Chapter 236: Jana IV

Chapter 236: Jana IV—The Mummy’s Curse

 

            “When can we see the mummy?” Mitchell kept asking. He was gripping Mrs. Sakic’s hand tightly and he was shaking it up and down. Jana grimaced and nodded. She was wondering the exact same thing. Mitchell had been talking in the car about the mummy’s curse and she was feeling impatient now to see it.

            They were at the museum to see the mummy but it was so crowded that Mommy had said they should wait and let the group go ahead so they wouldn’t feel so crowded.

            “If it’s unwrapped then it’ll be all black and shriveled like a raisin,” Elena, Jonathan’s GIRLFRIEND and a mean old piano teacher said. “And it’s teeth will be all white and big like a horse!”

            “Ewww!” Jana squealed. She remembered that image from the television. “Like in the movies?”

            “Yeah!” Mitchell piped. “Just like in the movies. I seen it on tv Jana, they unwrap them and they look like they been cooked they’re all black!”

            “Can you eat them?” Jana asked. “Like beef jerky?” Now that would be interesting. Black mummy jerky, chewy and in plastic wrapping.

            That got a round of groans from everyone.

            “You can’t eat people!” Jonathan said.

            Jana glared at Jonathan, he was paying no attention to her at all lately and it was because of Elena. She crossed her arms. “Mummies aren’t people,” she snipped. There, that should put him into place.

            “Yes they are,” Jonathan replied. “They’re dead people all dried out.”

            Jana closed one eye. “Well I still want to eat one.” She didn’t want to particularly but she wasn’t about to admit that she was wrong or that she was defeated. “I bet they taste like beef jerky.”

            “Jana don’t be disgusting,” Mommy said. Jana sighed.

            When they finally got moving they first went into a room that was sparkling in ever corner with gold and jewels. Jana felt her eyes widen and her mouth water as she ran to a glass case that had an assortment of rings twinkling within. She could imagine herself wearing each and every one of them, holding court in a fine palace. “Wow,” she said in a low voice to Mitchell was at her side. “I bet we could sneak them home.”

            “Noo,” Mitchell replied. “If we do that then we shall fall victim to the mummy’s curse.”

            Jana frowned. “There’s no curse.”

            “Yah huh,” Mitchell whispered. “There’s always a curse.”

            Jana smiled. She looked around, and saw that the mommies were at the other end of the room talking to each other and that Cecile was holding Camryn in one arm and chasing the other twin. Jonathan and Freddy were both with Elena, she was laughing with Freddy and Jonathan seemed to be mad about something.

            “Hey Mitchell,” Jana said.

            “Yup?” Mitchell replied.

            “Let’s go see the Mummy before everyone else. Wouldn’t that be cool?”

            Mitchell’s eyes widened. “Would we get in trouble?”

            Jana shrugged, “Maybe,” she said. “But we’re little kids, they can’t murder us right?”

            Mitchell frowned and wrinkled his round little nose. “I guess,” he said. “I wanna see the mummy!”

            Jana nodded. “Me too, so if we act in-con-squick-ee-ous then we can see it and brag about it too.”

            Mitchell frowned and he scratched his head. “Ok,” he said. “Let’s go see the mummy.”

            Jana grabbed Mitchell’s hand and she crept along the exhibit cases, glancing in at them, glancing at the grown ups. Mitchell followed and was quiet, good, then he knew what to do. Finally they were out in the museum hallway. It was empty and they could hear the voices of the other people who wanted to see the mummy downstairs, waiting for their turn. This was a window of opportunity. Jana could sense it.

            “Come on,” she whispered.

            “Jana I don’t know,” Mitchell said in an almost mournful voice.

            Jana frowned. “You aren’t being a BABY are you?”

            “No,” Mitchell said quietly.

            “Gotcha!”

            Jana squealed along with Mitchell and her first impulse was to run but Jonathan’s arm around her waist stopped her from doing that. She kicked as he lifted her high into the air and then put her down.

            “Jonathan!” Jana snapped. “Don’t do that.”

            Jonathan pulled on her braid and messed up Mitchell’s hair. “You guys thought you were being sneaky eh?” he said. “Mom sent us to get you.”

            Jana sighed, sensed her failure, was angry at everyone because of it.

            “Mom!” Freddy yelled into the exhibit room, “We found them!”

            “What were you doing anyway?” Elena asked in that know it all voice, “Looking for Red Wings?”        

