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The Sphinx's Nose.


He stood there in the blazing heat, sweat slowly dripping down the back of his neck. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Two tantalizing years and now was the time to turn off the diggers, throw down the spades and walk into the wonders he so longed for. From one of his many pockets he pulled out a shinning flask filled to the brim with precious water. As he drank a ray of light appeared on the brittle sand from which the sun reflected. He made a move forwards, into the unknown, into the shade, into history.

After replacing his flask with a fragile scroll, he continued to walk into the abyss of pharaoh’s and hieroglyphics. He did not seek for treasure he sought something far more important, a mystery that hadn't been solved for hundreds of years. But now, the chance of unlocking the mystery had arrived and the chance wasn't going to be handed over so easily.

He placed the scroll against the cold wall reading the golden eagles and dung beetles to try and choose which path to take. Pleased with the translation he lit a torch on the wall with a box of matches and withdrew it from its cobwebbed stand. His heart thumping more and more the deeper he explored, then finally a chamber with colossal statues of Anubis , Horus , Isis , Amaunet and a female statue of whom he did not recognise. "A female pharaoh that has not yet been discovered, wow this was beyond what I was expecting to find here!" he exclaimed.

In the centre of the chamber was a golden tomb in the shape of the female statue standing so proud in the back of the room. Clutched in her arms was a book which seemed to not be apart of the sarcophagus. Noticing this he trembled towards it, what lay in her hands could be what he desired from the moment he entered.

Pulling out the book and placing the torch in an empty stand, he translated the faded title "Egypt’s architecture history” he whispered and slowly opened the book. He sat in the chamber for a good half hour translating pages after pages. From the structures of common peoples "graves" all the way to the great pyramids he read every scrutinising detail. Then as he turned to the last page the mystery he wanted to solve was there. "The construction of the sphinx…Finally!” The sphinx was a giant sculpture designed to look like a lion with a pharaoh’s head , to create this, soft limestone is used to hopefully keep the sculpture intact for years to come." he read aloud getting more excited at every word. At the bottom of the page was a title reading "Minor problems". Eyes widened he read aloud "The sphinx encountered a problem with a removal of its nose. This is because-" Creak crack crumble. The tomb door slammed shut as if the statues of the Egyptian gods were roaring in anger. He panicked and dropped the book on the stone floor. With one last glance towards the mysterious female statue the ceiling shattered and caved in.

He opened his eyes. His feet were propped up by the windscreen of the bright yellow digger. The silver flask in his right hand, while his left was motionless against his stomach. The suns rays were shining on the spade which was engraved in the warm sand. And all that could be seen was the start of an old Egyptian tomb entrance being revealed from earth’s secret diary.