I stared back wondering why she looked so eager for me to get to the center of the wrapping. When I got under the delicately taped paper, I was stunned to see a box. It was made of freshly polished wood and had a cross carved into the side. No wonder the present was heavy. I got some scissors to cut the duck-tape that enclosed the gift inside. I cut the tape, put the scissors back. What I saw was unbelievable. Inside the box was....NOTHING. I just sat there wide-eyed, frozen to the sofa. Was this some type of joke? Was she playing a trick on me? After switching my glance from Valerie to the empty box. I looked at my tingling fingers and my trembling hands. As I looked one more time at the present full of nothing, I saw a little silhouette of something rise from the bottom of the wood. Valerie must have seen it too, for she, was shrieking with laughter and almost started choking from laughing so hard.
***********
Today is a normal Saturday. A sleep-in day and unfortunately a work day. A quiet morning. I am alone in the house. I go downstairs to fix up some breakfast when, through the window I see Valerie. She is looking through the window waving her arms like a mad monkey. What was she doing outside this early? It was 6:30 and it was 47 degrees! My mind flashed back to when I opened her present. Her present of nothing. Lots of time must have passed because I was supposed to be at work at 7:30 and now it was 8:15! I hurried to get my construction helmet and my utility belt. I whisked out of the house and into the car. Then I had realized that I had forgotten the keys. Who does that? Luckily that door was still open. I rush inside like a bullet, grabbed the keys and drove off. Then I realized that I was being followed. Tailgated. I merged to the next lane. The car behind merged too. Then I realized that it was Valerie! What a crazy person! I pulled over only to find that she was going to pullover too.
