CHAPTER SEVEN

Imhotep stands on the uppermost parapet of the abandoned museum, surrounded by moldy copper gargoyles.

From the view gently he looked down at his corpse form. Remembering how he died, the last look of Evelyn Carnahan before he gently sinks into a fetid swamp, slowly dying in Hamunaptra.

His corpse was buried there for so long until this. Year of Scorpion that he must kill the Scorpion King and conquer the world.

Does he have to? Does he have to kill again?

All he wanted was to look for Evelyn and the child after his rise. A child. Yes, he can scent the child. A child from his blood and flesh, Evelyn gave birth that no one knows about.

He stared into his corpse hand. Touching his ugly corpse face without a mirror, he studied it. Someone walked behind him.

It was Meela again.

He turns to Meela, who is looking sexy as hell. Meela smiles then looks at imhotep and steels herself. She may be beautiful, sexy but not as beautiful as Evelyn.

He wanted to see her again if he must.. he will kill to have her in his arms.

"This place is full of memory". said Imhotep in ancient Egypt to Meela, she heard him. "There is a place I would like to go by myself but my body won't allow me". studied his corpse body again. "And a child I used to know who was so kind to me, we shared food and places. Where is that boy?"

Meela frowned a bit. What kind of child Imhotep talks about? Should she seek that boy for him?

"My Lord, I don't know what kind of boy you were looking for. It's been a long time since". She answered him in Egypt. "You may now shouldn't remind the child anymore".

"I made a mistake. I got so angry at the child. I asked him to leave and he did as I told him so. I don't want to hurt him, that boy is such an innocent creature I couldn't kill with my bare hand. The child must be grown now".

Imhotep studied her face. "Why are you here?"

"My Lord. I am here on purpose".

"Why is that?" their eyes met. Meela barely answer his question. "Why?"

She cannot tell how much she loved him. Imhotep was everything for her. She knew Imhotep when she was a five year old little girl who had a vision of himself.

Meela has a vision the same way like Evelyn has her own vision. Both women are connected but why?

"I couldn't tell my Lord. When I found the curator Baltus Hafez. He believed that if anyone could defeat the Scorpion King in battle and take his place of power, it was certainly you my Lord".

Meela licks her bottom lips. "So I met him. Leading him and the crew to Hamunaptra where as your body has been buried".

"How do you know my body is buried there in Hamunaptra?"

"I had a vision about you my Lord. That is why I know".

Imhotep wanted the truth. Did she lie? Vision? What kind of vision she had. Vision of him when he was alive? What vision?

Someone interrupted their conversation. Baltus Hafez stood behind them. He took a step forward to Imhotep.

"My Lord? I am sorry if I interrupted".

He bowed and looked up at him. He is kinda afraid of Imhotep corpse form, creepy to see. But he must be strong to face Imhotep as he's the one who awake him from death.

Imhotep knows Hafez is scared of him in this form. He doesn't want to scare Hafez to death either. He had hurt Babu once, he will not hurt anybody.

"I am Baltus Hafez, the curator. I need your permission before we continue our journey to Ahm Shere. We need the bracelet". said Hafez in Egyptian. Imhotep studied him. "Someone took it before us".

Hafez didn't say who took the bracelet. If he said Evelyn who took the bracelet Imhotep will kill him now. Because he had hurt her. But wasn't he at fault? Hafez doesn't know what kind of relationship between Imhotep and Evelyn Carnahan in his past.

"Then go get it".

Hafez bowed again. "We will be my Lords". he turns his feet but stops. He turned back to Imhotep as he called him. "Yes my Lords".

"Are you afraid of me?"

His lips stuttered. "No my Lords". he lied. "Obviously I am not". with that Imhotep fled in the form of a sandstorm.

Hafez and Meela cover their eyes without seeing Imhotep fled to where. And heavy footsteps running down the corridor, the door bursting open revealed Lock-Nah behind them.

"What happened?" he asked. Meela eyes searching for Imhotep. "Where does the sand come from?" Hafez walked past Lock-Nah without a word then he stopped Meela as she too walked past him. "Where is Imhotep?"

She shoved his hand away. "I don't know. Ask for yourself if the Lords are coming back". she grinned. "If you dare ask him a question". Then she left the room.

Cairo Market. Day. Dakota just got back from school and went to the market alone. With the money Evelyn gave to him this morning, he buys one red apple, fruit juice and bread.

"Thank you". he said in Egyptian. He learned their language from his mother, Evelyn. Thank god.

"Dakota, wait up!"

He turned and looked behind. This is Harry Parker. American pale young boy. His family's successful banker moved to Cairo when Harry was one year old.

