The one who enters, stays.

“No no no! You can’t take it!” I panicked as I saw a team of black suited men start to pack artifacts into foam padded boxes. Two men picked up a large stone wall that had hieroglyphics inscribed on it. I ran over, tripping over my feet as a bit of panic sets in. 

“No please, I still have so much to learn. I haven’t translated this text yet. Please, I was supposed to have the full 2 months. It has only been 6 weeks.” 

I wiped my brow, the hot desert heat radiated off of the government cars. A man in a black suit walked up to me, silver sunglasses gleamed. The man stopped in front of me, his smile filled in mockery. 

“We know Dr. William, but there has been a change in plans.” He smirked, crossing his arms.

“Well, yeah! I can tell.” I pointed at all the cars, the men still packing up my findings. The man in front of me took off his glasses, biting the edge of it.

“You see, you aren’t bringing in enough information for me to say you are still useful. I decided to fund your little excavation because you promised me results. I didn't get any so I’m pulling my funding.”

“Please Mr. Ashton, this is hard and slow work. I am trying to dig up an ancient civilization. If you give me more time-”

“Enough!” Mr. Ashton yelled, motioning the men to pack up the last box. “I gave you time, Alex and money. You wasted both of it.” Mr. Ashton started to walk back into his black SUV. 

I stood there, defeated. All my work, my month’s work gone in a matter of minutes. I looked up at Mr. Ashton.

“What am I supposed to do!” I yelled back, taking off my glasses. Anger filled my body as I started to shake.

“You’re young my boy. You’ll figure it out!” Mr. Ashton smiled back, closing the door behind him. He put down the window. “Oh, and feel free to visit your findings in the Worthington’s Museum back in the States.” 

The cars drove away, dust filled the Egyptian air. I turned my face, covering my eyes as the dust hit me. I looked up, stranded in my abandoned camp. Anger and hate filled my body, I spent years researching, months finding these artifacts, and it took minutes for all of it to be for nothing. I threw my glasses into the dust, holding my head as I felt a wave of defeat fill my body. I fell to my knees, head hung back as I screamed into the sky.

That was 3 months ago. Ever since that unfortunate day. I’ve been going to the Worthington’s Museum to continue my work behind the glass. Mr. Ashton pulled the plug too soon, I was onto something great. We were about to learn something no one knew about Egyptian culture but he backed out. Now, all my research will be credited to me, not Ashton. I’ll do all that it takes to finish my work, even if that means looking at the artifacts through the glass like everyone else. 

“Welcome back to the Worthington’s Museum of Earth’s history.” A young woman behind the information desk smiled at me.

“Oh yes, thank you.” I smiled back, fixing my circled-rimmed glasses. 

She gave me a map of the place and I started my journey. My satchel hung over my shoulder and I walked through the museum. I looked around for a while, making a mental note of all the security guards. I walked into the exhibit, looking at all the findings of ancient Egypt. I ran over, looking into the glass case of the hieroglyphics I found. I set down my bag, took out my notebook and restarted my work. Today was the day I deciphered the text. I looked down at my notes and saw the sentence it made. 

Beware of the one who enters. The one who enters, stays. 

“Fascinating!” I smiled, looking at the hieroglyphics once more. I turned to an artifact that I found buried deep in the earth back in Egypt. It looked like a vase, inscribed with pictures of a sarcophagus and people going in. 

“Interesting.” I stepped closer, my hand touching the glass. “How the vase is painted, the people seem to go into the tombs but not out.” 

“Hey!” A voice rang from behind me. I quickly turned around to see a security guard walking up to me. 

“Sir, you can’t be that close to the glass.” She pointed to a sign that I obviously missed. I stepped back.

“I am so sorry ma’am.” Disappointment filled me as she walked away. 

If I can only get closer, I could figure out what it means. 

The intercom rang telling the guests that the museum would be closing soon. I knelt down to put my notebook back in my bag when I heard a deep quiet voice.

“You can always stay.”

“Hello?” I whipped my head around, seeing no one there. A chill filled my body as I went back to packing up my bag. That mysterious voice continued to echo in my head, sparking ideas. 

“I could… I could stay.” A smile formed on my lips as I looked and saw the cameras turned away from this room. No guards right now either. I got up, looking for a quick place to hide. 

They would check the bathrooms. But they wouldn’t check… 

I turned to a sarcophagus, shining from an overhead light. I carefully walked up to it, admiring the designs. I turned to the vase.

