The machine whirred to life as I sat down. Suddenly, I was sitting on a huge throne in a really nice palace. Two boys appeared at my side. They were waving huge fans to cool me — and I could actually feel the breeze!

“Shall I bring you some grapes, Your Highness?” one of the boys asked. I actually tasted the grapes. The boys looked confused when I asked them if they could bring chocolate chip cookies.

I stepped outside, and a wave of heat washed over me. Outside my palace on the desert floor, men, women and children were in the mud making bricks. These were slaves — and they were working for me. I suddenly realized who I was: Pharaoh!

I stepped forward to tell the people what a good job they were doing, but as soon as they saw me, they ran off screaming. The people were afraid. They hated me!

Before I could apologize to everyone for enslaving them, my seat lurched forward and became an Egyptian chariot. I was chasing the Israelites across the Red Sea. Water piled up on either side. We rode faster and faster until it seemed we would catch up. Suddenly the sea burst! Water sprayed everywhere, my chariot screeched to a halt and the program ended.

“Alex, are you all right?” Mr. Whittaker asked. “I’m sorry. It appears the calibration for the water flow was incorrect. It was only supposed to be a spray.”

I wrung out my shirt and promised to be back the next day. I was glad I wasn’t the Pharaoh — with all those enemies and God against me. Makes me glad God is on my side today!