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FEBRUARY 14TH, 2005

Today was Valentine's Day, yet the weather was dark, gloomy and cold. Not unusual for the city of Chicago, but the miserable weather reflected my mood quite well. I had nothing better to do that day, so I decided to take the drive out to Glen Ellyn to visit somebody near and dear to me.

By the time I had arrived, it was raining. Holding my umbrella in one hand, and a bouquet of roses in another, I slowly walked through the quiet cemetery until I found the headstone I was looking for. I tried in vain to hold back tears, but to no avail. This was the first time I had visited the cemetery since the funeral in the nearly 3 years since the incident, and it was still too much for me to handle...

So what happened? Who was buried there? I could tell you now, but it wouldn't make much unless I told the full tale. Let's take things from the top.

APRIL 21ST, 1995

My name is Alexander Carlyle Foxworthy. I am a 30 year old Arctic Fox from San Antonio, the city where the world-famous Alamo Mission stands. I swear... That building, as well as the nearby Menger Hotel, had something to do with my love of history... As well as my fascination towards the paranormal.

I wasn't the best student in school, but what I lacked in raw intelligence, I made up for in willpower and determination. After graduating in 1983, I would spend the next decade of my life in college working to make my dreams come true. And less than 2 years after that, I would finally be given the job of my dreams: working for an elite archaeological team led by one of America's greatest history professors.

His name was Dr. Jacob Herbert Lyons. I would have to leave San Antonio and move halfway across the country to Chicago to work for him, but that didn't matter to me. After all, there are some times in life where your current home has nothing left to offer you. I was glad to live in the rain and cold if it meant that I was going to make my lifelong dreams a reality.

On the afternoon of April 21st, 1995, I sheepishly entered my new boss' office, and I immediately caught his eye.

"Hah? Who's there?" He asked.

"It's me. Uh, Alexander Foxworthy. From San Antonio?"

"Oh! Well met, Alexander! I was expecting you! My name is Jacob Lyons!"

The proud old lion outstretched his paw so I could give it a shake.

"Hello, Dr. Lyons." I replied. "I uh, am quite familiar with your work in archaeology. After all, you were the author of quite a few of the textbooks I've read while training to be an archaeologist. It's such an honor that you'd choose me to be a part of your elite team!"

I finally shook his paw.

"And how do you like Chicago?" he asked.

"Well, it's certainly a lot colder than San Antonio... Heheh, uh, I don't think I'll ever really get used to it."

"Haha... And what sort of Arctic Fox prefers the heat to the cold, hmm?" He teased, a little amused that an Arctic Fox, a species adapted for the frigid cold and winds of the northern regions, disliked the mild colder weather of Illinois.

"One who lived in southern Texas his whole life?" I responded.

"I see... Anyway, shall I introduce you to your new coworkers?"

"Of course! Can't wait to meet 'em!"

He smiled at me and got up from his desk. He beckoned me to follow, and he led me to the building's cafeteria. At the far end of the expanse of the room sat a group of four furs. One was an older Northern Cardinal with unusually red feathers for a female. To her right sat a male Snow Leopard with thick glasses, and to her left was an imposing male Western Dragon with shiny black scales with a buff physique. And across from the bird was a Red Fox vixen with a cute mane of ginger hair gathered into a loose ponytail, confidently talking at the group as if she was holding a lecture.

I gingerly approached the group and cleared my throat. The vixen stopped talking as the bird got up and shot me a smile.

"Uh, hi!" she greeted. "May I help you?"

Flustered, I replied,

"Uh, hello there! My name's Alexander Foxworthy. I'm uh... One of Dr. Lyon's newest assistants. Um, I'm glad to meet you all!"

"Ah!" she answered. "Now that I remember it, Lyons was talking about a new assistant coming to Chicago. An Arctic Fox all the way from the Alamo City, eh?. Haha, I can certainly tell that it's your first day on the job! No need to be so nervous, though. Lyons isn't some taskmaster or anything, and you'll find that all of his underlings are very friendly folk. You'll be one of us in no time flat!"

Blushing, I replied,

"Um, thanks!"

We shook paws. She then announced,

"Anyway, without further ado, let me introduce you to our little team here. My name is Gena Redd! I'm considered the second-in-command here, taking care of the day-to-day stuff so Lyons can focus on academia."

She pointed at the bespectacled snow leopard.

"That's Byron Leopold. He's the archivist! He's quiet and reserved, but has served us well with his photographic memory!"

"Gena, please... Oh, uh, hi there, Alexander!" He replied.

Then she pointed at the black-scaled dragon.

"Thomas Draco. Advanced linguist. Fluent in 6 languages. And don't let his strange sense of humor put you off. He means well."

