Big Book '98THE TOMB OF RAJAE
by Andrea Milton
I couldn't help it. As soon as I found out about the great Pharaoh's jewels, I just had to have them. I would be rich! Living a carefree life, not having to worry about my money.
The only problem was getting inside the tomb and everyone knows that all the tombs are cursed. Whoever goes in does not come out. Nevertheless, I couldn't resist the temptation. All that shining gold, all those beautiful jewels that I have to have.
The thought of them being mine excited me. I could not wait to start my expedition. There was only one problem, I had competition. My brother. We have been rivals since we were really young and he also wanted the jewels. He is slower than me, but he is smart. Sometimes smarter than me. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.... I was going to get those jewels at any cost.
I booked a flight to Egypt as soon as I could and I started packing. It was 2.00 p.m. and my flight was in four hours. I packed my camera, after all I would have to take pictures of the jewels. I packed my sun hat, my excavation equipment, my credit cards, my passport, a few clothes and shoes.
I left for the airport and paid for the ticket. I went to the waiting area. I was very anxious. I read the ticket: 20th July 1993. Destination Egypt/Cairo. "Ah, The Valley of the Kings," I thought. The most renowned place for jewels and tombs.
The tomb that I was after was that of 'Rajae'. Other Pharaoh's tombs have been found, but I'm after that one in particular. I have got a map of where it should be and I'm not hiring anyone to help me find it, although there are people who will help if I need it. Just then I heard an announcement for my flight. I hurried to the gate and gave my ticket to the flight attendant. "Have a nice trip," she said.
"When I get back, I'll be able to afford a lot more trips like this," I replied.
I walked up the passage and boarded the plane. My luggage was now on one of the carts and being transported to the luggage part of the plane. I was bored, so I just watched it drive past my window. I got my CD walkman out and started listening to it.
I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up we had landed in Egypt. I packed my CD player in my backpack and waited to be told when to get off the plane. Finally I was off the plane and I went inside the airport building to collect my luggage and get a drink. After all, a long flight does make you thirsty!
I caught a taxi to 'The Valley of the Kings'. It was a long trip and it took two days to get there. I got out, paid the driver and went into the hotel I had pre-booked. I took my luggage up to my room and settled in. As I was tired from the trip, I had a sleep. In the morning I got a call from a friend saying that my brother had arrived in Egypt and was staying in a hotel not far from mine. "Thank-you," I said and hung up. I decided to have a big breakfast, because I had a very long day ahead of me.
A few weeks later I found something. It was a piece of slate, and it had some sort of hieroglyphics on it. What does it say? I wondered. It had birds, eyes, circles, lines and all sorts of symbols on it. I took it to a science lab to find out what it said.
No doubt it was some sort of message, but what was the message? From my knowledge of hieroglyphics I could work out the word 'found', but the rest was a mystery. The archaeologist, Dr. Klein, said that it would take about a month for him to consult his resources on hieroglyphics and work it out.
In the mean time I kept digging. I found pots, shields and ornaments, but no jewels. I dug for weeks and weeks and still I could not find the tomb of Rajae.
I went back to Dr. Klein and he said that he had worked it out. The message read: You have come very close to Rajae's tomb. Continue digging and you will find it.
"Yes!" I screamed excitedly. "I've got a clue to where the tomb is!" "I hope you succeed in finding it," Dr. Klein said. "I intend to," I replied confidently.
I quickly went back to the digging site. I had the message scribbled on a piece of paper. Frantically I kept digging. I was about 200 feet below sea level by now, and I knew I was close. I decided to stop digging after about five hours later as it was nearly dark.
I went back to the hotel and went to bed. I started thinking about my brother. Something had been nagging me about him, but I didn't know what. I thought about it some more and failing to grasp what it was that was nagging me, I went to sleep.
The next day I went back and started digging. I found more pots, slates and vases. Suddenly I struck gold, or at least I thought so. I had found a door to something. It was made of stone and had inscriptions on it.
"I've found it!" I screamed. "I've found it!" I dug as quickly as I could around the stone. I got a crowbar and tried to lift it up. I got it away a bit, and through the crack I could see something shining. `The jewels,' I thought. As I couldn't lift the stone I went for help. I went to the hotel and called for some men to come and help me move the stone. Five men came and talked to me about what they needed to do. We went to the site and stood around where the stone should've been.. But it wasn't!
It was gone! And so were the jewels! Who could do that? My brother!
I ran down the tomb as fast as I could and found the jewels had not been all taken. I walked around a bit and found my brother, DEAD on the floor. He had jewels in his jacket and his pockets and had a golden mask in his hand. "What happened?" I screamed. "The curse must have got him," one of the helpers said.
We took the jewels and everything else to the museum and gave my brother a special burial in Egypt next to the tomb. I placed some of the jewels that I knew he would want in with him. As for me, I didn't get the jewels I wanted, but I got a few beautiful rings and a handsome reward for my discovery.