Egypt Rising

by Stan Schatt

  “It’s the Hall of Records,” Taylor whispered.

  She pointed to one area. “Look those tablets are the same color as the large gemstones.”

  I looked where Taylor pointed. It had to be the Emerald Tablets. I took out my camera and shot several pictures. I looked at the symbols on the covers of several tablets. All were the proto-Egyptian symbols Dad studied. It would take years to translate them. Here in one place was all the world’s knowledge. I placed a hand on one tablet and then recoiled. It was if the tablet were alive. I placed my hand there again very slowly and carefully. At first I was confused, but then I understood.

  “I understand. It’s some kind of memory dump. I know what’s inside these tablets. I think I could quote them line by line.”

  “That’s impossible!”

  “I know, but it’s true. I think there were various levels of priestly initiation. Only a very few priests, maybe only a couple at a time reached the level where they actually made physical contact with the Holy of Holies. I think the Ark gives you a shortcut way to acquire knowledge. There’s just so much. I can’t even explain a small part of what’s inside me. It will take years for me to find out what I know.”

  “Do you know how to get out of here without going through the spider’s nest?” Taylor said.

  She looked for practical knowledge. I thought for a minute and then nodded.

  “The priests knew many different ways to get here, so now I do too. I can see a route back to the Tomb of the Birds. We’ll go around that narrow passageway and connect a different way. Let’s head back while we still have some energy left.”

  “Should you take off that outfit now?”

  I started to pull off the robe. It clung to my body as if it were still charged and refused to open. The crown also stuck to my head.

  “Forget it. We’ll have proof that we actually discovered something. Let’s just go.”

  I led Taylor out of the Sphinx. Paul leaned against the large rock.

  “Are you okay?”

  I tried to explain what happened. He just stared at me. I must have looked bizarre in my priestly gown and crown. I put my hand against the rock and it began to swivel back to cover the entrance. I led everyone up the stairs. It seemed so easy for me now because it was as if I knew every turn of every cave. I felt like someone whispered in my ear as I pointed to a different passageway than the one we took to find the Sphinx.

  “That’s the shortcut.”

  “No spiders?” Taylor asked.

  “None. I’m sure,” I said.

  We headed down the passage with our flashlights on. We saw several shelves with priestly relics along a well-worn path. It veered left and then right repeatedly until Taylor was sure we were lost, but I knew where I was going.

  It was so strange. I felt like I walked to a friend’s house. Everything seemed familiar even though no human had walked this way in thousands of years. I walked with a self-assurance that was downright scary. When the passageway split into two, I took a turn without hesitation. Taylor and Paul followed closely behind. Neither spoke. I think they were afraid that if they said anything I might forget the way.

  “It’s amazing. I know things I shouldn’t know. It’s like I’ve got Google built into my brain.”

  “Just get us out of here. That will impress me more than anything else you could do.” Taylor said with some effort as she gasped for breath.

  I ignored her sarcasm; by now, it didn’t bother me at all because she no longer was hostile. My brain felt like a new playground. It bounced from one topic to another without pausing. I felt like I drank from a fountain of knowledge, a fountain that poured gallons of information down me, sort of like watching a movie played at ten times the normal speed.

  I passed relics and instantly knew I could recite the entire ceremony. I saw rocks and knew their technical names. I heard the water running and suddenly the names of the three rivers jumped into my head. My mind reverberated with a combination of Arabic and English as it translated the Arabic instantly, even words that I never heard before.

  The journey back took far less time just as I had promised. When we reached what looked like a dead-end, I put my hand on a large stone. My gemstone began radiating a green glow. Suddenly I felt the stone swivel and then move. We stepped into a passageway and both realized we were back in the Tomb of the Birds. We heard a sound and saw the stone slide back into place, hiding the secret door.

  We saw light from the opening of the cave. We also heard a roar that sounded like an automobile or small truck. We could hear men’s voices shouting in Arabic.

  “We’re trapped. Maybe they’re friends of the guy you killed. I doubt my voice trick will work a second time. We’ll starve in here,” Taylor said.

  “Maybe we should go back to that other passage, close the door, and wait until dark,” Paul said.

  “I still have the gun. Let’s see if we can get a look at who’s out there,” I said.

  We crawled on our stomachs and crept towards the opening. Taylor complained about something, but I was so intent on hearing the voices outside that I ignored her. Soon we could peek above a large stone near the entrance. I saw a jeep with four soldiers who carried automatic weapons and looked very serious. I saw a man’s face peering out of the trailer’s window, and I realized he must have been going through our things. That made me angry.

  The man came out of the trailer waving his arms and shouting to the other soldiers. He pointed towards the cave’s entrance.

  Just then, my phone beeped. Why did the Government pick the worst possible time to resume cell service? I groaned and stuck my hand in my pocket to shut the phone off, but it was too late.

  Two soldiers broke into a run and sprinted into the cave. They grabbed us while I fumbled in my vest in an effort to pull out the gun. They dragged us out and stood us up with our backs resting against the jeep.

