THE BOOK OF THE DEAD: PT 1: THE BOOK OF EVIL

It was early September, and every one had returned to high school. And they had begun year eleven, the last year at Lowestoft High.

With only six months left to their G.C.S.E's they had to knuckle down and work hard to get the grades that they wanted.

It was late afternoon and the last class of the day and all the year elevens had grow weary by now, and they all just wanted to go home. They had entered their history lesson and were restless this lesson was so cliché they all just wanted to pack up and go home. But this term would be different for these students things were going to go from dull and very boring to very interesting.

They all sat down talking.

Miss Faulkner entered the room. 'Right guys settle down have a special guest. One I'm sure that all of you will be interested in. He's all the way from America.'

They all turned sitting silently.

A male with short hair, and facial hair walked in.

'Class this Kelvin he's an archaeologist all the way from America.'

Miss Faulkner stepped back so that he could stand centre stage.

'Right I'm Kelvin Morrison, from New Jersey. I am an archaeologist working for the U.S. government. I have under gone many explorations and digs over the world finding different artefacts. Many of the bones are from different eras. I have been posted here to find prehistoric bones and artefacts, but for this I need volunteers to join me and my team. Your school came very high on the list and in particular this class. The letters will be handed to you after the lesson. This is not just for one day it will last the duration of two months we will be camping on sight so make sure you pack plenty. The dig will take place on Ghostly Hill the other side of London. We will be travelling a week from today.'

'Thanks Kelvin.' She looked at the class. 'We will need these permission slips in by the end of the week.'

The bell rang for end of the day.

'Right class on your way out Kelvin will pass you all a letter. Bring them back signed to our next class.'

They all pulled themselves up out of their chairs swinging their bags over their backs taking a letter as they left the room.

'Great can't wait.'

'You like this stuff Joe?'

'Of course I'm interested in all old bones, finding how long they've been buried for. It's just so exciting.'

'What about your mom? Think she can handle being without you for two whole months?'

'I hope so I really want to go.'

'He was kind of cute.'

'You're gross Caitlin he's like thirty.'

'So he's got a sexy accent.'

'You think any ass in jeans is sexy.'

They laughed walking out of school.

Joe walked into the house closing the door behind him. 'You never guess what mom?' He said walking into the lounge.

'What Joe.'

'Our class has been selected to go on an archaeological dig.'

'When?'

'In a week.'

'How long for?'

'He swallowed. 'Two months.'

Her face dropped.

'Here's the letter.' He said passing it to his mom.

She took it off him reading in word for word. 'It's a long time.'

'I know, but it's something I really want to do.'

'You're saying that you're into this kind of stuff?'

'Yes I am.'

'Well at least it's free; all you've got to do is take a tent, clothes, and camping equipment.'

'So can I go?'

'I don't know.'

'Please we'll be well supervised.'

'I'll think about it.'

'It's got to be in by Friday mom.'

'I'll tell you Thursday then.'

'Okay.' He sighed, slumping down onto the sofa.

X

'So you're mom sign?'

'Not yet she said she had to think about it.'

'Mine did. She said at least it would be quiet in the house for two months. Without me constantly talking.'

'What about your parents Caitlin have your parents signed?'

'Yeah I was talking with the other guys their parents have signed too.'

'Great only mine that hasn't.'

'Don't worry Joe she will.'

'Here you go Joe.'

He looked at his mom. 'You signed it?'

'Yes. I spoke to some of the other parents they seem to think it will be a good experience, and so do I.'

'Thanks mom.' He said taking the acceptance slip off her. 'I'll see you later mom.'

He kissed her cheek. 'Thanks mom, bye mom.'

She smiled. 'Bye Joe.'

He closed the door behind him smiling all the way to school.

'I take by the Cheshire cat on your face, your mom said yes.'

'Yep.'

'Cool. We can group up.'

'Sound.'

They all walked into their History class sitting down, listening to Miss Faulkner go on.