“Oh, the sarcophagus inscribed on the vase looks like this one here. Fascinating!” 

“Someone’s coming.” 

A raspy, low whisper blew on my ear. I quickly turned around holding where the breath hit.

 I looked around the empty room, chills filled my body. I quickly moved up towards the coffin, gently touching the cold metal as I slowly opened it. 

A low gasp-like sound was heard, the smell of sand filled the room. I carefully stepped inside the tomb, gently closing the door as voices of guards filled the hallways. The door of the coffin slammed shut, anxiety coated my bones. I was in a coffin, a real Egyptian coffin. 

“It’s a lot smaller than I would think.” I whispered chuckled, trying to move a bit into a comfortable position. I could feel something touch my arm, a cloth like material. My body jolted, my eyes darted down to my arm to see only a yellowish cloth. I smiled.

“Ha, it's just an old linen from the mummy that used to dwell in here.” I closed my eyes, trying to calm down. I still can’t believe I scared myself. 

Suddenly I felt the linen move again, I looked back down. The linen was slowly wrapping around my wrist. The panic came back.

I tried to move my arm away, the linen started to climb higher. 

“Hey, hey! Help someone!” I screamed as my other arm was being wrapped up as well. Dust started to fill the coffin. A low rumble echoed through the sarcophagus as it started to shake.

“Beware of the one who enters. The one who enters, stays.” 

The voice boomed inside the coffin, chills running down my spine as it became hard to breathe. Tears fell down my face as my arms and legs started to burn from the linens. Wraps covered my eyes and mouth, my screaming became muffled. The coffin went dark and still. 

The door suddenly bursts open, causing my limp body to fall out. As I hit the floor, I was unsure if I were dead or not. My eyes slowly opened as the linen unraveled from them. 

I was still in the museum but it all looked different. There was a brownish tint to everything. I slowly moved my hand to push myself up. My body felt sluggish and broken; as if I had died and came back to life. My arm made a weird crack as it was pushed back into its joint. I gagged, groning as I propped myself up, breathing heavily as I coughed away dust. I looked at my arm, the yellow linen was still there. I tried to remove it but it seemed to have fused to my skin. 

My skin.

It had a grayish tint to it now, almost like the skin was decaying. I looked at my legs, seeing the linen attached there as well. 

“This is surely interesting.” I whispered, my voice cracking from the dust. I grabbed my notebook and started writing down my experience. 

“The hieroglyphic was a warning for others. This tomb must have been cursed. As I fell into its trap I will continue my studies after I find help.” 

I slowly stood up, my legs feeling weak as the bone cracked. I continued to make mental notes.

“My body feels like I have died and come back alive. My bones are weak and frail and yet I heal almost as fast as I break them. The linen has fused onto my body, giving my skin a grayish tint.” 

I limped to the exit of the exhibit, moving like a mummy would from the movies. It was almost comedic, one would probably laugh if they witnessed it. 

No, what I was thinking. No one would laugh at a mummy-like creature that had emerged from a coffin. 

Suddenly I felt a tug on my limbs as I was thrown back. I hit the floor hard, wheezing a bit as I stared at the ceiling. I turned around as I saw the linen wrapped on my limbs were still connected to the coffin. Dread filled my body.

 I can’t leave.

I slowly got back up, hanging my head. 

I actually can’t leave. The curse was right, those who enter, stay. 

I slowly got back up, moving back to my notebook, writing down my new, dreadful findings. 

“The linen that had fused to my body is still connected to the coffin, meaning I can not escape. I am stuck here. However, I will not stop my research. This had moved on from finding more about a lost civilization. This is about finding my freedom and I won’t rest until I do.” 

I spent the rest of the night, looking at the hieroglyphics for more information. Nothing explained my way of escape. Sun started to sneak into the room, gently touching my gray skin. My skin started to burn. I winced, moving back into the shadows.

“I am sensitive to the sun, I have to continue my research only at night. How convenient.” Slowly I moved back to the coffin, stepping in with my notebook. The coffin closed, trapping me into my new home; my coffin. 

I closed my eyes, breathing a deep breath as I waited for night to fall once again. 

For those who have found this notebook, know that I am still trying to find a way to escape. I will not lose hope nor get discouraged. I have taken my research and now made it my life. I will find an escape. And when I do, I shall tell the world of my discoveries. And to Mr. Ashton, feel free to visit your findings in the Worthington’s museum’ anytime. I’ll be waiting, for ‘Beware of the one who enters. The one who enters, stays.’