"Heh heh..." He chuckled. "New meat, eh?"

Lastly, she pointed at the vixen.

"And that's Christa Wilder, mythology specialist. We were just discussing some of her new research a few moments ago, actually. If what she's saying turns out to be more than a hypothesis... She's bound for a Nobel Prize!"

I made eye contact with the vixen, and she cracked me a warm, inviting smile.

"Hello!" she said. "Nice to meet you, Alexander!"

I smiled back at her before hearing Gena ask,

"And what do you specialize in, Alexander?"

Taken aback, I replied,

"Me!? Uh, I guess you can say that my focus is on mythology as well. My particular area of expertise is Ancient Egypt and Ancient Egyptian religion."

"Heh, small world. It happens to be that we were just discussing things related to that! Anyway, now that all of the introductions are out of the way, it's now time to get to work. Dr. Lyons is expecting great things out of you."

And she turned back to the rest of the group.

"You too. The lunch break's over. Time to get back to work..."

The group slowly got up and dispersed. Christa took a little longer than the rest to leave, since she had to put away a bunch of papers and such. And me? I couldn't move. My feet felt like they were glued to the linoleum flooring... We were alone right now... Just her and I... She collected all of her papers and got up, only to notice me standing idly around.

"Um..." She commented. "Is everything okay?"

I suddenly snapped out of it.

"Oh!!!" I shouted. "Uh, yeah! I'm fine! There's no reason why I shouldn't be fine!!! Please, I'm fine!!!"

She gave me a confused look before leaving the cafeteria. That... Could've gone better... I sheepishly collected myself and left the cafeteria, totally embarrassed...

APRIL 24TH, 1995

"Uh, hello there! Remember me?" I said to myself in the men's room mirror. "I'm that new guy! The one from Texas! Uh... I don't know if you've noticed but I'm a fox, and uh, you're a fox too, and uh.... Fuck... This isn't working..."

I took a deep breath before trying again.

"Hey there, Christa! Uh, I know that we've only known each other for a few days but, I was wondering if you'd be willing to show me your favorite place in all of Chicago! Just me and you! Wait... No, that's too up front...."

I looked at my reflection in the mirror again before giving it another go.

"Hello, Christa! I know that we're new to each other, but uh, when I first laid my eyes on you... FUCK!!!!"

I growled and pounded the porcelain sink in front of me.

"How the fuck do I ask a girl I've just met out.....? There has GOT to be a way to do it without me sounding like a creep..."

I drummed my fingers on the sink again for a few moments before saying.

"Hey, Christa. Are you free this weekend? I need to get to know the area better, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to grab a bite to eat or catch a movie or something. Yeah.... I sound pretty desperate, don't I... Dammit.... What do I do!?"

I helplessly looked at my turquoise blue eyes in the mirror before gingerly walking to the door and exiting the restroom... Only to be face to face with the very vixen that I wanted to ask out!

"Oh! Christa!" I exclaimed worriedly. "What are you doing here!?"

"Just passing by." She replied. "By the way, you have quite the way with words."

"You heard me in there, didn't you?"

"I'm afraid so..."

"Nauugh... Well, now that it's already out there, would you, uh, be willing to eat out or catch a movie with me?"

I could see the hesitation in her eyes. She was obviously not too keen on taking a tod she had just met on a date... But at the same time, she clearly pitied me. I don't know if it was my sad, pathetic gaze or something else, but I saw her crack a warm smile, not unlike the one she gave me two days ago.

"Uh, sure." She said. "Why not? But, no guarantees, alright?"

"Sure!" I shouted in response, face beaming. "Thank you so much, Christa!"

"You're welcome. But, remember: no guarantees!"

"Eheheh... Uh, okay!"

APRIL 29TH, 1995

That weekend, we had our first date. We went out to eat at a cozy, yet pretentious restaurant, not too far from city center, known as The Loop. I didn't know what to expect going in, but it was the most enjoyable night I had for quite a long time. Thanks to Christa, my arrival to Chicago was a nice and memorable experience. But, would my relationship with her evolve from here? Or would I remain a mere coworker to her...?

Honestly, I expected the latter to happen... This was just a pity date... There was no way that she would want to go steady with a guy like me... But, that idea was shattered when she planted a kiss on my muzzle before leaving me off at my apartment!

"Ch... Ch... Ch.... Christa!!!" I shouted, face bright pink. "What.... Are you doing!?"

She smirked at me before replying,

"You're a sweet guy, Alex. Did you know that? Hehe, just think of that as my way of saying "Thank you" for the wonderful night."

I gasped and covered my snout.

"See you Monday, Alex." She said before leaving.

"Buh..... Bye, Christa...." I uttered, still stunned that she kissed me.

