The man moved through the shadows and approached the house from the rear. The façade of the house was a modern structure. The rear of the house was older, with solid walls, smaller windows and thicker doors. Each home in the terraced row had an older extension at the rear. Approaching the rear of the house, the man pushed the wooden door open and walked in undetected. He carried a large bloodstained knife in his right hand. Dusty watched him disappear into the house; he pulled his body backwards straining to escape his tether. He pulled hard hoping to slip the noose over his large ears. He strained to pull his head through the tight loop. The rope burned the back of his ears. He continued to wriggle his body in an attempt to slip his restraint.
Paul Smith entered the house; he heard voices talking in the library. He waited patiently in the hallway. He tried to calm his breath in order to hear the conversation. After a while, he had heard enough. He quietly approached the door to the library. He passed an oil lamp and froze as the floor beneath him creaked. The men were engrossed with their conversation; they were oblivious to the creaking sound. He could see an older man was standing at the entrance to the library. The old man placed his candle upon a small table. Shadows stretched across the wall, projected by the flickering candle.
The old man picked up the candle and moved closer to the door. It was pitch black outside and the soft candlelight made it difficult to read. The men continued to talk; they discussed their common bond.
“In the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, Wepwawet is depicted as a jackal headed funerary deity. Wepwawet is often confused with Anubis. Anubis has a striking black jackal’s head. Wepwawet has been characterized with either a gray or white head. Many believe this subtlety in color to indicate the jackal’s head to be inaccurate. I can tell you, Wepwawet has a wolf’s head. Many of the Egyptian Gods get confused, replaced and concatenated. Wepwawet is important to us for many reasons, his name means ‘opener of the ways.’ His role is to protect and lead the deceased through the underworld. I think I’ve a rare book here somewhere on Upper Egypt. The Greeks called this place Lycopolis.” The old man ran his fingers across the book titles looking for a specific volume. He turned his back to the door and glanced away from the bookshelf. He could see Jackson scrutinizing the text; he was a quick study.
Paul Smith listened intently until he had heard enough. If he had the Amulet, he would remain virile, youthful and healthy. He would win the hand of his beloved Claire. She would look at him differently, drawn to his powerful presence. He had come this far; he was driven to get the Amulet. He would attain the powers that came with it. He had gained additional insight into these powers from listening to the two men. It was now time to get the Amulet and the rare book that explained everything. He licked his thumb and forefinger. Waiting for the precise moment, he reached his arm around the doorframe. He extinguished the candle, throwing the library into darkness. The old man was unaware of the intrusion. He had his back to the door and his head firmly planted in an ancient text.
Within seconds, Paul leapt forward and plunged the sharp bloodstained blade deep into the back of the old man. He grabbed the top of the old man’s shoulder and thrust the blade forward with determined force. The flimsy shirt offered no protection from the sharp piercing steel. The old man was falling before Jackson had a chance to react. At first he thought the candle had blown out and simply needed some attention. When the old man fell, Jackson thought he was stumbling in the dark. Perhaps he was looking for a way to re-light the candle? When Jackson’s eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw the darkened figure of a man standing over him. It was not the portly figure of the old man; this shape was leaner and approached quickly. A small amount of light bled through the window from the street outside.
Jackson’s eyes widened; he saw the glint of the metal blade raised high above his head. Instinctively, he moved to his left to avoid a downward blow from the sharp knife. Jackson knew he was in trouble. He was cornered, disorientated, unarmed and in a vulnerable position. The odds were stacked against him, with his aggressor about to deliver a fatal blow. He had no time to negotiate and no time to react. The blade was raised and Jackson closed his eyes bracing himself for the slicing pain. Paul Smith felt powerful and in control. He had executed his plan flawlessly; he needed to kill the younger guy quickly. The servants were gone and the carriage driver dealt with. He could take his time and locate the Amulet. He would take the book that explained how these powers worked.
