Image by Anja-#pray for ukraine# #helping hands# stop the war from Pixabay Early the next morning, Kavi got up and left his room, checking to make sure Amana wasn’t around.
“Good morning!” Amana’s cheerful voice startled him. She was right behind him. How had he not heard her footsteps? “I didn’t hear you there,” Kavi’s voice trembled as he turned around. For once, Amana wasn’t wearing black. She wore a red shirt and dark blue jeans. But the scarlet red still reminded him of blood and vampires. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” Amana said. “I’m sorry. This whole vampire persona thing, I guess I took it too far. But I assure you there is nothing sinister in the backyard.” Kavi tried to hide the tremors but he just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. “I was hoping you would stay,” Amana said. “Please? You’re the best translator I’ve had and I also consider you a friend. Actually, I think of you as my best friend. That’s why I asked you about going on a date.” A date? And get himself killed? Sure, she would probably pretend she was going to kiss him, only to bite into his neck and suck his blood! She had almost gotten him last time! “No, I’m not staying,” Kavi said firmly. He got out his phone to call a taxi. “Um…I almost forgot. Taxis don’t run on Sundays,” Amana said slowly. She kept her distance, realizing Kavi was truly afraid and would back away if she took a step toward him. “What?!” Kavi stared at her in shock. “Well…we’re in the middle of nowhere. What did you expect?” Amana reasoned. Kavi felt anger bubbling up inside him. And most of all- fear. It rushed into him like a wave and threatened to explode. “Come inside and have breakfast,” Amana coaxed him. “I made scrambled eggs and bacon.” Kavi’s stomach rumbled. “Okay,” Kavi finally gave in and went inside, fervently hoping Amana wouldn’t use ketchup this time. * A knock came on the door of his quarters. Kavi cautiously opened it and saw Amana. “May I come in?” she asked, holding a small book. “Okay,” Kavi moved aside so she could enter. He told himself to be on his guard. To ever be alert. “Kavi, I would really like it if you stayed. We’re making headway on that book written by the Indian queen. Don’t you want to find out what the book contains? This connection between the Indus Valley and Ancient Egypt… this could be a new discovery!” Kavi thought about it. He valued his life more. “Yes, I do want to keep working on it,” he said. “But that tomb in the backyard….worries me.” “If I tell you what’s in there, will you trust me?” Amana said. “Will you stop fearing me?” Kavi shook his head. “Okay, then if you won’t trust me, will you at least stay until we finish translating that book? I’ll give you a bonus.” “Maybe,” Kavi said. “All right, come with me,” Amana held out a hand. “I’m going to show you something.” Without thinking, Kavi accepted her hand. After he did so, he realized what he’d done but felt it would be rude to let go, so he allowed her to lead him outside. Instead of being icy cold, this time her fingers felt warm. Once they were outside, Amana let go of his hand. She picked up a shovel and began to dig. Kavi watched and waited, hoping he wouldn’t end up in the ground. Amana dug up a box the size of a large basket. It was a safe. She opened it with a key from her necklace. “Come and see. Open it,” Amana said. Kavi crouched down to see. He slowly pulled open the safe’s door and witnessed several ancient-looking books and scrolls. “These are my most prized possessions. Some of my rarest manuscripts, which I purchased on a trip to India,” Amana said. “I keep them in here to ward off thieves. After my boyfriend ran away with my rare book, I heard the rumors and decided to go along with them to make a plan for securing my rarest books. And so I installed a gravestone here, to ward off intruders. This way I am protecting ancient history.” Kavi was speechless. “This was why I didn’t want to talk about it. I bury my treasure under a pretend gravestone so that people will stay away,” she continued. “But perhaps this story should end. Help me bring this to the library and you can peruse them at will.” Kavi happily obliged. * “Are you sure it’s safe?” Uma asked carefully. Kavi spoke into the phone. “Yes, I’ve decided to stay.” “But what about the rumors?” Uma wanted to know. “Those rumors were just embellishments of a bad breakup. People can be so imaginative. The burglary had happened around Halloween and so people made up stories and the tales just continued unchecked.” “How long will you be staying there?” Uma asked. “Well, I might be staying for a while. Also, Amana has asked me out on a date and I said yes.” “You’re going on a date with a vampire?” Uma laughed. “She’s not a vampire; she’s a scholar like me,” Kavi grinned. “And a protector of ancient history. I think we will get along very well together.”
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