I don’t know how long I lost consciousness. The last thing I remember is that Toby’s elbow hit my stomach and that was the reason I lost consciousness in the first place. But this doesn’t explain the feeling like I was being beaten by large waves before I was out. I also don’t know why I feel like I’m being baked under the hot sun. And this goes without saying that I also feel like I’m lying on sand.

I tried to sit up. I was able to do it without any difficulty. I also couldn’t feel anything painful in my abdomen. Nice. I groped on my front and massaged it. There wasn’t really anything painful. But I was confused because I also couldn’t feel my clothes. I tried to open my eyes, but before I can see my body, what I saw were several blades pointing at my neck. The people wielding them surrounding me had their faces hidden.

“W-what’s happening here!?” I cried loudly. “Why –”

But I wasn’t able to continue speaking when I saw where we are. We were in the middle of a desert and I have no idea how I ended up here. I only saw where I was, the people surrounding me, and how I look like just now. The people surrounding me looked like they’re Arab men, well that’s what I think, anyway because that’s what their clothes looked like. Many of them were riding camels. Those camels were also carrying baskets. Behind the camels, there were a few people with their hands tied in a single line.

I got really scared when I had a good look at myself. I was shocked when I realized that I’m not wearing my judo uniform anymore. I was wearing nothing but a brown tunic and I don’t know where it came from. The only thing I’m wearing that I recognize is the pendant Granddad gave me. I looked in front of me and saw someone come down his camel and towards me.

I couldn’t understand what he was saying. He laughed loudly then took my necklace.

“Hey wait, don’t take that! What –”

One of them placed his blade right on my windpipe so I immediately stopped talking. That man said something to his companions and they proceeded to tie me with the others behind the camels. Another one of them approached me and gave me what looked like water. Again, I couldn’t understand what he was saying while he laughed at me again. Because of this, I just sort of stared at him because I didn’t know what to do. He then bellowed at me and I quite understood his sign for me to drink from it. I just did as I was told, if that was what he was saying. As soon as I was done drinking, the words I’m hearing suddenly changed.

“… need to shout at you so you can understand what I’m saying. Fine then, gimme that. It’s still a long way before we’ll arrive in Egypt.”

Egypt? Egypt!?

I became really confused when everything everyone around me said, I suddenly understood. We then started moving after the Arabs that caught me went back to their camels. No one spoke to me afterwards so I took the chance to arrange my thoughts.

The first thing I did is to remember the last thing that happened to me. The last thing that I remember before waking up to this place was the sensation of being beaten by giant waves and I was then tossed in sand. I looked everywhere and there was no body of water that can be seen.

Even before that, we were performing in front of our judo trainer, but Toby’s foot had a problem causing him to fall over with me falling on top of him and his elbow hitting my stomach. Other than that, I don’t know anything out of the ordinary that happened.

There’s only one reason for me why I suddenly find myself in a place like this: Granddad’s pendant. But it seemed impossible this time because I wasn’t able to read any stories or even watch any movie while losing consciousness. My memory of Toby and me performing in front of our coach with all the judo techniques we know was very clear, so it’s definitely impossible that that would happen.

All of us continued to walk. I don’t know how far we still have to go, so I tried to think of other possibilities. I tried to think of the last story I’ve read and the last movie I’ve watched. Reading stories was definitely out of the question because I was unable to do so for the past several months because of all my schoolwork. The last movie I’ve watched, on the other hand, was Wreck-it-Ralph because we have watched that movie again on my birthday. But it was entirely impossible that I was able to return to that movie because where we are now is a desert, and there were no deserts in Sugar Rush.

I tried to keep it simple and thought that all of this is only a dream. But then again, this feels too real to be a dream. Besides, I could feel the sun burning my skin gently and the rough rope coiled around my hands. So I’m positively sure this isn’t a dream.

I was running out of possibilities when I suddenly remembered what Granddad told me when he gave me the necklace.

Father told me that only your elder brother would be able to have this ability. Sadly, he refused to accept it and he wished me to bequeath this to you, instead.

Chuck refused to accept this ability. Does he know this will happen? If so, what would happen to me now? And is he sure that this is going to end up badly? What I think is that this makes very little difference from ordinarily entering a story: I’ll just finish this story and I would be able to get out, no matter how long. When I return to the real world, I’ll see that time didn’t even pass and I could also return to normal.

