Alexandria by Kelsey Schrag (free ebook reader for android .txt) 📕

The hot, stuffy air clung to her skin in sweat. She and her father had been trekking through the desert for what felt like hours. She had no idea what her father was looking for, but he better find it fast. She was getting hungry and her water jug was running out.
    “How much longer?” the girl cried out to her father.
    “Shouldn’t be too much longer.” he replied. The beeping of the small device he was holding was beginning to annoy his daughter. She felt that she might be able to hear it beep even when it was turned off. Her calf muscles began to hurt as the sand threatened to keep her feet still.
    “You said it would be just over the hill from the camp. Obviously it’s not. We should head back.”
    “Stop complaining. You wanted to come.”
    “Yeah, but that was before I knew you have no idea where you’re going.” she stated with fact.

“It’s just over this hill.” He pointed in the exact direction straight ahead. She rolled her eyes and doubted John. He was at least 10 feet ahead of her and he stopped wading through the sand at the top of the hill. “See, I told you.” Maggie quickened her pace in order to catch up. He was right. Down below, she saw beauty. Big pillars rising out of the ground and they were arranged to line courtyards and roads. The building was half covered in sand, but it was obvious it was a palace in a once grand village.
    “You did it!” Maggie, laughing, threw her arms around her father’s neck. He laughed with her.
    “Of course I did. Why did you ever doubt?” The girl took off running down the dune and she didn’t hear her father.
    “Mags, wait for me!”
    John and Maggie went their separate ways to explore more ground. Maggie was fascinated with everything she saw. The brilliant detail of the centuries old stone never ceased to amaze her. As she observed, she came across a second structure. Maggie began to dig at the top of the sand in hopes of getting a better look. She discovered old statues of half human, half cat beings accompanied by hieroglyphs.
    “She who left will return and release the treasure within,” Maggie translated out loud. Every part of her brain screamed to leave the building alone, but she was too curious. Maggie had been in hundreds of tombs all throughout Egypt and each one had their own unique twist depending on the city morals. She wanted desperately to know what lost city her father had found.
    As Maggie began to expose more of the structure, she discovered more brilliant architecture, only these engravings were much more complex and intricate. This kind of tomb must have been built for someone special or important like a great pharaoh or a priest.
    The sand gathering underneath Maggie’s fingernails was beginning to be uncomfortable. She was glad when she found the way in. Maggie began to look around for a key, but there was no need. The doors opened at her touch.
    Well that’s never happened before, Maggie thought. Inside the tomb, millions of dust particles hung in the air like fog. The particles clouded Maggie’s vision and she couldn’t see in front of her face. Maggie reached behind her and threw her bag onto the ground. She rummaged for a flashlight; using the light from outside. Finally finding the small source of a beam, the light flickered and scanned the area like a spot light traveling from one point of a stage to another. Anything that wasn’t gold was a black marble.
    Definitely a tomb for someone important, Maggie thought. Off the great room, there were two other rooms. One matched the theme of gold and black. As Maggie was exploring one of the back rooms, she found what seemed like a million books and artifacts. The books covered each wall from floor to ceiling and some even lingered on wooden chests. In the wooden chests, Maggie discovered pounds and pounds of gold jewelry. From necklaces to broaches to bracelets to earrings. Any type of jewelry one could think of. Maggie had to restrain herself so that she would not disrupt such treasure. She carefully closed the lid to the wooden chest she had looked in and replaced the books that had been resting on it. Looking around the room again, Maggie noticed a pedestal in the left corner. On it sat a book with elegantly engraved leather binding. Vines had managed to grow and surround the book making the scene pretty to the eye, but not very efficient to look inside. Maggie retrieved her pocket knife from her back pocket and started to cut the greenery. When it was cleared away, she noticed that the book needed a key to be opened. Maggie pulled at the leather to check if it was already unlocked—it wasn’t. Next, she looked for a key indention so she would know what to look for. Maggie was amazed to find that the key was in a flower shape. She looked around the pedestal just in case it might have fallen on the floor. She didn’t find it there. Then, she looked in all the places it could have been. Still she didn’t find it. Maggie slung her bag over her shoulder and stored the book inside. She thought it would be something nice to take to show her father. Perhaps he would know the book’s secrets.
    When Maggie was finished exploring the first room, she moved to the second. This room was empty. The stone walls were cracked and had holes in them. They had Egyptian paintings all over and even some of the paint had chipped. Maggie was confused by this. It didn’t match the pattern. Then, she heard faint hissing all over the room. Maggie began to panic. After the beam of Maggie’s flashlight frantically caressed every bit of stone in the room, it found the ground. Maggie was terrified. The room was filled with asps. Maggie stifled the urge to run. She knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. Although, they didn’t seem to care that Maggie was there. They weren’t phased by her imprudence. Still, Maggie’s feet were cemented to the ground. She absolutely hated snakes. The way they move was disgusting to her. The story about the Garden of Eden and the snake didn’t help her likeness either because of its wicked connection.
    Maggie’s adrenaline spiked as one began to come toward her. Maggie didn’t know what to do. The asp looked like it was preparing to strike. She was not interested in dying today. Maggie began to prepare herself for defense when a voice came from a corner.
    “Don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt you.” Now Maggie was shaking and it wasn’t because of the snakes. None of this had ever happened before. Nothing about this site fit the normal patterns.
    “Who are you?” Maggie’s voice was but a whisper.
    “No one important.” Then, the boy appeared. He couldn’t have been much older than Maggie. Maybe around 17 or 18 years old. He had dark hair and vibrant green eyes with the darkish Egyptian skin to contrast. He was dressed in raggedy old clothes and they looked like they belonged to ancient Egypt. The boy looked sad and lonely to Maggie. His eyes and expressions weren’t as bright as her father’s when he found something valuable. Maggie was suddenly determined to learn his story.
    “What are you doing here?” Maggie asked. The boy walked right passed Maggie and into the great room. Maggie took one step backward to make sure she wouldn’t be charged. When she was sure, Maggie walked faster to catch up to the boy. He didn’t answer her question.
    “Do you know why this place is so well preserved for being centuries old?" Maggie shook her head.
    “What is your name?” Maggie asked. The boy didn’t have time to answer. The atmosphere changed and the air turned to suffocation; almost carrying a cool breeze. Then, the ground started shaking. The marble began to crack and the gold statues began to falter. As Maggie was looking around terrified, the boy took her hand and spun her toward the exit. He took off running, yanking at Maggie’s arm. Crawling up the sand dune Maggie had made was not an easy task because of nature fighting against them. Every time Maggie and the boy got closer to the top, they fell back down.
    “Maggie!” Maggie heard her father calling her name frantically.
    “Dad!” Maggie yelled. John’s face appeared over Maggie and the boy. John grabbed his and Maggie’s hands—hauling them up.
    “Who’s this?” John asked.
    “Explain later.” Then, the three of them ran towards the camp from whence they came.

Publication Date: 07-15-2016

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