Mummy Issues - Part 6

I know not everyone enjoys reading, but for those who do like my novella so far, here is the last part of chapter 2, just one small little Christmas present ;) Chapter 2 - Part 3I sliced through the remaining bandages that concealed her face. Her jawline emerged first, angular and refined. Then came her lips, full and pouty, even in their eternal slumber. Next was her nose, straight as an arrow and equally sharp. But her eyes, they were still hidden under her closed lids. I felt a wave of relief, grateful that I wasn't staring into the open eyes of the deceased. Her lashes were long and dark, while her brows were slender and carried a hint of red that matched the tinge of her hair. Yes, her hair. I almost forgot. As I snipped away the last of the bandages, her hair seemed to explode from its confines - a cascade of curly red locks, vibrant even in death. She was beautiful, hauntingly so. I was fascinated, entranced. But then guilt began to gnaw at me, a reminder of the line I had crossed. Casting one last look at the beauty in the crate, I grabbed the book and the velvet bag, tucking them under my arm. With a deep sigh, I turned away from the mummy and made my way to the attic stairs, each step echoing with the weight of what I'd just done." -“Thud, thud, thud.” - Ahmed said. -“Curly red hair?” - Rameez glanced at Sami’s phone, one brow raised very high. Sami continued his story without acknowledging his friend's question… “Downstairs, I placed the ancient tome onto the worn surface of my father's desk, nudging aside my usual read - 'Ancient Egypt: Gods, Glyphs and Pharaohs’ . I finally took a close look at this ancient book. Its cover was etched with faded symbols and glyphs, their texture rough under my fingertips. It carried an air of authority and antiquity, a kind of wisdom that years bestow. Gently, I pried open the heavy cover, careful not to damage the fragile pages within. Nevertheless the dust from the book swirled in the afternoon light streaming through the window, as if some magic was coming out of it. And the content really seemed as magical to me too - intricate sketches, hieroglyphs, and pictograms, their vibrant colors remarkably preserved through time. Scenes of life and death, rituals and ceremonies, gods and pharaohs unfolded before my eyes. Each page was a journey back to an era lost in the sands of time. As I leafed through the pages, mesmerized by the detailed illustrations, my eyes caught a sketch of a peculiar ceramic vessel. A sense of familiarity washed over me. Hastily, I reached for the velvet bag and retrieved the ceramic container. It was a perfect match, down to the minutest of details. Now, my curiosity piqued, I returned to the book, studying the cryptic hieroglyphs inked beneath the sketch. After cross-referencing them with the hieroglyphic dictionary in my ‘Ancient Egypt’ book, the words revealed themselves to be - "cream", "spread", “flesh" and “wake”." “It is clearly speaking about the importance of a good breakfast,” Ahmed waved his hookah pipe and Rameez shot him a look and grunted, smacking him lightly on the back of his head. “What did you do then?” Rameez pulled away from Ahmed’s sheepish gaze and turned to look at Sami once more. I decided to take a look inside the vessel. The stopper came out only after a full minute of me pulling at it, it had been a long, long time since it had been used of course. The stopper came out—and I saw inside a type of white balm. It even still smelled of herbs—can you imagine? I thought I might be imagining it but it did, it smelled like that. And than the implications of those words churned my stomach, as the absurdity of their possible meaning dawned on me. Could it... could it really mean…? “That if you spread the salve on the Mummy, she would wake up?” - Rameez asked. “What?” - Ahmed managed to say looking in disbelief. Sami nodded and continued - “I could not shake this idea so I took the container and went back up the steps to the attic. By now, it was almost dark and I felt a little more nervous but I was determined! I approached the crate— she was in the same place as before. I scooped out some of the salve with my fingers and then I started to apply this salve to the Mummy. I started with her legs—working the salve up over them, steadily. My hands traveled along her body, moving from her thighs to her abdomen and then further up—along those impressive curves of hers which were not covered with linen. I held my breath as I massaged the salve into her skin, expecting something to happen. But her beautiful features stayed the same; her flesh didn’t show any signs of waking. Her skin was more shiny, but other than that it was still cold to touch. I waited a few minutes which felt more like an hour. I was disappointed—but then what was I expecting? As if the Mummy would really awaken because of the salve! I started to feel guilty and bad again—I not only uncovered this dead woman, but now also covered her in salve. Whoever she was, she certainly didn’t deserve some kid playing with her body like this. I pulled away, disgusted by myself, and left, leaving everything as it was. I shut the door to the attic and retreated to my bedroom, feeling very upset. I fell asleep without any relief from my thoughts.