You have a special backpack that supplies you with everything you may need for the day. One morning, while preparing for your day, you take a peek in the backpack and think, "Huh, well this should be an interesting day."
Waking up is easy. Actually getting out of my warm nest of blankets and pillows is a totally different battle. I do what I always do: wake up, turn off my alarm, lay in bed for another hour, then allow myself to slowly slip off the side of my bed and onto the ground where the cool floorboards meet my flushed skin. The contrast in temperature sent a slight jolt through me and I wanted to arch away. Instead I lay flat and embraced the chill, becoming accustomed to the feeling. From there I forced myself to actually get up and start the day. My routine is average, always the same and changing very little but the one thing I look forward to is my backpack. Not just any backpack, oh no, this one is special. Every day the contents inside change, preparing me for what's to come. Today's contents felt rather light though it wasn't entirely unusual. The items however once I had finally opened it were interesting. Inside the backpack was rope, gloves, and a mask. God only knew what I would end up using all of those for but I've learned not to question it. I didn't have to go anywhere until the costume party my friends begged me to go to so I hung around the house. Most of the time was spent occupying myself up in my room. Time ticked by faster than I thought it would until I picked up my things and headed downstairs ready to go when I was stopped by my dad. "I have a surprise for you," he said before pulling out a pair of keys. Of course I was excited. I mean, duh, who wouldn't be? A pair of keys I've never seen before showing up a little while after I talked to my parents about getting me a car? I could see where this was going. He had me close my eyes as he took me out front, spinning me around in a circle like he did with me at my birthday parties when I was younger for extra effect, then stopped me. I was shaking with excitement before I opened my eyes. Right before me was a black '67 Chevy Impala. I stared at it for a few moments in stunned silence before my dad broke it, happy to show it off. I tuned out a lot of his babbling considering I didn't understand even half of his car talk but I began to listen again once he popped the trunk. "And look at all this space!" He shouted as he climbed in. "You could fit a body in here!" And indeed you could. Once I walked around to the back where my dad was still laying in the trunk I smiled wryly. "Cause that's exactly what I'll be using it for" We both chuckled a little before he climbed back out, shut the trunk, and tossed me the keys. "Just make sure you don't get caught" he joked before heading back inside. "Yeah, right" I mumbled before taking another look at the trunk then at my backpack. Silence filled the space again before I shook it off and got into the driver's seat. Wow. It felt nice. I ran my fingers across the leather upholstery before putting the key into the ignition. With a deep breath, taking in that distinctive new car smell, I was off. It was mid afternoon already. It had been decided id get ready at my friend Rebecca's house and then wait there until it was time to go. The drive was five minutes, maybe a bit less. We've always lived relatively close to eachother and our friendship started when we were kids. We were close. After parking on the street and getting out, I slung my backpack over one shoulder and started walking up the driveway. I was stopped though by the sight of Rebecca's elderly neighbor Ms. Pond wandering around her yard looking rather disgruntled. "Hey Ms. Pond!" I greeted her loudly with a wave and she looked up. She must not have realized I was there before and might not have recognized me even for a moment because her expression was puzzled and still slightly disgruntled. "Oh! Rebecca's friend!" And then her look changed to recognition and possibly relief. Having seen me here many times before but never remembering my name the nickname was something I just went with. "How are you doing today?" I asked while I walked closer to the fence that separated her yard from this one. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just doing some gardening when I seemed to have misplaced my gloves. I'm not quite sure where they would have run off to." As I had moved closer so did she, her eyes darting around once more, searching. Gloves? "Ms. Pond, I know these aren't exactly the ones you're looking for but I bought them without realizing they weren't what I needed and I'm wondering if you'd like to have them." I had slung my backpack off while talking, pulling out the gloves right in time with the end of my sentence. Ms. Pond's face lit up as she gingerly took them from my hands and inspected them. When she slipped them on her frail hands there was a hum of satisfaction from her. A perfect fit. "Thank you dearie, even better than my old ones. Though if you do find those give me a holler." And that was the end of it. Sweet Ms. Pond took one of my hands and patted it before waddling back off to her flowers. I started back up to my original destination and knocked on Rebecca's front door once I reached it. Her little brother Jonah answered dressed up in his cowboy boots, hat, and bandanna and let me in. "She's upstairs" his voice squeaked. I tossed my backpack onto the couch and jogged upstairs. The walls were decorated with white and baby blue striped wallpaper and photos in frames varying in size. Alot of family photos which consisted of Rebecca, Jonah, and their parents as well as their parents wedding pictures, baby pictures, and childhood pictures. I was actually in a few of them. I shuffled down the hall, three doors down and to the left Rebecca's white, wooden, bedroom door. I knocked twice and it was thrown open. Only a jumble of clothes were shoved into my arms and the door slammed closed again before I even got a word out. "Get dressed!" Rebecca shouted, her voice muffled. The bathroom was at the very end of the hall, two more doors down. I flipped the light switch and stepped in. The door closed behind me and I set the clothes on the toilet seat to get a better look at what I was given. We, Rebecca, our other friend Jude, and I, were going as the three musketeers. And oh boy. I stripped down before fumbling around with the fabrics. Tan trousers, white button up with puffy sleeves, and a blue vest with a crest. Complete with a dark brown hat and a white feather on top. I looked ridiculous. I gathered up my clothes and exited the bathroom just as Rebecca was exiting her room. Her costume was like mine but with different colors. We stopped and stared at eachother for a second taking in how we looked before bursting into a giggle fit. At least we both looked ridiculous. Once we had calmed down we went downstairs. While we were changing Jonah must have gone snooping through my bag because it was open and he suddenly had a rope which he had made into a lasso. Must have made him feel like a real cowboy. I didn't say anything because of how much fun he was having, instead putting my clothes into the backpack and closing it up. Rebecca didn't seem to care. Suddenly our phones buzzed. Jude had texted the group chat, sending a picture wearing the costume except with a mask saying it was to keep his dignity in tact. Rebecca bolted back up the stairs and you could hear her throwing things around in her room before she came stomping back down wearing a mask of her own. The wringing of her hands told me she didn't have one for me but luckily, the backpack provides. I pulled out the last item from my backpack and my car keys. "Let's go loser"