Feet feeling like they were buried in concrete, I watched her go up to the elevator before disappearing into its doors, leaving me by my lonesome once again...

SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1995

After spending many, many hours on the road in my beat-up old Buick station wagon, we finally arrived. Hampton Beach, New Hampshire was our destination. I put the old beast in park and got out of the car, stretching my tired legs and smelling the soothing, healing aroma of the salty sea breeze.

I heard the other car door open and close before hearing Christa say,

"Nice beach... How did you know about this place? I thought you were from Texas..."

I turned over and saw her standing next to the car, looking a bit enthralled.

"We'd vacation in New England every so often when I was growing up" I replied. "Ma grew up around here, so she liked to show us where she would spend her own childhood. Anyway, let's go get changed into our swimming gear..."

About 10 minutes later, I was in a pair of swimming trunks and Christa was in a navy-blue bikini. We had our blanket sprawled out on the soft sand, with an umbrella lodged in the ground and a blue and white cooler next to it. I watched the waves roll in and out for a bit before deciding to wade in to the waters.

But, that was no easy feat. Northern Atlantic waters are incredibly cold. Even in the dead of summer, they would chill you to your bone. But, I soldiered on and went deeper and deeper into the water until I was floating in the gentle waves.

Meanwhile, Christa was sitting on the blanket and sipping away at a beer. I bet her scarlet-colored fur was nice and toasty right now, taking in those rays of the sun.

"Hey, Christa!" I called out. "What are you doing?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" she replied.

"I mean... If you wanted to take a nap, you could've just stayed home."

"I'm basking in the sun."

"Aw, c'mon! Go for a swim with me!"

"No thank you. I'm fine."

"What. Are you afraid of getting your big, floofy tail wet?"

"Uh, yes, actually. Do you even know much time I put into making my fur nice and soft? Saltwater and sand can't be good for it."

"Nothing wrong with letting your hair down for just one day, is there?"

"I guess not... But, I swear to God, I'll kill you if you try anything funny."

I returned to the shore, stopping when the water was at knee height. I gestured her to come in, but she wouldn't follow.

"C'mon! You don't know what you're missing!" I called out.

She apprehensively dipped her right toe in the water and immediately pulled it out when she felt how frigid the water was. I sighed and rolled my eyes. But, she wasn't going to be a stick in a mud! Nope, not at all. I suddenly heard her yell,

"Innnnncoming!"

And she dove for me, knocking both of us underwater. Once we surfaced, I caught my breath, body feeling sore all over. Choking a little due to having the wind knocked out of my lungs, I scolded

"Augh! Have you lost your mind!? I could've drown!"

"Aww... Is the silly foxxo afraid of a little water?" She teased.

Irritated, I splashed some water at her. She returned fire. Now smirking, I splashed some more water at me, beginning a fun little duel. She knew it for sure! It was fun to cut loose! Well... In moderation, that is.

After we had our fun, we decided to dry out on the beach. Together, we watched the waves roll in and out, the seagulls foraging for discarded food and children playing various games both in and out of the water. I soon noticed how Christa was holding my hand and leaning against my body. Although Christa could be a bit aloof and too work-oriented sometimes, in that moment, I was sincerely thankful that she loved me so. I wouldn't have left her side for the world.

SEPTEMBER 3RD, 1995

The next night, we took it to the next level. I didn't completely know if I was ready for the ramifications of what we were about to do yet, but I needed to do this... Christa needed to do this... Apart from the occasional kiss or playful touch, we never went this far yet.

With the curtains drawn, and the room lit by the dim, orange glow of candles, she sat there on the bed. Her face was glowing pink, so much so that it could be seen through her scarlet-colored fur. And her body... Her body was completely and one-hundred percent naked. And her aroused vagina was the same color as her blushing cheeks...

Standing to her side, and with a bright red, erect, canine penis, I couldn't stop staring at the beauty of her naked form. I reached out and gently traced the contour of her left breast with my claws, breathing rather heavily, before resting my thumb on her nipple.

"Christa..." I gently uttered. "Are.... Are you sure that you want to do this? There is no going back..."

Staring into my eyes with her fiery amber-colored eyes, she softly replied,

"Yes... My mind's made up... I am 100% sure that you are the tod that I want to start a family with. Please, Alex..."

"Okay... Since you're so sure..."

I climbed into bed with her and began to make out with my love, both of us moaning into each other's maws as our paws explored each other's bodies. A few moments later, I lowered my hips, and got to work...

Heat... Passion... Moaning.... Pleasure... I found it a bit weird that the first time that I was making love with her was when we were trying to conceive a child, but that's how things go sometimes, I supposed. But things suddenly moved so fast... Getting away from the work environment of Chicago changed her... And I felt a little sad about the thought of having to return to it all after it was all said and done, and I was lying in bed with Christa.

