The Black Notebook

Egypt….home of some of the largest landscapes of sand that stretch further than the eye can see. Pyramids erected in honor of the long gone pharaohs buried with their secrets and treasures. And home to the hottest, driest, deadly animal filled environment anyone could ever be crazy enough to live in. These were the thoughts that coursed through my mind as I awoke to yet another excavation scheduled day. My name is Samuel Peterson, beginner archeologist and hopeful treasure hunter, and this is my story. The story of how I died.

I've always been interested in archeology or to be more accurate the high price treasures that could possibly be found. My family was poor growing up just barely able to scrape by. When I was four my mother separated from my father stating that he was always on some crazy expedition risking his life. As I grew older I would come to learn what my mother was talking about. My father was a highly renowned explorer and archeologist founding some of the greatest treasure finds to date. And through his fame he achieved great fortune.

I always idolized my father for this aspect of his career, and blamed my mother for our paycheck to paycheck living situation. My mother passed away shortly after I graduated from high school. I swore to myself at her funeral that I would become a great archeologist like my father, and will never live in the slums from this point moving forward. The problem of course is that I had no idea where to start and my father was so famous there was no chance of seeing him, let alone getting some advice. I started by researching everything I could on archeology I could get my hands on. And after a year and a half of trying to find someone to back an expedition, or find an expedition I could at least join I finally got my chance.

As I was sitting in a bar trying to think of my next step I overheard a conversation between two men in the table behind me. The one gentleman seemed to have been complaining because he was sick and tired of digging uselessly through sand in a scorching desert for a mythological treasure even if he was contractually obligated to do so. My ears perked up instantly at the sound of treasure. He continued by stating his employer, and spearhead of this entire expedition Jermiah Smith, began this search for the Book of the Dead. The book was rumored to make dreams come true, or at least that's how it was described in legend.

Jeremiah Smith was a well known man of business and wealth. However just over a year ago he had lost his wife to cancer. He did everything in his power that money could buy to try and avoid her terrible fate, and now he's been reduced to fairy tales. This does however pose a possibility for me as a chance to join the expedition and find the book before anyone else thus cementing my name in fame like my father. I could barely contain my excitement when I went over to the man to offer an exchange of services, namely he leaves the back breaking work and I take over his remaining contract.

The man thought about this a moment and agreed to my terms so long as he received 30 percent of any profit going forward. We agreed, drew up the contract, and I was on the first plane out to Egypt in search of what could be the beginning of my new life. My first month there was spent digging rigorously through mountains of sand, all the while determined to be the one to find the treasure before anyone else. That was ten months ago. As I lay in my tent, desert winds blowing, fear of scorpions finding its way into my shoe always lingering I began thinking I'll never reach my dream.

I got up from my sleeping bag after yet another restless night wondering just how many pounds of only sand I'll find that day. I joined the rest of the expedition team and went to work, the same as I've done nearly a year now, digging and sifting through sand for some kind of clue or indication that we're on the right track. As I was lost in my thoughts I noticed my shovel went a bit too deep into the sand then normal, past the head and up the handle. I tried again and once again the same happened. I informed the team leader to inform all diggers to concentrate on the area I had found and surely enough we found something.

We found a set of stairs leading down to an undiscovered burial tomb. The entrance was forty feet deep and was guarded by two large stone men in what appeared to be dog masks covering their faces. The mask was the sign of Anubis, the Lord of the Underworld and presider of the dead. My breath caught a moment at the sight of them because this was the clue we've been in search of for so long. The excavation alone took nearly three weeks just for the entrance to become visible in full. If I had taken into consideration the signs that happened up until that time perhaps I wouldn't be in the mess I find myself in now.

The weeks leading up to the discovery and excavation strange events began to unfold becoming increasingly worse the closer we reached our goal. Three of the workers had caught severe food poisoning which was believed to be bad luck. The next week another four collapsed in the sun from what appeared to be dehydration even though we had plenty of water. Then shortly before we reached the bottom of the entrance five of those same workers had been stung by a swarm of deadly scorpions.

The locals spoke of a curse placed on the tomb claiming this to be the reason why we had gone through a series of unfortunate events. This had been waved off as nothing more than local superstition and a string of bad luck. My excitement had warded off any negative thoughts on these obvious warning signs. When we reached the entrance we found an inscription engraved on the top of the door. According to the local translator it said whoever should dare disturb this tomb shall receive great fortune at a great cost.

