#OriginalFiction – November 16

“Dorian.” Her brother was sitting in her room, but had gotten bored and had grabbed a book off her shelf. It had probably originally been his book.

He looked up. “What?”

“It turned. The key turned.” She almost could not believe it as she said it, so she turned the key back, heard the lock engage, then unlocked it again.

“Well, open it.” Dorian appeared to be trying really hard not to take the box from her.

She lifted the lid. Only it did not lift in all spots. The rust was really bad in a couple places and it was stuck. Dorian grabbed the letter opener they had used earlier and pried the first section apart. While she lifted again he pried the second section, and suddenly, the lid just popped open.

Inside was a brown paper package tied up with string. Whatever moisture had rusted the outside of the lock box did not appear to have penetrated to the interior. The string did not even seem frayed.

She gently pulled out the package. It was not regular paper, but butcher paper. And the string was twine. She had a brief moment of fear that she would untie it and find a rotting piece of meat. She had to tell herself there was no smell. It was just that someone had taken care to protect the contents.

The twine was tied in a simple bow. Gently she pulled at the loose ends. It had absorbed some moisture, as the twine stuck a bit, and she had to pull harder to loose the bow.

The brown paper had been in its current shape long enough that it did not fall open as the twine was removed. She pulled back the edges.

Inside was a neat stack of paper. “Letters.” She caressed the find with her fingers, noting the neat script on the top page.

Dorian harrumphed. “That’s what the magic wanted you to find?”

“What did you expect? A stack of cash?”

“Well, it would have been nice.”

“How? You know we wouldn’t have been able to spend it.” She shook her head. “Your $20 is on my desk, just take it and leave.”