My arm wrapped around her as she slumbered, I began to think.... Would it be a boy? Or a girl? And would would our kid's name be?

MAY 29TH, 2002

I was home, and she was at work. Ever since our son, Jamison, was born, I decided to quit my job and become a stay-at-home father. After all, it was only fair, since I utterly paled in comparison compared to Christa in the field of archaeology. Who should give a care about gender roles when my wife had such a bright and shiny future ahead of her when I was merely living in her shadows?

Right then, I was dusting some of the pictures we had on the fireplace. I always enjoyed looking at them... Christa and I at Hampton, at our wedding, holding up little Jamie, all swaddled in a warm blanket, Jamie's first day at preschool... Our short history as a family was proudly displayed on that mantle piece, and I always wanted those pictures to look as clean as a whistle.

And then I heard the phone ring. I put the rag and bottle of cleaner down and went to answer it.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hello? Yes, is this Alexander Foxworthy?"

Surprised to hear my former boss talking to me out of the blue, I asked,

"Dr. Lyons? What is it?"

"It's about your wife, Christa..."

"Huh? What about her?"

"She did it!!! She... She did it!!!"

"Did what?"

"I... My apologies... I'm just utterly stunned. Christa.... She truly outdid herself! She found it!!!"

"Found it? What? What did she find?"

"That sunken pyramid! In the Great Sand Desert! THAT one!!! It's... It's the Holy Grail!!!"

"Whoa! Calm down! You're going to get winded."

"My... My apologies... It's just that I never thought that one of my pupils would ever uncover such a thing!"

"Ha! She learned from the best, after all."

"I don't think she needed my assistance..."

"Oh? Is that so? Well, in any case, this is great news! I'm really happy for her!"

"Would... Would you be interested in coming along with us? For old time's sake? I know that you're currently dormant, raising your son. But, you're always welcome at my museum..."

"Oh! Yikes! Uh.... What about Jamie, though? I don't think the harsh desert is a good place for a child to be. I'd have to make arrangements..."

"Just consider it, Alexander. I'd be elated if you could join us."

"I will... I'll try to figure something out."

"Thank you... Thank you so much..."

JUNE 1ST, 2002

The next day, Christa and I scrambled to bring Jamie over to her parents' house, thankful that they would care for our child at such short notice. Our flight to Cairo was uneventful, as was the trek out to sands of western Egypt; a region known as the "Great Sand Sea." Our driver let us off at a rather large archaeological dig, the site almost having a carnival-like atmosphere to it... No... This couldn't have been the one that she had found, right?

But, it was! We was immediately pounced upon by several academics with pens, notepads and cameras. It was like the paparazzi; my wife being the world-famous actress who had just emerged from her mansion from the cliffs of Malibu. Her name would surely earn a spot in the history books for sure... I just knew it!

JUNE 3RD, 2002

When we had arrived, the team already there had dug most of the way down into the entrance. With the help from several archaeological teams throughout the world, we were quickly, yet carefully able to unearth the entrance to the pyramid. We had decided the night before that it would be for the best to wait until the next day to go inside...

We were all up a little after the break of dawn, hoping to get our start before we were baked by the harsh sun. As I was loading up one of the trucks, I heard footsteps approaching. Turning to my side, I saw that it was my old boss; Lyons.

"Oh, hello there!" I said to him. "And what do I owe the pleasure to?"

"I'm concerned about your wife." He curtly said.

"Oh? And why would that be?"

I grabbed a crate off of the ground and gently shoved it to the end of the truck bed.

"Be more careful with our equipment, please..." He said.

"Sorry, sir... As you were saying?" I asked.

"Christa seems to be a bit too eager. Perhaps a bit reckless, I daresay."

"Reckless, huh? And why would that matter, anyway? With all due respect, she's not the careless type; she's not the type who'd get tangled in booby traps."

I grabbed another crate and more gently slid it to the end of the truck bed.

"It's not that...." He said.

"Huh? What is it, then?" I asked, starting to feel confused.

"I've studied Egyptian ruins for the last 40 years... They... Are different."

"Different, you say? In what way?"

"Well... As a skeptic, I really hate to say this, but the supernatural may be present."

"You're joking, sir!"

"I'm afraid not..."

"You can't be serious!"

"I am, son... I am..."

I could see it in his eyes... He wasn't joshing me.

"... And, what are you worried that Christa will do?" I asked.

"I'm more worried about what will happen to her. The tomb has never been used before. We might bear witness to magic not seen in thousands of years. It'd be for the best if she restrained herself." He replied.