This was the moment I longed for. After so many years I would finally take a great leap toward my goal of fame and fortune. Whatever the price was I was willing to pay is what I told myself as I stood before the door preparing to step inside. Unfortunately our crew had been cut shorter due to the past weeks incidents, however I still managed to get a small search crew of five. Even though I wasn't a believer of superstition there was no telling how this tomb may have been designed with traps.

After only walking in about five feet the lead man had stepped on a small stone which sunk into the ground with a light click. Almost immediately a wall of arrows impaled him while the rest of us could only watch as it all happened far too quickly. At the moment the rest of the team began to feel queasy not wanting to venture further, but I was determined and forced them on. The rest of the way would follow similarly as every other member of my search crew either fell into a pit of spikes, became engulfed in flames, or was cut in half by giant pendulums.

Before I had even realized it I was the only man who remained, but even still I had come too far to turn back now. Eventually I came across yet another gold laden door with golden intricacies. I believed that I had finally found the treasure that I sought and gave the door a push. It had opened with relative ease and within the room was adorned with riches fit for a mighty king and a sarcophagus in the middle of the room. Immediately I ran toward the center to inspect it.

I lifted the lid of the sarcophagus with all my strength and within lay a mummy with a golden mask rested on his face. The mummy was smaller then I imagined appearing to be child size, but what lay in his crossed hands was what puzzled me most of all. It was a notebook, a black modern day notebook. I picked up the book and looked it over all around and flipped through its pages. The only thing of value that I could find was that it had 3 names written in hieroglyphs. I looked down at the body once more wondering if this was some kind of joke, but it couldn't have been because clearly this tomb was left undisturbed for countless years.

I put the black notebook inside of my jacket for later study and made my way back to the tomb entrance. By the time I returned Jeremiah Smith had arrived to inspect the opening of the tomb and was awaiting a report. I informed of everything that happened and everything I found...save for the black notebook that I kept secretly away in my jacket. He sent an expedition crew to enter the tomb and comb every inch of the tomb for any signs of the book he so desperately searched for. Alas in the weeks following nothing more would turn up save for the identity of the child like mummy which turned out to be the child pharaoh Tutankamen.

Following the discovery of the tomb Mr. Smith had indeed ensured my name was placed as the finder, however it was much more lackluster then I previously expected. The media followed Mr. Smith as if he were the one who had founded the tomb, meanwhile I was left with a measly interview and invited to the party following this "great discovery". It certainly was a great discovery but the greatest discovery was what I still had stowed away in my jacket pocket.

I searched the notebook forward and backward and inside out, but the only thing out of the ordinary were the three names written within. I had the names translated and found them to be: Sekhemkhet an ancient ruler of the old kingdom during the third dynasty, the second was Mentuhotep who ruled during the middle kingdom in the eleventh century and of course the last is the recently found King Tut. None of these names had anything to do with one another save for the fact they were all pharaohs during their respective time periods. Sensing no actual danger I decided to write my name inside the book as well just for kicks. I put the notebook down tired from racking my brain so long and tried to get some sleep.

That night I dreamed money was raining down from the sky and that I was as famous as Mr. Smith and my father. When I awoke the next morning in my hotel room there was a strange briefcase sitting on my dining table which I was certain was not there the night before. I checked my windows and door but found no sign of tampering before creeping toward the mysterious briefcase. On it was an envelope with my name. As I opened it there was a map of the desert marked with a small X and a single note that wrote: spend it wisely and your dreams will come true. Confused, I carefully opened the briefcase and inside I found it was filled with money. After counting it all I realized there was $20,000 in total.

I had to sit down, my mind racing with questions as to how and why this briefcase ended up in my room. Then I realized something and checked the black book once more. Nothing had changed but I began to wonder if maybe by some stroke of luck I actually found the Book of the Dead. I told myself that it was crazy and even if by some strange turn of events this truly was the book there is no way it can possibly have such power can it? I decided to give it a test and tried to imagine Mr. Smith, happy with his wife alive and well and let the book be until the next day.

Of course as I expected there was no change as Mr. Smith's wife was still very much dead. I then began to ponder if the secret behind the book was that it granted a user's truest deepest desires which would explain the money appearing from thin air. I picked up the note and map again rereading and studying it over and over wondering what should be the next step. I deciphered the location of the X which seemed to be in the middle of the desert in the middle of nowhere. At that point I came to the conclusion that if by the grace of the gods I was given this chance I was going to use it.

I spent the next few months, and a large sum of the money found in the briefcase, in order to start my own expedition in search of treasure. After I was sure everything was in order I began my voyage and after a mere few weeks of searching surely enough I found another undiscovered city buried beneath the sands. I was astounded that the map truly sent me to an undiscovered location, but what astounded me more was when I checked the map again after making my discovery. The mark the X signified had completely changed to a completely different landscape.

