Ficlets

Beyond Pandora

I obliged, pulling at a corner flap of the ragged box. The tape flaked off and fell away, but I received no reward for my effort; the box simply would not open.

“Put a little elbow grease into it!” Roy barked as he knelt over, tugging at the flap.

Oddly enough the box remained shut, hoarding its mysterious contents, much to our bewilderment. We shot each other a glance of shared frustration and amazement at our inability to tear open a dilapidated cardboard box.

Roy passed over the newly discovered tools, instead opting for a prybar. He went to work with furious abandon. After several minutes of difficult labor, he managed to finally open the corner.

Struggling to keep leverage applied, Roy gasped, “Hurry up, open it! Open it!”

Beads of perspiration welled up on Roy’s forehead as he fought to keep the corner flap of the box open. For a moment I hesitated. Then I plunged my fingers into the absolute darkness of the fissure and the unknown beyond.

And from that point forward, nothing was ever the same.

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