UNRAVELED

As the truck convoy drives off into the distance, the cloud of dirt settles on the abandoned sarcophagus. The sun beats down on the moon emblem engraved on its marble casing; the surrounding sand freshly indented. The day turns to night, the heat burns to cold, and the moon shines elegantly over the sea of sand below. With the light shining at its brightest the sarcophagus swings open, colliding with the ground, kicking up the sand. An embalmed girl rises from the tomb. She looks around and notices the scattered tire tracks in the sand. She looks over to the wash of light spanning the desert, and notices a city. She then looks up at the moon, radiant and full. She steps out of the box and onto the frigid midnight sand. As she leaves, a little shadow flies out of the box and trails closely behind. The girl makes her way to the city and is mesmerized by all of the lights. She had never seen so many different colors at once before. The city looked enchanting. There were buildings that reached the heavens, metal carts that blitzed through the streets, and little stars kept in suspended boxes that changed from red to green. Most streets were empty. But others were filled with the laughs of distant people, chattering in a foreign dialect. All the sights and sounds overwhelmed her. She looked over her shoulder, and shambled her way to an alleyway. The girl slumped down and began to cry.
“What’s wrong?” the little shadow asked.
The girl looked up, surprised to see who was at her feet. She stared in awe yet confusion.

“What? Don’t you recognize me?”

The girl cocks her head.

“I’m your Shuyet! I’m your lifelong companion, through the next world and back! It’s my job to protect you and ensure you have a safe travel!” the shadow beamed.

The little girl looked down, almost ignoring its existence.

“But what’s wrong?”

The little girl continued to weep. The world had changed so much. It wasn’t the Cairo she used to know. And now, she was all alone.

“Hey, don’t look so sad. You’ve still got me!”

The girl looked back up and cracked a little smile, just barely visible under her wraps.

“And this isn’t a time to be sad. This is a chance at a second life! One full of adventure and wonder!” the little shadow twirled.

The girl took this to heart and stood with a new air of confidence. She made her way out into the street, no longer shambling. She marched through the streets with vigor as she embraced her new surroundings. Though she knew it would be hard. Everything was so big and extravagant, where would she even start? Her hope was starting to fade… and then, she passed by a display window. There stood a white statue of a faceless woman wearing the most extravagant scarf. The yellow fabric glowed in the display light, and was beautifully contrasted by the glistening gold pieces hanging off the threads. Amongst this new world of noise and chaos, it was so simple. So petite. She entered the store and exited with it wrapped comfortably around her neck. The act of taking joy in something so humble filled her with warmth, and set her mind at ease. She looked back at the city with a new appreciation for the future, and continued down the empty streets, her shadow tailing close behind.