The only thing I needed to know is what story this is. Again, I looked everywhere. We’re surrounded by nothing but deserts and I’m not the only one tied up behind the camels. They said we were going to Egypt. Which story had slaves being sold to Egypt?

I suddenly remembered again that my necklace was taken from me before I could think of other things. I have no idea what could happen to me if were to be separated from that necklace. The worst that could probably happen is that I wouldn’t be able to return to the real world. I really don’t want that to happen. I need to get it back at all costs.

“Excuse me,” I called to the Arab guy nearest to where I am. “Uh, excuse me! The pendant you took a while ago, well, I kinda need it back.”

The Arab guy I called on to ignored me. He just shook his head as if I was disturbing him and went on like that.

Before I can call on him again, I was just surprised when several people suddenly came out from under the sand and surrounded all of us. All of them are wearing black and a large percentage of their body is covered in metal. It looked like they’re the ones who were paid in order to assassinate someone, but I don’t know who or what they’re after. The other people tied up with me were scared, but it was nothing compared to our captors’ fear. I think I might never run out of things that’ll surprise me today.

Their leader went up and talked to the Arabs’ leader. I couldn’t really hear what they were talking about, but based from what I understood, it’s like the assassins were demanding some kind of payment from the Arabs. Our captors’ leader looked very distressed until the one I have called on earlier whispered something to him. I tried to look at them and saw that noth of them were looking at me. I tried to hide from their view this time but I know there’s nothing I could really do to stop them from doing whatever they’re planning. The leader went to me and untied my hands.

I don’t know what was happening, but he hung my necklace on my neck, then told me something.

“Kid,” he began, “if you can win this fight, that necklace will be yours again and we’ll be able to sell you for a larger sum of money in Egypt. But if you lose… well, sucks to be you. Just keep in mind that this is a fight to the death.” He then gave me a very long blade and looked at my opponent.

I also looked at the direction he was looking and saw that my opponent is a thin man who looks like he’s built for speedy combat. In my state and his speed, I won’t last even a few seconds.

“Y-you can’t do this to me,” I whispered hoarsely when I turned to him.

The leader ignored me and shoved the handle of the blade on my hands.

The blade slipped from my grasp because my hands were too sweaty. I immediately grabbed it from the sand and there, I found out how heavy it really was. This was just as heavy as the jungle bolos used to cut down small trees so I couldn’t hold it with only one hand, but its handle is too short for both of my hands so I don’t know how to use it.

The two of us were surrounded by everyone, Arab or assassin alike. All of them started cheering and shouting for us to start the fight. I saw that my opponent was sneering at my direction while he took out a small dagger from his pocket. Basing on how he was moving, I say that he’s really agile, so the best thing I could do is stay as far away from him as possible.

“Hey kid,” my opponent called on me, “beware of my weapon.” I looked at his dagger he was holding. “I soaked this in poison, so one touch from this blade and we’ll all be attending your funeral. Beware… of my blade…”

He went towards me quickly while I tried to back away several steps, but there’s nowhere to back away, because the Arabs are all pushing me back towards my opponent. In order to scare me even more, he licked his dagger in a menacing way, but he suddenly stopped. Everyone also stopped cheering. At this time, my fear suddenly turned into utter disbelief in what he just did.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said as I watched him fall over on the sand.

A long silence ensued, followed by a very loud cheering from the Arabs because of my ‘victory.’ The Arabs’ leader also said that they didn’t have to give them any form of payment thanks to me. Fuming, all the assassins went away and the leader of the Arabs went up to me.

“Gahaha! You’re pretty good, kid!” he drawled while putting his large arm around me. “We would really get filthy rich once we manage to sell you in Egypt! Think about it, you managed to defeat an assassin within ten seconds. I’m sure all the rich people would want to buy you first! That pendant is yours. That’ll show them that you really are more expensive than the rest of these guys. Gyahaha!”

“W-wait a minute. I didn’t… hang on… um,” I stammered, but no one was paying attention to me.

He called one of his men. “Tie this one again at the back. We need to hurry.”

I didn’t complain this time when they tied me behind the camels. What’s important is that I got my pendant back, which could be the key for me to get back to the real world after this story is over… whatever story this is. I looked at my chest where the pendant is and told myself, “I don’t know how I got in this story, but I know I’ll be able to get out, no matter how long I must wait.”

