Veil of Illusion

Jade and Angela finally had their turn to ride their camels. Angela squealed in excitement, her voice echoing through the open desert as she felt like she was on top of the world.

"Jade! This is the most wonderful experience I've ever had! Can you believe it? Us, in Egypt, riding camels! It's like a dream!" Angela's eyes sparkled with delight as she looked over at her friend.

Jade adjusted her seat on the camel, the leather straps rough against her hands. Despite the heat and the arid air, she couldn't help but be captivated by the endless desert landscape stretching out before them. Rolling dunes of golden sand, jagged rock formations, and the deep azure sky created a surreal and otherworldly backdrop.

They had been riding for what felt like hours. The world around them had transformed into an endless sea of sand, with no sign of the bustling city they had left behind. A creeping sense of isolation gnawed at Jade, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the horizon where the faint outline of the pyramids shimmered in the distance.

"Are we there yet?" Angela asked, her earlier excitement dulled by the monotony of the ride.

"Not much longer," Jade reassured her. "We've been riding for over an hour, so maybe twenty more minutes."

Angela groaned, her stomach rumbling. "I'm getting hungry."

Jade managed a small smile. "I made sandwiches before we left. You should have one in your bag."

Angela's face lit up. She rummaged through her cross-body bag, pulling out the neatly wrapped sandwich and devouring it with gusto. "Jade, you're a lifesaver! I honestly thought we'd find a café or something out here."

Jade stared at her friend, incredulous. "A café? In the middle of the Sahara?"

Angela shrugged, her cheeks full of food. "It's the twenty-first century! They have restaurants everywhere, right?"

Jade sighed, a blend of amusement and exasperation. "Not everywhere. We're in the literal middle of nowhere."

Angela's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She looked away, focusing on the shifting sands as if they might offer her an escape from Jade's bewildered gaze.

After what felt like another eternity, the group finally approached their destination. The sun hung high overhead, its rays a harsh glare against the endless sand. As the tour guide led them closer, Jade could make out the unmistakable silhouette of The Great Pyramid of Giza.

The pyramid loomed ahead, its limestone blocks weathered by centuries yet still imposing. At 139 meters tall, it towered over the landscape, a relic of a world long gone but not forgotten. Even from this distance, Jade felt its pull—a magnetic force that seemed to draw her in, tightening her chest with a mix of awe and trepidation.

"Oh my god, it's beautiful!" Angela exclaimed, her earlier exhaustion replaced by renewed excitement. Around them, the other tourists whispered in reverence, cameras clicking as they tried to capture the majesty of the ancient structure.

The tour guide began speaking, his voice crackling through a handheld speaker. He shared the history of the pyramid, the pharaohs entombed within, and the mysteries that still surrounded this ancient wonder. Jade listened, but his words faded into the background. Her focus was entirely on the pyramid, on the way its shadow seemed to stretch out toward her, beckoning.

When they finally reached the base of the pyramid, the group was led through a narrow stone entrance. Jade's unease returned, sharper than before. The corridor was tight, the stone walls close enough to touch with both hands. The air grew cooler, but it felt thick, pressing against her lungs.

Something was wrong.

Jade's senses prickled. She glanced back over her shoulder, her pulse quickening as she realized they were alone. The other tour groups had vanished. They had entered a different passageway, one that twisted away from the main path.

Her hand tightened around the strap of her purse. "Angela, something's not right."

Angela leaned closer, her expression still carefree. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't the main entrance. I read about it online—there's supposed to be a larger crowd, more light. We're not where we're supposed to be."

Angela looked around, a hint of unease finally breaking through her cheerful facade. "Maybe we're on a special route? Like VIP access?"

Jade's lips pressed into a thin line. She watched the tour guide, a man with a wiry build and a face mostly hidden by a traditional keffiyeh, its white and red checkered cloth wrapped neatly around his head. His movements were deliberate, too smooth, and his voice carried an unsettling undertone.

"Excuse me," Jade called out, her voice wavering. "Where are we going?"

The guide turned slowly, his eyes catching the dim light filtering through the narrow passage. His face, once ordinary, now bore a jagged scar that slashed from his temple to his chin. Jade recoiled, a gasp escaping her lips. The wound was fresh, angry red against his tanned skin.

Had it always been there?

His lips curled into a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "No worries, miss. We're taking a special path. A queen must return to her land."

Jade's blood ran cold. His voice had changed—deeper, laced with an accent that wasn't there before. The words themselves felt ancient, heavy with meaning she couldn't decipher.

"What? Are you speaking English?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The guide blinked, and for a moment, his face seemed to shift, the scar fading as if it had never been. He chuckled, the sound low and unsettling. "Yes, ma'am. Just a private route to avoid the crowds. Nothing to worry about."

Angela nudged Jade, her own nerves apparent. "See? We're just getting the special treatment. Maybe he likes me."

Jade turned to her, her expression a mix of disbelief and fear. "Did you not see his scar? The way he spoke? It wasn't normal."

Angela's brows knit together. "What scar? Jade, you're not making sense. He looks fine to me. And he's kind of cute, actually."

Jade's breath hitched. Her surroundings seemed to tilt, the stone walls bending inwards. She stared at the guide's back as he continued to lead them deeper into the pyramid. His figure was steady, but to her, it wavered, as if seen through a rippling veil.

Am I going insane?

Her instincts screamed at her to turn back, to run, but her feet remained glued to the uneven ground. All she could do was follow, each step dragging her further into the dark, into a mystery that seemed to swallow her whole.

And as they ventured deeper, the air grew colder, the shadows thicker. Jade's mind raced with fragmented thoughts, the echoes of an ancient world whispering in her ears.

She had a sinking feeling that the path they were on was not meant for the living.