Subj: Moonstruck - Chapter 14 (conclusion)
Date: 2/25/01 5:43:55 PM Central Standard Time
From: Scarlett
“Jesus!” Quentin shouted struggling to get up on his feet. Isabella saw what was wrong and yanked Quentin up on his feet and off the ground. Quentin reached down and picked up a dagger from one of the fallen cult members and put it in his pocket, just in case. Making their way to the door they were intercepted by Edith.
“You two aren’t going anywhere. Airanubis has risen and he wants your gift. This isn’t over yet!” Edith said to them.
“Damn it Edith, let us go!”
“Never” Edith said. Her eyes as cold as the sacred stones Quentin had sought. Quentin felt someone grab him from behind as the overwhelming smell of decay filled his nostrils. Struggling Quentin’s wound was finally healed enough to where he had some strength and he broke free of the mummy’s grasp.
Turning around he hit Airanubis square in the jaw provoking absolutely no reaction what-so-ever. Reaching into his pocket he grasped the dagger and pulled it out of his pocket, burying it in the mummy’s chest slowing him down a little. Quentin took hold of Isabella’s hand and they ran to the door as fast as the possibly could.
Quentin pulled the lever to open the door hoping they could get out and close the door behind them, sealing the mummy and the crazed Edith Collins inside forever.
As soon as the door was open far enough Quentin pushed Isabella though the doorway. Intending to follow right behind her he started his way through the door only to be stopped Edith as she pulled him back inside the room by his shoulders and started clawing and scratching at him. Looking at her now he knew this was no longer the Edith he had known as a child. She put her arms around his throat and started to squeeze, unbelievably strong. Gasping for breath Quentin reached up and tried to pull her hands away from his throat but she held on strong. He could feel himself slowly losing consciousness.
Over his shoulder he could see the mummy dragging himself off the ground and making his way towards them.
“Please….let…me…go….can’t…breath” Quentin choked out as he used the last of his breath.
“You let me down Quentin! I thought you were worthy but now I know what a mistake I made. Your worthless Quentin, worthless!” The crazed Edith shouted, her eyes flashing as a look of utter madness crept into her eyes.
“You and your mother, that’s why I killed her the first time and don’t think I won’t do it again!”
The mummy was almost upon them when Isabella appeared through the doorway and shoved Edith as hard as she could breaking Edith’s hold on Quentin and driving her straight into the mummy’s chest. Gasping for breath Quentin watched as the mummy, Airanubis held Edith tightly as she tried to pull away. The mummy though had other plans spinning her around so she was face to face with her captor.
Quentin grabbed Isabella’s hand and pulled her through the door as fast as
he could and pulled the lever on the other side of the doorway. Edith was lashing
out and trying to break free of the mummy’s iron grip but the unnatural creature
had no trouble picking her up kicking and screaming
and carrying over towards his sarcophagus. The last thing Quentin and Isabella
saw was a room full of fallen cult members and Airanubis setting Edith inside
his sarcophagus as they heard Edith’s final blood-curdling scream echo through
the halls of the temple as the thick stone door closed sealing them inside forever.
When the door closed Quentin immediately searched for a rock. Finding one a little ways down the passage he ran back to the lever that opened the door and wedged it inside so that it could not be opened from the inside again. Exhausted Quentin looked over at his mother Isabella. “Are you all right?” he asked her.
“Yes I think so. How about you?”
“I will be as soon as we get the heck out of here.”
“Amen.”
Dead tired they both made their way out the temple. Quentin had learned the truth about his grandmother and it frightened him. He almost felt sorry for her coming to an end the way she did.
Standing outside the temple they watched as the moon slowly descended towards the earth signaling to them that the night was finally over. They watched as the sun took it’s place in the sky and the first rays of the sun washed over the desert and the temple. As this happened they both looked on in wonderment as the temple slowly deteriorated before their very eyes.
“There’s something you don’t see everyday.” Isabella said.
“What, you mean you don’t?” Quentin said smiling happy the night was over.
Finding the camel Quentin prepared to mount, reaching inside his pack to grab some water…OK so it was Brandy when he noticed that something was missing.
“Oh no” Quentin muttered out loud.
“What’s the matter darling?” Isabella asked him. Maybe this was for the best, he thought. If their stone had the kind of power to raise the dead what could his do? He wasn’t sure he wanted that kind of power.
“Oh it’s nothing.” Quentin told her, mounting the camel and helping her do the same.
“Let’s get out of here.” Quentin said as they started off towards the city of Hermopolis. Riding into the sunrise they were totally unaware of the two moonstruck eyes watching them from the ruins of the ancient temple of Hermanubis.
The End?