Heathor

 (Where are you?)

An unfamiliar fear shook me and awakened me. My heart is vibrating very loudly. I opened my eyes and I see darkness. Some light is visible from distance. What is this? I am trying to rise my hand to rub my eyes but I am unable to do so. I am trying to look down and to find the reason, but I am incapable to move my head even a bit. My heart is beating fast. Now I am scared. What has happened to me? I am trying to comprehend; I am surrounded by some hard object. There is no space even to make a slightest of movement.

I am trying to calm down myself in order to understand what is going on. As a thirteen-year-old teenager, I am trying to calm myself as much as I could. I am just thirteen years old. I am a royal servant who works in pharaoh's palace. I am still trying to perceive what is happening with me?

I am trying to calm myself to understand what is going on. As a thirteen-year-old teenager, I am trying to calm myself as much as I can. I am just thirteen years old. I am a royal servant who works in pharaoh's palace. I am still trying to perceive what is happening to me?

To understand this, I am trying to focus my attention on the light coming from distance. There are two holes in front of my eyes. From there I can see something. What is happening after all? Oh, this is the sanctum sanctorum of the burial place, of dead pharaoh and in my mind a cluster of thoughts and memories started gathering suddenly.

Our emperor Pharaoh has died a few months ago. He had grown old. He was unwell. We were all prepared for this event. No one grieved much. Everyone calmly accepted it as a natural consequence.

State mourning began to be observed. Preparations began to bid the pharaoh a final farewell for his next journey. The process of converting his body into that of a mummy started following.

Innumerable types of work have been started, to complete this burial ceremony. Not only in the palace, but in the city also a kind of festive atmosphere was created. Everyone was involved in some or the other part of this process. Everyone was occupied with enthusiasm.

But how did I end up here? Today is the last day of this final farewell. It will be closed after making all the preparations in the sanctum sanctorum. I've never come here. Entry of an ordinary maid like me is prohibited in this room. Only certain distinguished people can enter this room.

Now my attention is completely focused on the scene outside. I am mesmerized by what is happening around me. The walls of this chamber are made of huge stones. These walls are dark black in colour. Several torches are burning on the walls. Sun's rays do

not reach this room. The lights of the torches are spreading the darkness

instead of lighting up the wall.

I became absorbed, oblivious to my surrounding, I am trying to look intently out of the holes with the curiosity of a teenage girl. Close to a wall of the chamber is the coffin, built to hold the dead body of our emperor. The coffin is closed. The dead body of the Pharaoh was prepared according to the specific method and placed in the coffin. Golden shiny carvings were done on that coffin. The shadows of light and darkness emanating from the torches are making the tomb even more mysterious. A mystery that creates mixed vibes of fear and awe in my heart.

There are other people present in this room besides me. These are few distinguished and honorable people of royal court. A look of fear mixed reverence is visible on everyone's faces. All are free, stable. Seeing their faces, I can feel that they want to leave this room as soon as possible. If anyone is standing in this room without any fear and haste, it is the chief priest.

It is responsibility of the chief priest to complete the ceremony. Selected slaves are working under his guidance to accomplish this. Watching their activity, I can feel that they are precisely following instructions of the priest and that they have been rehearsed about all the rituals of this day. That is why the priest is not speaking a single word, he is giving instructions only by signs and gestures and the slaves are following those instructions diligently. No one is talking here. In spite of so many people and activities, there is silence here, the silence of death.

I am still enchanted with the activities and looking outside. I have forgotten for a while where I am and what will be my end? There is more reason to be enchanted. It's not just people in the room. This room is filled with an immense and astonishing treasure store of wealth and gold. I have never seen such wealth together and in one place in my thirteen years of life, even though I live in the palace.

In a que of two slaves at a time moving side by side are carrying huge metal and earthen vessels, with very measured steps and immense concentration. Now a large part of the room is filled with these vessels. They are mainly placed around the coffin of the king. These vessels are of different shapes and some are decorated with astonishing colors and carvings. What makes them even more appealing are, the treasures they are fill with. Most of the vessels are full of gold coins, jewelries and rare precious items. The brilliance of the precious gems and stones filled in these vessels is what attracting me. Artifacts, sculptures made of precious metals and stones are decorated in and around some of these vessels. I have seen, some of these before, in the chamber and court of the late pharaoh.

The glitter of gold and gems, in the light of torches are dazzling my eyes and mind. I stare at it with innate curiosity of a teenager and at the same time a gleam of anger in my heart. This wealth is the reason I am present here, in this form today. This opulence is the reason for my dreadful condition. It is the power opulence and ego that has created this final fate for me today.

I am not the only one who became victim of this. The dead bodies kept in many other simple coffins, standing in this tomb of the pharaoh, are also victims of the ego of this wealth and power. All these are distinguished officers and servants of the deceased king who are now buried with the king, to service him on the next life. Although being selected for this service in our country is seen with great honor but I don't know why I am not able to accept it as an honor today.

But what am I doing here? All of them are no longer alive, in the midst of these dead coffins and mausoleums, I am the only living one! But I am a Thirteen-year-old girl! Why am I alive in a coffin? Why can't I speak! Why no sound is coming out of my mouth?

Distinguished are dignitaries slowly leaving the room in two lines, it is making me more restless. So, their work is done! Will they all leave me here alone and go away! Won't anyone find out that a living teenager is locked in this coffin?

I am trying to shout but no sound is coming out of my mouth. I am trying to move my hands but there is no place to even bend my fingers. Just the tears in my eyes are expressing my condition.

Special dignitaries have left the chamber. Now only the slaves are completing the task of moving and placing the objects, as per the instructions of priest. By observing them I can feel that their work is almost done. I don't know how much time has passed? But their presence is giving me courage. Now I can see that gradually they have also started leaving the room. The priest is walking behind them and he is the last person to leave the room. I can't see anymore. I have closed my eyes in fear.

I don't know how long I was in this state. The rumble of moving stones startled me. The door of the chamber, which is made of huge stones, are being closed. I am crying again – “No! Don't leave me here alone. I'm here! Look here I am!” Nobody heard anything. No sound came out.

In a short time, everything calmed down. I can see that in this room, in the light of torches, there is a dead court of a dead pharaoh, shining with wealth. In this dead court only my living eyes are watching this scene. I'm missing! Blue sky, my friends, my youthful desires! I want to run out of this room right now.  Now I can hear the sound of strong wind gushing in this chamber. Intense white smoke is pouring in this chamber from the two holes on the walls.

Note: This is just a trailer. This story started long before this moment and it has gone through different colorful phases of Hathor’s life.

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