Pyramids!

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2 

Close in the dim light that filtered from the porthole, the little room looked as a wrecked toy, crushed by the hand of a giant. Simon crouched in his bed, the one he shared with Sammy, since the little scamp was discovered on board. He cannot rest, though, as something was bothering him. Something he wasn’t able to point out.

  He had this feeling, as something was going to get terribly wrong.

  Emy didn’t show up for the whole day, as if she was avoiding him, and little Sammy was busy enough to run after the bid bargains the city offered at every corner.

  He always dreamt of Egypt, since he was a little kid. He wish he could enjoy the show, and feel a part of the magic, but since they get in Cairo, the only thing he could think of was this smart looking boy, the three of them had met the same day that little Sammy showed off. The same guy Emy spend the whole time with, while he keep on point his finger on this and that, telling to the world its whole story nobody would ever care of.

  He was not jealous, by the way. Whoever said he was, would have enjoyed the taste of his fist on his mouth. He simply knew they were going to lose time and resources.

  Sammy knocked the door at the same time he switched the light on. The little cub stood in the frame of the door, in his torn tee and muddy shorts, barefoot, dirty as he had spent the whole day tossing and turning in the Nile with some Crocodile Gods.

  “You stink, loathsome brat!”

  Sammy shook his hairs, than jumped on Simon’s side, soiling the bed with mud.

  “You little!”

  “Emy’s new boyfriend got this wow skull from the  market!”

  “What the…”

  “Yep. The one you can carve from a piece of stone, if you’re good enough.”

  “Who’s the…”

  “Right. You can’t even carve your name on some mashed potatoes.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’ve been to the museum. I mean, just in the square. Emy’s dad says we can go there tomorrow. I bought a papyrus, but it looks more like a banana leaf rather than a real one. I guess we all could have some pizza – there’s a Pizza Hut – close to the square, but I used all your money for that piece of daub, and Emy’s boyfriend seems the kind of a penny pincher, if you know what I mean. Besides…”

  “Stop it, kiddo. What are you talking about, and why on earth my money should’ve gone? Plus, who’s this brat you’re talking about?”

  Sammy squinted. “You’re stupid or what?” 

  “Did you really use my money?”

  “Of course I did, but that’s not the point.”

  “What’s the point then?”

  “I bet you know.”

  “I bet I don’t.” 

  “Well, Emy’s boyfriend…”

  “Stop it now! What the… Hey… move your stinky paws from my suit.”

  “You don’t have a suit.”

  “Get lost!”

  “I cannot. By the way, this boyfriend of Emy’s…”

  “He’s not her boyfriend!”

  Sammy looked at him. Simon stood up, his arms thigh along his body. “Are you nuts, baby boy?”

  “You stink. Go get some shower!”

  Sammy laughed happily. Then rolled over the bed, and got under the blanket. It was hot outside, but in their cabin was terribly cold. Because of the air-conditioner.

  “How can you be so annoying?”

  “I’m not, baby boy. You’re jealous and that is that.”

  “I’m not… What’s the time, by the way?”

  “Time to get some sleep. Emy’s dad is going to wake us up very early.”

  “Go ahead. I go out for walk. I need some fresh air…”

Sammy rose his head from the pillow. “You won’t find any. It’s hot as hell, out of that door. Believe me, mate.”

  “I won’t be late.” Simon replied.

  “As you wish.” Sammy said, and lied again, his hairs spread all over the pillow, as a golden harvest of grain.

Simon opened the door of their cabin. It was hot indeed, but that was not the reason for him to sweat as a choo-choo train. He walked down the aisle, up to the stairs that leaded to the main deck. It was dark, as everyone’s has left the ship. Which was not so far from the truth. Most of the passengers left for a two or three days trip in the desert. The others were probably sleeping. The tour to Giza was due tomorrow incredibly early in the morning. That was because of the heat. The sun in the desert was burning hot, and most of the tourist use the first hours of the morning to see the pyramids. The second half of the day was for the museum. Until two days before Simon would lose none of them for all the money in the world.

  t the present time he didn’t care. Those piled stones had been there for five thousands years. He didn’t give a dime if they wait for him a few days more.

  That was why he didn’t pay too much attention to the lighting in the corridors. Normally they were floodlit, so that he didn’t care too much to walk around alone during the night. Though, now, the passages where gloomy, with only few blades of light coming out from the closed doors from the sides.

  It was because no one would be supposed to walk up there at the moment. Simon knew it. Restricted area. Only the crew were allowed.

  He passed by the first “no thoroughfare” signal he found. Emy’s room was at the far end, on the right. Just close to the one’s of the captain, that, by chance was also her dad.

It was dark, indeed, and scary. Any other time Simon would have stopped at the top of the stairs, would have looked around, called softly for Emy to come, then he would have ran back to the place where little Sammy was sneezing since a while.

  He shook his head indeed, and stepped forward. The hairs on the back of his head coming alive as frightened soldiers.

In the silence only the sound of his feet on the carpet, or – better – on the metal floor underneath, filled the air. Simon gulped, than move faster. The first you get there, he thought, the first you go.

It was when he reached Emy’s door, that he realized how scary the whole place was. A huge whale of steel, surrounding him, as a tiny spot. He shivered but he managed to grab the handle and open the door.

  And…

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