How far would you go to avoid school? For 10,000 - year - old boy Mortimer DeVere and his sister, Agnetha, the answer is: a very long way indeed. As far as the DeVere children are concerned, they have eaten their last soggy sandwich and avoided their last bully. But not if the terrifying Trish has anything to do with it. In a desperate bid for freedom, Mort and Agnetha find themselves marooned in ancient Egypt, along with some bizarre companions, including a horde of zombie - mummies. Suddenly, school isn't looking quite so bad.