The Offering

This is an entry in the 2008 Lit Halloween Contest. Copyright © Leslumens. If this story appears anywhere except Literotica.com with this note attached, it is posted without my permission.

The fourth page is only a couple of paragraphs, so I hope the page count doesn't scare you away.

Δ~~~~~~~~~~Δ

The janitor was far from surprised to see light streaming from beneath the door bearing the placard Cameron Baxter, Curator Antiquities, despite the late hour. With a smile and a shake of his head, he continued down the hall, planning to return at the end of his shift — as usual.

Inside, Cameron tucked an errant lock of curly, walnut brown hair back behind her ear and sighed. Though she'd expected the result, the email confirming her suspicions about the small collection of late period Egyptian artifacts donated to the museum was still depressing. Every piece was in exquisite condition, and a perfect complement to the pieces already on display.

Unfortunately, every single item traced back to a known black market dealer.

The paperwork would arrive tomorrow, or the next day, which would force the director to acknowledge the necessity of repatriation. Cameron sent a note of thanks to her great uncle for the information, and for the condolences the email expressed with the bad news. She then emailed her contact in the Egyptian Council of Antiquities, knowing that he would receive her news with far more enthusiasm than she felt at the moment.

Not for the first time, she questioned her decision to give up field work for the stability of her position.

A childhood immersed in the past and her drive to learn had earned her the much coveted position at only thirty years old. Raised in a family of archaeologists, curators, and researchers, people often remarked that she knew more about life thousands of years ago than she did about what occurred just outside her door. Most of the time, that suited Cameron just fine.

The phone rang, and Cameron answered it without surprise, despite the late hour. Almost immediately, her eyes narrowed as she recognized the voice on the other end — a sharp reminder of her disconnect with the here and now.

"Don't hang up."

"Give me one good reason not to, Trent," Cameron replied. She clenched her teeth and tried not to remember the disastrous two year relationship with her former fiancé, one which had soured her on ever pursuing another.

"Check your email."

Cameron let out an exasperated sigh and grabbed her mouse. "If whatever you're sending isn't in my inbox already, then this conversation is over."

"It's there," Trent answered, wisely saying nothing more.

Cameron clicked through to the email, titled just look. She opened it with a thousand possibilities floating through her head — most of them bad.

She was wholly unprepared for the picture inside.

"Resealed in antiquity?" Cameron asked, staring at what could be nothing except a tomb door with the seal of the Necropolis priests intact.

"Yes."

Cameron sat back, her eyes still locked on the image. "Okay, you have my attention."

"We had a team excavating a workman's village in the Valley of the Queens, and one of our diggers stumbled across the first step by accident. As soon as the watchdog from Antiquities saw the seal, he brought in armed guards and replaced all our diggers with hand-picked ones."

Cameron knew that he had paused to let the weight of that statement settle on her shoulders. For the Council to react so quickly and decisively, the local expert had reason to believe that the tomb was both intact, and possibly filled with riches.

"Have you opened it?" Cameron asked.

Another email appeared in her inbox before she even finished speaking, titled wonderful things.

Cameron couldn't suppress her gasp upon opening the email and seeing the pictures inside. The tomb had some of the finest, most intact painting she'd ever seen. Hieroglyphs, likely a treasure trove of knowledge simply awaiting translation, lined the walls. Everywhere, the glint of gold and jewels.

"I suppose you called to gloat," Cameron absently murmured as she squinted at the image, attempting to read the script she could see in the images.

"No, I'm calling to beg for help."

That took Cameron aback — but also made her angry. "If you think I'm going to..."

"Cameron, I'm in trouble here. I'm coming to you, because you're the only one I can come to. Antiquities shot down every suggestion I made until I said your name in desperation."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Thanks so much for that."

"Every senior member of the team has come down sick or injured. I need someone here — and fast — with gravitas. Antiquities is going to take over the whole site, otherwise."

Trent sighed and continued, "Brass tacks. Exclusive foreign display privileges of the find for both museums. This is the find of the century, and only two places in the world outside Cairo will have access to anything more than pictures. There's more, but Antiquities won't let me tell even you about it unless you agree to take control of the site."