I grabbed a third crate and loaded it into the truck.

"I'll see what I can do... But, she's an excitable one... I can't guarantee that I'll be able to restrain her." I answered back.

"This is of the utmost concern. I do not want my best disciple to get harmed. Or worse..."

"Don't worry about it. I won't let anything happen to her."

In all of my years, I never saw the old lion as spooked as he was today. Did he have some sort of premonition? And what happened to his usual pragmatism? I understand that there are some things that we cannot explain, but it was rather disturbing to see him fall into irrationality...

About a moment later, after Lyons left me, I heard another person approach me.

"Can't it wait? I'm busy right now..." I said, slightly exasperated.

But, my mood changed when I turned around and saw that it was my wife.

"Oh!!!" I exclaimed, now embarrassed due to my rudeness. "It's you! Hi... Uh... What is it, Christa?"

"Beau's truck won't start." she replied. "He asked me to find a set of jumper cables; he thinks it's just a dead battery. Do you have a set?"

"Uh, I don't think I do. But, I think I saw a toolbox by the RV. But, that's not why you're here, is it?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing... I just thought that you wanted to talk to me... You know, it's okay to feel to feel nervous."

"N... Nervous? Me??? Ha! That's a good one!"

"Tah! Say what you want, but your face is telling me a completely different story!"

"Is it that obvious?"

"'Fraid so, hon."

"Right... Anyway, I'd better go find those jumper cables..."

She started to walk away, but before she could get out of earshot, I said.

"Hey, Christa..."

She stopped, awaiting my next sentence. I continued,

"I hope this is the day when your dreams finally come true..."

"Me too, Alex... Me too..."

* * *

"SLOW DOWN!!!" I yelled.

Christa and I were in the 4x4, en route to the dig site, and she was driving like a bat out of hell.

"What's the goddamn rush!?" I frantically asked, afraid that I'd be thrown out of the truck due to all of the bumps and ruts we were speeding over.

She said nothing as she kept her foot to the floor, looking forward at that pyramid with laser-like precision.

"Can you frigging hear me, Christa!?" I yelled.

"Quiet!" She finally responded. "We're making good time!"

"For what!? It's not like you're running late for something!!!"

I turned back to her, and I could see it in her eyes; the wonder in a child's eyes on Christmas morning was present in her. She was going to get there as fast as she could, and there was nothing I could do to slow her down.

I anxiously reached for my seat belt and fastened it; something that I rarely did. I saw her long muzzle curl into a smirk when she heard the "click".

"Huh?" I asked. "What's so funny?"

"Hah! Did you lose your nerve, Alexander?" she teased.

"With this driving, yes! You happy?"

She giggled and then shifted the truck into a higher gear.

About a minute later, we finally arrived at the site entrance. We were the first ones to arrive at the pyramid entrance, and we were so early, I couldn't even see the rest of the convoy in the distance. Feeling queasy from her driving, I popped the door open and fell out of the truck, stomach hurting like like hell. Christa went around to the other side of the truck to help me up. And as she was lifting me from the ground I complained,

"You know, these pyramids are thousands of years old! It's not like they were gonna disappear if you took too long to get here! Besides, I think you might've wrecked the truck."

Noticing a plume of steam rising from the truck's grille, she stated,

"It was a piece of junk, anyway."

A few minutes later, the rest of the expedition team arrived at the pyramid's entrance. For today's expedition, there were three teams of five: one from Nevada, one from the British Isles, and one from Chicago; our own team. I didn't know everyone there, but they were all scientists, and I would trust each and every one of them with my life.

Before we went inside, the professor gave us this warning:

"Now, obviously, this is a new and unexplored crypt. There are likely countless numbers of traps lying around. Never EVER touch anything without careful examination first, and if you see something that doesn't look quite right, DO NOT give it the benefit of the doubt. And lastly, places that are saturated with an atmosphere of death could have dark magic afoot. Never, and I mean NEVER, go off anywhere on your own. Have I made myself clear?"

The group chanted,

"Yes!"

"Good, now let us make discoveries to be eternally proud of! Let us march!"

As we were heading inside, the professor stopped Christa and said,

"I specifically directed my warning towards you, Christa. I know that today's an exciting day for you, but please don't do anything rash. Remember what I said about dark magic..."

"Dark magic?" I replied. "You're joking, right?"

The professor then reached down his shirt and pulled out a necklace, revealing a golden cross.

"There is only so much that science can explain, Christa. What do you think causes the sun to rise each and every morning? What do you think blessed us all with the gift of life?"

"I don't know... God?"

"You're missing the point. What I'm trying to say is that things that completely defy all sense of logic and reason can happen. If you see something that doesn't look right, don't investigate. Come find me immediately. Have I made myself clear?"

