Part 1 Arrival Chapter 1 Time Traveler

Alexandria

It's 3:00 P.M, I'm relaxing near the pool at the Marriott Hotel in Orlando, Florida, writing a short story in a notebook. Alexandria Manor written in thick black letters on the cover. I'm 16 years old, I have a light tan, waist long dirty blonde hair, and bright, emerald eyes. As I scribbled on the lined paper, a lock of hair fell into my face, so I moved it away, only to have it fall in my face again. So, I grabbed my hair band and put my hair back and returned to my writing. Half an hour later my dad called me in,

"Yeah" I asked as I walked into our hotel room, and our matching eyes met. Everyone always said that my dad and I looked alike, but I thought that I looked a more like my mom and older sister, Sarah.

"Mom called and she's almost home from the store. Do you want to help your brothers with dinner?" he asked

"Sure thing" I smiled as I plopped my journal on the table near the back door and headed for the hotel's kitchenette. Where my 11-year-old twin brothers, Ron and Ramses had the oven heated for pizza.

Ramses was the older of the two by fifteen minutes. He had shoulder length red hair, which contrasted his dark tan and topaz eyes. He was the taller of the two boys and the rowdiest, he also enjoyed playing video games and ride his skateboard.

While his twin brother Ron, was the complete opposite, he was the quiet type, who loved to read and play board games. His short brown hair had light blonde highlights, and hardly went with his lighter skin color. But if the boys shared one thing in common, it was their bright topaz eyes and bright smiles.

My older sister Sarah is 19; she has dirty blonde hair, which she recently put into a pixie cut. Like my dad and I she has a slight square jaw, light tan complexion, and rather tall. While she shared our mom's topaz eyes. Sarah had recently started school in New York, and was planning on becoming a journalist.

I always believed that Ron and Ramses were smaller versions of my dad. While my sister and I were younger versions of our mom. My dad was tall and skinny with strong and protective arms. He had short brown hair, and the kindest emerald eyes that you would ever see. My mom was small and robust and had a light tan complexion. She long dirty blonde hair that reached down to the small of her back, and gleaming topaz eyes. She is a stay at home mom, and my dad is an archaeologist, and would on occasion bring us along on his trips around the world. We used to live in San Francisco, California until my dad told us that we were going to be traveling with him full time. So we stopped in Florida till our next flight to who knows where.

"Hey Alex" Ron said as he came over and gave me a hug

"Hello boys, oven ready for pizza?" I asked as I returned the hug

"Yes, it is" Ron said as I grabbed the pizza and popped into the oven. When we were on one of the two beds Ron asked "Did you finish your writing for today?"

"Yes, I did, and did you finish the book that I lent you?"

"Yes, I did. It was got very intense at the ending."

"Books, books, books, all you two ever talk about are books!" Ramses complained as he sat on the opposite bed and started playing his newest video game. "And besides, books aren't as awesome as video games"

"Says you" Ron pouted as he bound from our bed and ran for his bags to retrieve the book that I lent him. When he returned, his head was over the cover of the second installment of the 'Draco series'. My dad had gotten me into it a few years ago, and I in turn got Ron into it.

"All right, let me get you the next one" I said as I took the book. When I sat back down, I handed Ron the next book and watched as he leaned back on the bed and started reading. I then stood and went over to my dad, who was sitting at the small table near the backdoor "Do you know how far away mom is?" I asked as I sat across from him

"Should be here right about now" and as if on cue, the hotel room door opened and my mom walked in.

"Hey mom, how was shopping? I asked as I walked over and gave her a hug

"Good" she smiled as she hugged the boys and I.

"When are we heading to the airport?" I asked as we helped getting the grocery bags into the room

"Right after dinner. And did you three get it started?"

"Yes we did" Ron smiled.

When we finished dinner my dad said "All right you three we have to hurry or else we'll be late for our flight". So the boys and I rushed off to our bags and stuffed our things into them us. Then returned to the beds to wait for our parents to finish their packing. While we waited, I thought of the past few months.

The six of us were from San Francisco, California. My dad had gotten a phone call from our family friend Mark. Who, as I learned, needed my dad to investigate an ancient city in Egypt. Since then my parents have taken advantage to teach us more about Ancient Egypt

When we arrived at the airport later that evening, we found our terminal. While we waited to board the plane Ramses turned to our dad and asked "Can you please tell us where we are going?"

