Leonora was not exaggerating when she wrote in her letters that her father enjoyed collecting curiosities. Once I came into the house and gave my coat to the doorman I was greeted by the countless glassy and hollowed eyes of taxidermized heads and skulls mounted on the walls. A row of stags with and without their skin stared empty and petrified; foxes, wolves and badgers stared straight ahead, snarling at unseen danger and butterflies, moths, beetles and scorpions remained pinned and framed forever trapped in their glassy tombs. I shuddered to think of such a cruel state to inflict on someone who is unwilling. To be gawked at for all eternity.

It was a struggle to move further into the house with all the guests huddled together in groups sipping on tea, whisky and wine and nibbling on the canapes and sandwiches being offered to them from the thin-lipped maids and butlers. Everyone's melancholy seemed to have evaporated and now a reasonably good mood filled the house as people comforted each other, shared stories and chatted happily with each other. It was warm and inviting, like everyone seemed to have forgotten that Leonora was dead. No tears trickling down powdered faces anymore as if everyone in the room had cried their last tear for her.

I weaved stealthily among the unfamiliar faces, rather unsure what to do with myself now that I was in Leonora’s home.

“Canape sir?” A short butler asked me, holding a silver tray that held a variety of small sandwiches. I decided I needed something to settle my stomach and picked the one that seemed to have cucumber in it.

“Thank you” I replied and he wondered off to serve the other guests. I consumed it in one bite and continued to wonder around the house, hoping to find something belonging to Leonora. Making my way through to the downstairs sitting room, I saw, much to my disappointment, that all traces of Leonora had been removed as a large cloak hung over what I can only assume to be a mirror and all photo frames had been turned down on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. My heart sunk in disappointment. It's almost like they already wanted to forget that Leonora was ever alive; like they were already deliberately trying to erase her from their memory.

My skin flushed hot in fire red anger. I didn’t want to forget Leonora. Every hour that spent writing to her; traveling down for her funeral and waiting in the night for sleep I had only been trying to conjure her face; how her skin was like white marble and her hair like raven wings; how her hands slipped so easily into my mine like ribbons and how she walked with her chin lifted high, never looking down or shying away from a stranger's gaze. I needed to see her and not in a box; at her grave or in a photograph even. I needed to her in the flesh, to see her face and memorize it sleeping; oh, how beautiful and peaceful she must look sleeping.

All around the sitting room, Mr. Wanes taxidermy collection surrounded us, skulls of crows lined one cabinet whilst at the back, something caught my eye. Supported by a heavy oak desk where even more of Mr. Wanes trinkets hung above, was a rectangle, glass coffin, containing something very old that had aged into a tea –stain brown. Inside was very small figure wrapped tightly in frayed, yellow bandages with its stick, thin arms wrapped and crossed over its chest, its small head resting on a velvet pillow that I was going to guess was rather new. I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing! I had seen pictures but had never gotten the privilege of seeing one in person and so up close! An actual, authentic Egyptian mummy inside Mr. Wanes house resting in his sitting room!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, something with force slapped my back, making me jolt in shock. From my side, Mr. Wanes, creased smile greeted me.

“You like my family's heirloom?” he asked, my fascination for his strange antique perked him up, he was rather different from the man I saw outside.

“Yes, I do, very much so” I said. “Although I have to say, I'm a little bit baffled as to why you’ve got an Egyptian Mummy in your sitting room?”

Mr. Wane chuckled softly, the creases around his eyes deepening as his smile began to lengthen, showing off a row of even, white teeth. For some reason it reminded me of the Cheshire cat.

“Well, where do I even begin?” Gazing ahead, as if trying to conjure up the best way to start his story. I began to admire him, the way he seemed to show an interest in me out of all the other mourners at Leonora’s funeral today. I tried to think about it possibly could have been that made me stand out to him but I tried to not think about it too much and just enjoy for the time being that he seemed to like my company. Not a lot of people did.

“It all started during Queen Victorias reign. People, especially the aristocrats, were fascinated with archeology. Bones of dinosaurs were being discovered all over the world and were being erected in cities for everyone to gaze at. You have to understand at the time that these beasts were alien to us because we believed for soo long that nothing else could have been before humans and yet these monsters that could have escaped out of a storybook were popping up all over the place. Rich family's allover were funding digs just so they can boast to people that they helped discover this and that at their next dinner party.” He shook his head at this, making it clear he did not think much of these families who felt the need to show off that their money was what helped fund a discovery of something long lost. He continued

“Of course, dinosaurs weren’t the only thing people were obsessed with. Cities were being dug out from the dirt, ancient tools and artifacts were being found in excellent condition. And then, of course, the Egyptians. But people seemed to of lost their morals when it came to the Egyptians. Instead of being studied and respected, all people wanted to do was prove their wealth by owning a piece of Egypt, including their dead. In fact, they even started doing mummy unwrapping parties!” He shook his head again and tutted, rolling his eyes. It was clear that he thought these people were ridiculous and excessive. Though I thought it was hypocritical coming from the man who feels the need to have a mummy on display in his drawing room.

“Anyhow, it began to become rather unpopular, mostly because of boredom but aristocrats still enjoyed having these in their home to show off to guests. My wife's great uncle is one of them, although he has passed now. He knew I was keen on taxidermy and left it to me in his will. I got quite a shock when I was told my name had been written into the will. I’ve had it for a few years now but I'm trying to find the right museum to donate it to. I don’t feel right having it in my drawing room just to gather dust. When the Egyptians sealed their dead away in the tombs they believed they would be traveling to the next life, so they did their best to preserve them, to make them immortal. They didn’t want them to perish but to be glorified and honored. They didn’t want them to be forgotten”

He stared down at the child corpse lying in its glass tomb, melancholy formed a cloud over him, fogging his eyes again, his smile waning. The grieving man at the door was back.

“Goodness knows how young the poor thing was when they died. But her parents wanted her to live forever. To not be forgotten. I want to respect that, I want everyone to know them. I want them to be remembered”

I followed his thousand-mile-stare to the poor child, gaining new respect for Mr. Wane and his ambition for the dead child. My mind wondering and lost in thought about the Egyptians, their obsession for the dead, to honor and respect them, to make sure they were never forgotten. But the turned down photo frames and the absence of Leonora infuriated me. What use is a grave if she is to rot away, her face to sink and her skin to shrink till all that remains is a bleach white skull, loss of her eyes, lips and hair and everything that made her her !

I wanted her to remain intact, to see, to speak and share the same room with her again like if she were alive. To watch her sleep her endless dreams and take care of her as she made her journey to the afterlife (if there is such a thing)

Then a brilliant idea flashed itself across my brain. A most monstrous, brilliant idea that gripped and frightened me and consumed me. I will have Leonora by my side again, one way or another I will succeed in having her in life and death! She will be with me once and forever more!