Cry For Me (Jerod's Second Tale - Part 3)

What the hell? Where am I? I feel like I've been hit by a freight train.

What's the last thing I remember?

I had a drink. Just one really awful tasting - oh shit. That wasn't an awful drink because it was badly made. That was awful because it was spiked with something.

So, I'm here well inside some tomb or pyramid. There is one obvious exit with footprints in the dust leading in and out. I tried it and the door won't budge. I bet whoever put me here blocked it when they left.

They didn't touch anything I was carrying. I have a few days worth of travel rations, a canteen and my cell. But the cell is useless right now. I am getting no signal with all these blocks around. So phoning for help is out of the question.

I have to hope I can find some secret exits to this room. Because the only person who will be thinking about me in the immediate future is Amin and I doubt he'll be able to find me before I die of hunger or thirst, assuming he even decides to look. There are too many temples, tombs and pyramids around the town.

I don't know if there is another way out, but I have to try. There are traps everywhere. One wrong move and I'm toast.

On the other hand, there are treasure chests too. If I get out, we will be much wealthier.

This is sort of like what I arranged for Dennis, way back. But he was supposed to have rations of food and water to last a week. Just no phone or wallet. I have no supplies here beyond what I had on me last night. The phone will be useless until I get out.

I find myself tapping on every wall, looking and listening for any differences. If only I can find a way out.

If? When! I have to think positive. I have Tania, Lana and our unborn baby to think of. Plus I must exact my revenge for this.

There's a price to being too greedy. This trap was triggered by me grabbing some coins left on the ground. Glittery golden coins, just waiting for me. Fuck it, I have to remember how many traps this place has.

This is frustrating. I've been going for hours now.  I can find hidden doors, but I can't work out if I'm going deeper into this place or finding my way out. At least there is enough dust on the floor that I won't go in circles. My footprints are quite plain.

Oh, good a change of pace. No fire traps in this room. There are dart traps instead. One wrong move and I'll be a pincushion instead of flame broiled. This is not much of an improvement.

Careful Jerod. Just a sip of water when you must. I don't know how long this water must last. I haven't seen the smallest trickle of water anywhere.

It's very clear. I'm meant to die here. To the rest of the world, I would have disappeared and maybe someone could identify my remains when my bones are finally found down here. Maybe never found at all, or so many years from now that no one will ever know whose bones they are.

Finding a room full of unkempt tombs really brings it home for me. Does someone come through once every few decades and bury the newer corpses? Or were they all part of the original burial?

One way or another, I'll never know the answer to that one. I'll be out or dead.

Who knows how long I've been down here now. Long enough to get careless. Fucking shit. I triggered one of the traps.

Now I'm singed, filthy, hungry, thirsty and tired. I have yet to find a safe place to stop and rest. I've found no water, though there have been some morsels of food.

Still, I have to go on. I have to get out and make someone pay for doing this to me. And pay big time.

I have to explore every nook and cranny. I don't know what might lead to the way out.

Having to poke your hand down every crevice is interesting. You never know if you find a vital switch, or treasure or bugs. Hordes of nasty, stinging, repellent bugs.

Sometimes, it's a bit of both. This little hidey hole had both bugs and something shiny to take home.

Tania, I'm so sorry sweetie. I will keep trying my best to come home to you. But I can't promise it. Not now. I hope you are safe sweetie. You, Lana and our unborn baby.

Come on you fucking damned thing. Move! I need you to sit on a trigger and keep the exit open for me.

God damn. I am so very god fucking damned tired. I have no idea if it has been hours or days down here. I still haven't a clue if I'm going deeper in or slowly headed toward an exit. I don't feel safe enough to rest. I haven't seen anything worse than bugs down here but lying on the ground is out of the question.

Why the hell did I leave home? Ted's threats were nothing compared to this.

Oh right, he was also threatening Lana, Tania. My girls do come first. But if I find that ginger haired fucking freak is behind this, I'll kick his butt from home to here and back again.

I found what appears to be a map. It's old, fragile and a few pieces are missing but I might finally be able to work out where I am and which way to go.

