Early birthday gift

"What the heck?!" Liz stood up from the ground, dusting off the sands in each and every sides of her gown

Looking around, she saw nothing more than an arid land and a scorching sun hitting her skin terribly.

"Where the hell am I?."

HOURS EARLIER…

Nothing feels good as waking up without the alarms, neither the screams of the voices disrupting the purest dreams, sounding the word 'Wake up!'.

Liz stretched out her aching, weak limbs. She had slept for five hours straight with no disturbance, not from her little brother, mother or the terrible loud alarm.

Getting up, she headed to the bathroom to clean up yesterday 's dirt. Thirty minutes was enough to complete this all, From brushing her teeth to taking a bath.

Wearing a cream colored gown, decorated in shimmering diamond like stones around the collar, and the hem weaved in such a way the mind would be deceived by its twist, Liz walked downstairs carrying a small purple backpack.

Heading towards the kitchen, her nose was greeted by the smell of her mother cooking breakfast.

"Morning Mom," Liz greeted, taking a bite of the waffles.

"Morning dear… And don't touch that without sitting down" her mother, a woman in late thirties said as she used a spatula to drive away Liz.

"Just a bite, I won't take a…"

"SIT NOW!"

"Okay." Feeling defeated, she sat down munching on deliciousness. Who wants to argue with their mother on a Monday morning?.

After taking a few bites, she stood up with a smile. School would take a lot of hours and not only that, her friend would be showing her a surprise at the end.

"I'm off to school" Liz waved to her mother and her little brother who just walked into the kitchen.

"Bye dear"

"Bye mosquito" her brother smiled with his weak eyes raising up to look for some little trouble.

"Whatever Jake" saying this, Liz dashed outside carefully strolling to school.

The calm cold morning had its charms of keeping one going. Surely the streets were 'less busy' as it was early in the morning (7:30am).

Clutching unto the bag pack, Liz ran all the way to school, though it may seem early, any moment from now would be a busy area.

Passing through various shops, she came back to one which seemed to have a mysterious setting.

Without entering, just admiring the ancient items placed on display, her mind brought her back to reality right after a school bus passed by.

Promising to visit the shop after school had closed, she again continued her running as an old woman who may own the shop saw her, a wrinkled smile fully displayed on her face.

*****

"So, that's how Christopher Columbus' history all ended,'' a man in his early forties explained to a class of bored students.

Liz slowly fell asleep, but the persistent poking on her arm by her only childhood friend's pen made every sleep disappear.

"Allow me to sleep Rebecca, I beg of you" Liz pleaded, dropping her head on the table.

"I'm sorry, can't do that" Rebecca, a seventeen years old girl said playing with her black wavy shoulder length hair. Her brown eyes glittered without its source detected.

"Why?"

"Well, our exams are fast approaching and I don't want you to fail one just because of the topics being boring!"

"So, you do know the topics are boring!" Liz raised up her head saying this.

"To be honest with you," Rebecca whispered, "They are really boring–"

"That's exactly what I'm saying" Liz's words were ended by the loud bell, the student's savior.

The teacher hadn't left the class before the students had. They all ran away from the most boring class with a stomach demanding food.

The teacher rolled his eyes while leaving, he knew the student hated the subject, just as he hates his job for no reason.

Rebecca and Liz were the only two in the classroom as the teacher left.

"Anyways, even though it's not closing yet, I want to give you the surprise you have been waiting for," Rebecca dipped her hands into her bag which stood beside and with just one pull, she brought out a wrapped box with name boldly printed- CHOCOLATE, "Happy early birthday."

Liz left out a Whoa as the box contained layers and layers of brown chocolate with milk filling.

"Rebecca, Thank you for this!"

"It's no big deal!" She replied as Liz opened up the wonderful box.

"Why don't you give me this on my birthday?" Liz asked as she took a bite of a chocolate cube.

"I won't be in town on that day, my mother insisted we all go visit granny and stay for some time" Rebecca took a chocolate cube from the box, biting it, she instantly knew why Liz had been taking more than one chocolate every second.

"Well, your peace offering was accepted, thanks for the birthday gift" Liz kept the remaining in her bag for later eating.

"You're welcome."

Getting up, both girls walked out from the class chatting some gossip.

As Liz's leg was about leaving the class, her eyes caught the teacher's textbook laying on the desk.

"I'll catch up with you, Mr Matt has left his textbook again" she told Rebecca who nodded.

Carrying the book, Liz looked at the title clearly again and again; The Rule Of Ramses II.

"Ancient Egypt" she muttered finding her way to his office.

Upon getting there, Liz knocked on the door twice before the man answered weakly.

"What do you want?!"

"Sir, you left your textbook behind" Liz told him as he opened the door.

Some strings of his brown hair fell over his sunken hooded eyes. His face had that of one who hasn't slept in days.

"Thanks," Mr Matt's smiled having a weak push, "Anyways, take this for giving me back my textbook"

He handed over a golden key with the head's hole filled with a huge red diamond before slamming the door shut at her face.

"Thanks I guess?" Liz looked at the key weirdly. Everyone knew Mr Matt was an odd man with questionable characters.

His office, from roof to floor would always be filled with artifacts, artificial or natural, no one knows.