School Stories

Travels to Egypt

     We sat quietly in the classroom waiting for our teacher to arrive. I twiddled my thumbs just waiting for her to come through the door. My friend next to me named Annie was yelling, and throwing things everywhere. I thought to myself man do I wish I had better friends she just misbehaved all the time when the teacher wasn't around. I thought of telling her to stop, but I had tried that in the past. She just nodded, and kept playing around.

Suddenly, Mrs. Leman stumbled through the door with a pile of books stacked high, carefully balanced on her arms. The room fell dead silent you might have been able to hear a pin drop. Who knows.

"Good morning," she chirped.

"Today we will be studying ancient Egypt. Please pick out a book and return to your seat so we may start." I slowly walk over to the pile of books trying to find something that is different from all these new shiny covered books. Then one book catches my eye. A thick brown book that is very old and withered. Interested I take it to the teacher. She admits she has never read that one. Ever more excited because I will be the first to read I skip to my desk. Flipping open the book, I gasp. It is so beautiful. The old yellowed pages have illustrations of pharaohs and peasants. Flipping to the front of the book and notice some ancient writing.

I began to feel dizzy, and the world around me began to spin. Faster faster. Then it all stops. I collapse , feeling my knees hit hot sand. Looking up I see large pyramids in the distance, and many many people shuffling around me. To my left was a beautiful river that ran as far as I could see. Suddenly I realize I am outside of a Egyptian marketplace. People whisper near me and point. What are they looking at I wonder? I looked down to see I was not in my regular clothes instead I was wearing a long straight dress made of rags or if not rags really dirty cloth. It ran from my shoulders all the way down to my ankles. Looking around I don't see anyone dressed like me. All their clothes were at least a little better than mine. Ignoring the whispers, and looks they gave me I walked my way threw the crowd. As I shuffled through the crowd, I bumped into a hooded figure.

" Sorry," I whispered. When they looked up I saw part of their shadowed face. They gasped, and before I knew what was happening I felt them grab my arm tight and lead me to a dark corner.

They looked at me and pulled the hood away revealing a girl not much more than 13 smiling at me. Her hair was long, black, and had woven gold trades in it. She wore a long white cream dress trimmed with gold and around her neck she wore a gold collar decorated with jewels.

"Where is your owner," she whispered. Owner? I thought what does that mean.

Almost as though she could read my mind she questioned,

"You are a slave, are you not. You wear the clothes of one." Then it hit me people had acted like that because they had thought I was a runaway slave. Before I could explain she cut me off,

" Come with me." We ran closer and closer to the huge pyramid.

Before long I felt like the shadow of it had swallowed me.

"Why are you helping me," I whispered. She paused for a minute before answering," You see unlike my dad I do not believe we should own human beings to do are bidding. I believe that everyone should be equal, and the same. I believe slaves are wrong. Now come we must hide you someplace no one will expect you to be."

Slowly we snuck through the doorway to the pharaoh's pyramid. Sneaking through winding passageways we found a large black door opening. Walking through it I found myself in a large room filled with jewels, coins, statues, and in the middle lay a mummified male body.

" That's my grandfather," she explained frowning.

"Oh," I breathed. "Sorry to hear that."

She gave a quick smile that soon turned into a concerned frown.

"We better find someplace to hide you. Before someone comes in and sees you." she whispered shoving me under a nearby table. All I saw from under the table were her gold strapped sandals.

Not to much later, I heard the soft footsteps of what I assumed were guards outside. From under the table I saw four pairs of sandals enter the room and then a booming voice shout,

" Isabel what are you doing in the treasure room, you know it's forbidden."

" Yes father," she replied. The rest of what they were saying was said in whispers and even trying to strain to hear it, I couldn't. So I waited, and closed my eyes wishing I was home. When I opened them I saw the ancient book I had been reading in the classroom. I could still hear Isabel and her father whispering. I knew they were still out there, so how could I get the book. Leaning up against the wall behind me, it shifted to reveal a long secret passage. Oh no I thought the Pharaoh and his guards are right there and probably heard that. Seeing the guards sandals approach me I quickly scrambled out from under the table just as the guarde's weapon broke through the table. Frighted I grab the book and bolt for the secret passage completely forgetting all about Isabel. Running as fast as my legs can run I reach the fresh air of outside, but I still have to find a place safe where I can open the book, and return home. Jogging into a nearby shop. I collapse on the ground, opening the book once again. My eyes scan the ancient writing wondering what it says.

" Can I help you," a old women in a silky blue dress asks.

"Yes. Yes you can," I reply." What is this. " I ask pointing at the ancient writing.

" Those would be hieroglyphs dear." she answered looking puzzled.

" What do they say. Tell me please I need to know."

" It says, Those who traveled back must now make a friend who will help you to return. Read these words together and you will return. Home I must return back to my time.

Just then Isabel came through the door.

"We don't have much time. come on we need to get you to your owner."

"Here read this." I exclaimed pointing to the book as she began to read I read along.

I began to feel really dizzy again, and when I opened my eyes I was back in my classroom. I was content to be back to my time, but then again something felt strange I missed Isabel a lot she was the best friend I had ever had, and now she was gone. I looked around only to see everyone was staring at me. Turning around I realized it wasn't me they were looking at it was Isabel. Oh no!