The Egyptian sun blazed down upon the sands, where Stacy Aumont and Kristin Mora were riding along on camels. The rowdy creatures were loud and smelled terrible, but they had been useful in getting them to their destination, which was dead ahead. They were checking out a rumored recently discovered pyramid. One of their peers, Kyle Cummins, had told them about it, about how it had mysteriously appeared in the Egyptian desert. So the two women had set out, intent upon being the first to enter the pyramid. From what Kyle had told them, the locals steered clear of it, and had warned adventurous types to do the same. Kyle had passed on the warning as well, but had still furnished them with a map of the area.
Exploring is about taking chances,
Stacy thought to herself. Where Kyle and some others would be careful, her and Kristin, her exploring partner of six years, would push the envelope and find out what, if anything, was hidden inside the pyramid. If it contained untold riches of Egyptian gold, they would be ecstatic. If it turned out to just be a collection of the pharaoh's best recipes and jokes, they would also be happy. If it was empty, they would at least know that they would be the first inside. Kristin was in it for the archeological import, whereas Stacy enjoyed the excitement of exploring unknown places, unearthing ancient treasures and artifacts.
The pyramid itself was unspectacular. The duo had seen and been in a few, all of which were bigger and more impressive. This one was more of a dome than the classic pyramid shape. They began to go around the perimeter, checking for any visible entrances.
"How many charges do we have?" Kristin asked as they rode.
"Eight. We each have four."
There were no entrances they could see, even after a few times around the pyramid. So after debating and considering their options, they slid off their camels, resigned to a more forceful method of entry.
It took three charges to blow a hole in the side of the structure. Stacy knew some other explorers, and many archeologists, who would have been horrified by their cavalier brutality in getting inside. But what mattered to them was just that, getting inside.
The camels brayed, frightened by the noise, but the duo managed to calm their mounts. Despite their occasional stubbornness, the camels had been well trained, so when the two women headed into the hole they had made, the camels stayed where they were.
"When they make a movie about this," Stacy heard Kristin say, "Who do you want to play you?"
Stacy laughed. "Jessica Chastain."
"You're not a redhead."
"Aw, can I change my answer? You asked who I wanted, I want Jessica Chastain."
Kristin shrugged. "I'd choose Kerry Washington."
"You're not black, you dummy."
"Oh, can I change my answer? They can make me black if they want."
"Who's 'they'? It's our movie."
"You know, the writers. Producers. Whoever handles the whole 'making people black' thing."
Stacy shook her head, bemused. The duo found a wide passageway in front of them. At the end were two corridors leading in opposite directions.
"You take the left, I'll take the right," Stacy said. "Keep your talkie at the ready." Kristin nodded, and they parted ways.
The corridor branched off into three other corridors. The tried-and-true method of 'eenie-meenie-miney-mo' led Stacy to take the one on the right.
That corridor led to another chamber, this one with hieroglyphics on the wall.
I really wish I spoke ancient Egyptian.
Across the chamber were three doorways, and Stacy took the center portal.
As Stacy explored, some time passed. Kristin would occasionally check in on the walkie-talkie. A few of the corridors sloped down, until Stacy was unsure how deep into the ground she was. She wondered how long their camels would wait, and if they were already running away, back towards home.
At the end of one long, narrow corridor was a series of steps, leading to a large, tall door. The door was covered in hieroglyphics, with two pillars on either side. At the top of the door, a bust of an eagle was perched, wings spread. No other place in the temple had been as well decorated as just this door. Stacy spent a good few minutes searching for some secret lever or button to open the door. She had heard stories about chambers stocked with booby-traps, to take out any thief, but her desire to get inside this obviously important chamber overruled her desire for safety.
No guts, no glory.
Stacy eventually gave up, and resorted to a few charges.
"If you hear a boom," she warned Kristin on the walkie-talkie, "it's just me trying to get into a room."
"Cool. Be careful of booby-traps."
Stacy set the charges, and hustled back down the corridor. The door blew open, and Stacy went to her reservoir of reliable tricks by throwing one of her boots into the room beyond. She waited a few moments, but nothing happened, so she walked in and put the boot back on, looking around while she did.
The room was small, with nothing interesting to speak of; it looked exactly the same as any other room in the pyramid. To her right, there was a doorway, as tall as the one she had just blown up. Stacy shrugged off her pack, putting it on the floor, stepping tentatively towards the second door.
"What'd you find?" Kristin asked.
Stacy turned from the door for a moment. "Looks like nothing. Just another room. Another door too."
Kristin began to respond, but static came over halfway through. She smacked her walkie-talkie against her thigh, but the static kept prevailing.