"With all due respect, sir, I'm not a little girl. I can take care of myself. And, what, might I ask, could even happen to me in there?"

"Oh, Christa..."

"No hard, feelings, sir. Let's go inside."

We went inside, but unusually, we had a lot of trouble finding the pharaoh's room. It was usually obviously defined... Ultimately, nothing of value was found by me nor my colleagues. This pyramid was nothing but an endless maze of ornate corridors... After searching them from top to bottom, we had to regroup and think outside of the box.

We eventually came to the conclusion that inconsistencies in the walls might divulge the location of the tomb, which was likely hidden due to some sort of security concern. We decided to all set out again and meet back at the entrance in a few hours if nothing was found.

While Christa was going over the walls with a microscope, figuratively speaking, I asked her,

"How do you know this isn't a waste of time?"

"A waste of time?" She replied. "There's no such thing, especially when someone else is paying for it."

"But, that's my point. What if you don't find anything?"

"That's impossible. There's no way that a pharaoh would've gone through the trouble of having an entire pyramid constructed just to have it be an empty collection of hallways. I know that rulers with absolute power can be fickle, but, it just wouldn't make any sense to expend all of these resources just for the sheer hell of it..."

"But..."

"Enough. I can't concentrate on my work and make conversation at the same time."

"Fine! I'm sorry!"

Thankfully, I only had to endure a few more minutes of awkward silence until something caught her eye.

"Hey, Alex!" I heard her shout. "Come look at this!"

I stopped in my tracks and came closer to her. Not knowing what she wanted me to see, I asked,

"What. What is it?"

"Something about this wall looks fishy. Look how it doesn't quite match up with the rest of the tomb's corridors."

"Yeah? So?"

"The burial chamber... I think it's behind this wall."

"Are you certain?"

"I'm not certain! I'm positive!"

"Wait... Doesn't that mean exactly the same thing?"

She then removed a pickaxe from her supply bag.

"Christa! Wait! Don't damage the..."

"Relax! I know what I'm doing."

She swung the pickaxe at the wall as hard as I could. To both of our amazement, it left a gaping hole, filled with inky darkness. There was definitely something beyond there. Excitement coursing through her veins, she shouted,

"Help me break the rest of the wall!"

I grabbed my pickaxe, and we swung away at the false wall until a corridor revealed itself to us. I stared at the dark hallway, thoroughly awestruck. The moment we've dreamed of since we were cubs was finally about to happen! Once Christa collected herself, she excitedly shouted,

"C'mon! Let's go!"

"Wait!" I responded. "Not yet! Maybe there was a reason why the chamber was sealed..."

"Last chance, Alex I'm going in with or without you."

"Have you lost your mind!? Lyons told us to not go off anywhere on our own, especially to an unexplored area of the crypt. Look, I'll go get him, and then we can all see what's on the other end of the hallway. You can hang on for just a few minutes, right?"

"Sure, why not?"

I walked off. Noticing how she wasn't following me, I stopped and asked,

"Uh, aren't you coming?"

"Nah. I'll be fine right here. Go get Dr. Lyons. It won't be a moment too soon!"

"No." I sternly replied. "You won't be fine right here. You're coming with me."

"I'm not a little girl, Alex!" she snapped.

"This is serious! I don't want you getting hurt or killed! You've been acting incredibly impatient today, and I don't trust you enough to enter that room!"

"You don't trust me? I'm you're wife!!!"

"Don't! Agh! Fine. Stay put. Please! I'll go get Lyons. And, if you really get impatient, just use that walkie-talkie of yours. Okay?"

"Okay... Now go find Lyons. Please."

"I will... I'll be right back."

Against my better judgment, I left her alone at the entrance to the tomb. But, what else could I do? I wasn't going to drag her down the hall, kicking and screaming! Besides... What's the worst that could even happen if she DID happen to go gallivanting off on her own?

* * *

"Huh." I commented while looking at my walkie-talkie. "I guess the battery is dead. I hope that Christa wasn't trying to get in contact with me."

I then looked up and froze. There was the tomb entrance, but Christa was nowhere to be found.

"Son of a...." I angrily uttered.

"Where did Christa go?" Lyons asked.

"Where do you think!? She's down that hallway!"

I grabbed my flashlight and illuminated it before traversing down that dark passage. But, once I got to the other end, I could feel butterflies in my stomach. There was the tomb! The room was cold and chilly, and it was lit by the dim, orange flame of oil lamps, clearly lit by Christa herself. But, it was quiet in here. Way too quiet.

"Christa?" I called out.

I heard nothing in response.

"Christa? Please don't do this. I'm not in the mood!"

