If Tears Were Wishes And Other Short Stories by Ruth Nestvold

Author:Ruth Nestvold [Ruth Nestvold]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-02-10T13:00:00+00:00

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She thinks the signs and words reveal things, but I know they hide them, as it should be. When I peel this onion to the core, all that is left are tears; when I remove my veil, it is less than the secret the veil promises.

****

Haley tried to return to the temple of Hatshepsut, but even without hallucinations she kept seeing the blood everywhere, blood and bodies. The metallic scent filled her nostrils, and she could feel the terror, the pain, as if she were the one running from chance execution by religious fanatics. She was wearing a floppy straw hat as the doctor ordered, but it didn't help against memory.

So instead, she cut off her visit to the Valley of Queens and sought out the temple complex of Karnak.

The ride in the "taxi" — a van which served as a kind of unofficial bus — was an adventure. Haley had not yet dared to try one out, and she wasn't sure if she would do it again, despite the unbeatable price of two Egyptian pounds, well under a dollar. The driver passed every vehicle in his path, then honked his horn and put on his brakes every time he saw another tourist he thought he could add to his cargo. Haley clenched her hat in her hands and tried not to look as scared as she felt.

When they arrived in the parking lot of Karnak, she heaved a huge sigh of relief and pulled the Egyptian pound notes she needed from her wallet. As she was stepping out of the sliding door of the van, the driver appeared in front of her and took her by the waist, lifting her and setting her on the concrete. He probably wanted more bakshish for the special favor. But instead of demanding money, he murmured something low that she couldn't understand and ran his hand slowly down her hair. For a moment, Haley froze, not knowing what was going on.

"Shukran," she said and put the hat she held fisted in her hand back on her head. What had she done wrong this time? She was wearing long pants and a light, long-sleeved blouse, just like the guidebooks told her to.

And she was wearing her hair loose, not twisted in a bun at the back of her head as she usually did when it was hot.

She wasn't blond, but her hair was long, and it wasn't covered by a veil. So she was supposed to wear a veil now too?

Repressing a feeling of annoyance bordering on anger, Haley headed between the avenue of the sphinxes to the first pylon of the temple of Karnak. Past the court of Amenophis III, there was an obelisk of Hatshepsut still standing which she wanted to study in detail. Most of the obelisks which had once stood here now graced the squares of Rome and other conquering powers, stolen to prove sovereignty; only two were still in Karnak.

She went through the fourth pylon to the vestibule of the temple.

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