Visionary Kiss I & II & III

Visionary Kiss II Part 8

SAHARA DESERT SAND DUNES - DAY

It was a hot endless day. Like being in the middle of the frying pan. The sun baked sand of the Sahara under them and the burning sun over them, they pressed on in a path that only O'Connell could see.

"Never did like camels. Filthy buggers. They smell, they bite, they spit. Disgusting." Jonathan could only try to not be bit again.

Meanwhile, the warden attacked a chicken wing with his vile green teeth. Flies buzzed around his head. He sucked at his gums, then spited out some gristle. All the time watched by Rick. "Yeah, disgusting."

Evelyn and Willow were having the time of their life on top of their camels. They patted them and every now and then they even gave them bites of the dates Willow had bought.

"Well I think they're cute." Evelyn winked at her friend.

Willow looked over the majesty of the desert that they were riding deeper and deeper into. Mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising into small mountains in south and northeast.

FRYING PAN - NIGHT

The moon was high in the dark sky as the camel riders trekked across the vast wasteland. They had decided that it would be the best thing to do so. The group would rest when they would reach the city of death.

Jonathan was sound asleep, his head bobbing comically to the rhythm of his camel. On the camel next to him, the Warden snored loudly, in his sleep as unpleasant as his wakefulness. Up in front of them, Evelyn slowly started to slide off her saddle. O'Connell reached over and stopped her, gently pushing her back up onto her saddle, never waking her.

Willow looked back at the couple smiling. The witch knew that these two were made for each other and she would make sure that boouldould stay alive. They were her friends.

For a long moment, his eyes watched Evelyn, not knowing what the woman in front was thinking and then he looked up at a distant ridge where Ardeth Bay and a group of Mumia Riders were pacing them.

EXT. GIANT SAND DUNE _ ENDLESS HORIZON - DAY

The dawning sun had yet to crest the distant horizon as Jonathan and the Warden rode alongside a giant sand dune. Screaming at each other and not for the first time.

"And you snore!"

"I do not snore!"

"All night you snored!"

"I have never snored!"

Willow could only shake her head at both men. She made a few noises, riding in front of them so she could just try to ignore them. Up in front of her, O'Connell looked at Evelyn.

"We're almost there."

"Are you sure?"

He looked down onto the ground, for a short moment he closed his eyes and then he more whispered than said out loud, "Pretty sure."

The others looked down and saw dozens of skeletons sticking out of the ground. Bleached bones and partially eaten. Some of them looked as if they would still try to crawl up out of the desert floor. Evelyn and her brother let out noises of shock.

"What in bloody hell is this?"

The Warden shivered in fear looking up. "Other seekers of Hamunaptra."

Before Willow could say something, she saw the American Expedition. They rode out from behind the far end of the dune. Correction, make that the huge American Expedition. At least two dozen native diggers and an Arab Egyptologist. In front of all them she could see the one that she referred to as "the Bug." At the loud groan of O'Connell she knew that he had seen Beni too, who rode the only camel. The rest of them on horses.

"Good morning, my friend!"

O'Connell just nodded. The two parties came to a stop a hundred feet apart. Rick turned and stared out across the endless horizon. Beni did likewise. The Americans looked puzzled.

"Well, what the hell we doin'?"

"Patience, my good sahib, patience."

Henderson looked over at O'Connell, "First one to the city, O'Connell! Five hundred! Cash bucks!"

O'Connell and Beni just stared out at the flat nothingness.

"Just SHUT UP." Willow did not even look at the others. She knew what was to come. Evelyn and Jonathan shared a look.

And then, the SUN started to rise in the distance, breaking the flat horizon.

"Get ready." O'Connell got upright into the saddle. Evelyn could feel the suspense and the majesty of the moment.

"For what?"

"We're about to be shown the way."

Far off to the right, a huge shape began to rise with the sun. A volcano.

O'Connell and Beni watched it, expressionless.

Daniels, Henderson and Burns share a look, and then, "HEYA!"

The Americans took off. Racing toward the rising volcano.

"SEE YA THERE, O'CONNELL!"

Evelyn and Jonathan gave O'Connell anxious, sarcastic looks.

"Ah, begging your pardon, but shouldn't we be going?"

"After all, you rode us night and day to win that bet."

O'Connell didn't say a word, just stared hard.

Beni watched the Americans and spat into the sand, "Fools."

And then suddenly, the volcano shifted across the horizon. Passing across the sun as it goes. Showing that it was a mirage. Which made the Americans jerk their horses to a stop and raced off in the other direction chasing after the volcano.

O'Connell looked at the British couple who were smiling, amazed. Then he looked at the red head. He was not surprised to see her face emotionless, all the emotions in her eyes. Shaking his head he tried to understand the feeling he always got when he looked at her. It was as if he should know her, maybe this feeling came from the conviction that she knew everything.

The volcano shifted again, floating across the watery horizon. The Americans pulled up to a stop again and chased after the volcano. All three of them confused and cursing. But still Rick and Beni only stared, still waiting and the volcano shifted again.

This time the group of riders crashed to a stop again. Burns was thrown from his horse. Henderson angrily ripped his hat off and chucked it to the ground. Meanwhile Daniels just cursed as they gave up the chase, finally having brains enough to wait.

The volcano came to a stop on the far left of the horizon. The Americans were on the far right.

Nothing moved.

A BEAT.

And then O'Connell grinned.

So did Beni.

They shared a look.

They swat their camels and raced away.

Everybody else hauled ass after them.

O'Connell and Beni neck and neck.

Suddenly Evelyn came galloping up, hair flying in the wind. Beni took out his camel whip and started whipping Rick. Trying to knock him off his camel.

Once. CRACK!

Twice. CRACK!

But on the third try Rick grabbed the whip and jerked Beni off his camel. Beni slammed to the ground and tumbled. Evelyn and O'Connell continued to race across the desert.

Evelyn had never felt so alive. She laughed. O'Connell grinned, he liked this girl.

Beni stumbled to his feet, then quickly dances out of the way onatonathan and all the other riders stampeded past him. After they had passed him, he cursed and screamed and then he looked up to the woman on the camel that was not racing behind all the others.

"Beni. Beni. You little worthless bug. You know the day will come when you will pay the price for all the things you have done and will do in the future. But I think today is a good start." Willow smiled at him. Pointing at his camel that had followed the others, what meant he would have to walk. She winked at him and then she rode away, snickering.

Evelyn beat Rick to the stone ramp, racing hard.

"Evelyn! Slow down!"

Evelyn ignored him as she raced up the ramp towards the gate.

"SLOW DOWN, EVELYN! SLOW DOWN! THERE'S A REALLY BIG.!"


End Visionary Kiss II Part 8­