"We should tell them" I heard my mom whisper to my dad

"I agree." he replied, but right before he could say anything, a woman announced that it was time to board the plane. Once we'd settled into our seats he continued. "All right, we're moving to Cairo, Egypt"

"I thought we were traveling around the world?" Ron asked

"We are, but we need a home base, so your mom and I decided to have it at the cradle of creation"

"I guess that's why you've been on the computer so much. It wasn't so that you could only find touristy spots, you two were also looking for a house" Ramses said and he nodded.

Several hours later we landed in the Cairo airport. Once we got our bags and rental car, we left for a hotel to stay in for the night. The next morning, we traveled to the outskirts of Cairo to a house that looked a like the house in California . It was 2 stories high, and the white limestone shone in the mid-morning sun. There were a set of stairs that led up to the porch, which wound it's way around the house. On both sides of the stairs were two spiraling columns that guarded the door. Surrounding the door were rocking chairs, some lawn chairs, and a couple of love seats, and a few small tables. Once we were inside we took in our new home. We found our computers from the old house resting in the corners. While the T.V sat on a far wall with Ramses' X-Box, and a couple of couches surrounding it. "So that's were our stuff went" I said as we continued to look around the house.

"We'll be staying here till Mark calls me back" I heard my dad say.

A week later 'WHACK!' A baseball went flying through the yard "Run Ron!" I yelled as I watched him run around the make shift baseball field in our backyard.

It was me and Ron against Ramses and my dad. We ended the game at a tie of 5-5, when my mom called us in for dinner.

"Hey mom" Ron said as we started eating

"Yes sweetie?"

"When do you think that we could visit our friends in America?"

"Your dad and I talked about it and we decided that once we've visited a few places we'll see your friends" she promised

"Thank you, mom,"

The next day, we went to the Cairo Museum to look at some artifacts that my dad had found. I was leaning over one of the cases in the museum, examining a ring with the Eye of Horus on it. The tour guide said that when archaeologist Howard Carter found KV 64, and mummy that lay inside. I asked what the name of the Pharaoh inside the tomb was, but he didn't answer. As I gazed down at my own right hand, I couldn't help but notice that it was identical to the one in the case. My dad had given it to me on my fifth birthday. "Jack!" I heard his name called from across the museum; I snapped my head up and watched as Mark walked over to my dad

"Shh Mark, not so loud or else you'll cause a scene" my dad shushed him, when they were next to each other.

'What is Mark doing here? I thought that he was going to call if he needed my dad' I thought as my dad led him over to a secluded area. I felt compelled to follow,

"What are you doing here Mark? I thought that you were going to call" I heard my dad whisper

"I came to let you know that the time ripple will soon open, and Alex must go through"

"Not this again, the answer is still no" my dad snarled

"Please, I've already talked to 'him' that she'll come in one month's time" Mark whispered

"In our time or his"

"His"

"Damn it Mark, why couldn't you take someone else?" My dad snapped

"Because my visions say that your daughter will go to their time and save the Pharaoh" Mark huffed.

"He's only a boy, and I will not allow you to put my daughter in such danger"

"You're wrong Jack, he is no longer a child, he has recently turned 17 and if you could only see how much he's grown into a man"

"Mark, if I remember the last time I saw 'you-know-who', he was beyond stern. What makes you think that my daughter will safe there?"

"Well he might,"

"He might put Alex's head on a spike and put it in front of the palace walls. That and you know what happens when he turns 19" my dad interrupted.

"Jack, I'm sure that he won't put her head on a spike, and I'm even more sure that your daughter will save him from his accident"

"Damn it, when will the time ripple happen?" my dad finally caved

"In a few minutes"

"Where is it?"

"In a sealed room"

"Why is it sealed off?"

"Because of this reason"

"Does Dr. Marley know about this? My dad asked

"Of course he knows, remember we told him when we first got our jobs"

"Oh yeah" my dad chuckled.

"Do Susan and Alex know about the time traveling?"

"Susan knows, but Alex doesn't. But I guess we should tell her"

"We"

"I guess I'll tell her" my dad sighed. I then realized that their conversation was over so I rushed back to where I'd been standing. I heard Mark start to talk with my mom, and after a few minutes of silence passed my mom's cries broke the silence

"No, I will not let you take my daughter away!"

"But Susan, I must take Alex"

"No, I don't want to lose my daughter"

"Susan, please calm down. Alex will come to no harm, I swear on my life" Mark said as he tried to reassure her. I heard my mom huff a few times and after a few minutes I heard her speak

"Will we get to visit her?" she asked

"I don't see why not"

"Fine" she sighed as I looked around the museum to see a few people staring at us.

"Alex" my dad said from behind me

"Yes" I asked as I finally turned from the case

"I must tell you something"

"What is it?" I asked

"You remember those stories that I told you as a little girl?"

