Pretendore
by
G.K. Thorpe

Prologue

The Sudan 1917

Even at 7.a.m the desert sun was hot, the three soldiers sat drinking

tea and complaining as usual.

The fourth had wandered off as he had done many times before. Joe Dixon was a quiet man in his early 20s, had the war not intervened he would be doing the job he loved, archaeology, but that had ended 3 years ago. But here in the desert, so close to the Egyptian border he hoped, prayed that he would find some ancient artifact, his army pals ribbed him about it, but after 3 months in the desert, they couldn't help but envy him in some way.

"Joe was up earlier than usual this morning" The burly sergeant addressed the question to no one in particular.

"Well, you know Joe, any chance he gets" Private Bob Wilkins answered "He reckons 'es found summat"

"Haaa.like what one of those mummies he's always talking and reading about" Sgt Fred Johnson laughed.

"You know I looked at one of Joe's books" Corporal James White, Chalky to his mates, was the quietest of the group.

"Blimey Chalky, I didn't know you could read." said Sgt Johnson laughing at his own joke.

"It was all funny drawings and bleeding long words, foreign like" the cockney corporal ignored his Sgt.

A shout in the distance, bought them to their feet, they made a grab for their rifles.

"That was Joe. Bloody 'ell you don't think it's the Bosch do yer'" said Chalky the first on his feet.

"Well, those Germans will have to deal with us first, they won't know what's hit them'" their Sgt replied.

A very excited Joe Dixon greeted them halfway, "Oi, what's with the guns Sarge"

'"We heard you yelling, just thought you might be in trouble, you seeing there's a war on and all that"

"Yea' agreed Chalky, 'thought you'd met with the Hun's".

"Oh, sorry chaps, but no, but I have found something, you have got to see this, come on'" Joe was racing ahead of them, back to where he had been digging.

The others looked at their Sergeant, who shrugged and could only follow him, better to keep him and all the others in sight. They followed Joe over the dunes; he disappeared behind a particularly large one.

"Joe'", Sgt Johnson called "hey wait for us'!" He stepped on the top of the dune to catch his breath, the others close behind him.

"I ain't going no further" Bob Wilkins collapsed on the sand.

"Sarge'" It was Chalky

"What?"

"Joe was right. Look"

They all looked to where Chalky was pointing.

"What is it'?" asked Chalky

"I don't know:, answered Joe, "but I do know that it is important"

"Oh, that's very good, you don't know what it is but you do know that it is important'" The burley Sgt was not impressed. They had left their base unattended, although the chances of any Bosch finding or coming remotely near this part of the desert was very scarce indeed.

"Just help me dig will you?"

The others looked to their Sergeant for guidance, he shrugged [a habit he'd picked up long ago] there was nothing else to do. The army had established an outpost in this remote part of the Sudan, for God knows

why, but at least it had kept him and the others out of the trenches.

By Mid-day they had created a makeshift tent, and had dug around the monument, that Joe had found.

"I gotta take a break" Chalky sat down under the tent, and took a long swig of water.

"Oi Chalky that's got to last us till we get the next lot of supplies." Sgt Johnson grabbed the canteen for himself.

"Well, by my reckoning, that's in the next day or two, but right now, me throat is as dry as this desert, and what the bloody 'ell is this anyway?" They both turned to look at Joe, who with Bob had uncovered the rest of

the 'monument'.

"I don't know", answered Joe, "but look at these strange markings."

"I know what they are." They all looked at Private Wilkins in surprise. "It's Astronomy."

"Yea, what do you know about Astronomy then?"

"I read lots of books on it, and my dad and I used to study the stars a lot." Bob replied to his Sergeant.

"Look these columns here move.."

"I don't think you should...." Chalky got no further.

The desert sands began to move the noise was incredible.

"What the HELL is that?" Sgt Johnson had to shout to be heard

"Sounds like .someone..NOOOOO.."

The three remaining members of the team could only stand and stare. After the screams had died down, all that was left, was the makeshift tent and debris.

