Page 95 of Ancient Obsession

The mummy released him and spun, allowing Oliver to pull his hands free. A jagged piece of bone scraped along his wrist, drawing blood.

Dave grabbed him around the waist and yanked him away. Detective Carter swung his crowbar like a baseball bat. It connected with the side of Amenmose’s head, and the dry crackling sound of tearing skin and bandages went through Oliver like a shot.

A shriek from behind them made Dave tighten his arms even more around Oliver’s chest as they turned. A woman launched herself out of the supply closet shoving a custodial cart. Her eyes were wide and wild, her hair disheveled, and her face smudged with dirt as the cart rattled across the concrete floor. It took Oliver several seconds to recognize her.

Samira aimed the cart directly at Amenmose. The mummy turned to confront this new assault, but Samira was driving it hard. It struck the mummy at the waist, and Amenmose bent over it, waving its arms as it tried to find a grip along the slick plastic sides. Bottles and cans of solvents and cleaners tumbled off and rolled in all directions. Samira’s mouth twisted into a snarl, but her eyes never wavered from the mummy as she pushed, legs straining and teeth clenched tight. Oliver hurried over to join her, and together they forced Amenmose up against the side of the coffin.

The mummy’s enraged roar rose gooseflesh along Oliver’s arms and neck. Samira shouted back, digging her toes in and shoving harder. Amenmose swiped off plastic gallon jugs and a number of smaller items that clattered against the floor as it tried to get to them. Oliver continued pushing with her, keeping the mummy trapped. They couldn’t keep that up forever, but maybe they had just enough time for all of them to get to the outer room and barricade the door.

“Get out of the room!” Oliver shouted, the others hurrying into the control room.

Except for Dave. He darted in from Oliver’s right side, holding one of the plastic jugs. Moving in close to the mummy, he splashed the contents across it, soaking it with a strong-smelling liquid that made Oliver’s eyes water.

“Stand back!” Dave instructed. He took Oliver’s elbow and moved him away from the cart and around behind him. “You too.” He gestured toward Samira, and Oliver grabbed her arm and pulled her back beside him.

Amenmose flung the cart aside, scattering the few items that remained. The mummy clenched its bony fingers and shrieked at Dave. It advanced, swiping at him, but Dave dodged the blow. He was unsteady, Oliver could tell—most likely running on pure adrenaline—but he stayed on his feet. Dave doused the mummy again and then threw the jug at it. Amenmose batted it away, head shifting even more to the side.

“Get back.”

Dave glanced over his shoulder, checking their positions, then clicked the trigger on a long-barreled lighter. He ducked to avoid another swipe from the mummy and lunged in close.

The moment stretched out. Dave pressed the tip against the mummy’s chest. The flame guttered and nearly died. But then a quiet whomp of ignition devoured oxygen from the room and blew their hair back with a warm rush. The skin of Oliver’s face felt tight and crisp, and he turned away.

Dave put an arm around Oliver’s shoulders and rushed him and Samira through the door. The rest of the group stood in the outer room, watching through the glass as the flames climbed up Amenmose’s body. Bandages lifted as they burned, bits of ash tearing free and floating away.

Amenmose screamed.

The mummy waved its arms and started to limp toward the doorway, but got turned around and ended up by the coffin. One arm disconnected and landed in a burning lump. The wrist of its other arm bumped the coffin and detached. Flames crawled along the bandages that covered its head.

With an awkward twist of its torso, Amenmose managed to look through the window. Even without his glasses, Oliver knew Amenmose stared directly at him. He squinted, just able to make out Amenmose’s jaw as it worked, and even though he wasn’t able to hear the word, Oliver knew what he said.

Mery.

Oliver’s throat closed, and tears blurred his vision.

Amenmose’s legs gave out, and the mummy collapsed into a pile of burning bone and bandages.

“Jesus,” Carter whispered.

Samira had her back against the wall and she slid to the floor. Pulling her knees to her chest, she rested her head on her knees and sobbed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Fire licked along the pile of bones. Officer Montroig found a fire extinguisher under the control panel and carried it into the room. Oliver sagged against Dave as he watched the white clouds of fire retardant mix with sooty black smoke. His hands hung at his sides, and his legs were wobbly.

Officer Keaton coaxed Samira to her feet and helped her out the door and into the hall.

“Everyone back to the gardens,” Carter said. “I want to talk to every witness before people start leaving.”

Most of their group had slid down the wall and sat staring at each other. Cuts and bruises were starting to show, and every outfit was ruined.

“Are you kidding me?” Agatha said. “Did you not see what happened here? Darnell was nearly strangled.”

“I’m fine.” Jugs’s voice was hoarse, and Oliver could see bruising starting to darken the skin of his neck.

“I understand that, but this whole building is now a crime scene,” Carter replied. “The faster we get through this, the sooner everyone can leave.”

The others grumbled, watching nervously through the glass at the smoke still rising from the bones.