all, Mr. Daley had been going on about the tablet being magical and how it brought all the exhibits to life each night.

  McPhee laughed at the thought. “The tablet glows,” he said in his best Larry Daley impersonation.

  The museum director walked briskly to the Egypt wing. He entered Ahkmenrah’s display just as the workers were finishing installing the exhibit. One man wiped down the sarcophagus while another carefully removed the tablet from a wooden crate. He carefully flicked packing peanuts from the golden tiles.

  Dr. McPhee glanced at his watch and shook his head. He marched over to the man holding the tablet. “All right, thank you for your care and diligence.” He gently plucked the tablet from the worker’s hands. “Out you go. Step lively.” He shooed them away. “I’m not paying overtime.”

  McPhee clutched the tablet to his chest as he watched them exit the gallery. When they were gone, he held the tablet up for closer inspectio
n. It was a remarkable piece. Priceless, really. But magic?

  He rolled his eyes and inserted the tablet into its custom display. He stood back beside Ahkmenrah’s sarcophagus and studied the piece from afar.

  There was something about it though ...

  McPhee knew what it was. One of the tablet’s movable tiles was slightly askew. He reached up and gently pushed the rogue tile. It lightly clicked into position. McPhee stood back and checked it again. Now it was perfect.

  The museum director moved out of the display and headed toward the chamber’s exit. The amber light from the setting sun painted the museum beyond the dark gallery. The director stopped near the exit and turned to take in the sight once more. Everything was just as it had been. It was as if the pharaoh and the Tablet of Ahkmenrah had never left.

  McPhee smiled at his accomplishment. He spun on his heels and marched toward the exit with a spring in his step.

  Suddenly, golden light flashed on the walls around him. McPhee skid to stop. Where was the light coming from? The sun had just set and ...

  Dr. McPhee tightened his lips as he slowly spun around. When he saw the tablet, his eyes went wide and his mouth hung open.

  “It does glow ...”

  Just four historical figures, a monkey, and a night guard riding a bus. Perfectly normal, right?

  “Guinevere! I’m coming, my love!”

  “Lawrence, I can’t move my arms. I fear we’re becoming less useful by the minute.”

  “Lancelot came this way…traveling half an acre per hour.”

  “Nicky, you’re my son. You’re always going to be my problem.”

  Triceratops. Little known fact: not big on playing fetch.

  “You won’t get away with this! I’m doing sketches of you in my mind!”

  Laa the Neanderthal makes a new friend and gets a makeover.

  The planetarium’s grand re-opening didn’t go quite as planned.

  Dexter steals a centaur’s nose—just another night at the museum.

  Every boy must slay his own dragons sometime. Not a figure of speech to Lancelot.

  “By the beard of Jupiter, there is no escape!”

  Larry Daley gets some unexpected help for his mission to the British Museum.

  “The tablet is losing its power. I warned them not to move it. I specifically said the end will come. How hard is that to understand?”