The drive to the reservation takes more time than you really feel you can afford to lose. With no other clear idea of where to go, you drive straight to Walter’s house. After all, that’s where Martin told you to go. And even though you’ve had to leave him behind, you want to make him happy with you.

Nothing eventful occurs before you reach the house. You park outside, biting your lip as you realise there’s no other car parked there either. Maybe Walter and Ray are at work? What time is it anyway? You take out your phone to check, half-hoping that you’ll see messages from Martin or Paul. Telling you that it’s safe to come home. That you don’t need to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.

There’s nothing. Your heart sinks, even though you’d expected that. You let your head slump forward, against the steering wheel, and take a deep breath.

When you left, Martin had been hurt. Paul was gone. Are they both safe now? Do they know each other? Do they remember…you?

You don’t know how long you sit there for, fighting off the darkness that threatens to overwhelm you. It’s long enough that the thrum of another engine approaching takes you by surprise and you raise your head, twisting round in your seat to stare at the vehicle pulling up behind you.

It's not the car Walter and Ray drive. Disappointment hits you like a blow to your stomach and a bitter, acidic taste of defeat fills your mouth.

Disappointment melds into confusion as the driver and passenger get out of the car. You don’t recognise either of them. One is older, though probably younger than Martin. He has dark hair and stubble on his face. He’s dressed in a simple white shirt over a pair of black pants.

The younger man is probably closer to your own age. His hair is black and slightly long. His clothes are all black and you’re fairly sure he’s wearing eyeliner.

It’s the younger man who approaches your car. He taps on your window and, after a moment of careful consideration, you roll it down. “What do you want?” The words come out more belligerently than you intend.

“My name is Anubis.”

You laugh. You can’t help it. You laugh and there’s a nearly hysterical note to it. “Like the Egyptian god, Anubis? Shouldn’t you have the head of a jackal or something?” Your hands grip the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip.

The other man – Anubis, if his words are to be believed – stares at you. And then he smiles, the expression making him look much younger. Except for his eyes. Looking into them, you can see eternity. Silver stars swirling. It makes you shudder and you have to look away as he replies, “Sometimes. If someone who has enough influence over me sees me that way.”

You look at the steering wheel and force your hands to relax their fierce grip. “You’ve told me who you are. Not what you’re doing here.”

“The same as you.”

You smile, but it’s bitter. There’s no humour in it. “You’re in love with someone who’s died multiple times and who woke up today with no memory of who you are?”

Anubis’ voice is very gentle as he says, “I’m here to help heal the guardian of this land.”

“A guardian?” You shake your head. “What does that have to do with the statue and people dying and being brought back to life?”

“There’s a statue involved?” Anubis narrows his eyes. “Where is it now?”

“It got destroyed,” you reply.

Anubis recoils like you just punched him in the face. “Fuck.”

The hairs on the back of your neck rise and you swallow. In a soft, fear-filled voice, you ask, “Was that a bad move?”

“Put it this way. Instead of containing the curse in one place, destroying the statue allowed it to spread out in a much wider area.” Anubis takes a deep breath and puts his hand on the roof of the car, staring at you. “Can you direct me and my partner to where the statue was?”

“I think so.” You glance past him, avoiding his eyes, towards the older man. “Your partner?”

“Doctor Dorian Hook.” Anubis opens your car door and beckons you out. “Does anyone else know about this?”

“Walter Crow Horse and Ray Levoi.” You get out of the car and close the door. After locking it, you place the keys in your pocket. “I thought they’d be here. It’s where they live. But they both work in the police department. I thought they were there, but….”

“Have you tried calling the police station?” Anubis starts walking back towards Dorian.

You follow the other man towards his partner and the doctor holds a hand out towards you. “I’m Dorian,” he introduces himself.

“Grant.” You take his hand and shake firmly. “Are you an Egyptian god too?”

“No.” Dorian grins, quick and easy. “I’m his consort.”

Surprised, you dart a glance towards Anubis, wondering how an Egyptian god came to have a mortal as a husband. But somehow, this doesn’t feel like the right time to ask any questions. “Do you want to go to that site now?”

“The sooner the better,” Anubis agrees. “The longer we leave it before dealing with the situation, the harder it will be.” He gets in the passenger seat and Dorian settles in the driver’s side.

You climb into the backseat and buckle up, before you give the directions to the site and lean back in your seat, staring out of the window as Dorian drives.

It’s about ten minutes into the drive when you finally speak up. “The statue didn’t originate here. Does that make a difference?”

Anubis looks round at you. “The statue was destroyed here, wasn’t it?” When you nod, he continues, “The problem is here. This is where we need to deal with it.”

You sit in silence for a few more moments before asking, quietly, “What’s going to happen to the people who were killed and resurrected?”

“Nature will take its true course,” Anubis answers.

“What does that mean?” you demand.

“I’m sorry.” Anubis drops his voice. “I’m sorry, but what was dead will return to being dead. They lived on borrowed time. Healing the land means everything reverting back to the way it used to be. The way it needs to be.”

Tears fill your eyes and spill down your cheeks. In a half-choked voice, you whisper, “So Martin and Paul…?”

“If they died under the statue’s influence, then they will stay dead,” Anubis answers.

You sit still in shock. For a few seconds. But your mind races. Your first thought is to force the car door open and make a break for it. But maybe if you stay, you can talk Anubis into making a deal with you.