  One man wearing a spotless uniform with several decorations on his chest clearly was the leader. He reminded me of the policeman who had threatened Aasuma and me after the demonstration. Even though we were in the desert, the officer’s shoes were polished to the point that they reflected back his face including the bushy black mustache that gave him a dashing look. I saw his dark eyes staring at me and knew he was someone who could kill us without any remorse.

  “Why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit?”

  “We’re just playing.”

  “Well, never mind that. Where is your father’s notebook?”

  My heart pounded.

  “He has it with him at the Thornton’s place.”

  “No. A group that calls itself ‘Islam’s Lions’ captured everyone there and has moved them somewhere else. My orders are to retrieve his notebook. Someone searched his clothes at the hospital and there was no notebook. You must have it. I suggest you give it to me now.”

  The soldier reached out with his hand. I ignored the hand. I remembered the notebook was in an inside secret vest pocket. If they didn’t look too closely at my vest, they might miss it.

  “I don’t have it. I know he was at the university the other day. Maybe he gave it someone there for safekeeping.”

  “I don’t have time to play games. I want it now!”

  Another soldier interrupted. “They are of no account. Nobody would miss three children with everything else going on. Let’s not waste time with them. If they don’t tell us, let’s just dispose of them and move on.”

  “I’ll tell you when I want your advice. Children, this is your last chance. I don’t have time to waste here.”

  Taylor’s face was white, and she began shaking. All of her euphoria over the discoveries was now gone. Paul stared at the men. I wondered just how much he actually could see.

  “Tell him. It’s not worth our lives,” Taylor said.

  “Taylor, just be quiet!” Paul spat out the words.

  The officer smiled and turned his full attention on me.

  “It looks like you do have what I want.
We have methods we hate to use on someone so young. We use it on people who will not cooperate. I can tell you that it will hurt you more than you think possible.”

  I knew I couldn’t fight four soldiers with guns. I also knew Dad would never get over losing his notebook. What should I do? For some reason I was more angry than frightened. Dad’s life was in that notebook.

  I bit my tongue and didn’t answer. The officer nodded to one of his soldiers and the man grabbed me by my arm and shoved me across the jeep’s hood. He took out a large knife and ran it across the robe. What happened startled him. He shouted to his officer.

  “This thing won’t cut. I don’t know what the hell she’s wearing.”

  The officer reached over and tried to pull the robe off me. It remained locked. He pulled his hands away as if they had been shocked.

  “There must be some static electricity around here,” he said.

  I realized the robe provided me with some protection. After conferring, one man grabbed my hand and held it down. A second man approached with his knife.

  “Is the notebook worth one of your fingers?” he asked.

  I shuddered. I tried to move my hand, but the man was much too strong. Taylor was whimpering in a corner. She looked like she was going to be sick. Paul suddenly dove at one of the soldiers holding a rifle. It fired wildly. The two rolled on the ground, fighting for control. Another soldier walked up to them and swung his rifle like a club. It landed on Paul’s head. He lay very still.

  I thought about everything my martial arts instructor had taught me. None of it seemed useful now. I couldn’t fight the men or outrun them, but I was damned if was going to talk. I looked at Paul’s body and prayed he was not dead. I admired the courage he showed in attacking someone he could barely see.

  The man brought the knife closer to my hand. I wished I were strong enough to pull the man’s hand away. If my hands were free, I would be able to lash out at him. I couldn’t even bite his hand to force him to let go. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes, anticipating the pain.

  I opened my eyes when I heard the man scream. I felt him let go of my hand as he fell to the ground. He rose slowly staring at his hand.

  “What happened?” The officer asked.

  “It felt like she bit me,” he said. “I know that’s impossible. You were holding her down, but look. Look at my hand!”

  The soldiers stared at the man’s hand. There were large tooth marks deep in his hand. The skin was broken and blood streamed out.

  “You hold her this time, and I’ll use the knife,” the other man said.

  I closed my eyes and anticipated the pain. I wished I could overpower the man. I imagined myself using one of Mister Tanaka’s favorite attacks and kicking the soldier in the groin.

  This time the other man screamed and fell backwards, both hands grasping his groin.

  “The little bitch kicked me in the balls,” he said.

  “No she didn’t. I watched her the whole time. She didn’t move. We don’t have time for this nonsense. Sergeant, I order you to shoot her.”

  “No!” Taylor screamed.

  The men ignored her. A soldier whose uniform was dusty picked up his rifle. I didn’t know why I noticed, but I saw his fingernails were filthy. His whole appearance was disgusting, and it looked like he was going to be the last person I saw before I died.

  I still wasn’t ready to die without a fight, though.

  “Let me go. You’ll never get away with this!”

  The officer smiled. “We will. No one will care. As long as I follow my orders, everyone will be happy. Sergeant, finish the job.”

  The slovenly officer picked up his rifle and aimed it. He didn’t seem to mind killing me.

  I stared at the man. I wished I had a weapon. I imagined how these men would react if I fired at them. I felt something warm and saw my necklace was glowing bright green. I felt a tingle in my hair and realized something strange was happening.

  Taylor might have been the only one who clearly saw what happened next since she had the best angle. Later she described how my crown glowed. Suddenly a bolt of lightening jumped from me to the man with the rifle. He screamed and fell to the ground. The electrical charge burned a hole right through him. He died instantly, although it happened so fast that his hands still clung to his rifle.