Still nothing.

"CHRISTA!!!!"

I heard the professor approach me from behind.

"She's not here?" He asked.

"Where else could she have gone? Ugh, gimme your walkie-talkie..."

He handed it over to me and I pushed down the button, only to hear a beeping noise coming from within the sarcophagus. I pushed the button again, and I heard the exact same noise come from the sarcophagus. Her walkie-talkie must've been in there! But why....? There was no way that...

Lyons began to look at the hieroglyphs on the wall, puzzled that there were any here in the first place, since this tomb wasn't supposed to have a mummy in it. Something wasn't right... And it was more than just the chilly air playing tricks with me...

I started to look around the room for any sign of her presence. I found her supply bag and pickaxe, resting against a pillar. And on the far side of the sarcophagus lied a piece of laminated plastic; her ID badge! I ran up to it and grabbed it, looking at the her headshot on the corner of the badge with her warm, heart-melting smile...

While I had searched for her belongings, Dr. Lyons had a chance to make a rough decipher of the hieroglyphs on the walls. The sarcophagus lid was pried off, and I was about to look inside when I heard the professor call my name.

I stopped and turned around. I asked,

"What is it?"

"These hieroglyphs... They talk of a young vixen from a faraway land, with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge... And how the pyramid gave her this tomb as a reward for discovering it."

I turned back to the sarcophagus and looked inside. The mummy was an adult female, judging by the shape of its body, and by the length of its snout, a canine. But, it couldn't be Christa lying underneath that golden death mask and all of those bandages! Not her! Anyone but her!

Arms trembling, I pulled the death mask off of her face before cutting the bandages off of her face with my pocket knife. But, once the mummy's face was revealed, a feeling of intense shock swept over my entire body.

"No, no, no, NO!!!!" I yelled. "Christa!!!!"

It was indeed her... Her amber-colored eyes were dilated and were staring blankly back at me; her pupils connected to nothing but a bottomless abyss instead of the soul of a living person. There were tears flowing from her eyes and down onto her cheeks, me being unsure if it was because of the oxygen deprivation or the utter terror she must had felt in her final moments. Her mouth hung slightly ajar, almost in an expression of despair; the tip of her long, vulpine tongue hanging out of it.

"Oh no, Christa.... Not you..."

I reached for her head to give her a gentle stroke, but the bandages quickly masked her face once again and the death mask popped back into place. And when I noticed the sarcophagus lid closing, I quickly moved my hands out of the way to prevent harm to myself. The sarcophagus' lid closed with a loud, stony "THUD!", which echoed throughout the entire room.

I stared at the sarcophagus, completely frozen due to what had just transpired. After collecting myself, I grabbed a pickaxe and pried as hard as I could at the sarcophagus lid. Nothing. I then tried again, this time, putting all of my body's strength into it. Still nothing. And then out of anger, I took a few hard swings at the sarcophagus with my pickaxe, not doing any damage to it in the slightest. Nothing I could do was going to free her from her eternal prison...

The love of my life was not only gone, but forever out of my reach. And, upon this realization, I buried my face into the cold stone of the sarcophagus and began to weep. There was nothing else I could do now except cry...

While Dr. Lyons was saddened by her fate, he knew that there was nothing that he could've done to stop it. He knew that there was no way that a mere mortal could've interfered with the plans of a higher power. While I sobbed silently, face still buried against the sarcophagus lid, the professor found himself uttering,

"The pyramids cannot exist without a mummy... And an archaeologist cannot exist without the pyramids."

AUGUST 18TH, 2002

Name: Alexander Carlyle Foxworthy. Age: 40. Species: Vulpes Lagopus. Occupation: Resarch assistant to Doctor Jacob Lyons of the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago."

The rather mysterious-looking Mountain Lion in a black suit robotically read off of a prepared dossier as if he was some computer program. After naming off some more details of my life, it was time to start asking questions.

"So, what do you know about the death of Christa Wilder-Foxworthy?" He asked me.

"The same as everybody else you've interviewed." I replied. "Not a damned thing!"

"Don't get fresh with me, foxy! Don't forget who're you're talking to!"

He pointed to the laminated badge clipped to his suit saying the feared letters, "FBI".

"Now, give me a little more... Detail."He continued.

"You already interviewed Dr. Lyons! I was with him when the incident happened. The both of us stumbled upon it after it had already happened. We were too late... I... Was too late..."

"You feel a sense of responsibility?"

"Sort of... I left her alone when I really should've remained to keep her in line... How could I be so stupid...?"

"I heard from Lyons that you saw something... When you cracked open that sarcophagus. None of my colleagues have been able to open it since. What did you see?"

