Darren Craske - The Eleventh Plague

'Destine,' Ahman said sharply, gripping her arm.

'I am sorry, Ahman, but we are doing no harm,' replied Destine.

'I agree, but-'

'And we have travelled a great distance to get here on a journey of the utmost importance!' supplemented Destine. 'All we want is to inspect the temple's beauty not plunder its treasures! We did not come so far to be barred entrance upon arrival, not when we are so close.'

'Destine!' glowered Ahman.

'Ahman, please do not try to silence me, you know how important this is!'

'I do, but-'

'We have earned a look, have we not? I mean, it is not as if we are-'

'Destine!' Ahman yelled abruptly – and so forceful was he that Destine's mouth clamped shut. 'Listen to me for a moment! This man…you…you heard what he said?'

'Oui, Ahman, of course I did, but we cannot simply turn around and-'

'No, I mean…you understood him?' asked Ahman firmly.

'Of course – why should I not have?'

Ahman's eyes went wide. 'Because he was speaking Arabic.'

Destine's senses were aflame. 'Nonsense! I heard every word as clearly as I am talking to you now. If he were speaking Arabic, how on earth could I have understood a word he said?'

'That is entirely my point, Madame,' said Ahman 'This man was definitely speaking Arabic. But importantly…so were you. Fluently, I might add.'

'Me? Mon ami, I do not think so,' laughed Destine. 'I cannot speak Arabic!'

'I am sorry, Destine,' said Ahman, 'but it seems that you can.'

Destine felt the corners of her mouth twitch, unsure whether to smile or cry.

The stranger cleared his throat. 'This is fascinating, but if I may be so bold as to interrupt? Now that we have proved that you understood what I asked, there are no more excuses! This temple is currently off limits, so I must kindly ask you to continue your discussion outside.'

Destine gave the man a once over as if she had only just realised he was there. He was dressed in a white cotton suit, with a broad-knotted tie at his neck. He held a lantern in one hand and a notebook in the other. His shiny bald head caught a halo of the sun's glare, offsetting the steely look within his eyes.

'And might I ask who you are, sir?' asked Destine.

'I am Feron Mouk, the curator of this site,' said the man, his bombast fading slightly as Destine took a step nearer to him. 'Perhaps I did not make myself clear: we are currently making some important renovations to some of our exhibits here. The desert storm sands are unrelenting, I am afraid, and every once in a while we must ensure the artefacts are cleaned. May I ask the purpose of your visit today?'

Ahman spoke: 'Mr Mouk, my companion has become bewitched by Sekhet Simbel's majesty, have you not, my dear?'

'Mais oui… yes,' agreed Destine, following Ahman's lead. 'I have been here before, you see. Way back in the early thirties, and I have longed to return to this place ever since.'

'Ah…the thirties, now those were glorious days, ma'am, simply glorious!' cheered Mouk, tapping a beat on the sand with his foot. 'Much has changed since then – in the world outside and within this temple. We have unearthed a great deal more of this place, including the smaller annexed temple to the east. You are most welcome to peruse that before you leave, but as I said…I am afraid this particular area is off limits.'

Ahman shuffled over and steered Mouk's arm.

'We understand, sir, but the last time my companion was here, she laid eyes on a most wonderful artefact and she was quite taken by it,' he said, consciously leading Mouk away from the entrance and deeper into temple. 'Yet it was so long ago now, and I am afraid that she has quite forgotten where it is. I am most intrigued, I must say. I just wish I had the knowledge and skill to decipher her meaning, but I am far from knowledgeable in such matters. Surely not even the most studious academic in all of Egypt would be able to locate it. Unless…I do not suppose someone as highly respected as you might be able to work out what she means would you, Mr Mouk?'

Ahman had said all the right things.

'Well…when you put it like that, sir, I can certainly try!' Mouk beamed pompously. 'I suppose that I might be willing to bend the rules a little. I do so love to meet people with an appreciation of the past.'

'Recently I have found the past most enlightening,' said Destine, with a wink at Ahman.

'Very good, then!' said Mouk. 'Tell me what you can of this piece that you admired so much, ma'am, and I shall do my best to locate it for you.'

Destine smiled sweetly, relishing the role of dotty old woman as she felt a little flurry of butterflies take flight in her stomach. 'It is like a dream, but all I can remember is that it was called "The Shaded God"…more than that I cannot say. I am afraid I am a bit forgetful at my age.'

'The Shaded God…hmm, let me see.' Mouk was one of those that liked to tap their fingernails against their teeth when they were concentrating. 'Well…I have worked on this site for many years and I can modestly say that I am the foremost expert on its inventory of treasures. However, I can definitely say with all sincerity that we have no exhibit here of that name.'

Ahman and Destine's hearts sank simultaneously.

'Unless…the only thing I can think of…'

'Yes?' asked Destine eagerly.

'This way!' Mouk announced, before darting off. 'But do try to keep pace. If you get lost down here it may take hours to find you.'

As Destine and Ahman quickly followed Feron Mouk's charge, his voice echoed off the enclosed walls all around them. He was giving a rapid commentary – not that his audience cared much for anything; their sights were set on but one target.

'These were amongst the first artefacts to be unearthed,' he said, pointing to two rows of magnificent statues as he continued through the temple. 'These two on the north side wear the White Crown of Upper Egypt, whereas these on the south wear the Double Crown of Lower Egypt. And as we move through into the next antechamber, these hieroglyphics here depict the great Battle of Kadesh, where Rameses the Great fought the Hittite warriors of King Muwatalli.'

Mouk's potted history lesson continued as he led Destine and Ahman ever forwards, into the belly of the temple. They soon entered a many-pillared hall with beautifully inscribed columns decorated with various pictorial images and hieroglyphics. The hall gradually gave way to a vestibule in the middle of a low-ceilinged room. There was no natural light at all in the room, but four lit torches were affixed at points on the brickwork.

'Here we are!' announced Mouk, as he approached the wall at the far end of the corridor. 'This might be what you are searching for.'

'Here?' asked Destine. She was looking at a wall no more than twenty feet in width, with four statues seated upon four stone thrones against it.

Mouk looked at her unchanged expression. 'This is not what you sought?'

Destine was uncertain what to say. 'Possibly…but I just need to familiarise myself with it a little. Where is this place?'

'This is the Innermost Shrine, ma'am – the heartbeat of the temple!' proclaimed Mouk. 'The entire reason for its being you might say. And might I add an enigma that has outfoxed the combined intellects of the world's greatest Egyptologists – including myself, if I might be so bold as to count myself amongst their number.' Mouk grinned broadly from ear to ear, and beckoned Destine forwards. 'Come, ma'am, take a closer look.'

'But, Monsieur Mouk…look at what? I see nothing but statues…the likes of which are all over this temple, are they not?' said Destine, understandably deflated.

'Ma'am, it is the symbolism behind these particular statues that is important,' explained Mouk. 'Each one has a history, and each one speaks volumes to those educated in all the subtle nuances of the Ancient's testaments.'