  The officer and his two other men stared at the soldier’s body with the smoldering wound.

  “Kill her. That’s a direct order,” shouted the officer.

  His voice was shaky, and I realized he truly was afraid. Things were happening so fast that I had trouble understanding. It was as if I had a friend standing beside me, fighting for me, yet I knew I was alone.

  The two men picked up their rifles, raised them, and then fell to the ground with the same telltale fatal holes through their chests. The officer stared at me and pulled out his pistol. He fired, probably thinking that if he didn’t give me any time, he would succeed where his men had failed. The electrical bolt hit him squarely in the chest. He fell silently to the ground, where he lay motionless.

  Taylor stared at the men.

  “What did you do?”

  I stared at them, stunned at what I saw.

  “I don’t know. Remember, the Ark was supposed to have strange powers that could kill the uninitiated? I don’t understand either, but at least we’re alive.”

  I looked at the men on the ground and suddenly felt sick. Why had they forced me to kill them? I felt that my hands were so bloody that they never would be clean again. I’m not religious, but I felt like I had sinned. I wished the weapon had a manual so I could wound someone without killing him. I wished for a lot of things at that moment.

  “I’m sorry I said anything about your father’s notebook. I’ve never been more scared in my life. I thought we both were goners. I didn’t think it was worth it just so they didn’t get it.”

  Taylor looked at me as if she talked to a stranger.

  “I know. It was my fault. I just couldn’t bring myself to give up the notebook. I’m sure my Dad would have told me it was only a thing and not a person, but I just don’t think he ever would forgive me. I guess I was too angry to be scared. Let’s check on Paul.”

  I bent down and put my ear to his mouth. I could faintly hear his breathing.

  “He’s alive!” I said.

  I took out a small bottle of water from my vest, opened it, and spilled a bit on his face.

  Paul coughed and then opened his eyes. He lifted his head slowly and then he fell back to the ground.

  “God! My head is killing me,” he said.

  “He might have a concussion. We’ll have to get him somewhere where he can be helped,” I said.

  Taylor and I were quiet for a while. Then she broke the silence.

  “What about our fathers?”

  I nodded. “We have to do something.”

  “Maybe they left us a message,” Taylor said as she flipped open her phone. She scanned her messages.

  “I don’t see anything from them. Do you have anything?”

  I opened my phone and scanned a much shorter list of missed calls. Then I saw a text message: “4 of us bng tkn away Mabe 2 a mosq If u gt this, don’t com bck. 2 mch dngr.”

  After I showed Taylor the message, we both were lost in thought.

  “We can’t go to the police because we don’t know who’s on our side and who’s tied up with the guys trying to kill us,” Taylor said.

  “We have to figure out where they were taken. I wonder who would know,” I said.

  Taylor was quiet for a minute before replying.

  “I know who would know. Remember Parents’ Night? Neguib and the others were all getting tweets. That’s how they knew what was happening.”

  I nodded. “You’re right, but we don’t know who they were following. Wait a minute! You’re brilliant. We just have to read their tweets!”

  “I don’t understand. You just said we don’t follow any of the guerillas’ leaders in Twitte
r.”

  “I have an idea, but we’ll have to go back to the city. Let’s put on these guys’ uniforms over our clothes. Put on one of their hats, too. I don’t think anyone would stop a couple of soldiers. Paul can lie down in the back of the jeep.”

  Taylor shrugged. “I hope this idea is coming from your new super brain.”

  She pulled on the man’s trousers and uniform but insisted on wearing her own tennis shoes.

  I struggled a bit fitting the clothes over my robe, but managed the task. This was one time I was glad for my short hair since the soldier’s hat covered most of my hair. I saw Taylor putting her own hair up before burying it under the officer’s cap. I saw the men had left the keys in the Jeep. We both helped Paul stand up, and he leaned on me as we struggled towards the jeep. He was grateful when we laid him down on the seat.

  “Let’s go,” I said, climbing into the driver’s seat.

  “You know how to drive? Is this also something you suddenly know how to do?”

  “Dad let me drive when we were out at digs in the middle of nowhere. He said I couldn’t hurt anyone. I’ve never driven in city traffic, but we’ll be okay. Let’s take the rifles and their pistols too in case we need them. I think they have extra ammo on their belts.”

  I put the Jeep in gear and we headed back towards Cairo. Once we reached the highway, I saw with some relief that the traffic was light with most of it headed out of the city. I saw families crowded into small cars, some loaded with what looked like all their belongings. One car had a mattress on its roof, held down by rope. Another car had several suitcases strapped down on its roof.

  Something bad must have happened in the city—something bad enough to bring in the army. I tried to focus on the best route to our destination. After a while, driving seemed natural. Dad would be so surprised to see me driving in Cairo!

  Did they hurt Dad when they took him prisoner? How is his heart holding out? Once again, my martial arts training took over. I heard Mister Tanaka’s voice in my head, telling me that fear makes you weak. I had to concentrate on my plans to rescue the prisoners.