The blade made its downward journey towards Jackson’s neck; it was abruptly halted. Paul Smith winced from the acute pain shooting through his right forearm. A strong force pushed him to his left, but the pain was intense. The direction of the blade was violently deflected. Jackson managed to force his eyes open. A snarling noise could be heard in the darkened scuffle. Jackson had filled his head with Egyptian legends. He imagined Wepwawet, in the form of a large wolf saving his soul. The facts were less fanciful.
Dusty had struggled against the tight noose, tethering him to the carriage. Scuffing and bruising his neck, he had managed to wriggle free. Fearing for his Master’s safety, he managed to push open the large wooden door. Dusty arrived at the darkened library just in time. Using his acute sense of smell, with his vision geared to movement, he identified the intruder easily. Dusty leapt forward from the dark. He clamped his strong jaws tightly around Paul Smith’s forearm. The loyal Beagle’s momentum knocked Paul from his feet. Paul writhed around on the floor but Dusty refused to let go. Paul had dropped the knife using his free hand as his only means of defense. He punched Dusty repeatedly until Dusty had to let go.
Dusty scampered off to a dark corner to regroup. He was winded from the blows to his ribs. Jackson had managed to locate the downed intruder; he used his large frame to punch him hard. Paul was not going to win this fight. In the scuffle he had managed to locate the sacred book that Jackson was reading. Paul held the book tightly. From his position on the ground, he kicked a leg forward in a powerful movement, delivering a blow to Jackson’s legs. Jackson crumpled under the blow and fell to the floor. As he fell, he flailed his arms desperately trying to break the fall. He jammed his back across the sharp edge of the solid wooden desk. He jarred his elbow on the flat surface. A crunching sound registered a cleanly broken collarbone, followed by intense pain.
Dusty moved forward immediately and placed himself between his Master and Paul. He stood over the knife, which lay invitingly on the library floor. He pushed his front feet forwards, spiked the hair on his neck and snarled menacingly at Paul. Paul seized this opportunity to run from the library. Stepping over the old man he held the precious book tightly; he ran through the narrow hallway. Paul grabbed the oil lamp as he passed. He raced to the back door and approaching safety. He almost made it, until Dusty intercepted again. The old man had staggered after Paul, recognizing he had the book. Dusty was faster and arrived at the back door first. He jumped into Paul’s back, pushing him into the large wooden door. Paul fell into the door with considerable force. His slumping frame crushed the fragile oil lamp. It fell to the floor bursting into flames. Dusty, fearful of the fire, leapt backwards. The old man collapsed from his exertions with blood seeping from his wounds. Paul’s body smothered the exploding lamp; he was doused in flammable oil. Paul was burning and screamed in pain. The wooden furniture covered in piles of freshly laundered linens quickly embraced the flames. The room burned fiercely within the older section of the house. Paul ran from the house screaming and in flames.
Dusty backed away into the newer part of the house; the flames engulfed the old room. He barked repeatedly to try to wake the old man lying on the stone floor. It was unclear if Paul had escaped with the book. It could have been lost to the burning inferno. Jackson tried to save the old man but the flames were intense. He closed a large wooden door to the hallway. He hoped he could contain the fire to the old part of the house. He quickly returned to the library followed by his loyal Beagle. Jackson searched for the gold box frantically.
“Where th
e hell is it?” He heard raised voices outside, as a passerby alerted residents to the flames. He needed to leave quickly. He was injured and the old man was dead. What if he were to be accused of this crime? The house staff would certainly describe him to the police. Jackson frantically searched for the gold box, before bolting from the house. To avoid attention he tried to blend in with the milling crowd. Walking through the busy streets, he tightened his grip on Dusty’s collar. The police moved the carriage and the frightened horses away from the flames. A crowd had organized with men throwing buckets of water onto the flames. Jackson needed to get away fast.
