The museum's dinosaur exhibit fascinated Puli.
It captivated Puli from the moment she stepped inside. She had always been drawn to ancient creatures, their colossal forms frozen in time. The thought of them once roaming the Earth astounded her.
Standing among the colossal relics of a time long past, Puli felt at ease. Science was straightforward, there was no confusion, no uncertainty, just facts set in stone. She loved the way science explained things in neat, comprehensible ways.
Today, though, something about the exhibit seemed to hum with a strange energy, something she couldn't quite place. It made her shiver despite the thick blazer she wore.
The faint hum of other visitors' voices echoed around the vast space, the chatter blending into an almost melodic background noise. Children laughed, families wandered, and distant footsteps bounced off the polished marble floors. But Puli was in her own world, completely absorbed in the grandeur of the creatures that towered above her.
Her onyx eyes were drawn to the centerpiece—the Tyrannosaurus Rex. No matter how many times she visited the museum, she never tired of seeing it. Its massive skeleton loomed over the exhibit, dwarfing the smaller dinosaurs that flanked it. The Triceratops and Velociraptors, while fierce in their own right, seemed almost puny beside the T-Rex.
The T-Rex was positioned in an aggressive stance, its tail arched behind it as though ready to strike. Its powerful hind legs appeared poised to charge forward, while its enormous jaws were frozen mid-snarl. The creature's jagged teeth gleamed in the soft sunlight, filtering through the windows as they cast sharp shadows across the floor. Puli imagined it alive, stalking prey in the dense forests of a world long gone, its thunderous footsteps shaking the earth. She could almost hear it. The heavy breathing of a predator on the hunt. But now, it was reduced to a series of carefully preserved bones, forever trapped in a museum display.
Puli moved closer to the T-Rex, her shoes softly scuffing against the polished floor as she approached the thick red ropes that separated the visitors from the display. The bones seemed so close she could almost reach out and touch them, though, of course, she wouldn't dare.
As she stood there, eyes fixed on the gleaming teeth of the T-Rex, she felt a strange flutter of unease, a sense that something was watching her, waiting. She tried to dismiss the thought as she gripped twirled her long, plaited hair. 'It's just a museum exhibit, after all. Nothing more!' She thought to herself. But deep down, Puli couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, this trip to the museum was about to be far more than she had bargained for.
"Puli!" a shrilly voice called out, cutting through the low hum of the museum. She blinked, snapping out of her trance as she turned to see a girl in the same school uniform as her own, standing a few feet away, her arms crossed impatiently.
"Come on, we've got to catch up with the rest of the class!" The girl, Evelyn urged, tossing her head toward the direction where the rest of their classmates were disappearing around a corner.
Evelyn was flanked by two other girls, Tina and Brenda, both of whom looked as though they'd had enough of ancient bones and museum exhibits for one day. Tina, the taller one, was leaning heavily on one foot, her face was twisted into an exaggerated grimace. While Brenda gave an exaggerated yawn, clutching her stomach.
"This trip is so boring," Brenda groaned, her voice loud enough to echo slightly off the high museum walls. Tina timidly glanced down at her doll shoes, as if even looking at them made her feet ache more. "My feet are killing me." She quietly mumbled, "Why couldn't we just go to the cinema or something?"
"Eh- not many good movies are out right now, but at least there will be popcorn. Personally I love buttery popcorn at the cinema, I don't know how but you can never make it the same at home", Brenda chimed in.
Evelyn agreed with a hum rubbing her temples as if to emphasize the dullness of the day. "I thought this trip was fun at first but now I'm just tired, especially with this one." She pointed an accusatory finger towards Brenda, "I can't take my eyes off her for one second without her wandering off!"
Brenda stuck her tongue out to Evelyn, before turning on her heel and gravitating towards another exhibit that caught her eye, proving Evelyn's point.
Puli couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. She didn't understand how anyone could think this was boring. Sure, her classmates might not appreciate it, but to her, this was one of the best parts of school. The museum was like stepping into another world, even if it was just for a little while.
"Well I think it's fascinating," Puli said, shrugging as she glanced back at the towering T-Rex.
The three girls let out a playful groan in unison, as though Puli's enthusiasm was some sort of personal offense. Brenda nudged Tina with her elbow, smirking.
"Of course, Puli thinks it's fascinating," Brenda said with a wide grin, her neon colored braces on full display, "but I can't wait for lunch. I'm starving. They should've given us a break an hour ago."