"I'm not going to be your figurehead, Trent."

"You'll be in charge. Antiquities isn't going to accept anything less."

A smile broke out on Cameron's face, brought on by the resignation in his voice. "I'll need to talk to the director."

"So you'll come?" He asked with guarded hope.

"I'll be on a plane by tomorrow evening."

"Keep me up to date so I can have someone meet you at the airport."

Cameron imagined that she would spend most of the flight in exhausted sleep, because she doubted that her excitement would let her rest for a moment before the plane took off.

Δ~~~~~~~~~~Δ

The hot, dry air invigorated Cameron as she followed the member of the team that Trent had sent to meet her at the airport. She thought that he looked barely old enough to have graduated college, and if he represented what was left of the team, it was no wonder that Antiquities was threatening to take over the site.

He also had a habit of staring at her breasts and legs, which made Cameron think that Trent had probably hand-picked the team.

With the sun sinking toward the horizon, Cameron knew that the temperature would drop dramatically — and soon. Though still technically part of the Egyptian summer, October marked the transition to what passed for winter in the arid land of history, and only a few days remained in the month.

Cameron's excitement increased as she approached the camp. She could see the diggers moving about, clearing away debris from the workman's village excavation that had led to the discovery of the tomb. Beyond a pair of tents, she could see the steps leading down into the earth, blocked by a stout, metal gate.

Even the sight of Trent walking out to wave, a local at his side, couldn't dull the euphoria she felt.

"Welcome to the Valley of the Queens, Cameron. Your reputation precedes you," the local said as she approached. "I am Abasi Hawass of the Supreme Council of Antiquities." After a quick bow of his head, he added, "No relation," indicating that he shared only a surname with the Secretary General of the Council.

Cameron bowed her head and responded, "I'm pleased to be here, and honored that the Council would consider me to lead such an important excavation."

"Your staunch support of repatriation, knowledge, and discretion has not gone unnoticed. Please come, and I will brief you."

Cameron nodded and followed Abasi, keenly aware of the numerous heavily armed guards everywhere within eyesight.

Δ~~~~~~~~~~Δ

Ecstatic that every artifact removed from the tomb was still on site, stored in a plain tomb nearby with a fully functional lab, Cameron followed Abasi to the tomb itself. One of the guards unlocked the gate, and two of them immediately took up positions on either side, looking fully prepared to shoot anyone else who approached.

Beyond the gate awaited a second door, this one designed to keep out the elements as much as possible. Once through that portal, Cameron immediately saw the necessity of secrecy and security that Abasi had warned her about.

As the pictures from Trent had illustrated, the painting was immaculate, often accentuated by reliefs adding detail to the images. Most of the tombs in the Valley of the Queens were virtually undecorated, and this alone marked this tomb as remarkable.

What made the tomb unique was the unashamed theme of lesbianism in the paintings, and the intimate details of the women involved.

"I should imagine that you can see why there is great interest in keeping news of this discovery from leaking to the press, even beyond the monetary," Abasi said as he admired the paintings with Cameron.

"Certainly. The historical significance of these paintings is tremendous. Has anyone translated the script?"

"We have concentrated most of the work on removing the artifacts, in deference to the possibility of looting. We know that this tomb belongs to Emuishere, a servant and concubine to a powerful priestess of Bastet, Djeserit."

Cameron felt her cheeks warm when she realized that in examining a series of hieroglyphs as Abasi spoke, she appeared to be staring at the quite detailed painting of Emuishere's sex next to the script.

"We have, however, extensive photographic documentation of everything."

Cameron nodded in approval. "Good, that way I can work on the translations elsewhere until conservators can protect the paintings."

"That very work will begin tomorrow. Come, there are many more wonders to see."

Cameron followed Abasi down the long passageway, also remarkable in the valley, where most tombs were shallow, unlike those in the more famous Valley of the Kings. Even in the dim light, the colors of the paintings stood out vividly all the way.

Upon entering the first chamber, already emptied of artifacts, Cameron's eyes left the walls. One thing remained within the chamber, in the center of the room — a curious altar carved from the rock of the tomb.

