Forever 21
8-Cat eyes
Sean was saying something to me but I couldn’t focus on in on what he was saying, I was too lost in my trance. It wasn’t until Ingrid bumped against my leg somewhat forcefully that I snapped out of it, scooping her up off the floor and into my arms.
“So this is what you’re doing your thesis on?” I asked and he looked at me carefully. My tone was clearly disapproving, even some what mocking.
“Uh yeah.” He shrugged a little as I continued to stare at him. “I mean I wasn’t.. But then Dr. Wilcox and his team published this from their findings from the chamber below the Sphinx.” He pulled out several photographs and I glanced them over.
I knew all to well about Dr. Wilcox and his expeditions. Last year he and his team had discovered what they felt was a secret chamber below the Sphinx, but it was far from secretive. It was more like the underground equivalent of a modern day storage unit or perhaps even a junk yard as it was filled with nothing but junk.
Dr. Wilcox and his supporters believe they are close to finding the coveted Hall of Records but I know for a fact they are about seventy five kilometers too far north still… So far they had only opened one room and found very little. And even though I knew that would be all they would continue to find, I kept my eye on them.
I kept a watchful eye on all the expeditions actually. There was a chance that someone somewhere would discover something that could help me. It was a very slim chance, but a chance nonetheless. As far as I knew, the priestess used a spell she created from both the Book of the Dead and the Book of the Living and left no evidence of it.
But amongst the junk discovered was a tablet and the hieroglyphics on it depicted the story of the immortal bride… “See.” Sean nodded at it. “It says-”
“I know what it says.” I snapped at him with out meaning to and he frowned a little. “It’s a silly legend. You cant write a thesis on a silly legend.” I struggled with both my words and Ingrid in my arms. She wanted to get down but I wouldn’t let her.
“I’m not.” Sean maintained. “I just saw this and I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It gave me the idea of Nehesi and…” He shrugged once more.
“Well it’s a bad idea. You should find something else. Something that people would actually care about.” I stammered a little as I shifted away from both the photographs and Sean slightly.
“Hmm I would’ve thought you would appreciate this.” He changed his tone slightly and I looked at him a bit unsteadily…Normally it was Sean who was babbling incoherently and I was the one issuing cryptic monotone statements… “You know you being a fellow history aficionado.” He added and I sighed a little before telling him he was right. That I was interested, and I would help him the best I could… I agreed to meet him at nine thirty the following night, as I was already committed to Mortimer at midnight.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer right? I would help Sean. Help keep in check that was. I'd make sure he wasn’t poking around where he shouldn’t have been. Make sure he keeps his focus on Nehesi’s bloodline only and away from me…
And that’s what I did.
I had spent almost three hours with Sean now, going over his work. Correcting his errors and there were plenty of errors. Sean didn’t have the same grasp of the hieroglyphics as I did nor the understanding of the ancient laws.
“Im really sorry but I must get going.” I told him as I stood from his couch. We were no where near done but it was almost 11:45pm now.
“Aw really.” He was clearly disappointed and I felt myself wanting to give him some kind of explanation, which was strange because I never offered any kind of explanation to anyone…
“Yes, Its almost midnight,” was all I said though glancing at the clock once more.
“Your boyfriend.” He offered softly and I felt myself frowning at him.
“Excuse me?” I asked as I slipped my coat on. It was getting later and later by the second. I shouldn’t have even been here still, let alone encouraging the conversation along.
“That guy that was here the other day. He’s your boyfriend no?” I hear Sean say as I gathered up my belongings up from the room.
‘Mortimer?’ I thought softly to myself as I shook my head no. “Oh no um…” I searched my head trying to recall the name he was using here… “Oh William. No.” I declared as it came to mind. “Hes just an old friend.” I added as I glanced back over at Sean.
“Oh.” was all he replied.
“Okay?” I asked him because he still seemed a little confused.
“Oh uh yeah.” He shrugged. “I just thought you know…” he stammered and I shifted impatiently now. I was going to be late. “I mean Im sure you have a boyfriend.” he blurts out and I shook my head no but the look on his face was clear that he didn’t believe me.
“I really don’t.” I insisted and he laughed. “You think Im lying?” I challenged him and he laughed once more.
“No. If you say you don’t, you don’t. But you don’t really look like the kinda girl that’s gonna end up a crazy old cat lady.” He adds and I don’t know why I said it but I did.
“What you mean like my poor old Aunt Mildred?” I couldn’t help but tease him.
“Um Mildred didn’t have cats.” He points out and I felt my heart skip a beat as I paused in the door way.
