Afterlife

Author's Note: I changed runes to hieroglyphs. By the way, ever heard a crocodile when it's mad? I never did until I wrote this story. Absolutely terrifying. Anyway, this was really fun to write despite having to rush even more through it than last time (I was at the beach with horrible wifi) because I absolutely love Anubis; he is easily my favourite of the Egyptian pantheon. (Anubis I beseech thee please do not allow me to be devoured by Ammut).

I awoke to the resounding noise of dripping water, and a ceaseless throbbing in my head that extended to my limbs and every muscle. Through the haze of intense nausea, my dreary eyes followed the echoing of water to the pointed rooftop, where a thin stream of water trickled down a limestone path marked by a littering of ancient hieroglyphs, dimly lit. Only one fine ray of crepuscular sunlight managed its way through the rooftop’s small opening, hitting a single gold object in the center and dispersing scantily onto each limestone wall. I willed my feeble limbs to hold me up as I staggered onto my feet, and focused my blurry vision on the golden object.

Upon rubbing my eyes the view before me was elucidated - a weighing scale. Upon one of its polished pans, a single pure-white feather, on the other, a human heart. My heart. I made a move towards it, but the resonant hiss of some creature stopped me in my tracks. A long, leathery head moved out of the shadows, followed by the claws of a lion and hippo’s end. I knew this demoness, without a doubt - Ammut. As she moved closer, I saw the scattered rays gleaming upon her satiny sheen of yellow lion’s fur. But most petrifying of all was her gleaming emerald eyes and the thin black slit that seemed to sink into an endless abyss. Her jaw unhinged slowly, with almost sedated movements, to reveal two rows of glistening teeth, and from her jaw agape came a guttural bellow that reverberated throughout the enclosed room, fading into a prolonged, grating hiss.

I recoiled out of instinct. But if my life’s work in Kemeticism studies has taught me anything, it was that there was no use in hiding, there was no escape. Would I spend my last moments in fear? Her ashen tail thwacked against her waxen leather rear, echoing with the nearing sound of her footsteps. I could only glare in terror at the exposed teeth mocking my helplessness.

But from the far distance came the plangent howling of jackals. Of course. Anubis’ svelte figure emerged from the shadows. His was-scepter clacked against the hardened bricks as he moved to interrupt Ammut’s stentorian roar; she slinked back into the darkness. He stepped slowly into the light, illuminating his lustrous black fur, and adornments of coruscating gold. The aureate shimmer of his Ankh gave me hope.

Anubis’ eyes met mine, their resplendent amber hue glimmering brightly, but I could sense no emotion from his imperturbable gaze. His stone face remained expressionless. My eyes moved to the weighing scale, and as if on cue, he raised his mighty was-scepter upwards towards the twilight rays, and struck it forcefully down to crack upon the limestone, sending pale dust swirling around his feet.

Finally, I heard the dreadful sound of the weighing scale as it shifted, hesitantly, creaking as it vacillated with indecisiveness, to come to its final resting place, the nacre-white feather lifted high, and my bleeding heart on its pan, resting upon the brick floor.

I looked to Anubis to beg for mercy, but was met only with an impassive stare as he turned his back to the scale.

Only Ammut’s sonorous roar pierced my senses as all dimmed to black.

A fun question to consider: Had you lived in Ancient Egypt, would you have gone to the afterlife, or would you have been fed to Ammut? I most definitely would have been fed for just being a nuisance to society lol.