7 Days of flash fiction Day 1 & 2
Trapped in a collapsed Egyptian temple, archaeologist Bogali releases evil spirits that both power his phone signal and get disturbed by it. forcing him to stalk the dark to call for rescue before his battery dies.
The corridor pressed against Bogali’s shoulders as he wedged himself deeper into the wall’s crack. His phone’s flashlight carved through darkness.
Battery: 29%.“Come on, come on.” He jabbed at the screen. No signal.
A low, wet breathing sound echoed from somewhere ahead. Getting closer.
His light swept across the chamber floor. Hassan lay twisted, a black wedge splitting his torso. No blood. Just that terrible opening, and his eyes… white, rolled back, glowing faintly. Like Sarah’s. Like Dmitri’s. All of them scattered through the temple ruins, mouths frozen open in silent screams.
The breathing grew louder. Bogali killed the light and pressed himself against stone.
Battery: 21%.The temple entrance had collapsed when they’d broken the seal. When those things had rushed out, howling, tearing through his team. Now the only way out was finding signal. Calling for help.
He crept forward, phone light dancing ahead. The corridor opened into a vast chamber. Hieroglyphs covered every surface, warning of imprisoned souls. Too late for warnings now.
Movement in his peripheral vision. He spun. They poured from the walls like smoke given form. Translucent bodies writhing, reaching. Bogali ran. His light bobbed wildly as ancient stones blurred past. He stumbled, went down hard.
The spirits surged forward. He threw up his hand, phone still clutched in it. The screen flared to life. One bar of signal appeared. The lead spirit shrieked and dissolved. The others retreated, hissing. The signal vanished.
Battery: 17%.Bogali stared at his phone. They gave him signal. But they couldn’t touch him while it was active.
Battery: 12%.He switched off the flashlight. Total darkness swallowed him. Slowly, his eyes adjusted. The spirits glowed faintly blue, drifting through chambers like bioluminescent jellyfish. His only light source now.
He had to get close. Close enough for signal. Close enough to call.
Bogali crept toward the nearest spirit. His thumb hovered over the phone’s power button. Ten feet. Five feet. The spirit’s hollow face turned toward him.
He pressed the button. The screen blazed. Two bars appeared. The spirit screamed and burst apart.
“AH, no, no.” The signal died.
Battery: 9%.More spirits drifted closer, drawn by the disturbance. Good. He needed them clustered. More spirits meant stronger signal. Maybe enough to complete a call.
“Hey! Hey! Here!”, He waved his arms.
They converged from all directions. Dozens of them, moaning, reaching. Bogali waited until they pressed close, their ghostly fingers inches from his skin.
Battery: 5%.He activated the phone. The spirits shrieked. Signal bars climbed. Three, four, full strength. His fingers flew. Contacts. Pharaoh Co HQ. Ringing. They swirled now. A vortex. Spirits spinning. Dissolving fast. Each death killed signal. Three bars. Two bars.
“It’s ture…”, He shouted.
Battery: 1%.Phone dies. Last spirit wails. Bursts into nothing. Perfect darkness. Silence. Then, a soft glow.
Red light seeped from the phone’s black screen. It pooled in his hands like blood, growing brighter. The light pulled free, hovering before him. Two translucent holes appeared where eyes should be. Below them formed a round, succulent mouth, moaning.
Bogali froze.
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