___________________________________________________________________

British Museum Vaults 1944

It was so quiet; you would never know that there was a war raging above

in the streets of London. Underneath, in the vaults of the British Museum the two curators, were

busy cataloguing the latest batch of treasures that needed to be shipped out to a place of safety.

"Just the Egyptian stuff now'", Malcolm Newbry was a 54-year-old ex army Colonel who had been curator of the museum treasures for the past 10 years, his partner, Frank Meadows, was relatively new compared to him, at

49, had been with the museum for just 8 years. "It's amazing, and sad that probably none of these artifact's will ever

be seen."

Frank agreed, "So much beauty, that the world will never know about." Both men relished in their job, and took great pride in their work.

"Frank, help me move this crate will you, why it was put in such an

awkward place, I will never know."

"I think we just found out why" Frank said as they finally moved the

heavy crate.

"Did you know about this?"

What they had discovered was a doorway in the floor of the vaults.

"No, never seen that before."

"Well, shouldn't we take a look, I mean we are supposed to catalogue everything, and there might be important artifacts down there."

Malcolm considered a moment, Frank was right; they had been told to check everything. All had to be listed and moved. The padlock was at least 20 years old, but fairly easy to break.

When they open the hatch, there was a damp, musty smell, it obviously had been sealed and never been re-opened. There were steps leading down into the darkness.

"I'll get the torches", said Frank.

Minutes later they were standing in a dank, dark and damp room, that had literally been carved out of the underground rock.

"Blimey Frank, how could anything have been put down here, it's far to damp."

"And dark, can't see three feet in front of me, but now we're here, we best check, just in case."

They both kept close together, unsure of their surroundings and what they might find, if anything.

"Ok, that's it", It was Malcolm who finally broke the silence. "That's it nothing here, lets go."

"Hmm, ok, but why lock it?" Frank sounded unsure.

"I don't know, maybe they were going to use it, but the place became so damp, maybe it got flooded or something."

"You're right, nothing here, lets go, this place gives me the creeps."

Malcolm made one final sweep with his torch, In the dim light, he saw tucked away in a corner, two objects covered with old tarpaulin. "Frank..look,"

The other curator followed Malcolm's stare.. "Well, you know what the boss said.."

"Yes, catalogue everything," Malcolm finished for him.

There were, two objects, one about 4 feet in height, the other one, as tall as a house, they decided by silent consent, that the smaller of the two was easier.

They pulled the tarpaulin off, it was similar to a pedestal, the top of the pedestal was round, with one side raised slightly higher, with two inlaid sets of markings on it, and a disc in it's centre.

"Made of stone, this is going to be a bugger to shift, we're going to need some help." Frank said.

"Well, we can at least catalogue it first, don't want to miss anything now, do we?"

"Very funny Malcolm, you're a real bundle of laughs today."

Frank started to write down a description then stopped, "Er...."

"Yes." Malcolm was peering under the larger tarpaulin.

"What shall I write it down as, I mean, what is it, was it? And what about these markings, what are they?"

"Do I look like the memory man or something. I don't know.." He came over to where Frank was. "Well they look like constellations to me, that is Orion, and that is."

"Yes, yes ok."

Malcolm was always pleased to share is knowledge of astronomy with anyone who would listen really.

"Oh, well that's good, but it doesn't really help, me much."

Frank lent on the pedestal..

"BLOODY 'ELL, you see that Malc.."

"Yea I did"

The tarpaulin that was covering the larger object began to move, and the object groaned into life.

"Frank, just don't touch anything else"

Too late, curiosity got the better of Frank Meadows. "They all move."

"Frank, when will you learn..did you hear that?"

"What?"

"Sounded like a...listen..."

Frank, put his hands to his head and collapsed on the floor.

"NOOOO, NOOO...S..T..O..P..THEM, you have."

Malcolm bent to help his friend, what he saw, was nothing like Frank, tears were running down his cheeks, his face was a mixture of pain and fear.

"Help me...Help us"

Frank reached out towards Malcolm, the gate, was shaking, strange lights illuminated from it

Malcolm could only watch in horror, and then it came with the full force of a giant waterfall.

"FRANK!!!!!!!!!"

End of Prologue to
Pretendore
by
G.K. Thorpe
Chapter One