He slipped away into the growing crowd and disappeared. The old man had been stabbed during the fight in the library. As the fight ensued, the old man had managed to grab the Golden box. Badly wounded, he knew he had to hide the box. He had sworn to protect it and he knew the dangers associated with his pledge. The old man had fumbled for the decorative carved dog’s head. He was lucky; he found the dog’s snout at the first attempt, despite the darkness. He turned the dog’s head allowing him to hide the gold box and his ring. They were both hastily pushed into a hidden compartment, behind a paneled wall. Jackson was unsure. Had the intruder left with the box and the book? He still had the Amulet; he needed to keep that safe.
That night it was widely reported; the news of the fire made newspapers outside of London. Judge Barton Brown had died in his home that night. He succumbed to the flames, dying alone in his house. It was thought that he was cooking, as his badly charred body was found in the kitchen. A badly damaged pocket watch, inscribed with a note of appreciation, was found on his burnt body. The prestigious London Law School had presented the watch for 20 years of service. The police had used his favorite pocket watch as a means of identification.
Jackson made his way back to Yorkshire. He read about Judge Brown’s demise in a local newspaper. Jackson kept a low profile and faded into every day life. He never mentioned the fire, or his adventure that night to anyone. He kept the Amulet safe knowing that he would always be in danger. He lived a long and healthy life. Many disputed his age when he passed. Some said he was well over 90 years old, before he succumbed to a bad case of pneumonia. He left two sons and a daughter. He outlived his loving wife by many years. He had an unusual dying wish. A small wooden box, containing the ashes of his trusty hound, was tucked inside his casket and buried along with him. It was forbidden to bury dogs in hallowed ground. Dusty had risked his life that fateful night and Jackson had never forgotten that act of selfless bravery. Jackson made his oldest son swear to honor his last dying wish. To this day Jackson and Dusty, his loyal Beagle, remain inseparable.
Jackson managed to keep his existence low key. He avoided attention by living modestly and spending his remaining days in the small Yorkshire village of Haworth. He was buried in the Church graveyard; he selected a special stone to mark his family grave. Jackson selected an Angel to watch over his burial site. Jackson’s funeral attracted a large crowd, despite his low profile. After days of constant rain the weather broke, as if to pay homage to a special soul. The warming sun was a welcome change as fast racing clouds scurried across the blue sky. The service was emotional and the Vicar navigated expertly through a tough eulogy. Upon completion, there was not a dry eye left at the graveside.
The Angel headstone remains intact today. Her once brilliant white exterior is now weather stained and grey, showing the ravages of time and inclement weather.
* * * * *
Chapter 10: The Gift from Anubis
Upper Egypt, 4500 B.C.
It was a period of history long before King Narmer was born. People were saddened; an important and beloved Nesu had died. It was a somber time across Upper Egypt; which introduced doubt and uncertainty. The high priest Ete toiled tirelessly, preparing the Nesu’s body for the opening of the mouth ceremony. He had to be precise. One mistake, one missed detail and he would hamper the Nesu’s safe passage into the afterlife. For him to join the Gods in the majestic afterlife and to ensure a smooth transition for his heir, the ceremony must be performed flawlessly. There would be no room for error; the consequences would be grave. For the Nesu to have command of all of his senses in the afterlife, a specific ritual had to be performed. This ritual was well documented and mentioned in the Book of the Dead. Today, ancient temple walls are decorated with the scenes of this important ceremony. The Opening of the Mouth ceremony needed to be meticulously completed. No detail, no matter how small, was to be compromised. The Opening of the Mouth ceremony is one of the most important and ancient rituals known to mankind.
Specially designed and custom manufactured tools are used to perform specific tasks in the ceremony. Precise steps need to be executed in an exact sequence. The Adze was a special tool used only for this ceremony. It was hand crafted from meteoric metal, found lying in the desert. The metal was thought to be a gift from the Gods. This unusual metal would then be crafted by human hand, to form an Adze. Various steps would be followed to ensure the Nesu had sight, hearing and speech capabilities in the afterlife. The ceremony contained a step where the preparation of a great meal occurred. The meal contained bread, beer and meat. This vast quantity of food would be left in the sealed tomb. The food would nourish its inhabitants on their long journey to the afterlife. The tomb would contain artifacts and belongings of all types, to accompany the Nesu on his journey. Occasionally animals and even live slaves were added to the sealed tomb.
