Skulltoria

Chapter 1 ~ “I Can Handle Myself!” I saw fur swaying across my face like some type of cat tail. Then I saw a face that looked like a regular human face. I knew it was a guy’s face, but his face was blurry. “Skulltoria,” a voice said. “Skulltoria, wake up!” I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. Above me was my best friend Sharp. “Get up Skull, or else you’re going to miss your plane to India,” Sharp said. “Uh, yeah I should get up,” I mumbled, slowly falling off my bed. “Help me up,” I said, exhausted. “Sure,” Sharp said, lending me a hand. As I got up, I began getting dressed in my skull outfit. “So who’s Roa-Ming?” asked Sharp. “Why are you asking me? I don’t know anybody named Roa-Ming,” I said. “Well you’re always saying that name every time you sleep. So come on. Who is that: a long distance boyfriend or something?” Sharp asked with a smug smile on her face. “No, ugh, I mean I’m sure a relationship would be nice, but I’m way too busy for one. Plus, I would never dream of being with someone named…Roa-Ming,” I finished off, shaking my head in confusion. I did not remember saying such a name in my sleep. After two hours of being in my friend’s car, we were finally at the airport. Sharp helped me out showing ID information and all that stuff I say blah, blah, blah to. Once I was supposed to get on the plane, my friend Sharp hugged me extra tight. “I’m going to miss you Skull,” Sharp said. “I’m going to miss you too, Sharp,” I said, returning the hug. We stayed there for several minutes. “Well, thanks for all your help. You know… letting me live with you, showing me around, for everything,” I said. “No prob. Thanks for being my friend,” she said lost in her thoughts, while thinking of something else to say. “Well, have a good life in India. Oh and I helped you get tickets for a tour at this castle. You get to stay there for three days. Isn’t that awesome?” Sharp asked, all happy. “Tickled pink,” I said with my thumbs up, not so happy. “I told you I can handle myself. You didn’t have to do that,” I said. “But I thought maybe that would give you some time to find a job and a home up there. They have computers there in the castle,” she explained. But knowing that my plane would be leaving soon, I had to put an end to the conversation. “Okay, well I have to go,” I said, waving goodbye. I got settled into my plane. Knowing this is my first plane ride, this should be a sweet ride. I sat down next to this guy wearing a tiger head band and matching belt with tiger sneakers. “So…,” said the guy next to me, beginning a conversation. “What are you doing going to India?” he asked. “A tour of a castle,” I said, afraid of the guy for he was all in my face. “Me too,” he said, excited. “Cool,” I said. “I can’t wait to go. You know, whoever the prince likes best for a friend on the plane, my friend Sharp hugged me extra tight. “I’m going to miss you Skull,” Sharp said. “I’m going to miss you too, Sharp,” I said, returning the hug. We stayed there for several minutes. “Well, thanks for all your help. You know… letting me live with you, showing me around, for everything,” I said. “No prob. Thanks for being my friend,” she said lost in her thoughts, while thinking of something else to say. “Well, have a good life in India. Oh and I helped you get tickets for a tour at this castle. You get to stay there for three days. Isn’t that awesome?” Sharp asked, all happy. “Tickled pink,” I said with my thumbs up, not so happy. “I told you I can handle myself. You didn’t have to do that,” I said. “But I thought maybe that would give you some time to find a job and a home up there. They have computers there in the castle,” she explained. But knowing that my plane would be leaving soon, I had to put an end to the conversation. “Okay, well I have to go,” I said, waving goodbye. I got settled into my plane. Knowing this is my first plane ride, this should be a sweet ride. I sat down next to this guy wearing a tiger head band and matching belt with tiger sneakers. “So…,” said the guy next to me, beginning a conversation. “What are you doing going to India?” he asked. “A tour of a castle,” I said, afraid of the guy for he was all in my face. “Me too,” he said, excited. “Cool,” I said. “I can’t wait to go. You know, whoever the prince likes best for a friend gets to live there for a year. Isn’t that cool?” he exclaimed. “It’s amazing,” I said unexcited. “Well, I’m glad you think so.” I had no idea that Sharp put me in a contest to win a year of living with a prince. Now that should be three interesting days. “So you know how many people are going?” I asked, curious. “Five,” he answered quickly, with no hesitation. “Awesome,” I said, ending the conversation. We finally landed and got out of the plane. But as soon as I set foot on the ground, the guy I was sitting next to on the plane, yanked me by the arm and took me to this guy with a sign that says “TOUR” in capital letters. There were four people there in a circle waiting for this guy in fancy silk clothes to speak. “Okay people…,” began the man. “As most of you know, I am the assistant to the king and his son the prince. My name is Joseph and I shall be your escort to the castle. I am also going to take you on a tour of the castle for three days. And hopefully you are all aware that you are part of a contest to be the prince’s new buddy. There are no rules, but don’t touch anything and no taking the prince outside of the castle walls. Are we clear?” asked the man. “Yes,” everyone said together as if it had been rehearsed. “Good. Now you can wander off in the castle, but if you want to learn about the stuff you see you will be on tour with me,” he finished off, leading us to the castle by walking over there. It wasn’t far at all! “Wow!” people said, amazed. The place was huge. I mean it was golden. The roof was in the shape of a dome, the walls were white, and this castle looked at least a hundred feet tall! Butlers took my luggage and showed me to the room I would be staying in for three days. The guy taking us on tour said to meet him downstairs for lunch at twelve noon. It was eleven thirty-six, so I decided to wander around the place in my outfit my friend Sharp made for me. She’s great at making clothes, but she’s not a designer yet. Sharp made me a black cotton shirt with a giant skull in the center of it, with a white tank top attached to it. The jeans had rips for the knees to show and skulls in navy blue all over the light blue jeans. My outfit was finished off with my regular black sneakers and long light-brown hair in a ponytail. I went outside my room as the only odd-ball looking around the place, until I heard a noise, like something dropped. I followed the noise, curious what it was. I entered the room I thought the noise came from and saw this cute-looking guy, with a diamond as big as my fist in his hands. He wore a sleeveless vest with fur and tiger stripes, with cat ears and a tail that looked real! He looked up at me with a smirk. “Who are you?” he asked. “Who are you?” I asked. He giggled at my response. “You don’t know me? Are you serious?” he asked, surprised. “Very,” I responded. “Very shocking,” he said. “Well to me right now, you seem like a famous thief on the most wanted posters in a cat costume,” I said, looking him up and down. “You’re funny. I’m never outside, so I can’t be on the posters. Plus I’m stealing something shiny and something I want. So are you a depressed girl my age looking for something as well?” he said, surprisingly. “You seem to have a sense of humor yourself,” I said, snatching the diamond out of his hand. “Hey, give that back!” he yelled. “Why? It’s not yours!” I yelled back. “Well it’s in my castle, so it might as well be!” he yelled, getting even more upset. “Wait, you live here…and you’re stealing from here?” I asked, busting out laughing, holding my stomach.