Evelyn sighed. "Is food all you think about ? Let's just get out of here. I don't want to get shouted at by Mrs Cooper!" At the mention of their teacher the girls stiffened. Mrs Cooper was a strict and nasty teacher. She was the type of teacher who would give harsh punishment for the slightest misdemeanor. The kind of teacher that you could tell hated their job and had little patience. The group quickly scurried toward the exit, their footsteps echoing off the cold marble floors.
Puli lingered for a moment, her gaze drifting back to the towering T-Rex one last time. Something about the way the sunlight caught the curve of its eye socket made her pause. It was as though the skeleton itself was watching her, waiting for her to leave, like it had some secret it was guarding.
She shook the feeling off. It's just bones, she told herself, turning to follow the others. Puli quickened her pace, catching up with the other girls just as they turned the corner, the sound of their chatter already pulling her back into the mundane world of school trips and complaints about sore feet and lunch.
---
Puli and the girls hurried along, weaving through the bustling museum corridors lined with exhibits. Their footsteps echoed faintly against the marble floors, passing the looming skeletons of ancient creatures encased in glass.
Evelyn and Brenda, as always, led the way, deep in conversation about their plans for lunch and the latest gossip at school. Their hair swayed as they walked. Evelyn's a bright, strawberry blonde, that was long enough to reach her hip and her front bangs were held back by a thick black ribbon so as to not obscure her blue eyes. Brenda's hair, though much shorter in length, with lushuss chestnut brown round coils. It contrasted against her olive, brown skin and amber eyes. The two girls' laughter floated back toward Puli, but Tina, walking beside her now, was unusually quiet.
Puli glanced over, noticing the way Tina fidgeted with her hands—an old habit she only slipped into when she was nervous. She rubbed her fingers together anxiously and picked at pale skin, her dark, willow shaped eyes darting around the museum as if she were waiting for something, or someone, to jump out at her.
Leaning in, Puli whispered softly, careful not to startle her. "Are you okay, Tina?"
Tina hesitated for a moment, biting her lip and shook her charcoal shoulder, length, hair before responding. "I don't know… It's just..." She lowered her voice even more, her eyes flicking up to make sure no one was looking. She leaned close to whisper, "I can't shake this feeling. Like something bad is going to happen. It's strange, but there's some sort of… bad energy in the air."
Puli frowned and felt her stomach twist. What she'd felt earlier wasn't unique to her. The thought that something awful might happen crossed her mind but she willed it away, this was just their nerves talking. Puli kept her tone calm and soothing. "It's probably just anxiety, you know? These trips can be overwhelming with everyone running around. I get it."
Tina nodded, but her brow remained furrowed. Puli gave her a small, reassuring smile and dipoles appeared on her dark, brown skin. "How about I ask the teacher if we can take a break? We can go rest in the locker rooms where we left our bags. It's quieter there, and you can breathe for a bit."
Tina exhaled, visibly relieved, her shoulders relaxing slightly. " Thanks, Puli."
"Of course," Puli said, smiling warmly as she took Tina's hand into her own. The simple gesture seemed to calm her friend further. "It'll be alright, I promise." She gave Tina's hand a gentle squeeze, her smile kind and reassuring. For a moment, Puli's own worries about the trip faded into the background, replaced by the quiet sense of responsibility she felt for her friend.
Tina gave a small, grateful smile in return as together they hurried along, Puli already planning to speak with the teacher once they reached the next exhibit.
---
The girls finally caught up with the rest of their class, who had gathered near the next exhibit. Puli tugged absently at the collar of her white shirt, feeling the smooth fabric under her fingers. The students from Sherwoods Secondary School were instantly recognizable in their dark navy blue blazers, the silver-and-blue striped ties knotted snugly at their throats. Each blazer bore the school's distinctive shield-shaped emblem stitched on the front pocket, bold white letters spelling out "Sherwoods" against a silver background.
Puli joined the back of the group, her eyes sweeping over her classmates. Some of them fidgeted in their neat uniforms, tugging at the edges of their skirts or trousers, adjusting ties that had become slightly skewed. The polished black shoes of the students clicked softly on the museum's marble floor, and their hushed chatter floated around the room in uneven waves.
Mrs Cooper, the formidable history teacher, stood at the front, surveying her charges with an expression that seemed permanently etched into her wrinkled face, a deep frown, her lips pressed together into a thin line. She was, as always, dressed in her usual drab attire: a flowery blouse that looked as though it had been yanked from another century, paired with plain black trousers that only emphasized the squat, toad-like appearance. Her thinning, wispy blonde hair clung to her head like strands of fine straw, and her pale skin was blotched with angry red patches that never seemed to fade. Today, Mrs Cooper's eyes darted back and forth, ensuring no one dared speak out of turn or stray from the group.
