A Special Birthday Gift

"Huh!"

Xia felt as though a bulldozer tire had run over her head, making her bulging eyes pop out of its socket. She observed that she had stopped breathing and was beginning to suffocate from lack of oxygen.

"Hahaha!" Ella roared in laughter like someone drunk with fresh intoxicating wine. "You should see your face, Xia! It seems as if you just saw the Boogeyman."

"Ha...ha!" Xia attempted at laughing but it came out in hiccups. She quickly thought of what to say to remedy her terrified composure. "You got me. Something weird just crossed my mind and I wasn't thinking about your question."

"Really!" The humor suddenly vanished from Ella's face and was replaced with an icy stare.

"Yes!" Xia quickly rose to her feet as she thought of a polite way to discharge Ella before things got weirder. "Umm... I just remembered that I have to run a quick errand this morning. If you don't mind, can we play this game some other time?"