Two Of You

Egypt, 5:34 PM. Year 2011.

“School was very fun today ! But to be in Egypt is so difficult ! Because in Egypt, it is very very very very very hot !

I am writing on daddy’s little booook with his pancil ! Because I lost my pancil in the BIG mawten of sand.

Today, my daddy is going on an adventure with Bill ! Daddy never told me a lot who Bill is. He says that Bill is an old arkeeolojist from Egypt. The Arabic Egypt is very hard to say. Not like the real Arabic I know !

My daddy say we will go inside a piramide. It’s the big triangle house from Yu-Gi-Oh ! And I love Yu-Gi-Oh so much !!!

And now, Ricardo Ghneim The Great will leave. He is going to enter the piramide !”

Ricardo was taking a look at what he wrote on his father’s notebook. He was really proud of it. So, he decided to show it to his father.

“Daddy ! Daddy ! Look ! I wrote words on your little booook !”

He said, with a wide smile on his face.

“I am so proud of you, Ricardo !”

He answered.

“Go show the words to mommy ! She’ll be so happy to read it !”

Oussama Ghneim. Father of Ricardo, and husband to a beautiful woman, Rania.

Oussama is an author and archeologist, searcher for theories to the most unbelievable myths of The Ancient Egypt history, and tracker of its treasures.

Not much of a surprise that he is in Egypt, looking for pyramids.

Rania and Oussama knew each other since (literally) forever: They were both in the same University, and got the chance to see each other even more, since they got to be co-workers for the ministry of tourism, for a while.

Rania is a journalist and reporter. It was her dream job to be in front of the cameras, with a micro at her hand. And here she is, with her “long-known” husband, making her dream come true.

The little Ghneim family decided to not go to this adventure, all by themselves. Since it is the first time they were in Egypt. But luckily, there was Bill.

Bill was Oussama’s childhood friend. He is Lebano-American. Meaning that he has both nationalities. They had the same passion for history and myths. And, naturally, they teamed up. Let’s also say there was a rivalry between the two men: both of them were having a crush on Rania.

All four were standing on top of a sand dune, looking at the mighty pyramid they’ve been trying to locate, since they travelled from

Lebanon to Al Qahira. And they finally found it. The pyramid they were searching for.

The Pyramid Of Anubis.

They’ve looking for this pyramid since years.

Now, why Anubis’s pyramid, you may ask ? Well, because, according to all the legends, Anubis reincarnated into a jackal, and used to live inside the pyramid, leaving behind him, after his death, multiple stories about his life, and experiences.

“Well. Here we are.”

He said.

He took his pair of binoculars and looked towards the deep horizon, spotted the pyramid.

" We’ll be able to reach the building by the evening.”

“Ya think, Oussama ?” Asked Bill.

“Yep. but we better hurry. Because we’ll have to install the camp next to it, before the dusk.”

Answered Oussama, with confidence.

Ricardo had no idea he was doing in Egypt.

“Just for fun and exploring !”

That was what his parents tell him everytime they go out of the country.

Ricardo didn’t really care. As much there was fun, action, and exploring, he was always up for it.

He really loved discovering new things, despite the 9 year old he kid he is.

Egypt, 7:48 PM. Year 2011.

" It’s been two days, Oussama. And we didn’t find anything inside this pyramid. And you still want to come back ?!”

“Yes, Bill. Now that we have the full plan of the inside of the pyramid, and a paper that tells us the meaning of every drawing on the wall, we can do our researches and take notes.”

“Why didn’t we took the damned papers and stuff in the first place ?!” Asked Bill

" Because you freaking forgot them in the God damn car” responded Oussama, facepalming.

Indeed. The Old Egyptian language was very hard to decrypt. And, as Oussama spoke these words, Ricardo was already yelling to his father

“Hey, Dad ! Look ! It’s Goofy from Mickey Mouse !”

He said, running towards the Anubis alike coffin, hugging it.

Yep. Ricardo was indeed that much of a weird boy. Well...to his classmates at school, he is an idiot. But to him, acting like that was funny to him. And was bringing him happiness, somehow.

Since when do 9 year olds should care about the hardships of life ? All they have to do is to keep playing, enjoying their childhood and stay innocent all the time, acting like never broke stuff at home

“No, silly ! This is not Goofy !” Said Bill, chuckling. “This, Ricardo, is Anubis’s bed.”He said, trying to not scare him by saying “coffin”.

Ricardo slowly broke the hug and got back

“Is he a bad boy ?” He asked, curious.

“What ? No ! Anubis was a very good doggo !”

Not really. In fact, Anubis was the God that symbolised death, in old Egyptian religions. Which doesn’t really makes him a good kind of doggo.

Ricardo, despiting being warned to not touch anything while his parents and Bill began to take pictures, went to inspect, again, the sector where the coffin was, acting like a little detective.

The place was dusty and very old. It was all yellow indoor, just like the outdoor. It was very wide too.

At the center of the room, was the coffin, and everything related to The God Of Death, such as his clothing, which were only a pair of skin shorts.

There also was a scepter; definitely the one The God used to hold, and, a dark blue ring, he also used to wear on his finger.

"Ricardo Ghneim, best detective of Egypt, is now 'inchpectin' the bedroom of the asleep doggo !

“Oh ! An Egyptian coin !” He said, smiling, and grabbing it.“Daddy will be so happy to see that I found this !”

As he looked closer to the ring, he groaned.

" It’s not money ! It’s just an old ring !” He said, in disappointment.

“But...why would Mr. Anubis The Doggo wear something for girls ? Hmm...”

But then, he chuckled.

“Maybe daddy knows why !” He said to himself.

He then shoved the ring inside is pocket, and went back to his father...

Lebanon,2017. Hour: 1:24 AM. (PRESENT)

Ricardo sighted, as he closed the notebook. All the memories of that day he putted the ring on began to flash in his head. It changed all his life..

Not only, he realized that he is responsible for the death of a lot of people.

He felt guilty.

As he thought about all this, he asked himself: “لماذا...” “Why...”

Why him. Why did you had to be stupid to wear Anubis’s ring...

He took a breath as he closed the notebook in front of him. Sitting on the top of a building, he looked at all the damages he created. The city of Beirut was dying...all because of him. We could see the fire burning everything, without stopping.

The buildings were going down, leaving behind them a long and noisy booming sound., as they crashed onto the streets.

He let down a tear of regret as he screamed from the top of his lungs. We could even hear the echo of his voice. He screamed even more from all the pain and guilt that invaded him, mentally destroying him, throughout the beginning of the week.

He threw away that notebook, that had as cover, a family picture, of Oussama, Rania, him, and his little brother. But...they are all gone. Gone dead.

And Ricardo...he was dead inside.

As the notebook flew, it got caught by the fire, and got burnt and turned into ashes by the flames.

But suddenly, he heard a voice.. a very familiar one..

“Hey..buddy ?”

“دعني وشأني.” ” Leave me alone”

" I won’t leave you like this...not after what we did together...just...remember...”

To be continued...