6. The book

When she opens her eyes, she’s on the floor, Daniel on top of her. It’s like fate has a lot to reveal, to say, who would’ve known Daniel’s habit of training his reflexes would pay off. Still on top of her, they both look at each other as they breathe heavily. Here he is, on top of one of the prettiest girls he’s ever met. He has always hoped to have an amazing Telenovela moment, if only he knew it would be like this.

Adrenaline bars are so high that he doesn’t even realize he’s having it but seeing the fear of death in her eyes, he was somehow satisfy. Maybe the reason is because for once, other than a smile, he is seeing another characteristic of a human in her.

He wakes from her, “Are you okay”?  He asks as he helps her up.

“Yeah I’m fine”, she says while trying to clean herself. “Thanks for saving me Daniel”, she says looking at him as he looks back.

Daniel picks the arrow that missed her and looks at it keenly.

“Let me see” she says taking the arrow from him; “this sure looks same like the one I picked outside”. The arrow appears to have same markings as the other and of the same metallic material.

“This place is not safe, they had every right to stop us from coming in”, he says as he panics. “Let’s go from here”.

“No I came to get something”, she says, "and we’re already here’’,

"here were?" Daniel asks arranging his shirt, “what’s important here for you to die"

‘Look” she points.

Ahead of them, there are two passages; Daniel doesn’t have a clue where they lead to. So she convinces him to take one of the passages while she takes the left, whatever they find they come back with. This is a method she wants to use so as to save time. Daniel finds no point going in there, what could be there that’s so important for her to find. After a minute or two of hesitation, he accepts on the condition she tells him everything he wants to know. They part ways with Daniel asking her to be careful.

Daniel after a walk, takes his phone putting his torch light on, it’s dark inside. When he gets to the end of the entrance, he enters a small room, which is really dark and creepy. He looks up and it appears there are writings on the wall. He moves the light closer and it reads “Our Culture must live on”.

I’ve seen this somewhere, if I’m not mistaken, must be back at the general hall.

He moves close and as he tries touching the word on, they go in, like they were buttons of some kind. This activates, illuminating a blue light, some meters to the left of him causing him to gasp in astonishment. He decides to go close, so he could take a look at what was happening.  As he moves closer, he realizes it’s a glass box with blue light reflecting from within. He looks again closely and sees what appears to be a book; it’s inside the glass box.

What have I discovered?

There he was looking at the illumination with complete wonder. He wonders why the hall is like that, is this mysterious? he thinks but since he has never been a fan of superstition and the fact that he is a science student lets him conclude it must be some electrical wiring causing everything.

He tries to open it but doesn’t know how to, it’s all flat lying on the stone table. He looks on the glass, it’s written, ‘Just wish’.

Could this book be important, kept here?

As he tries touching the box, it opens up, there it goes, and I guess I just had to touch it.

He reaches for the book taking it out. The covers are dark and old with no writing on them.

Should I open it or put it back?

After a thought or two, he decides to open it. He can’t believe what he sees. It’s his name written on the first page. Wow what a coincidence,

He really has had a day full of surprises. He’s about to open the next leave when he gets the Samsung ringtone, his phone is ringing, looking at the screen, its Gilbert calling. He picks

“Hey Gil “

Where are you man? I’ve been looking for you everywhere and you’ve not been returning my texts. He says with a disappointing tone.

"Just a little occupied bro" he says closing the book

We’re about to be closed, hurry and come

"Okay on my way" he says walking back

Okay, see you soon.

Daniel reaches out; it appears the lady isn’t there yet. After some minutes, he hears the sound of her footsteps. He’s waiting for her so he could show the book but thinking how he saw his name on that page, he changes his mind. Since it was a small book, he decides to hide it inside the internal pocket of his coat. It was a pretty deep pocket. As soon as he does this, the girl comes out.

“I found nothing, please tell me you did”. She asks Daniel with so much expectation in her looks.

“No, I didn’t see anything”, Daniel says looking at her steady and trying his best not to blink.

“Oh no, are you sure?" She says with a much frustrated voice as she holds her waist.

“Yeah I didn’t, told you there was no need being down here”.

“Anyways let’s go before they close us here” she says looking at Daniel’s passage.

She decides she’ll go in saying maybe he didn’t search well but Daniel knew whatever was in there, is with him. So he tries his best convincing her to let go.

“My friend just called informing me they will close very soon”.

“You can go ahead, I would be behind you”

“No come on, you’ll be locked down here, whatever you’re looking for, I have searched and I saw nothing there”.

After a while of thinking, “maybe this is the wrong Museum” she says looking at her clock.

“Yeah maybe”,

Should I just tell her about the book? Naa I’m not sure that’s what she could be looking for besides the book is not hers.

They all move for a while both not saying anything. The reason for her silence is because she didn’t get what she came looking for. Daniel however is getting guiltier the longer she stays silent. He has said a sentence or two without getting any response; nevertheless, he wasn’t willing to give the book, not until he explores it. Daniel being the first thing on the page was enough reason for him to take the book for himself.

After some minutes, they reach the door leading to the general hall, Daniel pushes the door half way open, and then he spies making sure no one is around. When they are certain no one is around, they open the door and walk through. It’s all quite as no one is around, they shut the door, arrange themselves checking their clothes and shoes of any stains then with haste, they move heading for the banquet hall where the other students are.

On their way, Daniel asks her how she was able to open the door when it was locked. She keeps quite for some time and as she’s about to say a word, they hear footsteps. With their eyes open, they take an immediate pause in their movement. Someone is coming, Daniel whispers in fright. There is nothing they can do, the corridor was quite long and they were already in the middle of it, so going back was pointless unless they had to go at the speed of light.

THUP! THUP! THUP! There comes the sound as it intensifies. With a ”they caught us face”, they both look at each other as if their brains are thinking fast on a possible plan but time is too short and yes they are caught. So they look from below to above to see who would possibly be the orchestrator of their dilemma tonight. They look from his shadow to his face.