Writing for Fun
May 2017
M25 - Bob Wendelkin
The first time he read The Lost Pharaoh by Leonard Cottrell as a boy Julian knew that eventually he would become an Egyptologist and search the ancient history of that land. His obsession was almost as if he had lived the life of an ancient Egyptian. The histories of Greece and Babylon didn't strike right the notes in his imagination. Roman history and the manner in which it still in some respects influences our present world was of interest by nothing in comparison to that of Egypt which became a part of his life.
He studied hard and was driven, such was his progress that he could easily read and write in the Hieroglyphics and Demonic language of that ancient land. At a young age after he left university his ability was observed and he joined a Prestigious Museum where he became a leading light in the Egyptian Research Group.
He gained an opportunity to go to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where because of his research abilities and his knowledge of Ancient written languages he was given access to all manner of restricted documents. His ability meant that he became a respected visitor to the museum, so much so that he was invited to become a guest member of an expedition to the Valley of the Kings.
He found in an old file a document allegedly produced by Howard Carter in which he had listed all the Pharaohs he believed to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. Carter concentrated on King Tutankhamen and put his other searches on hold and so the list was just filed. Julian could see that many Pharaohs were listed, but against one name Carter had written the letter M for missing. Against King Tutankhamen KV number 62, Carter had written M25 with a question mark, he had also written 'Who is this? that is the Question.'
From his researches in the Cairo Museum Julian became more and more determined to find M25. Even more so after he thought he was able to put a name against M25. He was certain that it was that famous Queen Nefertiti. What made M25 more human was that Julian found some writings that put flesh and bone on what would otherwise be just a name in a history book. He felt there was a relationship between King Tutankhamen and Nefertiti, he couldn't say if she was his mother or step-mother? He thought that as King Tutankhamen had died young and his tomb was small, and it went to the right instead to the left as would have been the case for a male, could he be sharing his tomb with her.
He decided that he would go to the Valley of the Kings and into King Tutankhamen's tomb. And gain access to the wall where he thought her tomb was placed if he got in he would be the first person to enter that tomb in three thousand years. His great sadness was that the Egyptian Authorities seemed reluctant to give permission to excavate through that wall where the X-rays and Radar signals indicated that a corridor could be concealed. However, because as he wasn't Egyptian he probably wouldn't be allowed to investigate the mysteries of a tomb. He wouldn't be able to solve the mystery of whether she was King Tutankhamen 's mother or only his step-mother. He hoped she was but only a DNA test would prove the issue.
A plan formed in his mind, he travelled to Luxor outside the tourist season so as to share the Valley with few people. He went to the Valley of the Kings there very early in the morning so that there were even fewer people around. There he entered King Tutankhamen tomb he had concealed about him in a backpack a drill that could go though that wall where everyone thought could be a missing part of the tomb. He knew that by breaking in he would be arrested and barred from any research on the contents of the tomb but he didn't care he will know the truth.
He now stood before that wall behind which he felt sure was the tomb of Nefertiti, that wall that separated him from his lifelong quest. As he took out the drill to pierce the wall he looked around the other people in the tomb began to move slower and slower and finally they seemed to be held in suspended animation. The wall before which he stood began to dissolve before his eyes, first the paintings began to run to the floor followed by the plaster and finally the brickwork. The broken wall at his feet started to grow smaller and smaller until it just seemed to fade away.
There before him stood the opening to a corridor that he knew would lead to her tomb. Guarding this corridor stood three Statues of the Queen. They were of his height and dressed completely in form fitting golden dresses that were pleated to show the queen's figure. But it wasn't the dresses that impressed him it was her face. He was more than aware of her world famous face, often when he was in Berlin he would go the museum and stand before it gazing into her eye wondering what she was really like, was she as beautiful as that head showed. Now before him he could see that the head in Berlin was just a trial attempt by the sculptor to show her to the world. He could see that her beauty was far, far greater than that figure head, he felt that beauty was such that it would almost be impossible for any man to capture in plaster. But it was not only her face it was her hands that she had outreached towards him, almost beckoning to come to her. She held a papyrus and he could easily read it but he couldn't understand it because it was addressed to a Julian which was his name.
From the darkness of the tomb a light started to glow, dimly at first then brighter and from the glow emerged the figure of a woman dressed in gold. He couldn't see her face but as she came towards him he could see that she was wearing the crown of a queen of Egypt. On she came, her hands held out towards him. In the light before him stood Queen Nefertiti. He felt the need to drop to his knees in front of her, but she took hold of his hand and raised him up.
'You have come at last. I have waited for you over the millenniums. I knew one day you would come to me I have watched over you. I made sure you could read and now you may speak in our language.'
'You are a Queen, I'm just a humble person.'
'You are the reincarnation of my Love. Now you are here we may go to that world that the Aten has created for us.'
'No, I'm too young to go from this world I have much to do in my age.'
'You will come with me, I'm Queen,' she said, but this time in a different commanding voice.
As he stood before her he could feel the wall behind him begin to reform. He had but a few moments to decide should he stay or go. It was the final hardness in her last words that decided him. He took many strides backwards until he finally stood outside the wall.
As the wall reformed before him Nefertiti came to the very wall and held out her hands to him in a pleading manner as to beckon him to come to her. But it was her face that tore at his heart. Upon that beautiful face he could see the tears run as she could feel the years of loneliness once more engulf her.
As the wall reformed the people in the tomb once more began to move. As he stood there he wondered did it really happen or was it his imagination. Until he looked in his hand there was the papyrus that he has seen in the hands of her statues. There he could read his name in the Hieroglyphics of Ancient Egypt.
As he looked at the reformed wall from that moment his destiny was set. He now knew her sprit was waiting for him in that tomb and she must not be disturbed until he returned to be with her once more. Now he must prevent any excavation into the tomb until that time he was ready to meet his queen