I felt a lump in my throat again... No... I couldn't take it. I began to feel tears form in my eyes... It was too much for me to handle...

"I see..." The suit answered. "You saw something... Tell me... What did you see?"

I tried to compose myself before answering,

"My love being stolen from me... Forever."

* * *

"It's all my fault..." I told the suit. "If I hadn't disturbed the mummy, the seal wouldn't have become impenetrable."

"You couldn't have possibly known that that would happen." He replied. "Not many people have experience with the supernatural. In any case... Thanks for the testimony. It certainly added a piece to the puzzle."

"It did?"

"A little, yeah. Every little bit helps. Heh. I suppose that we'll let you know if our investigation turns up anything new. But, we've been at this for months now... The case is gonna have to be closed if no new leads come up. But, if anything strange happens, you know who to call."

"I'm free to go?"

"Yeah. Get outta here."

I gingerly got up and left the interrogation room. My name was cleared in any wrongdoing, but what did it matter anyway? I thought that I'd start to feel better by now, but I haven't... My wounds were still as fresh as they were on that horrible spring day. I knew that this was something that you'd never completely bounce back from, but I haven't even begun recover yet. And, maybe, I never will... After all, there are some things that cannot be repaired.

* * *

As I was walking to my car, I could see two of my former colleagues, Thom and Byron, standing next to it.

"Oh, hello there." I awkwardly uttered. "What are you two doing here?"

Thom cracked a smile before saying,

"Nice wheels. She's in pristine condition, too. Is it all original?"

"No. I actually bought her when she was a hunk of junk. Restored her with my two hands a few years ago. But, I don't think that you two showed up here to talk about the Buick, right?"

"Yeh. Just thought I'd make a bit of small talk first. Break the ice a little, since it's been a long time since we've talked."

"Can you please hurry it up? I gotta get home to take care of my son..."

"We may have a way to get Christa back."

"Bullshit."

"No really. Not pulling your leg. Byron and I... We've been looking further into things. Behind the back of Gena and Lyons."

"And what would that be?"

"Necromancy."

"Bull. Shit."

"Nope. Tell him, Byron."

"You want me to talk?" He nervously asked. "Uh... Well... Thomas and I have found out that the ancient Egyptians might've known a thing or two about necromancy. It's uh... Not much, but hey, if magic killed Christa, maybe it can bring her back."

"And, what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Just... Drop by my place later on, Alex" Thom replied.

He handed me a card with his address on it.

"Hope to see you there."

The two walked off.

"Wait." I called out, causing them to pause.

I continued, "Why are you two so interested in resurrecting Christa?"

Thom's mouth curled into a rather unsettling-looking smile.

"Just... Thought I could help an old coworker out. That's all." He answered.

He and Byron finally left me at my car, holding the card with Thom's address on it. I was about to get into my car when I heard that Mountain Lion FBI agent who interrogated me earlier call my name.

"Special Agent Belmont." I unenthusiastically greeted him. "And what do I owe THIS pleasure to?"

"I overheard you talking to that Dragon and that Snow Leopard." He replied. "I'm warning you! Do not get involved with whatever they offered you. My unit specialized in the dark arts and its practitioners. You DO NOT want to get involved. You'll be sorry!"

"Or else what?" I asked, unafraid of him. "You'll take me in?"

"I'm not horsing around here, foxy! I've seen a lot of people get turned into husks of their former selves. I know that losing your wife was hard on you, but violating the laws of nature always leads to trouble!"

"You mean like that pyramid did? It didn't seem to care when it murdered her!"

Belmont was about to say something in response, but he knew that he didn't have much of a leg to stand on now.

"Just... Stay away from those two." He told me.

"Okay, copper!" I sarcastically replied.

I got into my car and sat down. I took a look at that address card one more time before sticking it in my wallet and firing up the engine. I put the car into gear and left the police station, and this grueling day of interrogations, behind me.

FEBRUARY 14TH, 2005

"CHRISTA WILDER-FOXWORTHY. APR 13 1968. JUN 3 2002. YOUR SACRIFICE WAS NOT IN VAIN." Her headstone read. Christa has been gone for nearly 3 years now, and my son has been taken away by my in-laws! I was told by the courts that I was unfit to take care of my son... They were biased against my "Satanic rituals" and now my son lives thousands of miles away from me, all the way in Massachusetts.

And it's not like I've been getting any closer to bringing back Christa from the dead... No, Byron bailed on us only a few months into our endeavor, and about a year ago, Thomas disappeared one night, only for his corpse to be found in a drainage canal. We were so close to fixing everything that was broken... But I wasn't done... Not yet.

"Soon, my love." I reassured the empty cemetery. "This will be the last Valentine's Day that we're apart."