            “Nooo,” Jana snipped, she thought again of that sticker she couldn’t have. “And if we found any then I’ll let you bite him.”

            Elena’s eyebrows skid upwards on her dark face and she half smiled.

            “We were looking for the mummy,” Mitchell said in a quiet voice.

            “Really?” Elena said. “Well we’re on our way to see it.”

            “But.. but we wanna see it now,” Mitchell said. “Before everyone else.”            

            Jana nodded and she saw Elena’s half grin spread to a whole smile.

            “Hey Jonathan,” she said. “Why can’t we?”

            Jonathan raised his eyebrows and grimaced. Jana knew it was so he could look like Daddy when he did that. “Why not,” he said. He winked at Jana and leaned into the exhibit room, “Hey Mom!” He yelled. “Mitchell has to go pee, we’re taking him to the bathroom. We’ll meet up with you in a few.”

            Jana grinned, was he really?

            “I don’t have to pee,” Mitchell whispered.

            “I know,” Jonathan said. “We’re going to see the mummy.”

            Jana’s grin turned into a smile and she hugged Jonathan. “I love you!” She giggled.

            The whole group of them ran down the empty hallway, until they got to the back of the exhibit where the mummy’s room was. The tour group wasn’t in there yet. It was empty and all for them! Jana could see the glass encased coffin at the other end of the room, she thought she could see the mummy inside. She got the chills.

            “Hold it!” The security guard said, “You kids have to go around the front of the exhibit, not backwards.”

            “But we’re just trying to get to our parents,” Elena said. “Can’t we just go through? Please? Come on be a nice guy, what do we look like robbers?”

            Jana smiled, she liked Elena more and she stood next to her, and made sure to blink at the guard. He was a round, dark skinned man with a nice looking face. “OK,” he said, “But get to your parents.”

            “Thanks Mr. Security man,” Jana said and she felt triumphant as they went into the exhibit room.

            “Wow!” Mitchell said in an awed voice. “There it is.”

            Jana grabbed Mitchell’s hand and ran with him to the coffin.

            “Eeee!” Mitchell squealed. “His face is unwrapped. He can see us!”

            Jana wrinkled her nose. “He does look like beef jerky.” The face was shriveled and a leathery chocolate texture. It looked like someone had used jerky to sculpt a mannequin and the teeth were sparkling and large like sliced of white bread.

            “Wow,” Mitchell breathed.

            “Hey there is a curse,” Freddy said.

            Jana looked at her brother. “What?” she asked.

            Freddy ran his finger along the print on the coffin as he read it. “It is said that certain doom and unwanted visitations shall be inflicted upon those who disturb my corpse and my royal scepter.” He frowned. “Where’s the scepter?”

            “Over there,” Elena said and they went to the case that had the golden scepter inside.

            “So cool!” Jana said.

            “Yeah,” Mitchell said softly. “Good thing we won’t be cursed.”

            Before Jana could reply the lights went out and the doors slammed leaving them in pitch black darkness. Mitchell squealed and Jana reached out, grabbed his tiny body and hugged him. “Jonathan!” she cried. “What’s happening.”

            “Aw don’t worry,” Jonathan replied. “It’s just a power outage, the generator will turn it back on.”

            “It’s the curse!” Mitchell squeaked.

            “Head count!” Jonathan said. “Freddy? Elena? Mitchell? Jana?”

            Jana answered and so did the others. She felt a little better now that she could feel everyone else pressing around her and Mitchell. He was crying, she could feel his tears soaking into her sleeve but he wasn’t sobbing. Poor Mitchell! He was like a baby.

            “Let’s just stay put and everything will be…” Jonathan began but he was interrupted by a loud crashing sound that was undeniably glass shattering.

            Jana hugged Mitchell tightly and closed her eyes.

            “Was there anyone else in here?” Freddy asked.

            “Not that I know of,” Jonathan said in an unsure voice.

            “I don’t think we’re alone in here,” Elena whispered. “Jonathan, I can hear something, can’t you?”

            They stood silent and even Jana could hear the sound of someone walking across the tiled floor. It sounded like it was coming straight for them.

            “Mitchell,” Jana whispered. “I won’t let it get you.”

            Mitchell didn’t answer, he just squeezed her harder.

            “Hey!” Jonathan snapped. “Who’s over there!”

            There was no answer but the sound of the footsteps stopped.

            “Why hasn’t the power come back up?” Freddy asked.

            “Shh!” Jonathan said. “It’ll come back on.”

            Jana could only hope that Jonathan was right.