The next three years were spent making countless discoveries all the while my fame and fortune continued to grow. I became a world renowned and respected member of the adventurer and archeological societies respectively. Finally when I thought I had reached the pinnacle of the mountain I climbed for so long my true wish was granted. One day I received a call from my agent stating that another well known adventurer wished to speak with me.

By this point I was sure I had spoken or shaken hands with any adventurer or archeologist worth speaking to. I had forgotten the one adventurer that led me down this path in the first place. The man who I wished to speak to for so long more than any other in the history of my life. My father wanted to schedule an interview with me both off and on camera.

I had no words at first. I simply sat there like an idiot mouth wide open unsure what to say. Finally I managed to stammer out a yes to proceed with the interviews as soon as possible. With that my agent hung up the phone and I sat there giddy as a school boy filled with excitement that I finally reached the top. Of course there is a famous saying that I can vaguely recall now. All who reach the top of the mountain must one day topple over. I'd reached the top, but I could never have dreamed in my worst nightmares the way I would fall back down.

The night before I was scheduled to meet my father he had called me personally, and we talked for a few hours. After we hung up I was so excited to finally see him face to face, I simply couldn't get to sleep. I stayed up late thinking of all the things that we would speak about running scenarios in my head so I wouldn't make a fool of myself in front of live television. Suddenly a soft thud breaks me free from my trance and I search my room to see where it had come from. Laying on my dining room table is the black notebook I had found in the ruins of King Tut so long ago. Believed to be the Book of the Dead and the reason why my life has become so perfect.

I open the book and realize my name has changed from the black ink I wrote it with to a scarlet red. At that same moment a low laugh reverberates throughout the room. It sounds like the laugh of a small child and it begins to fill the room completely. I slam the notebook shut and attempt to toss it in the fireplace, however the book doesn't burn. Rather the flames die down around it leaving the book untouched.

Once again the childlike laugh fills the room and suddenly I feel a strange sensation fill over me. I feel my body like it's melting into nothing. I try to scream but no sound comes out all the while the child's laughter grows louder and louder. Suddenly it is not the laughter of a small child but has grown in depth to the laughter of a grown man. I realize that it is my own laughter that I hear, but that is impossible as I know I'm not laughing.

Suddenly I realize I can't speak, move my body, even breathing seems to be ineffective. The only thing I can do is think and in a way sense rather than see, as my vision is the last to go, the environment around me. I find myself facing toward the ceiling and all of a sudden I'm being lifted into the air and put gently down again. All of a sudden I can tell there is someone in front of me but the sight is impossible. The person looming in front of me is a spitting image of myself down to the clothes I was wearing that night.

I try to scream again but to no avail. Any screams are all in my mind with no physical sound to carry them. My sudden clone begins to laugh hysterically again looking down at me. When he finally begins to calm down he just looks at me with excitement in his eyes and explains. He states he is the child king Tutankahman and that he was stuck within the Book of the Dead all these years.

He continues to explain that the book was a gift from the Lord of the Underworld Anubis but that there was a catch. When the dreams of those who write their names within the book have been achieved their souls are given as payment to Anubis. The only way for them to be able to become free once more is if a willing subject signs their name inside of the book and their dreams come true. Suddenly the words etched into the doorway of King Tut tomb comes to mind. Words I was foolish enough to ignore at the time and say I was willing to pay any price for the fame and fortune I acquired to this point.

King Tut explained the same had happened to the others whose names were written within. His soul had been sucked into the book once he was given the opportunity at finding true friendship which was why he was sucked in so young. Of course this meant that the mummified remains may in fact have been King Tut's corpse, but he was far from dead. Here he was alive once again and wearing my face able to do anything he wishes while I'm stuck within the pages of a black notebook.

He told me not to worry he was sure someone would come along in a few millennia and the same would happen once again. When that day comes I'll be free to walk the earth as I wish but until then he apologized with a not so sympathetic face. He proceeded to open a hole in the floorboards and place me inside. He smiled and said not to worry my time will come, and with that he covered the floorboards once again leaving me in perpetual darkness.

I'm not sure how much time has passed at this point. Perhaps it has been days, months, years even that I have laid here undiscovered. I thought I would go mad within these pages but strangely enough it all feels like a terrible nightmare. Suddenly I can feel light and hands picking me up from the dark. Perhaps this someone will write their name in this book as well and have all their dreams come true. Then maybe I'll be free once more and they will spend countless years within these rustled pages. After all great fortune must come with a great price.