I took a deep breath while we began moving again. Suddenly, the one in front of me spoke.

“Don’t think for a moment that because of what happened, your fate would improve. You still need to prepare for the future,” he said.

I sighed at what he said and replied, “I really have no intentions of thinking that. It didn’t really make any diff –”

I stopped speaking when I saw who was in front of me. I don’t know why, but I feel like I have met this person before, I just don’t know where. His skin is slightly lighter than brown, his black hair is wavy, and he also has a slightly large build. I couldn’t really see his face because his head wasn’t entirely turned towards me and both his hands were also tied up in front of him.

After a long time walking, we finally arrived at the ancient city that I assumed was Egypt. A lot of people were walking in different directions but it’s difficult to get lost because the roads were simple, there weren’t too many crossroads. We arrived at a place that looked like the market and we were arranged there one by one, to be sold to anyone who would want us. I couldn’t go back to concentrating because of all the things happening.

“Great, hrg!” I muttered when someone hung a piece of wood on my neck which sais that I cost two hundred and three gold pieces. I looked at the others and saw that all of us have different prices, but I was indeed the most expensive. I looked at the one beside me and recognized him as the one who spoke to me a while ago. This is where I had a good look at his face.

He had blue eyes, thick eyebrows a normally sharp nose, and thin lips. I didn’t know anyone who looks like him or anyone with similar facial features like him, but I really felt like we have met before. I saw that he was being sold for three hundred pieces of silver.

I tried to talk to him. “Um, excuse me. About what you told me earlier…”

I didn’t expect him to answer almost immediately. “It does appear that you are not happy with your current state. I’m Joseph, from Canaan.”

There was nothing I know that I could say to him. If my ears weren’t deceiving me now, this person just introduced himself to me as Joseph. And he’s also from Canaan.

If all of these are true, the story I entered this time is the story of the prophet Joseph. I tried to remember the events of his story, and if I’m not mistaken, it’ll take place in around fourteen years. I couldn’t move at this point because I’ve just realized that it’ll take me fourteen years before I can return to my own world. This is Rizal’s story all over again.

I stared at him for a long time before he spoke again.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Huh? Oh! Um, yeah, I’m alright… I think. I’m –”

I suddenly stopped talking. I thought that I shouldn’t tell that my name is Ramon. I don’t know what’ll happen if they hear that my name isn’t really in line with the current time. I stared at nothingness again before Joseph snapped me out of it.

“Are you really alright? Is there a problem?” he asked me again.

“Um, uh, I’m… John. Yeah, that’s right, I’m John. It’s nice to meet you,” I told him. I didn’t notice that I’m already stuttering. “I came from… um, uh… from…”

“John, are you sure you’re alright? What’s happening to you?” he asked, clearly worried.

“I… don’t know,” was the only thing I could say that time. I don’t know if I can tell him that I came from the Philippines because I’m not sure of my role in this story. I then thought up of an idea.

“I don’t know… where I came from,” I told him while I sighed. I think the best thing I could do if I were to refrain from inventing things is to pretend that I lost my memories. I could probably do it easily because there’s no need for me to hide anything from anyone.

“W-what? How did that happen?” Joseph asked incredulously.

“I also don’t know. The last thing I remember… is that I’m lying in the middle of the desert, and then I was caught by the ones selling us now. That’s it,” I told him.

He looked at me for a long time, then it was his turn to sigh.

“You’re lucky,” he mumbled, “that you have no memories of where you came from. Up until now, I still couldn’t accept what they have done to me.”

“Done what?” I asked him, even if I already know why he’s here in Egypt. His brothers conspired against him because of envy, and he was sold to those Arabs as a slave here in Egypt, just like what they’re about to do to me.

He took a deep breath and looked at the sky. “That’s not important for now. What matters is that He has plans for me.”

I just nodded and replied, “Yeah, I understand.”

“Thank you for understanding, my friend,” he told me.

He may think that I really understand his situation because we’re both in that situation, but I was actually thinking of another thing. I know that He has plans for Joseph regarding what will happen to him, and I know that the same is true for me. Whatever happens to me, I know I can depend on Him because I don’t really know what to do here in this story.