Each day the sun would rise from the depths of the Earth and travel across the desert sky. By mid-day the sun would be at its hottest, reaching its highest point in the clear blue sky. As the day progressed, the sun would travel back to the Earth’s horizon. Deep within the Earth’s underworld, was the home of the afterlife – a place called Duat. The sun God Ra would travel through Duat at night, moving from west to east. Apep would lead an epic battle each night. The sun God Ra would emerge from Duat victorious the next morning. Duat was the place where people’s souls went after death. The dangers that lay in Duat are chronicled by ancient texts. The Book of Gates and the Book of the Dead outline these dangers and the process for judgment.
Osiris presides over Duat; he is the lord of the underworld. The sun travels underground through Duat each night. It brings light and nourishment re-energizing the deceased. Buried deep within the symbolism of the temple walls, you will see a scene repeating across Egypt. It is a striking scene that each soul will need to face. Before you are allowed to enter the underworld, you must first succumb to the weighing of your heart. The ancients believed that your heart was the home of your mind, will and character. The right amount of will, character and truth would keep the heart in balance. Ma’at was the Goddess of truth and justice. She was responsible for maintaining order in the universe. At its creation, she had eliminated chaos from the universe.
Many wall paintings show Anubis, the jackal headed God, using a scale to weigh hearts. A balanced heart has the same weight as a feather from Ma’at. Any heart out of balance, heavier or lighter, would not be allowed in the paradise of Aaru. Instead, these damaged or corrupt souls would be rejected and devoured by the Goddess Ammit. Ammit was a symbolized demon Goddess. She represented a local concoction of all that was feared. She had the head of a crocodile, the torso of a leopard and the rear end of a hippopotamus. Ammit would sit beneath the scales of justice, before the throne of Osiris. She would wait patiently for the steady flow of unworthy souls. If a soul were to be judged unworthy, then Anubis would feed the soul to Ammit for total annihilation.
The weighing of the heart, to assess the worthiness of the deceased to enter the afterlife, is depicted clearly in the Book of the Dead. Anubis is depicted in funerary contexts, atop of nine bows that symbolize his domination over the foes of Egypt. Anubis is most commonly depicted with a black jackal’s head. The head embalmer, such as Ete, would wear an Anubis costume when he performed the ceremony for the Nesu. Ete was careful to say that he worshipped his Nesu, but in reality he worshipped Anubis. Ete had
studied the embalmer’s art and was the trusted practitioner for this delicate ceremony.
Ete had sole responsibility to prepare the body and assist with the Opening of the Mouth ceremony. The new Nesu trusted Ete’s skills; they would ensure his Father’s safe passage. Ete had a healthy respect for Anubis. He knew that one day he would meet this powerful God. He considered himself an extension of Anubis, his servant in the mortal world. Over thousands of years, the attributes of Gods merge, and their profiles change. Wepwawet was originally a war God; he commanded a loyal following in Atef-Khent, in Upper Egypt. Wepwawet was an advanced scout, who would travel ahead of the Nesu and clear the way for his army to follow. His symbol was used to strike fear into opponents. It would be flown on standards that led armies into battle. To the uneducated, thousands of years later, it would be easy to confuse depictions of Anubis and Wepwawet. Wepwawet had a wolf head; it was similar to a jackal. Anubis was commonly portrayed with a black jackal’s head. Wepwawet was most commonly portrayed with a grey wolf-like head. Many scholars debate the existence of Wepwawet. They state that he was an invention of the Nesu designed to associate himself with the characteristics of a wolf. Wepwawet was said to accompany the Nesu on hunts, he was the one with the sharp arrow, more powerful than the Gods. As judgment was clouded with time, the association with hunting moved to death. Wepwawet was recast as the “Opener of the ways.” The wolf-like God was now associated with the “One who accompanies spirits of the dead” through Duat. Wepwawet became linked with Anubis; he was eventually considered his son.
The Skin of the Gods Page 13