Chapter I

It was a sunny and peaceful afernoon and I was walking home after school. High school can be a real bummer for a teenage girl like me. I was counting the days until summer break. Actually, I was counting the days when I'll die. You can say that my life sucks. Children from the park near my foster home noticed me while I was passing by.

,,Run! It's the cused Elena!" a boy yelled and the rest of them scattered while screaming. A lovely nickname, ain't it? There is a really interesting story behind it. Lets go back a few years.

My dad was an archaeologist obsessed with ancient egypt. There were just the two of us because my mom died giving birth to me, so he took me everywhere with him. People considered me very strange from the start. My blonde hair and blue eyes stand out and although I was alway in the desert I never seem to get a tan. I also attracted lizard and snakes, which was the weirdest thing about me. I wasn't afraid they'll bite me and I didn't find them disgusting like most of the children. I actually liked to pet them. I even had a pet lizard named Tiana.

My dad stopped dragging me with him when I was in seventh grade so i could finish high school in peace. That's when my problems started. First my dad died when I was in eighth grade. They say that he slipped and fell down a clif. Then a rumors started that I was cursed by the pharaohs whose pyramids we disturbed. Only a few people wanted to be friends with me and among theme was my best friend, Kate. Then she disappeared at the beginning of our freshman year and since then nobody want to even be near me. I don't even care when people run away. I got use to it.

I let out a sigh while eye rolling. I almost made it to the door when i noticed something on the ground near the stairs. Either my eyes are deceiving me or there is a puddle of gold on the gras. Damn my curiosity! I took a few steps closer and regretted it immediately. The puddle expended and I fell inside. I held my breath and for some reason I couldn't swim back to the surface.

,,Am I going to drown?!" I started panicing. Then I felt being puled down by something. I opened my eyes and I saw a pair of creepy black hands grabbing me by the ankle. Everything happens so quickly and the next thing I knew I was standing on solid ground.

,,Where am I?" I thought.

I was at a town square. The sun was burning my skin. An old fountain, three times my size, was behind me. The alley was covered with a bit of sand and it went around the fountain and at oposite directions. I turned around and saw people staring at me.

,,Something is odd..." I noticed. People were... different. No, that wasn't it. They were... ANIMATED! They had those kind of body structure and those big eyes! Actually, everything was animated. I looked at my hands and couldn't believe it! I turned ANIME! I ran to the fountain and looked at my reflection. I couldn't believe my big, puppy-dog eyes!

But i had to admit, I was really cute. I noticed that people were gathering around me. They were whispering in a familiar language but I couldn't put my finger on it... Anyway, I should be looking at them, not the other way around. They were oddly dressed. Men wore a white or cream fabric around their waist like a skirt, while women wore dress in the same color. They all had hairstyles and make up just like in ancient egypt...

,,No, no, no...Imposible! I can't be really... Even if i did go back in time, how is everything like this? Dad never mentioned that people were animated in the past!" I talked to myself. I knew that their language was familiar! It was ancient egyptian. That's why I didn't recognize it immediately. Dad taught me how to read, write and understand it.

I turned around, panicking. I didn't know what to do.

I was walking down the street while some strange stares were pointed at me. I felt really uncomfortable. I never liked being in center of attention even if that happens a lot. My clothes were dirty and my hair was a mess. I sticked out like a grey cloud on a clear sky. I tried to talk to somebody but they looked like they were scared of me. I was walking for hours. It felt really hot.

,,Great! Now I'm dirty and sweaty!" I mumbled. I think i got sunstroke. It already passed noon and I got really thirsty. My lips were like dried prunes and the extreme sweating wasn't helping. After some time I made it back to the fountain. I drank some water and then sat at the edge of it. I tried to think of a way to get back home but I couldn't figure out how I got here in the first place. I remember those pair of black hands that grabbed me but what now? Should I find a pair of white ones to take me back? I sat like that for about a half an hour.

Then I heard someone talking to me. I looked up and saw a guy with a hooded cape. I stared at him and when I didn't respond he repeated the question.

,,Are you alright?" he asked in egyptian. I didn't see his face and got scared a little. What if he was a slave trader or something worse? I backed away a bit and I frowned. The guy looked confused by my actions. He bent down to look into my eyes. He looked familiar from somewhere. Those amestic eyes kept staring right back at me. I don't know how but I know I've seen that face and those eyes before.

He was young, around my age. You could see a small blonde lock peeking from under the hood. He was nicely tanned witch made his eyes stand out. He narrowed his eyes and gasped.

It looked like he was trying to remember something.

,,...Are you ok?" he asked but this time in english. My eyes widened.

,,You... You can speak my language?!" I asked shocked. The guy noded.

,,I'm fine." I smiled sadly. He kept quiet for a while and then turned around getting ready to leave. I wasn't thinking but I suddenly grabbed him by the cape. He turned aroun, suprised. I could't find my voice.

,,Help me." was the only thing I managed to say before I passed out.