"Yeah, the ones about the girl that traveled through time and saved people from the past?" I asked

"Yeah, well listen those stories were about you"

"Why me?" I asked as I crossed my arms

"I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask that. Now I don't know how else to tell you this next part" he sighed as he bowed his head

"You have to come with me for a while to save a person from our distant past" Mark said from next to my dad

"Will it be like an adventure?"

"Yes, it will be like an adventure" he smiled

"When do we leave?"

"Right now"

"What are you guys talking about?" Ron asked as he and Ramses walked over from looking at a golden shrine.

"Boys listen, Alex has to go away for a while" my dad said as he looked at them

"No!" Ron cried as he ran over and hugged me "Please don't let her go"

"Ron, it won't be that long" my dad reassured him

"Promise?" he asked as he looked at me

"I swear, and I'll try to write everyday" I promised.

"Alex, I want you to promise me something" my mom asked as I hugged her and Ramses

"Yeah"

"Promise me that you won't ever take your ring off"

"Does it have magical powers?" I asked

"Actually yes, but it will only activate when it detects its twin, or when it's time for you to return home" my dad replied,

"Now, Alexandria, will you please follow me" Mark said and I followed. While we walked, I found myself turning around a few times and waving at my family, not knowing how long I would be gone. We went to a room with a sign that read 'Staff Only'

"Mark, we aren't allowed in there"

"Actually we are, since your dad and I work for the museum" he smiled as we entered.

"Where are we?" I asked once the door closed, making the room become dark, and making me more nervous then I should have been.

"Alex listen, I want you to relax and clear your mind of everything, do you understand?"

"I guess?" I replied as I cleared my mind and relaxed,

"Now listen, I need you to hold onto my arm" I nodded and reached out till I felt his arm. Right when I felt the sleeve of his shirt, I felt a gust of wind, then the ground disappeared beneath me. After a minute, I felt it reappear, and there was a bright flash, then darkness again. "We're almost there Alex" Mark whispered and I nodded again. After another minute, there was another flash.

Almost as quick as we'd left, Mark and I were standing in a football sized room. The limestone walls had colorful images of people, most in chariots or chairs. I looked down at the floor and saw it many multicolored tiles, made to look like a long winding river. Alongside the river were dogs, cows, birds and many different plants. I saw fish, hippos and crocodiles painted into the bluest tiles. I looked up and saw two golden chairs sitting high above us, with one being a little higher than the other. My stomach lurched and my legs wobbled, then darkness over took me.

When I woke, I found myself still on the ground, but I came to the realization that I was laying on dirt and not tile. I looked over and saw Mark sitting next to me, and was looking at the door. I noticed that he wasn't wearing what he had on before, a green t-shirt and jean shorts with brown sandals. He now wore a kilt, with a leather belt sewn around the top and plain, brown sandals. When I looked down at what I was wearing I saw that I had a long white dress that also came with a leather belt and sandals. I then looked around my surroundings and saw that Mark and I were in a dungeon. It came with chains, a few mats and pillows, a single candle and small window, which revealed the night sky. "What happened?" I grunted as I sat up

"We time traveled" Mark replied as he finally looked at me.

"I noticed that, due to what we saw in the other room. What happened after I passed out?"

"We got arrested"

"For what reason" I asked getting mad at whoever did this to us

"Now there I don't have an answer for you" he sighed. I noticed that our voices sounded weird, and I figured that we were speaking Ancient Egyptian.

"So I'm pretty sure that we're still in Egypt and that we time traveled. But I'm wondering what year is it and what king is on the throne, also, what city are we in?"

"Well to answer your first question, the year is 1325 BC. The king on the throne is Tutankhamun; and we are in the city of Thebes. Now are you hungry?" he asked as he passed over a tray that had some bread, cheese and water.

"Starving" I replied as I pulled over the tray and started devouring the food. Not caring that there were little bits of sand in the cheese and bread, and that the water was starting to go stale

"You should rest, we have a busy day tomorrow" Mark said once I'd finished.

"What's tomorrow?"

"We will be meeting Pharaoh in the morning" I didn't say anything as I lay down on one of the two mats and fell right asleep. I dreamed of my family that night. I missed them and I didn't understand why I was here. As the shock started to wear off, I started feeling scared and nervous. My only companion, and friend, was Mark. Since he had always been there for my family in our toughest times and had become like an uncle then a close friend. I dreamed of Ron and Ramses, and wondered how they were handling this, better than me. I saw tears streaming down their faces, and I saw my mom and dad. She was crying on my dad's shoulders, and he was saying that everything would be okay.