The Eyes Have It

Chapter 1: The Exhibits

A short year has passed since Larry Daley sold his company, saved the museum from change, while saving his friends in the process. The museum has never been so successful, the people pour in and the exhibits are more than happy to show them around. One girl has been waiting all year to make it to the museum, as she lives in London it's made it especially hard to get here. After finishing college she managed to convince her parents that they all needed a holiday, and since she was no longer bound by school work, they were happy to oblige "so, what are we going to do first, El?" Her mother asks as they unpack their belongings.

El pretends to think about the question, though she already knows where she wants to go "how about the Museum of Natural History? I heard they have some very interesting special effects there"

Her mother smiles, she isn't as stupid as El might think, she knows why her daughter so desperately wanted to come here for her holiday "do you want us to come with you?" She is 19 now, her parents trust her to go by herself.

"What's the matter? Trying to get rid of me already?"

"No darling... it's just, well we are in New York, your father and I wanted to go to Central Park, take some photos, make a day of it. But, if you really want us to come with you then..." her tone gets higher as she trails off, looking around the room while she twiddles her fingers.

El laughs and grabs her jacket "no I'll be fine, you guys have fun. But I'm going to wander around for a bit, maybe go shopping, the special exhibit isn't until tonight"

Her mother looks concerned, looking at her husband for a moment before going back to El "so late? Oh, no, no I don't want my baby out in New York in the middle of the night"

"Mum! Look you remember my friend Rebecca?"

"The one who moved here a few years ago?" Of course she remembers, when El found out one of her best friends was moving to New York she cried for days, it didn't help that their dog died that same week.

El nods "well I'm going with her" she stares at her parents hopefully, her father in particular, he can never say no to her puppy eyes.

It's him that gives in first "well honey, if she's going to be with a friend... I don't see why not"

"Are you mad?! No! Absolutely not!" Her mother protests, taking the jacket from her hand.

Obviously the puppy eyes weren't working on her mother, it's time to play hard ball "oh come on! You did it when you were my age" her mother is stunned silent, she did indeed. When she was 19 she went travelling around the world, getting inspiration for the company she hoped to own one day, in fact she met her husband during her travels, an aspiring handsome photographer from England, sitting in a café in France "please mum, it's just one day"

Her mother sighs, though the voice of her own mother tells her to say no, she manages to defy her once more "okay, but I'm going to call you tonight, alright? And if you don't answer so help me God..."

"Alright, mum, geez I get it" her mother frowns as she hands El her jacket and watches her little girl leave the hotel room.

***

I wander around this great city for a few hours until sundown arrives, and then I hurriedly make my way to the museum. This is it! This is the moment I've been waiting for! I may be an artist but I've always had an interest in history, and when I heard about the magic of this place a year ago, I knew that I had to see it for myself. Just from standing outside it's already better than I imagined.

Earlier in the day I lied to my mum about my friend Rebecca, she does live in New York but she's busy with her acting career, at the moment I think she's hoping to audition for some kind of play. So I'm in fact here on my own, standing on the steps of the museum I've heard so much about. I've got my sketchbook in my bag, and anticipation on my mind, there aren't as many people as I'd thought there'd be, but then again it has been a year since the new exhibits opened.