A Nasty Surprise

The sun cast a warm glow over the backyard where Lily’s birthday party was in full swing. Colourful banners fluttered in the breeze, and the aroma of freshly-baked pastries filled the air. All around, laughter and cheerful chatter could be heard as friends and family gathered to celebrate Lily’s birthday.

Finally, it was time for Lily to open her presents. All day, she had been stealing glances at the mountain of presents lying on the table. There were gifts of all colours, shapes and sizes, but one particularly exquisite box caught Lily’s eye. Nestled amidst the sea of presents, it stood out like a centrepiece. Lily knew that that would be the first gift that she would unveil.

Holding the present in her hands, Lily’s heart raced with a mix of curiosity and expectation. She wondered what could be inside, and briefly guessed at the mysterious person who had given her such a beautiful gift. Carefully, Sarah peeled away the intricate layers of wrapping paper.

“Eek!” Sarah shrieked as a spider leapt out of the box. She threw the box across the table and swiped desperately at the spider that had ended up on her hair. Sarah’s heart pounded wildly in her chest as she stared at the spider lying motionless on the ground. It was only then that she realised the spider was made of plastic and had been propelled out of the box by a spring.

Laughter erupted from behind the group, and all eyes turned toward the source. Standing at the back was Alex, Sarah’s classmate. His chuckles quickly subsided when he noticed that no one else was laughing along. Alex’ face turned beet red. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, realising that it had been a distasteful prank. Sarah forgave Alex, knowing that he did not mean any harm. With a heart full of gratitude, she continued to unwrap the other presents. Luckily, there were no more surprises in store!

“Happy birthday, Sarah!” the children chorused. Sarah beamed as she looked around the room, surrounded by her family and closest friends. Ten candles adorned a beautiful strawberry shortcake, their flames dancing in the light breeze. Making a wish, Sarah blew out the candles in one big breath.

It was time to open her presents! Sarah had been waiting for this moment the entire day and could hardly stand still. With a sense of giddy anticipation, she began to unwrap each gift one by one, uncovering the tokens of affection from her friends. Sarah gasped and gushed over the gifts. There were birthday cards, soft toys, new stationery and even a pair of shoes!

Finally, she held the last gift. It was a large, red box adorned with a bow and it felt heavy. Countless possibilities raced through Sarah’s mind as she carefully undid the ribbon. Gently lifting the lid of the box, she peered inside, only for her excitement to morph into a piercing scream.

A gazillion ants marched busily across the mountain of candies. The sight made Sarah’s skin crawl. “Oh no! I’m so sorry!” a voice cried out. Sarah turned to see her classmate, Janice, standing with her mouth agape. “I-I didn’t know,” Janice stuttered. “I just wanted to give you some of your favourite sweets.”

Realising what had happened, Sarah burst into laughter. “I guess the ants like them too,” she teased. The atmosphere lightened immediately. With her parents’ help, they disposed of the ant-infested box before continuing with the party. Sarah knew that this would be a birthday tale that she would be sharing for years to come.