DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Rocket, v. 1, issue 1, March 1940

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Rocket, v. 1, issue 1, March 1940

Page 17

17

and broke into several pieces at my feet. Had I been there under it, I would have been killed instantly, as it had been balanced overhead for any intruder. Regaining my composure, I gazed in upon the most magnificent outlay of ancient Egyptian funerary tomb furnishings, that ever a man had the privilege to see. My attention was mainly attracted, to a beautifully inlaid box which blocked the way just inside the doorway. Forgetting my narrow escape, I stepped directly over to the case and brushing off the queer looking grey dust which almost stifled me, I slowly removed the lid. There under a small statue of a jackal headed being; was a huge roll of papyrus which immediately aroused my curiosity, to the extent that I quickly lifted it out and stepped out in the sunlight, where I could see and breathe freely, as my lungs were full of the grey dust which the breeze whipping into the tomb, had stirred up into almost an impregnable fog."

"With nervous fingers, I unrolled a portion of the huge scroll which bore, much to my surprise, Greek as well as hieroglyphic characters. Interest in the language at Oxford, showed me in good stead as I read over the terrifying facts revealed thereon."

"The scroll was written by King Tut-Ankh-Amen's personal scribe who had placed the case in the doorway, sealed the tomb and killed himself, rather than face the horror that was in store for him. And I can't say as I blame him much, for I realized that I had become the victim of the worst curse ever known to the ancient peoples of Egypt for on that scroll was explained that the dust which I had inhaled carried the dormant germ of a devastating disease, so great as to wipe out the people of a whole era of Egyptian History."

IV

At this point the doctor paused as if he were waiting for the full significance of what he had said, to 'sink in'. Hoping to clear my mind of the hoax angle, I asked him rather bluntly, "If what you say is true, why is it the disease has not caused your destruction?"

The doctor again gave me one of those careworn grins and said, "all in good time, my boy. All in good time." His grin changed to a look which was a caution to my impetuous nature, as he continued his strange story.

"It took me several moments after reading the scroll to regain my mental equilibrium. I sat down on the topmost of the stairs to ponder over the many questions and problems which faced me. What was to happen to me? How would the disease take effect? How about the men at the camp? I had already been established in the men's minds, as a dabbling old fool, who hadn't sense enough to stick to his medical practice. What would they say if I brought back the story of my discovery, in it's full detail? Yes, they would laugh again and disregard my translation of the warning and thus give further opening for the spread of the disease. No, that was not the sensible thing to do. I had but one course to take; seal up the tomb chamber and hope that it would not found, until I had found the antidote for this strange and all-powerful disease. I very quickly covered my mouth and nose with a handkerchief, which I moistened with my canteen, and re-entered the tomb to recover several chests which, though they appeared very small, caught my appreciative eye to be retained as proof of my story, should I desire to give my secrete later but more so, I think, I took them so that I might have something to prove to myself that I was not the victim sunstroke. Emptying a quinine bottle which I had with me, I filled it with as much of the death laden dust as it would hold and secreted it, along with the other articles, under an outcropping of sandstone near at

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17 and broke into several pieces at my feet. Had I been there under it, I would have been killed instantly, as it had been balanced overhead for any intruder. Regaining my composure, I gazed in upon the most magnificent outlay of ancient Egyptian funerary tomb furnishings, that ever a man had the privilege to see. My attention was mainly attracted, to a beautifully inlaid box which blocked the way just inside the doorway. Forgetting my narrow escape, I stepped directly over to the case and brushing off the queer looking grey dust which almost stifled me, I slowly removed the lid. There under a small statue of a jackal headed being; was a huge roll of papyrus which immediately aroused my curiosity, to the extent that I quickly lifted it out and stepped out in the sunlight, where I could see and breathe freely, as my lungs were full of the grey dust which the breeze whipping into the tomb, had stirred up into almost an impregnable fog." "With nervous fingers, I unrolled a portion of the huge scroll which bore, much to my surprise, Greek as well as hieroglyphic characters. Interest in the language at Oxford, showed me in good stead as I read over the terrifying facts revealed thereon." "The scroll was written by King Tut-Ankh-Amen's personal scribe who had placed the case in the doorway, sealed the tomb and killed himself, rather than face the horror that was in store for him. And I can't say as I blame him much, for I realized that I had become the victim of the worst curse ever known to the ancient peoples of Egypt for on that scroll was explained that the dust which I had inhaled carried the dormant germ of a devastating disease, so great as to wipe out the people of a whole era of Egyptian History." IV At this point the doctor paused as if he were waiting for the full significance of what he had said, to 'sink in'. Hoping to clear my mind of the hoax angle, I asked him rather bluntly, "If what you say is true, why is it the disease has not caused your destruction?" The doctor again gave me one of those careworn grins and said, "all in good time, my boy. All in good time." His grin changed to a look which was a caution to my impetuous nature, as he continued his strange story. "It took me several moments after reading the scroll to regain my mental equilibrium. I sat down on the topmost of the stairs to ponder over the many questions and problems which faced me. What was to happen to me? How would the disease take effect? How about the men at the camp? I had already been established in the men's minds, as a dabbling old fool, who hadn't sense enough to stick to his medical practice. What would they say if I brought back the story of my discovery, in it's full detail? Yes, they would laugh again and disregard my translation of the warning and thus give further opening for the spread of the disease. No, that was not the sensible thing to do. I had but one course to take; seal up the tomb chamber and hope that it would not found, until I had found the antidote for this strange and all-powerful disease. I very quickly covered my mouth and nose with a handkerchief, which I moistened with my canteen, and re-entered the tomb to recover several chests which, though they appeared very small, caught my appreciative eye to be retained as proof of my story, should I desire to give my secrete later but more so, I think, I took them so that I might have something to prove to myself that I was not the victim sunstroke. Emptying a quinine bottle which I had with me, I filled it with as much of the death laden dust as it would hold and secreted it, along with the other articles, under an outcropping of sandstone near at