Museum and Pyramid IV

"Jade! What's going on?!" Angela asked as she tried to keep up with Jade.

"Why did you just leave just like that? Those guys are assholes! They should've been much more empathetic about our situation instead they chase us out like we're fucking thieves!!"

Angela continues as Jade didn't bother replying and just kept on walking on the sidewalk. Angela finally had enough and with force shrugs her hand from Jade with a snap.

Compelling Jade to stop and turn to look back at Angela with glassy eyes.

"Jade? Oh god. I'm so s-sorry—.

"Don't you dare apologize to me," Jade said with indignation in her voice.

"Then, w-what's going on? Why did you run out like that?" Angela asked warily as she's studying Jade's face.

"There's just things that I can't explain properly. I feel overwhelmed and not in control of my own emotions right now.

I'm so sorry about earlier. I-I just don't think I can talk about it right now." Jade brokenly whispers.

Angela felt like her heart just broke in half, she took a step toward her friend and grabbed a hold of Jade's now shaking hand again. This time with tenderness.

"I understand. I'm not going to force you to explain things to me. I'm just glad that you're alright," Angela softly smiles at her.

Angela can tell that her best friend is really having a hard time right now. She's not going to force Jade to tell her what's going on.

Because she knows first hand how it feels like to have baggage heavily weighing you down that you can't let go. Not even to tell her most beloved friend.

Maybe someday when she's ready, and hopefully Jade feels the same way as well.

"Thank you," Jade sobbed.

Angela hugged the cry baby Jade and pats her back.

"Let's go exploring?" Angela asked.

"Yes," Jade said with a sniff.

"Yay! To the pyramids we go!!" Angela screams in excitement, making Jade smile.

As both were in the taxi on their way to the pyramids. Angela is busy taking pictures of the scenery as they pass by.

While Jade is stuck on her phone, her brows furrowed as she googled the meaning of the amulet she invisibly and accidentally saw.

She was not surprised to find the same explanations she read in the museum. Jade then started reading about myths and ancient legends back in that period that could explain something about the phenomenon she's experiencing.

Jade found out that this is the period where sorcery is prevalent. Particularly to monarchs.

Priests would constantly cast a charm or a spell to objects for the purpose of warding off evil spirits away from the royal family. A protection of some sort.

And one of the things they could put a spell to would be the Death Mask.

With a frown Jade stared at the picture of what the Death Mask looks like, and then remembered the brief encounter she had while reading the diagram at the museum.

Right next to the mummy was the Death Mask of the Pharaoh she remembered admiring it but she never thought that the same Mask could've been the culprit or a part of it.

It said that the Death Mask is what Pharaohs wore on their deathbed.

Death Masks were created to ceremoniously cover the face in grandeur and to allow the spirit to recognize the body after death. It's forged specifically for the person who died.

Ancient Egyptians also believed that it guards the dead from evil spirits in the afterlife.

But more importantly, for individuals like the Pharaoh Rameses himself. The Death Mask was made with the finest gemstone that can only be found in that lifetime and was also made of solid gold mixed with bronze.

It is then molded to the Pharaoh's cadaver. Making it a very priceless treasure in the present-day.

It is now worth a whopping 2 million US dollars.

Jade was stunned by the price tag but also of the meaning behind it.

The mask was molded by the cadaver? Wow, that's creepy for sure!

But what she really wants to know is how everything is connected?

---------

Jade and Angela finally got to their destination. And what they saw astounds them.

Mountains of sand that span for thousands of miles with no oasis in sight. Is called the western desert, it is an area of Sahara that lies west in the river nile.

It has this exquisite formation of rocks enveloping all throughout the desert. And a beautiful blend of colors from the sun and the sand mixes together like nobody's ever seen before.

Jade, who was still shaken from the strange encounter, composed herself for the sake of her friend who keeps eyeing her at the corner of her eye, with a concerned look.

She's barely holding her own emotions but she can't risk getting Angela more suspicious than she already is.

Jade doesn't want her friend involved in something even she herself doesn't understand. If she somehow tells anybody they would a hundred-percent say she's crazy and not right in the head.

They might even say she would need to go to a therapist to get help.

And that's not what she needs right now, she needs answers and to whom she hasn't figured it out yet.

"All right, it looks like we have a complete attendance today! What you've all been waiting for is finally here!" The tour guide said with broken English, as he then dramatically swept his hand to show the camels that they were supposed to be riding through the desert.

"Please, wait for your turn patiently while we're helping saddling other people to prevent any accidents! Remember we are about to be in the middle of nowhere.

Hospital is at least ten miles from here so please listen and take us seriously from here on out!

But… also don't forget to enjoy the scenery and enjoy the ride.

For this is an expedition that only happens once in your lifetime. This is going to be worth it, I promise you!" he finishes with a dark low-tone voice.

Jade's legs immediately went numb that she staggered on her own two feet, a jolt traveling like lightning to her core, spreading fast and vast through every nerve.

Immediately seizing her mobility. Her head snapped right away and followed the man with her wide blue eyes but he was already busy helping the other people.

There was something in his tone that made the hairs all over her body stand up like crazy, her heart pumping so loud that she could hear her blood rushing in her ears.

Her breathing heavy, as if something is blocking her airway.

To her he sounded like he made a declaration, a promise, a coup de grâce to her already sealed fate.

Which is the reason why she lost it.

Because..

It feels like he was solely talking to her and her only.

—---

As the duo continued on into their distinct tour groups, both patiently waited for their turn to get into the camel.

Jade, who's still very wary, puts on her sunglasses while pretending to take pictures of the scenery on her camera.

Feeling antsy she took Angela's offer by taking lots of selfies to post on their social media later on.

It's also a safety net just in case something happens to her, an evidence that this is the last place she went to.

Not to be morbid or anything but she feels like something is gonna happen to her here. And she hopes and prays to god that it's all in her head.

That she can actually enjoy her day off, go back to their dorm room, eat delicious food, and go back to the University tomorrow.

But every fiber of her being is saying 'leave, leave, leave, before it's too late'

Maybe..

Maybe it's wise to pay attention to herself warning her for once. She'd experience more unexplained strange occurrences here in Egypt than any other time of her entire life.

Not even when she's living in China could compare to the discomfort she's feeling at the moment. Not ever her emotions so volatile to the point she's breaking down at a public space without ever knowing why!