The Pharaoh Awakes! And Other Stories

By Merv Lambert

Arguably Colin’s most exciting and dramatic adventure yet! In Ancient Egypt he foils a plot by the young pharaoh’s evil uncle to turn him into a mummy while he is still alive. Colin in the guise of the god Anubis and seemingly floating in mid-air, for he is seated on M, the invisible, computer-generated emu’s back, orchestrates the young ruler’s awakening and arising from the open sarcophagus at his burial ceremony. This books also contains a collection of other stories

• Language: English
• Publisher: AUK Kids
• Release date: Apr 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781781661758

Book preview

1988.

Mrs. Biggle’s Party

Oh, that’s nice, declared Olivia.

What is, Mummy? asked Little Charlotte, her daughter, who was now 18 months old and could converse quite easily with adults.

We’ve all been invited to Abigail’s house.

Oh, no! thought Colin, for although Mrs. Biggle or Abigail as his wife Olivia called her, had mellowed since they had come to know her better, he had always been wary of her. She had a loud, sometimes rather silly, over-sentimental personality. She would coo and make silly baby noises to puppies and kittens. This was rather strange coming from such a large, formidable-looking woman. It was said that she had faced down the equally formidable history teacher Mrs. Harry-Dann, when her son Bradley had got into trouble at the school.

Ugh! Bradley! was Colin’s other thought. He had rescued his little dog Sammy from this very unpleasant teenager two years ago. The boy still hadn’t forgiven him. However, Colin did like Mrs. Biggle’s husband Les, a quiet little man rather like himself. Perhaps they could escape to the garden shed for a quiet beer. Then he thought. A quiet beer? Beers aren’t usually noisy! He laughed aloud.

Does that mean we’re going then? asked Olivia.

Will there be games? piped up Charlotte at the same moment.

Colin saw his wife was already keying in a number on her i-Phone.

Hello, Abigail. It’s Olivia...Yes, we’d love to come...We won’t bring Sammy though. He doesn’t get on well with Bradley or with his Rottweiler Carlo. He frightens him. What?...No, I mean Sammy always frightens Carlo...Charlotte wants to know if there will be games?...You would like Colin to be in charge of that?...I’ll ask him...He was here a moment ago...Where has he gone?...I’ll ring you back, Abigail.

Colin had gone out into the garden, and in his frustration was kicking a football about with M, the invisible emu, except that Colin could see him perfectly well. Sammy kept chasing the ball too. This was great fun, wasn’t it? Colin knew though that he would give in, when his beautiful wife asked him to organise the games for Mrs. Biggle.

The day of the party arrived. Billy and Jilly had come to fetch Sammy, and he had gone off happily with them. The skies were grey, and unfortunately rain was forecast. This was a pity, for Mr. Biggle had planned a barbecue, partly because he liked preparing the food over the hot coals and partly because it meant that he was in charge of something for once. Mrs. Biggle would meanwhile be chattering away to her rather silly lady friends, although Les didn’t think Olivia was silly and he also thought that Little Charlotte would probably hold far more sensible conversations with anyone. He glanced up at the sky. Oh dear! He hoped it wouldn’t rain. However, even if it did, he was determined to go ahead. At least he had a Plan B. Some big umbrellas were propped against the larger of his two sheds. If it came to the worst, someone would have to hold a brolly over him and the barbecue, and no doubt his guests would enjoy ferrying the beefburgers and hot-dogs, also protected by umbrellas, into the conservatory, which faced onto the large back garden. Of course his useless son Bradley was nowhere to be seen just when he could do with a hand arranging the tables and chairs in the garden. Bradley was probably deliberately making himself scarce. No doubt he was at Medusa’s house. Medusa wasn’t her real name, but Les secretly called her that. He had seen a