As Puli sidled closer to Tina, she noticed the slight tremor in her friend's hands, but before she could whisper another word of reassurance, the tour guide began to speak.
The guide was an odd figure. A tall man with impossibly thin, long limbs that seemed too fragile to support his narrow frame. His near-bald head gleamed under the museum's soft lighting, save for a few disheveled tufts of silver hair that stuck out at odd angles. He had the air of someone who had long forgotten how to smile. Perched on the tip of his long, crooked nose was a pair of tiny crescent-shaped glasses, so small they looked like they might slide off at any moment. His face was gaunt, with deep-set eyes that gave him the appearance of a stern, skeletal bird.
He wore a simple black suit that looked just as tired as he did, and a laminated ID badge dangled loosely around his thin neck, identifying him as one of the museum's senior staff. His voice was a monotonous drawl, so low and lifeless that Puli had to strain to hear him over the shuffle of feet and murmur of other museum visitors nearby.
"Here we have one of our most peculiar artifacts," the guide began, his tone flat, as if he had given this same lecture a thousand times and could no longer muster even the slightest enthusiasm for it. His bony fingers gestured toward the display in front of him, a large, ancient stone slab encased in thick glass, positioned beneath the glow of overhead lights.
Puli tilted her head, intrigued despite herself. The slab was roughly rectangular, about as tall as she was, and covered in strange carvings. Smooth, flowing lines had been etched into the surface, forming the unmistakable shape of an eye, elongated and elegant, with a single vertical line running straight down the middle. The lines had been painted—or was it something else? With a gold-yellow substance that shimmered faintly under the museum lights. It gave the stone an otherworldly glow, as though it had once been touched by something far beyond the world of man.
"The artifact you see here," the guide continued, his droning voice never changing pitch, "has been the subject of great debate among archaeologists and historians alike. Some scholars have suggested that it dates back as far as the Permian era, a time long before the dinosaurs. However," he added, raising a thin finger, "this, of course, would be impossible, as human beings did not appear on the earth until millions of years later."
Puli's heart gave a little flutter at the mention of the Permian era. She'd read about it, of course, an ancient time ruled by giant reptiles and strange sea creatures, a period long before the world had seen its first dinosaur. But human artifacts? That didn't make sense. She pushed her way through the group, weaving between her classmates, ignoring the disapproving look from Evelyn and the irritated huff from Brenda, who was still muttering about how hungry she was.
Puli found herself near the front of the group, eyes locked on the stone. There was something about it. Something more than just an old relic. The smoothness of the lines, the precision of the carving, the gleaming gold that seemed to pulse faintly in the dim light—it all felt too perfect, too deliberate.
"The artifact's origin remains a mystery," the guide droned on. "While the theory of its creation during the Permian era has been largely dismissed, there is still no consensus among experts. Most agree that it likely dates back to the Stone Age, though its exact purpose and meaning are still unknown. The symbol carved into its surface has been the source of much speculation. Some believe it to be a depiction of a deity or an ancient form of protection, while others suggest it may represent an early form of writing or communication."
Puli leaned closer, her brow furrowed. The symbol of the eye was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. It wasn't just the precision of the carving that unsettled her. It was the way it seemed to almost hum beneath the surface, as though the stone was alive with some dormant power. She could feel a faint buzzing at the edge of her mind, a strange energy that made her skin tingle
Tina, who had been standing quietly beside her, shifted uneasily. Puli glanced at her friend, who had been unusually silent since they'd joined the group. Tina's face was pale, her eyes darting nervously toward the stone. "Do you feel that?" Tina whispered, her voice barely audible.
Puli nodded slowly, her throat suddenly dry. She didn't know what she was feeling, but it was there, that same odd energy in the air, just like static she had felt at the T-Rex. She didn't dare say it out loud, not with Mrs. Cooper's eagle eyes scanning the group, ready to pounce at the first sign of distraction.
The guide was still talking, but his words had become a distant murmur in Puli's ears. The golden eye carved into the stone seemed to gleam brighter, drawing her in. She felt her heart quicken as she stared at it, something deep and strange was stirring within her, something she couldn't quite understand.
"Most of the details remain a mystery," the guide finished with a shrug, pushing his glasses back up his long nose. "And perhaps they always will."
But Puli had a feeling that this was just the beginning.