The bell rang for the end of class, a sigh of relief echoed across the room, and their faces as they pulled themselves up throwing their bags onto their backs.

'Right class hand in your acceptance slips on the way out.'

They all passed Miss Faulkner their acceptance slip. 'Nice to see you're going Joe. I know this stuff interests you more than what we learn in the class.'

She took the acceptance slip off Mark. 'You too Mark we all know you and digging.' She smiled.

They smiled as they passed.

'What was all of that about? Digging and how does she know?'

'She used to work at our old primary school; she was one of our teachers. I dug up the entire playing field.'

'I remember that. You took a metal detector up there hoping that you'd find something up there and all you found were rusted cans and stuff.'

'Really?'

'Yeah the head was pissed. They had to re-turf.'

'You're mom wasn't too pleased either. She ended up paying for it to be done.'

'Yeah she did.' He laughed.

WEEK ONE

DAY ONE: THE ARRIVAL

With everything packedall of the year elevens had arrived at school rearing to go.

'Right class line up.'

'Great we've got Norman.'

'I heard that Newman. There will be three adults accompanying you on this expedition. Miss Faulkner, Mr. Morrison and myself, any questions?'

'No sir.'

'Good. When I call your name place your belongings in the luggage compartment under the coach then board. Are we understood?'

'Yes sir.'

'Good. When we arrive we will be greeted by a team of archaeologists. They will meet us on the outskirts of Ghostly Hill and will show us to where we are to set up camp.' The head said before reeling off the names individually.

They placed their luggage in the compartment under the coach then stepped on finding their seats.

The head, the head of history, and the archaeologist placed their luggage in the component, under the coach, last boarding the coach. Mr. Norman doing a head count. 'All present.'

The doors swished as they closed the driver screeched the hand break before pulling away.

They made one of many stops on the way to Ghostly Hill. The head counted all the heads once again. 'All present.'

The doors closed. And the driver pulled away and they were on their way once again.

The coach pulled up on the outskirts of Ghostly Hill.

'Right we're here, one at a time. Stand next to the coach.'

They all leaped off the coach one by one their teachers and the archaeologist the last.

The head teacher reeled off their names in alphabetical order. In turn they replied. 'Here sir.'

'Collect your belongings.'

They opened the compartment under the coach pulling out their belongings.

They closed the under coach compartment. A male approached them. 'You must be the class of Lowestoft High.'

The headmaster looked at the young looking male. 'Yes we are.'

'Follow me.'

The doors of the coach closed and the driver pulled away.

They all followed the youngish male through the wood land. 'I'm Jess I'm one of Kelvin's associates. The others are waiting on site.'

'I'm Mr. Norman the head teacher of Lowerstoft high. This is Miss. Faulkner the head of the history department.'

'Nice to meet you.'

'You too.'

They all walked onto the desolate land where the other archaeologists were waiting for them. 'This is Ella, Stacy, Madge, Dawn, Debbie, Adam, Neil, and Fred. They'll be helping us on the dig. Guys this is Mr. Norman and Miss Faulkner. The head teacher and the head of history, with the year elevens of Lowerstoft high.'

'Great fantastic, glad you could join us the dig will begin tomorrow morning. We start here and follow this stretch of land for a five mile radius seeing what can be found. Most of this land is clay and dirt it shouldn't take too long to break through it to find artefacts then we can move onto the next area.

You're camp area is to the right, the showers in the centre, porter loos either side. We'll let you set up camp and we'll all group for supper.'

'Right kids lets go.'

They all followed Mr. Norman and Miss. Faulkner to the camp site pitching their tents putting their belongings in their tents before they joined the archaeologists for supper.

'So what are you kids hoping to gain from all of this?'

'Something to take home.'

'Sorry all the bones and artefacts have to go back to America with us.'

'Experience in finding old bones. And we will also be able to determine what era they came from and when they dated from.'

'So are you interested in this sort of stuff?'