“Mildred didn’t have cats?” I repeated back to him, my mind wandering to Ingrid and Elsa two floors below.
They weren’t Mildred’s cats…
“So this is what you’re doing your thesis on?” I asked and he looked at me carefully. My tone was clearly disapproving, even some what mocking.
“Uh yeah.” He shrugged a little as I continued to stare at him. “I mean I wasn’t.. But then Dr. Wilcox and his team published this from their findings from the chamber below the Sphinx.” He pulled out several photographs and I glanced them over.
I knew all to well about Dr. Wilcox and his expeditions. Last year he and his team had discovered what they felt was a secret chamber below the Sphinx, but it was far from secretive. It was more like the underground equivalent of a modern day storage unit or perhaps even a junk yard as it was filled with nothing but junk.
Dr. Wilcox and his supporters believe they are close to finding the coveted Hall of Records but I know for a fact they are about seventy five kilometers too far north still… So far they had only opened one room and found very little. And even though I knew that would be all they would continue to find, I kept my eye on them.
I kept a watchful eye on all the expeditions actually. There was a chance that someone somewhere would discover something that could help me. It was a very slim chance, but a chance nonetheless. As far as I knew, the priestess used a spell she created from both the Book of the Dead and the Book of the Living and left no evidence of it.
But amongst the junk discovered was a tablet and the hieroglyphics on it depicted the story of the immortal bride… “See.” Sean nodded at it. “It says-”
“I know what it says.” I snapped at him with out meaning to and he frowned a little. “It’s a silly legend. You cant write a thesis on a silly legend.” I struggled with both my words and Ingrid in my arms. She wanted to get down but I wouldn’t let her.
“I’m not.” Sean maintained. “I just saw this and I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It gave me the idea of Nehesi and…” He shrugged once more.
“Well it’s a bad idea. You should find something else. Something that people would actually care about.” I stammered a little as I shifted away from both the photographs and Sean slightly.
“Hmm I would’ve thought you would appreciate this.” He changed his tone slightly and I looked at him a bit unsteadily…Normally it was Sean who was babbling incoherently and I was the one issuing cryptic monotone statements… “You know you being a fellow history aficionado.” He added and I sighed a little before telling him he was right. That I was interested, and I would help him the best I could… I agreed to meet him at nine thirty the following night, as I was already committed to Mortimer at midnight.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer right? I would help Sean. Help keep in check that was. I'd make sure he wasn’t poking around where he shouldn’t have been. Make sure he keeps his focus on Nehesi’s bloodline only and away from me…
And that’s what I did.
I had spent almost three hours with Sean now, going over his work. Correcting his errors and there were plenty of errors. Sean didn’t have the same grasp of the hieroglyphics as I did nor the understanding of the ancient laws.
“Im really sorry but I must get going.” I told him as I stood from his couch. We were no where near done but it was almost 11:45pm now.
“Aw really.” He was clearly disappointed and I felt myself wanting to give him some kind of explanation, which was strange because I never offered any kind of explanation to anyone…
“Yes, Its almost midnight,” was all I said though glancing at the clock once more.
“Your boyfriend.” He offered softly and I felt myself frowning at him.
“Excuse me?” I asked as I slipped my coat on. It was getting later and later by the second. I shouldn’t have even been here still, let alone encouraging the conversation along.
“That guy that was here the other day. He’s your boyfriend no?” I hear Sean say as I gathered up my belongings up from the room.
‘Mortimer?’ I thought softly to myself as I shook my head no. “Oh no um…” I searched my head trying to recall the name he was using here… “Oh William. No.” I declared as it came to mind. “Hes just an old friend.” I added as I glanced back over at Sean.
“Oh.” was all he replied.
“Okay?” I asked him because he still seemed a little confused.
“Oh uh yeah.” He shrugged. “I just thought you know…” he stammered and I shifted impatiently now. I was going to be late. “I mean Im sure you have a boyfriend.” he blurts out and I shook my head no but the look on his face was clear that he didn’t believe me.
“I really don’t.” I insisted and he laughed. “You think Im lying?” I challenged him and he laughed once more.
“No. If you say you don’t, you don’t. But you don’t really look like the kinda girl that’s gonna end up a crazy old cat lady.” He adds and I don’t know why I said it but I did.
“What you mean like my poor old Aunt Mildred?” I couldn’t help but tease him.
“Um Mildred didn’t have cats.” He points out and I felt my heart skip a beat as I paused in the door way.
“Mildred didn’t have cats?” I repeated back to him, my mind wandering to Ingrid and Elsa two floors below.
They weren’t Mildred’s cats…