Everybody knows the story of Pandora's Box. A girl was given a box and she was told not to open it. The Box spoke to her, tempting her to... well you know the rest... or do you? Because the thing that no one ever asks is... what happened next?
This is that story.
It begins with someone running. The thing about seeing someone run is that you always have to ask whether they're running to something or from something. The answer is always both. In this case, the person running is a short but athletic man, Hermes, messenger of the gods, dressed in plain clothes is running down a dark street. A Shadowed Figure is chasing him. Hermes is heading for Pandora's house.
"You can't escape me. It will be mine." says the Shadowed Figure.
Hermes is carrying Pandora's Box with him as the Shadowed Figure gets closer.
"It doesn't belong to you. It belongs to The Keeper." Hermes responded.
"Not anymore." insisted the Shadowed Figure.
Hermes reaches a particular house just as he's tripped up by the Shadowed Figure and The Box falls out of Hermes' hands. The Shadowed Figure menaces over Hermes. He picks up The Box. The Shadowed Figure opens the box slightly and a spirit escapes before Hermes kicks him in the knee. The Shadowed Figure drops The Box.
"It will never be yours." Hermes says.
Hermes grabs The Box, closes it quickly, gets up and uses magic to push The Box into the mail box, shifting it into another dimension.
"It's with The Keeper now." says Hermes.
"No!" yells the Shadowed Figure in anger at what Hermes has done.
The Shadowed Figure grabs Hermes and takes him away.
* * *
The next day, Pandora, a young high school student, is going through the aisles of a local clothing store. She is looking at various outfits to try find a distinct look for her first day of a new school. Uni, her mother, walks up to her.
"Have you found something yet? We've been here a while and your father and I are not going to wait around forever." asks her mother.
"Just trying to look my best." responds Pandora while still trying to decide between two tops she's comparing in her hands.
"You do that by waking up in the morning sweetie." says Uni, trying to encourage her daughter to choose something.
"Thanks for the ego boost Mom but I'll be fine." Pandora says as picks out one of them from the racks and holds it against herself.
"Well I'm hoping that the ego boost will keep you from trying to boost anything else." her mother joked.
"Mom!" says with a tone that's obvious they both know it's a joke.
Pandora looks at herself in a nearby mirror, turning her attention away from her mother.
"You look great honey, you should go with that."
"Mhmm." Pandora acknowledges without really paying any attention.
Uni watches Pandora try to decide on her current outfit for a few moments.
"Just pick something honey. We're leaving in 20 minutes whether you've found something or not." her mother insists.
"Okay." Pandora says again, turning in the mirror to try and see it from different angles, not really paying attention.
YOU ARE READING
Pandora's Box: Works and Days (girlxgirl) (Book 1)
Teen FictionPandora, descendant of the original of myth, is tasked by her parents with protecting the box of legend from the forces that would hope to open it. All while trying to manage the trials and tribulations of high school, and some of her classmates who...
