The Box

Word count: 2037 - the title

The Box:

May 25th, 2009

It started out as a simple stroll through the graveyard....
A familiar headstone....
And a box....Not an ordinary box...

I continued to head toward that familiar headstone. There was my life, my love, everything i ever had. Gone.
I stood in front of it now, looking, staring at that stone, wondering how all of this happened. it should have been me i thought. but no, it wasnt me, it was her instead. kneeling down i let out my left arm and touched the headstone. so cold. tears krept down my face. i gripped the box with my other hand.

cold winds froze the tears to my face never letting me wipe them back. i wanted to leave but something held me back, i couldnt keep my eyes off of the stone. her name was there, i didnt want to believe it was hers. i cursed god for not letting me take her place. all was lost and i was left to a world alone. no one to care for and no one to care for me.

May 20th, 2009

The night home from work seemed like an eternity. I had called my wife several times and there was no awnser. it never took this long to get home. almost like somthing was keeping from reaching home. i grew anxious and a feeling in my stomach making me sick. i drove as fast i could. finally reaching home, knowing that feeling in your gut that something happened.

i opened the door and called out her name. no one awnsered.....again and again i called out her name getting louder each time and more worried. looked in the kitchen, not there. the living room...not there either....maybe the basement and she couldnt hear me??? no, it couldnt be....i ran up stairs and went to the bed room.....dropping the keys on the floor in shock...she was there.... blood soaked..blood...everywhere...her name slipping from my lips one last time. i ran to her, trying to see if maybe there was still some life left in her. maybe by some miracle she wasnt dead and i was just imagining this whole thing. i held her in my arms, cold. ice cold. her body was blue, and pale. i cried and cried. i couldnt stop myself. i needed to get ahold of myself and call the police.

The police came. No sign of a struggle they said. nor a sign of any break in. leaving me a suspect in the murder of my own wife. after questioning, i was given a hotel room for the night. no family...no where to stay but a strange room in a hotel.

May 21st, 2009

Quit my job...nothing left to live for. this couldnt be happening to me. it was impossible. Drove away from town. trying to clear my head of the horror of last night. the authorities would want to speak with me again today. but before that i needed something...anything...to think straight. I drove back into town and went to the local bar...

Bartenders are your best friend in a time of need. all the alcohol you need is right there. and they are the ones who give it to you. drink after drink i took them all down like water. after a couple of hours my vision started to blur...i had enough.

walking out of the bar the light piecred my eyes....squinting i walked towards the car and realized that i was too intoxicated to drive. so i aimlessly staggerd down the street. finding a place to lean and puked across the sidewalk.

so sick...disgusted with myself...puked again, and again..i started to feel better with myself.

i looked up to see where i was. the sign read...(Madame Mariannes Mystical Magic) A puzzled look on my face i walked into the door, something called my name to step inside. it must have been my imagination again.

The shop was very dark, none of the curtains were open to let in even the faintest light. Many strange objects scatterd throughout the store and several shelves and glass tables. i looked to the back of the store and called out a "hello".

there was a crash in the back of the store... i walked towards the sound. and there, was a light, and that light shined down upon a box. not just any ordinary box. but a taintalizing one. calling for me to open it. i crept closer to it. holding out my arms to touch it. and then....a yell.

i jumped. the scream haunting and suprising. a woman, this must be madame marianne...and her store. we both stood there quite for a moment. just exchanging gazes. she finally spoke. asking me if i was interested in the box. I wasnt sure at first, but i asked her about it and why i kept hearing my name and to open it.

She explained to me that it was a magical box that could bring great power to the person who held and believed in it. Anything could be mine, all i needed to do was believe. And then it struck my brain, the one i loved, calling my name and crying for help..This box... could it be....no it couldnt...

How much for the box?
It is yours for a small price. $1,000. and the power of a god is in your hands.
I wrote a check for the box...taking it on a whim hoping i might be able to bring back my wife.
There is something to remember about that box you hold in your hands. It comes at a price. Once something is done it cant be undone, no matter the consequences.
I didnt care, if i could believe in this box i could bring her back and live my life again in happiness.