I just smiled. I’d really want to answer, but there were several men who arrived and we were examined one by one. After that, one of them approached the leader of the Arabs and he went with him in front of us. The man who just arrived pointed at several of us, including me and Joseph. Everyone who were chosen were locked up in a carriage and brought to the place where we’ll be of service until who knows when.

“Where do you think they would bring us?” Joseph asked me calmly, but I can feel in his voice that he’s nervous.

“I don’t know,” I said, even if I already know perfectly that we’re being brought to the house of the chief soldier of the Pharaoh, Potiphar. Potiphar, who has a wife. His wife, who will be the cause of Joseph’s hardships and my headache.

We were immediately sent to work as soon as we arrived in Potiphar’s house. They didn’t even give us a chance to rest or give us any incentive for us to work harder. It was when they gave me a broom and made me clean the backyard full of fallen leaves when I remembered the meaning of the word ‘slave.’ I don’t know where all the filth came from while I could only see very few trees in the surroundings.

A lot of people say that time flies when you’re busy with something. I don’t know why, but this didn’t come true for me. I finished sweeping the backyard, but I felt like time didn’t even budge. I can tell this even without a clock or a watch because I can see my shadow on the ground.

I remembered that I needed to dispose of the trash I’ve collected, but I don’t know where I could dump them. I couldn’t possibly leave them here because I’ll have to do it all over again when the wind blows these all away. I thought of digging a compost pit so I could just bury all the dirt there. And as if the timing was perfect, I saw a spade that lay forgotten among the trees so I took it and started digging. After burying all the trash, I looked at my shadow and noticed that it still didn’t lengthen. I think it’s already in the afternoon because of the very long time that passed between the time I woke up and now.

Because I already finished my job here in the backyard, I decided to rest for a bit, or if I’m lucky, rest up until the evening. I looked for a spot where no one would catch me slacking off and there, I lay down. The fig leaves might not be that big, but they’re already better than nothing. I just hope that no one would catch me sleeping on the job. If ever, I couldn’t really handle the life of a slave because I was used to being accompanied by Nanny Imang when it comes to house chores. After staring at blank space for a few moments, I felt drowsy and then finally fell asleep.

It was nearing dusk when I woke up. I brought the broom given to me by a soldier a while ago and the spade I found in the backyard and went inside so no one would suspect that I’m slacking off during working hours. As I entered the door, the soldier that gave me the broom met me on the way.

“Hey kid, it looks like you already finished cleaning the backyard,” he belted. “I honestly thought you were eaten by – where did you find that spade?”

“Oh, this?” I said while looking at the spade I was holding. “I found this in the backyard a while ago. It looks like someone has forgotten that it was there.”

“Very nice!” he bellowed while he held my head and ruffled my hair. His hand felt so heavy that I felt like I’m going to be buried on the floor like a nail being driven by a hammer. “One of the other slaves lost this a long time ago.” He then brought his face near mine and then whispered as if he was trying to scare me, “Do you know what happened to that slave?”

My heart started pumping blood really fast and I started to sweat uncontrollably. “Uh, I think I don’t really need to know –”

“Yuyagahor, don’t scare away the new ones,” I suddenly heard someone speak behind the soldier. I looked at him and I saw a fat guy wearing splendid clothes. His eyes were small and comparable to that of a rat, he has a small nose, and his mouth was concealed by his bushy beard. He continued to talk. “You know very well that I had that particular slave returned to the market.”

“Forgive me, Lord Potiphar,” Yuyagahor chuckled. “I just couldn’t help but do that everytime we have new slaves.” He then removed his face in front of me, let go of my head and said, “This kid found the spade that was lost by that guy.”

Potiphar looked at me and stared at me for a moment. “What is your name, kid?”

“John. My name is John,” I replied, standing erect.

He nodded. “And where did you come from?” he asked.

I couldn’t answer. I forgot what I told Joseph earlier so I couldn’t answer him. Fortunately, Yuyagahor did it for me.

“He doesn’t know. Someone told me a while ago that this one lost his memories on where he came from,” he said.

Potiphar’s forehead wrinkled. “Hmm, pity.” He then looked at me happily, “For now, don’t think too much. Your companions are all waiting for you in the dining room. You should probably eat and then, you can all go to sleep.”

“Thank you, Lord Potiphar,” was the last thing I said while I went to the place he pointed me at.