Egyptian Timewave

Chapter 55

Abayomi is practically buzzing while she works in her tent, intently listening to what is going outside. She doesn't want to miss it when the door to the burial chamber goes down. This is what everyone at the dig site has been waiting for, and despite Abayomi's time travel, she is still excited, if in a different way.

She's still excited for the same reason as everyone else, of course, but she is also anxious to know if Anippe had a good long life. She is so distracted that she doesn't notice when Yasmine calls her name, not until the older woman comes over and touches her shoulder. Abayomi jolts, flinching slightly. Yasmine takes a step back.

"Abayomi?"

Abayomi waves her hand dismissively. "I'm fine, just startled."

"Alright. You can relax, I promise. There's no need to be listening to what's going on outside so intently."

She feels her cheeks warm. "You could tell?"

"Of course. And it's your first dig, of course you're doing that." Yasmine leans in slightly and whispers conspiratorially. "I did the same, at my first dig, although it wasn't as grand as this. But don't worry, they'll come get us before anyone enters the chamber."

"Okay."

Yasmine laughs softly. "Good. Now relax, do what work you can until then." Abayomi side-eyes the paltry amount of artifacts that she's still examining. "Yes I know there isn't a lot, but depending how full that chamber is, we're going to be flooded."

With a sigh, Abayomi slumps in her seat and turns to the small pile. Well, not a pile. That could damage the artifacts when she moves things around. But they're all in a tray. She is about to pick one up when someone comes rushing into the tent. Her face is flushed, but full of anticipation.

"The last piece of the door is coming down now!"

Abayomi scrambles out of her seat, practically sprinting past the woman to exit the tent. A stream of people is already heading towards the tomb, and it's easy for Abayomi to join them, though she merges at the front of the stream due to her speed. When they reach the tomb, there is a small group already there, waiting at the entrance. The workers who had been taking out the door. One of them holds out a hand as they approach.

"Wait a moment, the door isn't all the way down yet." His words are punctuated by a thud, and he laughs. "Well, now it is. Give them a minute to remove it before heading inside."

Abayomi nods and steps to the side for the men coming out of the tomb now, carrying chunks of stone with them. They place the chunks atop a small pile, presumably made up of the rest of the door. The stone settles amongst the rest with a small cloud of dust, and Abayomi is waved inside the tomb.

She finds her dad and Fahim already standing in there, waiting just outside the burial chamber. The dust is still settling, chips of stone scattered over the floor. She had expected Fahim to already be there, he is overseeing things after all. But this part isn't her dad's job, he specializes in the objects found in everyday life in Ancient Egypt. He smiles at her as she approaches, eyes glinting in the torchlight with his excitement.

"You ready to see the burial chamber?"

Abayomi beams at him in response.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you think they'll find in the burial chamber?