May 22nd, 2009

The authorities still had no evidence on who or what could have murdered my wife. i told them that it was ridiculous. and left. there must be a lead or someone that knows something. i couldnt just live the rest of my life without knowing.

May 23rd, 2009

the day before the funeral, and the preperations are killing me. this is no way a man should have to live. burying his wife. it should have been me. the funeral would be tomorrow and no one would be there. but me. my family gone, same with hers. so there i will stand with a priest and saying my goodbyes.

May 24th, 2009

The funeral, it was raining that whole day. The rain made everything worse. My wife was being buried and i was saying my last words to her. i wanted to be with her, right there in that same coffin, and keep her warm forever. I cried histerical that day. realizing i would never see my wife again. and just then i thought of that box. that day i was drunk and stupid...i bought some box that had the power of the gods. maybe it was true, maybe it did work. i would try it...what more did i have to lose.

May 25th, 2009

A day of sorrow. i sat in my living staring at the photos of my wife. gone, taken away. murdered. drinking my life away i thought of all the happy times we had together and what was now lost forever. and there on the end table was the box. i stared at it for a moment. and then picked it up. it called my name again. there was no way to open the box, so it seemed. no sign of a lid or a handle to pry open. only a few cracks and designs to make up the magical box. all i could think of was my wife and this box with the power of a god. maybe i could bring her back to life.....maybe...i got up and grabbed the keys to the car and drove like a mad man to the grave of my wife...there i would use the box to bring her back.

I gripped the box in my hands and stared down at it. flipping it over and feeling all around for some opening, and then it started to move. the box started to turn itself and bend and twist. lights shot out from it in all directions. i was in awe at this box. it was really working. i wanted to see my wife again. The ground started to shake from under me. i fell...my wifes headstone was shaking madly, and the freshly dug dirt was falling into the ground like quicksand.

And from that was an apparition of my love. she looked as beautiful as ever. she smiled and me. crying and smiling back at her. the box really worked. i got to see my wife again. then she spoke. she told me to find her killer. she had explained to me that a man followed her home that night. and waited outside the house. she had seen him working at the flower shop that day and explained what he looked like. she explained everything to me I needed to belive her. maybe i could capture the man who murdered my wife and bring justice to him. the apparition of my wife was fading, the box was starting to close. i yelled for her and she told me not to worry that we would see each other in time. i said my goodbyes to her. crying i stayed there all night by her headstone and slept.

May 26th, 2009

That morning i awoke still at the graveyard. The box was gone. i slowly got up and decided that what happened last night was all a dream. i walked down the street and went to the car. and there, down the road was the flower shop. it must have been a dream i told myself. but deep inside i wanted to find out for myself. so i walked past the car and down to the flower shop. i looked through the window and there was the man my wife had descirbed to me. he was here. it wasnt a dream. it was all real. my wife was murdered by this man. enraged i went to the police. they wouldnt believe a word i said to them. thinking i was a crazy drunk and was talking nonsense. i went back to the flower shop and waited there all night until they closed. the man walked out of the shop and down to his car. i slowly followed him, trying to stay far enough away to thinking he wouldnt suspect me. soon after, we had reached his house. i parked the car on the opposite side of his and waited there. waiting for the right moment.

I finally gathered up enough courage to go to the front door and confront this man. I must be crazy to do this. must still be hungover from all the drinking i had done the night before. Standing at the door i lifted my finer to touch the door bell. it screeched a high pitch and the man awnserd the door. I stared at him.

What do you want? who are you?
You killed my wife you bastard.
Your wife? i dont know what your talking about.
Yes you do. you work at the flower shop, she was there and you decided to follow her home that day.
What?
And then you waited until that night and killed her.
....Yes, i see. well, maybe you are right.
Bastard!!!

I tackled the man to the ground and punched him furiously. He kicked me off of him and i fell into the kitchen. He ran after me and slammed my body into the counter. Picking up a knife he satbbed me and a fell to the floor. running out of breath...losing so much blood. the man laughing and stabing. this must be the price i pay for using the box. all i wanted to do was see my wife again. and see that the murderer was found guilty.

Dead...gone, forever. i will see my wife again soon.

A light came down over the body and lifted the spirit away into the heavens. Man and wife together again.