"As with so much of this tomb, this altar is unique in the experience of the Council," Abasi remarked.

Cameron walked up to the altar to examine it. The painted stone stood just tall enough that she could have rested her palms on it. She traced the air above channels cut into the altar and speculated, "It appears to be for libations. These channels and the vessel at the bottom don't leave many other possibilities."

What appeared to be handles protruded from the pedestal of the altar, attracting Cameron's curiosity. As the altar was part of the tomb, it was certainly not meant to be moved. She made a mental note to research the possible purpose before continuing her examination. She then pointed to a scarab shaped depression in the stone with a deeper hole at its center. "Did you remove something from here?"

"No," Abasi answered. "It appears that perhaps the thieves of antiquity were not entirely unsuccessful. You will see in the photographs that much of the funerary equipment in this chamber was hastily returned to its place."

"The burial..."

"Is intact," Abasi finished, "And just as fascinating as the rest of the tomb." He waved for her to follow, and exited through a doorway in the far right corner of the room.

"How many chambers?" Cameron asked.

"Three in this tomb," he answered.

Cameron raised her eyebrows at the odd emphasis on the word this. "The size and splendor of this tomb is unheard of. I wouldn't expect the priestess to have received such a lavish, almost royal burial, let alone her servant."

"Yes, we may write an entirely new chapter in Egyptian history with the discovery of this tomb," Abasi agreed.

The next room was the one that Trent had sent her a picture of to entice her. Though the treasures were now removed, the paintings marked the room as the same from the photo. A tender scene of two women touching affectionately, one offering the other a flower, took on new significance in light of the revelations from the other paintings in the tomb.

"Even without opening any of the many sealed boxes found herein, we have determined that the simple monetary value of the treasures found in this tomb rivals that of Tutankhamen."

A pair of Ka statues flanked the entrance to the burial chamber, depicting a woman with ample curves, and remarkable beauty. Cats nuzzled up against the woman's legs as if in affection, the gaze of the animals' eyes full of warning.

Abasi smiled, seeing Cameron's eyes drawn to the portal. "Come, let us meet Emuishere."

The lid, carved to resemble its occupant, rested upon metal scaffolding on one side of the stone sarcophagus. On the opposite side, the mummiform lid of the coffin inside sat upon similar supports. Cameron could see a glass covering over the sarcophagus, which she assumed was sealed, in order to protect the mummy.

Cameron crossed the chamber, pausing to examine the coffin lid for a moment. As with everything else in the tomb, it deviated from the norm by depicting Emuishere's full breasts in the carved image of her. A quick glance revealed the same on the stone lid of the sarcophagus.

Abasi leaned over the sarcophagus, gazing upon the mummy within. Cameron joined him, and let out a gasp.

A golden mask adorned the mummy, showing the same serene, beautiful face depicted throughout the tomb. The care shown in the wrapping of the mummy was easily equal to that of any Pharaoh's, the linen in near perfect condition. As with her coffins, the priests had placed something beneath the wrappings to represent Emuishere's breasts, even in her mummy.

"Amazing. Beautiful," Cameron murmured.

"Indeed," Abasi agreed. "The museum is eager to examine her, but the Secretary has deemed it necessary to document and remove the other artifacts before examination of the mummies may begin."

"But all the artifacts are already..." Cameron trailed off, only now noticing two things, a relief carving on the wall directly behind the sarcophagus, and another doorway in the right side of the chamber. "Did you say, mummies?"

Abasi offered a smile, his brilliant white teeth a sharp contrast against his dusky skin. "You see how the relief depicts Emuishere in mourning, facing as though into the wall."

"Djeserit's tomb is on the other side," Cameron conjectured.

"And only accessible through this chamber, behind a well hidden door. Even in death, Emuishere protected and adored her mistress." He gestured toward the portal. "Shall we proceed?"

The wonders continued, beginning with a smaller burial chamber just off the corridor connecting the two tombs, which held six more mummies — all female. Though not buried with the wealth of Emuishere, the paintings on the wall were equally wonderful, and Abasi explained that each had her own funerary goods that were placed in nearby niches of the chamber walls. Each shared the theme common to the tomb of depicting the woman's breasts in her mummy and coffins. Niches honeycombed the back wall of the chamber, each housing a cat mummy, a symbol of the goddess Bastet.