'Yeah.'

'You should get into your studies, and UNI. Then research like we did.'

'I will.'

'So what brings you all out this far from home?'

'We found this spot on the U.K. map and wanted to check it out. We thought it would be a good idea to start here and work our way out. We're hoping to find many prehistoric artefacts out here to take home and study.'

'Can't you do that out here?'

'We may be able to determine the age of the artefacts but that is all. We need to take them back to our labs to research them more.'

'What about the research labs here?'

'Ours are say a little more technical. Yours are slowly coming into line with ours we need funding to do that, so we have to find what no one else ever has.'

'Surely all bones are the same?'

'Maybe, but no bone is the same they could be from different countries and eras, maybe prehistoric everyone wants to know what came before man and beast. And we're hoping to find it.'

'Cool.'

'We all group tomorrow and then we start the dig here then we cover this stretch of land.'

'Well that's enough the foods going cold!'

They all dug in and ate and drank in silence.

It had grown dark and cold, the fire was blazing.

'Right kids we've all had a long day and we'll be having another long and busy day tomorrow so its bed time wouldn't you agree?'

'Yes Sir.'

They all pulled themselves up.

'We'll see you all in the morning nine o'clock start.'

'Sure.'

They all walked away slipping into their tents and into their sleeping bags closing their eyes.

DAY TWO

DAY ONE OF THE DIG

Everyone had risen, and had a fry up and a mug of coffee for their breakfast to warm up before the busy day that lay ahead of them. They had a hefty breakfast so that they could concentrate on the day ahead and they would only be having sandwiches and

juice for lunch.

Everyone had been split into groups of five with two adults to a group, but two of the groups had three. They all were given a specific area to begin the dig. Metal detectors scoured the waste land, many bleeping frantically. Spades crunched as they hit the ground, hitting the dirt, then the clay beneath, pulling up old pots, pans, and coins.

'Right we'll break for lunch.'

Every one placed down their shovels and metal detectors re-grouping with the other sitting down opening their packed lunches.

'Don't be dismayed guys.'

'Things always like this?'

'For the first few days then that's when things start to pick up.'

'So do you find many old bones and remains?'

'We do.'

'Great.'

'You're enthusiastic Joe.'

'I like the dead they've always got a tale to tell.'

'That's gross.'

'But also true. Every skeleton has its own tale and its own date. We can find these out by examining the skeleton and whatever is left of its remains.'

'Cool.'

'Right let's get back to it.'

They all pulled themselves up and continued to search in their specific areas, as day turned to night they all packed away and headed back to camp and sat round the burning log fire eating their supper.

'So how did you find your first day?'

'Long.'

'I can't wait till we find more than just old pottery.'

'We will Joe. We've got a five mile radius to discover.'

DAY THREE

GHOSTLY HILL CEMETERY

Everyone had woken with painful ligaments.

'Don't worry guys you'll get used to it.'

'MMMh.'

'Let's all eat then we'll go and cover the next stretch of Ghostly Hill. Where we believe you will be pleased.'

'Why?'

'You'll see. Now dig in.'

They all ate their breakfasts and drank their coffee's. Refreshing before they left the camp sight for another exciting day on the dig.

'We're going a little far aren't we?' Joe asked as they passed through the tall grass passing where they were digging yesterday.

'It's not far from here.'

'Where are we going?'

'Here.'

Joe and Mark looked up at the fleur de leys fencing and gates that laid in front of them, with a bowed arch above the gates: Ghostly Hill Cemetery.

They smiled.

'So we going in there?'

'We are. Today and tomorrow. It covers a whole mile of this place.'

'Cool.'

'Oh gross Joe it's full of the dead.'

'Exactly.'

'Right get into your groups and we'll cover the first half a mile today and the other half tomorrow.'

The groups split covering the first half a mile radius of the cemetery which consisted of many gravestones.

The groups had found very little again, only coins and memorabilia of two centuries past.