The Birthday Present

On his sixteenth birthday, Gorden Catwald went into the attic and unlocked his Uncle Roy's gigantic teak wood sea chest, inside he found a leather bound journal, a crystal vial containing what appeared to be rich black mud, and a gold pendant shaped like an ear of corn. Scratching his head, Gorden placed the pendant around his neck, and then he felt in the chest to see if he missed something, but the trunk was empty.

"Gorden," his Aunt Lea called from downstairs. "Where's the key to Roy's sea chest? Mr. Norton is here to purchase it."

Crap!" He thought placing the items back into the chest, She promised Uncle Roy she wouldn't sell this trunk. She promised him she'd give it to me as a birthday present. He glanced around looking for a place to hide, but the attic door opened. Holding the key in his right hand, Gorden climbed into the chest and closed the lid. If she can't find the key, he reasoned, she can't sell the trunk.

Unable to hear anything from outside the chest, Gorden fell asleep listening to the rhythm of his own breath. When he awake, the trunk was open and Javrun Norton was scowling at him.

"So you're Roy Catwald's nephew," the merchant growled. "I presume you have the key to this chest." He held out his left hand, "Give it to me! I don't intend to pay a locksmith two-hundred gold pieces every time I need to open it."

"No," shouted Gorden. Norton grabbed him by the collar, inadvertantly touching the pendant. There was a crack of thunder followed by a flash of lightening. When Gorden's vision cleared the only thing that remained was a pile of gray ash and the scent of sulfur.