The heavy iron gate clicked shut behind Adam. A limestone sphinx blinked its painted eyes. The hot sand suddenly smelled of lotus flowers instead of exhaust fumes.
Adam stepped closer to the wall. He reached out to touch a hieroglyph, but his hand passed through stone as if it were water. A tiny scarab beetle clicked against his wrist like a ticking clock.
He tried to grab a floating papyrus scroll, but it zipped away, dodging his fingers with playful speed. He chased it around a granite pillar, kicking up dust that sparkled in the air.
The papyrus slammed into an open tomb door, revealing a golden mask that tilted its head at him. Adam froze, realizing the statues were watching his every move.
A pharaoh’s statue tipped forward, offering a dusty apple from its pedestal. Adam took a bite; the crisp crunch echoed loudly in the sudden silence.
The courtyard walls began to hum with a low vibration. Shadows stretched long and thin across the sand, twisting into shapes of dancing jackals.
Adam backed away slowly. The air grew cold, smelling of dry spices and old paper. He knew he had to leave before the night fully arrived.
He ran toward the iron gate. The sphinx watched him go, its painted eyes closing one last time. The smell of lotus faded, replaced by the familiar sound of traffic.