I studied the map for some minutes, fortunately the room I was in had six alcoves for six of these decorated holes to inspect. I could only find one room like it on the map, so once I work out which doors corresponded to the doors on the map, I might finally be on track. Assuming the map is right. Assuming that I am right.

More freaking god damn fucking bugs. God, I hate these things. A few try to crawl back up your legs when you've pushed them off your arms.

And more tombs. I better check my map, I seem to have gotten disoriented. This is a dead end.

Ah, I see where I went wrong. I'm not far off the fucking trail I meant to use.

Hmm, maybe Dennis? Though when I last saw him, he didn't seem vindictive. And if revenge is a dish best served cold, this would be a downright icy dish, that was years ago. Maybe Shark for his dad? Shark doesn't seem the type, he really is just another two bit thug.

One of my last morsels of food. That's not such a worry, I should be able to continue on for a few days without food, but this dry travel stuff makes you so thirsty. I took a big swig of water, and drinking more water I may regret sooner than the food.

Tania, I hope you are keeping me in your thoughts. You are always in mine.

Great, just fucking great. Another god damned fucking fire trap. I hope this door gets me closer to out, since there is no way back through these flames.

Even in my current state, I am amazed by some of what I find down here. This sphinx statue is exquisite. The gilded highlights against the ebony stone. And the room has matching wall hangings, pottery. It's just stunning.

God fucking damn, what the hell am I doing with my excuse for a brain?  I forgot. The last thing I remember before I collapsed was a black haired woman at the camp bar mixing drinks. Who the fuck is she? She is the one I should focus on, not any of my ex-coworkers. She poured drinks into glasses and no one else came near to a drink until I did.

A new fucking damned kind of trap, steam this time.

Actually, this feels good. It's washing the soot off me, I'm feeling a lot more normal at long last.

That's much better.

Relatively speaking, that's better. I'm still exhausted, thirsty, hungry and now dripping wet. When I find that woman in black, I'm going to wrap my hands around her pretty throat and just squeeze.

Stairs. I found stairs going both up and down.

I'd love to try down someday. When I have plenty of time, food, water, and camping gear, I'd love to go deeper into this place. For now, it's up and I hope out of here. I checked the map, it seems right.

Thank god, my water lasted long enough. Just barely long enough.

I know this place. Going up led me to the entrance hall of the Great Pyramid. I walked in here once on my first trip.

I am finally out and now it's time to turn my attention to the woman in black and her motives. Who does she work for? How do I get them the message that you do not fuck over Jerod Shrimpton?

I found a camp site not far from the pyramid. It doesn't look like it gets used much at all.

It should be a safer spot for me to stay then the main campground. I can hear those little scooters for miles, I'll have warning if anyone approaches. Being on the other side of the river will help too.

The disadvantage of this campground? No shower. No fridge either but there is a firepit.

My first hot meal in who knows how long.

Finally, with a proper meal in my belly and the prospect of a long sleep soon, I called Amin and asked him to visit.

"Amin, my friend."

"Friend Jerod. You missed the meeting two days ago."

Two days? I wasn't sure how long I spent in that hell. "Ah, yes. That would be because I had been left in the Great Pyramid. Tell me, are any of the Family still around?"

"Yes, I believe that two of them are still here somewhere."

"Is one of them a dark haired female with a rather skimpy outfit?"

"Friend Jerod, I am not sure. I am more ... a consultant, then a participant in the doings of our organisation. I know our people have been talking to someone who is in the area."

"If I could get some photographs, could you send them to someone for me?"

"That should be easy enough, friend Jerod."

"Without people know that you sent them?"

He paused. "That could prove difficult."

"Now look, we are both reasonable men. I'll offer you a fee if I deliver a couple of images to you tomorrow to email to some people."

"For a fee, friend Jerod, I am sure that anything is possible." You know, in some way Egypt is a delight. If you have the money, your problems can just vanish.

Finally, I can get some rest.

Unless Amin is betraying me, I should be reasonably safe here for a few days. The woman in black and her partner will have no clue that there were hidden exits to that room. They must have believed that there was only one exit and that I'm still there, slowly starving to death.

Tomorrow, I have to find out more about them.

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Bonus pic

Jerod, where do you carry that axe when you are down to torched skivvies? On second thought, I don't want to know.