The painted reliefs within the first chamber of Djeserit's tomb incorporated precious metals and semi-precious stones. Even with the artifacts that had once rested there already removed, the room still glittered with the evidence of incredible wealth. Abasi explained that the jars found there were well sealed, and might reveal a wealth of knowledge about the diet of the highborn when examined — even unto the spices used in cooking.

The next chamber took Cameron's breath away.

Everywhere, the glitter of gold and gems adorned the bed frames, tables, sedan chairs, gaming boards, elaborate storage boxes, and other objects in the chamber. Small placards numbered each item. At the back of the room, Ka statues of Djeserit, even more beautiful than those of Emuishere, guarded the entrance to the burial chamber of the priestess.

"You will have the privilege of opening the chamber," Abasi revealed.

Overwhelmed, Cameron couldn't respond. She stood in the greatest find since Tutankhamen, and it was now her responsibility. She would be the first to gaze upon the final resting place of a powerful priestess — the first to enter the chamber in thousands of years.

"We must return. The Secretary has ordered that none will enter or remain in the tomb after nightfall, for added security."

Cameron sighed, wanting nothing more than to remain inside until exhaustion claimed her.

"Such is not true of the tomb where we have stored the artifacts for initial examination, however," Abasi hinted with a wink.

The promise of that succeeded in drawing Cameron back to the surface.

Δ~~~~~~~~~~Δ

"You should really introduce yourself to the team, you know?" Trent said from the doorway of the storage tomb, where Cameron sat behind a desk reviewing the notes of the others who had come before her.

Cameron looked up, rubbed her eyes, and then stretched. She snapped her arms back to her side with a scowl when she saw Trent admiring the pose.

He cleared his throat and said, "Sorry. You're just as beautiful as ever, and..."

"Don't start," Cameron snapped, and stood up. She gestured to the notes on the desk and asked, "What exactly happened to Gerald and Wendal?"

"Gerald came down with appendicitis the day after we opened the first burial chamber. There were complications with the surgery, and he opted to return to the States for treatment. A week later, Wendal started hallucinating the day after we opened the hidden door connecting the tombs. The doctors said he was extremely dehydrated, and that his kidneys were on the verge of failure when he arrived at the hospital. He went back home as soon as he was stabilized, too."

"What does that leave me?"

"Fresh graduates, mostly. A couple have as much as five years of field experience, but they're all young. We weren't expecting anything like this, you know? Mind you, they're all good people, far better than their lack of experience might suggest." He paused and shrugged, offering a smile. "And me."

"Regardless of what I may think of you personally, you're a good archaeologist, Trent. I'm going to need your help in coordinating things. I'm willing to let the past be the past, but there's nothing of the past in the future — if you know what I mean?"

"Yeah," he answered, sounding a little disappointed. "And I need your help in calming things down. Everyone is nervous, whispering about curses. It started with the locals, but it's infected the team as well. They're blowing the coincidence of Wendal and Gerald falling ill when they did completely out of proportion."

Cameron shook her head and sighed, smoothing back her curly hair at the same time. "They're part of the find of the century, and they're distracted enough to buy into Hollywood fantasies?"

Trent threw up his hands and said, "It hasn't helped that we've had a constant string of other minor calamities as well. Scorpions, broken legs..."

"Bury them in details," Cameron suggested. "There's more than enough to keep them too busy to look over their shoulder for Boris Karloff shuffling up behind them and moaning."

Cameron picked up her keys from the desk, unable to suppress the smile that spread across her face. To have the Council trust her with the site so fully made her feel wonderful. Immediately after introducing her to the artifacts, Abasi had left to return to Cairo with reports, and to prepare for the eventual shipment of the treasures. "Go get the team together while I lock up here."

"Will do." He turned, but paused and looked over his shoulder before ascending back into the cool Egyptian night. "Thanks for saving my ass, after all that went on between us."