"Well done, Pumpkin. Your mother and I are so proud of you." My father tells me, his forest green eyes shining with tears of joy as he wraps his strong arms around me and squeezes tightly. "Alright, Gerald! My turn!" My mother interrupts, playfully slapping his arm with her purse.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QBwqUlPKd
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He steps back, still smiling as my mother hugs me close, stroking my thick blonde hair and kissing my cheeks, leaving bright red lipstick marks after each kiss the way she used to every day before school.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FSuJrOTl7
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Just then, my brother appears in the doorway of my new dorm room. "I still can't believe you're going to college." My mother says, dabbing her face with her silk handkerchief.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oQyFBsQ2X
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"Well, I can't believe you all made me carry her stuff up all these stairs! What did you fill these things with? Bricks?" Says Jason as he drops both suitcases on my single bed to the right of the room. I walk towards him and ruffle his thick, red hair."I'm really going to miss you, you little rugrat." 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡth1ZgbSF7I
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"Alright. We have a long drive ahead of us, so we better get going and give you a chance to settle in, but before we go, I want to give you something." I turn towards him, excited about finally receiving the special surprise he's been talking about all week.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacCQXJ1LAg
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pvEg3EwYi
He reaches into his pocket before extending his hand and placing a small box, covered in dark red wrapping paper on my pillow. "It's just a little something I found that I thought you'd like. I want you to open it up once we're gone." I smile and wrap my arms around his neck, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek as I pull back.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aCti7vNmD
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"Thank you, Daddy." He nods and we all exchange quick goodbyes before they leave and I'm left alone in the quiet room. I walk over to the other side of the room, looking at the bare walls and plain bedding. I wonder if I'll have a roommate, I think to myself as I unzip the first bag.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VJXpurZJN
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The next two hours pass by in a blur, and finally I'm almost done unpacking. I just finished laying the last of my toiletries on the old oak dressing table, when I look up and something catches my attention in the mirror. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFD0d1YQ7m
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A girl with straight, jet-black hair and large hazel eyes is standing in the doorway. The first thing I notice is that she has no bags, which is a little weird considering her side of the room is bare, so she clearly didn't unpack before I arrived. Her skin looked pale and arms skinny as she slowly walked into the room. I put one hand on my chest as I turn around, excited to make a new friend. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRTZVOpdKQ
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiQHK3zUiL
"Oh my goodness! You startled me! So lovely to meet you, my name's Katerina but you can call me Katy." I say cheerily as I skip over to her. I expected some sort of handshake, hug or actually anything besides the icy silence I was facing right now as she stared at me with unblinking eyes while I held my hand out and waited. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgmyoE6zJp
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After a few moments I realise that she isn't going to say anything so I let my hand fall back at my side before turning away and walking towards my side of the room. She's probably just very shy, that's all. I'm sure once she settles in we'll be the best of friends. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqXAgSTnxF
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I tried to make small talk a few more times after that, but was met with the same uncomfortable silence, while she did nothing but sit on her bed and space out for hours until eventually I gave up, showered and climbed into bed. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvERt7IuABO
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Just before I switched my lamp off for the evening, I remember my father's gift. I quickly rip the wrapping paper to pieces and gasp, trying to conceal an excited squeal the second I see the black leather underneath.