Harry has a five year old sister named Louisa.

He and Harry went to school together, they both are the same age. They'll become friends since Dakota steps inside the class.

"Where are you heading?"

"Library".

Harry nods. "We're going together then. Miss Isabel wants me to help her in the library here on the list".

He pulled out the list from his pocket pants. Dakota snatched the list from his hand.

"She wants all that book brought up to school". said Harry.

"There are a lot of different kinds of books she wants. Miss Isabel is always there in Dr. Bey library". he looks up from the list. "He can manage that for her".

The two boys walk to the Museum of Antiquities building. Ahmed on view. "Children".

"Is Dr. Bey inside? We have a book list from Miss Isabel". Ahmed nodded, pointing at where Dr. Bey stood. "Thank you, Ahmed".

Entering the building then Dakota and Harry went separate ways. Harry went to Dr. Bey office while Dakota went to Restricted sections room.

He was still looking for the History of Imhotep but hadn't found anything from here. Minute passing. Dakota hears someone walking inside the room, quick he turns though it is just Harry who is trying to scare him.

"Harry?" his eyes searching. "It's not funny, Harry. I'm not scared or in my mood with your jokes. Because it's not funny at all. Come out where you are hiding".

Nothing.

"Come out of this instead!"

Still nothing. Perhaps it was just his feeling, over thinking. I Thought it was Harry, but it turns out it wasn't. Shrugging. Resume his searching between the shelves.

"Mr. Carnahan what on Ramesses are you doing in the restriction room all by yourself".

He jolted at the frame door. Dr. Bey beside him is Harry whom he carried two or three books with.

"You're saying?"

His eyes to Harry. "You didn't? Trying to scare me with your jokes".

"What are you talking about? I just walked out with Dr. Bey how possible I try to scare you".

"You lied".

"I am not, Dakota! I'm with the book. I can't get you scared alongside the book. It's heavy".

Dakota eyes then to Dr. Bey as he said. "Harry didn't lie, Dakota. He's been with me since until now. I am sure you misheard while you are searching. Come along. There is nothing you need to seek from this section. Out!"

Moments later. Both Dakota and Harry left the building. They took a seat on the stairs. Harry laid the book beside him.

"What did you hear from that room, Dakota?" asked Harry. "What does it say?"

"It didn't say anything, I just heard something entering and tried to scare me. I thought it was you. Sorry".

Harry smiles, touches his shoulder. "Nah. It's just your imagination. I gotta go, you want to come?"

"Go on without me. I'll see you at school".

Harry gathered the book in his arm, dusting his pants, slowly climbing down. "See ya, Dakota".

He watches Harry walk and leaves him here. Suddenly the sky turned cloudy without rain. He glanced at his watch. Four-fifteen in the evening. For Dakota it's about to rain.

Slowly he began to rise up, looking down as he dusted his pants. Someone blocked his view. Large, tall man wearing as a prince in black garments almost looked like Ardeth Bay but it wasn't.

He looked up at the face. The man smiled. "What are you doing? There's plenty of space you can walk in here, why in my way".

The man didn't say anything but smile. He bent down at Dakota level as their eyes met. The man asked him.

"What is your name?" he said.

"My mum says I am not supposed to talk with strangers. Especially kind like you". he studied with him. "What with the dress?"

The man smiled again. "This is what I wear. If we talk to each other we won't be strangers anymore".

"Yeah right. You look like someone I couldn't trust. Like Uncle Jonathan says. Don't trust people we don't know".

He is about to leave but the man stops him. "What do you want?" as he shoved the man's hand away from his arm.

"I am Imhotep".

Dakota eyes wide open. Did he say his name Imhotep?

No. It couldn't be. Imhotep is dead. There is no reason he needs to be returned. Imhotep?

He may not know what the real Imhotep looks like because Evelyn never had his picture to keep but this.. this is not Imhotep. He sure is. This man is not Imhotep. Not Imhotep, his father.

"Yeah right".

"Could you tell me your name? I give mine. So we're not strangers anymore. You can trust me. I won't hurt you, I just want us to be friends".

"Grown up man like you want me to be your friend? Are you mental? Haven't you noticed who you are".

Imhotep smiles with nods. Dakota frowns.

"Forget it. We cannot be friends. I still don't know you even though you claim yourself as Imhotep. I don't trust you".

He turned to walk but then... "Wasn't that polite? Still we cannot be friends. I am Dakota Carnahan".

Imhotep smiles wider as he watches Dakota walk through the crowd and disappear. Could be more proud that he had a son with a woman he loved.

Evelyn Carnahan.