As soon as I open the little jewelry box I see the most gorgeous necklace I've ever laid eyes on. The sparkling ruby stones dangle from the thin, elegant silver chain. My vision goes blurry as my eyes well up with tears.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nqP5WmJrb
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzRr8XWhCk
I quickly wipe them away, not wanting my roommate to notice. Just when I'm about to close the box, I see a little note peeking out from under the soft pillow the necklace was resting on. I mouth each word as I read. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrRrUWpGXC
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sJWmR2VTA
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Dear Katy,655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnf09bMetV
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk93guyqjuY
I found these stones on my latest tour in Egypt, it once belonged to a very powerful pharoah. I know how much you love history so I pulled a few strings and got this for you. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlFze3MTUB
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJOwDB547E
Love, Dad.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LvESpeq9U
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Wow, that's insane! My heart is beating hard and fast in my chest as I gently run my fingers over the priceless gem. It belonged to a real pharaoh! How many people can say they own something like this? My thoughts are interrupted as, for the first time today, my roommate speaks up. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T5gZrCpTn
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Her voice is barely a whisper as she looks at me with sad eyes and says, "I used to have one just like that." I look over, surprised to have finally heard her say something. I'm about to reply when she lays down and faces the other way, shutting down any chance of conversation. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd40WjrV9wG
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I sigh and put the necklace back into it's box, closing it with a loud snap before turning over and drifting off to sleep. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7Gecpi8Vz
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH4qwdPwbf
I wake up from a terrifying nightmare hours later with my heart racing and my clothes drenched in sweat. My eyes are closed but the hot breath caressing my cheek makes it clear that there's someone inches away from where I'm sleeping. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhudQyDrPdP
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I try my best to calm down, I'm sure it's just my imagination. There's nobody in here, the dream I just had freaked me out that's all. I tell myself this over and over before I finally build up enough courage to open my eyes, it's something I wish I never did.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQqmvzUecv
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I stare up towards the ceiling, suddenly feeling like all the air has been pulled from my lungs, as my eyes rest on a horrific creature hovering above my bed. Her black hair is flying wildly all around her, the clothes she had on when she arrived are shredded, revealing muscle and bone underneath.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8R5ylcgAWC
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I gag as she slowly gets closer and the smell of death gets stronger. Her once pale skin is now yellow in colour and decomposing, leaving her cheek bones exposed and eye sockets empty. The smell is almost unbearable as she swoops down, suddenly wrapping her hard, skinny fingers around my neck and squeezing.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJyF9gA8qM
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpmpv5HmAb
I fight hard, uselessly swinging my arms and crying hard as I watch my fist pass through her while I struggle with the feeling of someone sitting on my chest, making moving almost impossible. Suddenly she opens her mouth, exposing rows of sharp teeth and darkness as her jaw dislocates and her face twists unnaturally. I feel weaker and weaker as she squeezes, and I'm left spluttering, staring at the thing I was told never existed in the first place. I can't believe it, I'm going to be killed by something I never believed existed; a Pharoah's curse.
Tears run down my face as my arms drop down, no longer carrying the strength to attempt to push this thing off of me. Darkness starts to cloud my vision, and an indescribable pain erupts from my oxygen deprived lungs, and still I can't move. I close my eyes and think of my family, of all the people I never got to say goodbye to, the future I'll never get to experience. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItYvCBU3HA
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I let out my last breath as I give in to the darkness, no longer having the will to fight a losing battle. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ985lctp6OK
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The next morning I'm woken up by the bright rays of sunshine streaming in from the window above my bed. I blink a few times before rolling over and standing up. I feel weird though, like something's not quite right. I try to move my hand up to my face but my body doesn't respond. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcS1HMRVb6z
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"Oh, no you don't." I hear myself say. Well, it sounds like me, and it felt like it came from my body, but I didn't say that. I try to sit back down on the bed, but once again nothing happens. Instead I find myself picking up the necklace my dad gave me and walking over to the small mirror on the dresser. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTAmY46RUL
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4kbmjUink
I put the necklace around my neck and suddenly I feel weak again, not physically, despite my body not responding, but mentally. As if I'm barely able to think straight. I watch the reflection in the mirror numbly as a smile spreads over my face, a smile not at all like my own. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQsSxgxx6C
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Just then, the door bursts open and a plump young girl in jeans and a purple hoodie comes in, carrying two large suitcases in her hands and a sheet of paper between her teeth. She walks forward, drops her bag on the floor and extends her hand. "I'm Trish, your new roommate." I feel that same unfamiliar smile creep onto my face as words I never planned to say come pouring out of my mouth. "Hi! Lovely to meet you, I'm Katy. I'd love to stay and chat, but I have such a busy day ahead of me. I'll see you a bit later though, I have a feeling we're going to be best friends."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TMUQyCVPB
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I grab my backpack and march out into the empty hallway. I try in vain to scream and shout as panic takes over once more. Although I can hear my attempts in my head, no sound comes out. Only when I hear a deep, menacing laugh echo in my head and bounce along the walls out loud, do I remember exactly what happened last night. That's the moment I realise, Daddy's gift is a curse.
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