Water puddled on the sidewalk as I stepped out of the sliding glass doors. The wind swirled my hair as thunder crackled in the distance. I carefully made my way over to the mailbox, trying to avoid puddles that accumulated from the hours of rain. Upon Opening it, rummaging through college papers and junk mail that accumulated throughout the week, I found a small white box in the very back. I huddled it inside my jacket for protection and raced inside to inspect it. Placing it on the marble countertop I spun it around, there was no return address, in fact there was no address at all. Just my name scribbled across it in black ink. I weighed my options, I could open it and risk being glitter bombed, or I could throw it away now and never think of it again.
I laughed at the thought, who was I kidding, I'd never forget about it. How often does a white mysterious box with no address and your name on it just show up in the mailbox? Not very often, that's for sure.
Lightning flashed in the windows, making me perk up in anxiety. Should I or should I not? I sat down across from the box and went over my choices. A knock at the door drew my attention. I slid the box in the cupboard below the counter and made my way over to the front door. Clenching the doorknob, I prepared for the worst. I swung the door open and there stood Tammy, freshman in college, she stood just above my head. Looking down she smiled a toothy grin.
"Where's Kevin?" She placed her hands on her hips, her keys jingling in her hand. Her blond hair scattered by the wind, droplets hanging from the split ends.
"I don't know. He left this morning." I know I came off callous, she just isn't worth being nice.
"Hmm, well I can wait." She let herself in, walking straight past me and into the stairwell. Before I could stop her, she was headed up the stairs, towards Kevin's room.
I headed back over to the cupboard and pulled the box out, feeling my hand across the bottom of it in order to set it down, I felt the dents of small writing I had not noticed before. I lifted the box enough to read the words written on the bottom. Scribbled in the center of the box, read,
"To whomever receives this, inside you will find my greatest treasure and yet, my greatest fear. Come find me and I will guide you through the steps required to accomplish greatness."
The red ink was smudged and felt brighter than the rest of the ink on the front, like it was written long after the original box was labeled under my name. I set the box down and hesitantly lifted the sides, turning the top upwards revealing a cloth that hid the contents of the box, an envelope placed neatly on the top. I slid the envelope off of the silk, burgundy cloth and held it up to the light. A single piece of paper shadowed through. I carefully opened the sides and revealed a single white sheet of printer paper. On it was cursive writing.
Hello, Kathryn
We the committee have chosen you, we have watched your every step from birth until now. As of your highschool graduation, we are excited to announce that you are in-line to join the next Cypher Game. Inside this box you will find everything you need to find the entrance and start your journey. Good luck, and have fun. ~ The Committee.
Chills ran down my spine, I had more questions than answers, now. I wanted to stop, but the box was beyond that. It needed me to continue. I moved the cloth aside, and I was greeted by a key. As I looked further there were three pawn chess pieces, a syringe, a matchbox, a slim knife, a map, a notepad with a pin attachment, and three pieces of white and red cloth. I sat everything out beside each other and slid the box to the side.
I pondered for a while, what could this all mean? I opened the map and looked through it, black ink marked out road names and highways, with one big circle in the middle. This was a map of my state. The circle was where the north, south, east, and west meet. Inside the circle a rectangle sat surrounded by black ink.
I decided to read the note again, and again, and again. Until I memorized it. Sitting at the table I grabbed the notepad and began to write. I wrote everything I knew about the box, the contents, and the committee, which wasn't much, but it left a lot of room for more information.
They said they have been watching me since I was a kid, maybe even before I was born. I took the box and headed upstairs to my room, opening the door. I hung the map on my wall, looking up the original map on Google. I brought out the pen from the box and wrote street names from my house to the circle in the middle. After many roads and playing, what felt like, a matching game. I had finished. The map headed to East South Street, an offshoot of The South 58 highway. It sat in a quaint town named Stollberry. I moved the box to the floor and laid down, looking over to the map to my left for a moment more. The roads were almost a straight path through the deepness of a valley.
I turned over and closed my eyes. I suppose I am ready, I am bored here and need
I awoke to the sound of arguing. Loud yelling echoed from just outside my door. I could hear Tammy crying while Kevin asked her what happened. I turned over and tried to block it out, covering my eyes and ears with a pillow. The muffled sound of yelling carried on. I could make out faint sentences. "How could you?" "He....didn't know...he?" Though the words were breaking up, they were still very evident. Of course this happened again, I keep telling Kevin that unless they break up, she will continue to abuse her power over him.
I sat up, looking around the room, the map was still placed solidly on the wall. I stretched and stood up, heading to the door I stepped out.
"You just couldn't keep to yourself, could you?" Kevin yelled at Tammy, they noticed me at the same time. "Kat, go back to bed." His voice echoed through the hall.
"I just wanted some water." I headed down the stairs and to the kitchen, Tammy hid her face in her hands.
"I told you that this was the last time!" The arguing continued as I walked away.
I grabbed a glass and filled it from the sink, water sliding down my dry throat and into my stomach felt like peace. I sat down at the kitchen table and drank as I heard the sound of the front door slamming. Tammy had left, maybe this time it would be for good. I finished my glass and sat it in the sink, heading back upstairs. I knocked on Kevin's door and peaked my head in.
"Did Tammy cheat again?" I asked, with a soft tone.
"With Jacob." His freshman year roommate and star quarterback of the college football team. Of course. I sighed and shook my head.
"I'm sorry Kev."
"I know she's like this, I just thought it would be different this time. It wasn't like it was a friend last time. Just some internet stranger." Kevin buried his head in his hands. "I should have known better." He mumbled.
"It's not your fault dude, she is and always has been a bitch."
"Not now Kat. I need some time alone."
I shut the door behind me and headed back to my room, the silence was comforting after the rude awakening from my brother and his, currently, ex girlfriend. I pulled out the box and examined it in the dark, nothing really popped out to me. Just the feeling of my name and the note at the bottom scratched into the box. I sighed. I knew I'd have to make my way to Stollberry to find out more about this box, but I don't know how to tell my brother. He can't know about the box, he'd tell me it was some sort of trap. Which I suppose it could be, but I digress. I wanted to find out more. I laid back down and let my mind wonder, hoping Kevin would still be home when I woke up.
YOU ARE READING
West of Dimension - A Journey, a Game, a Lesson
Adventure"Hello, Kathryn We, the committee, have chosen you. We have watched your every step from birth until now. As of your highschool graduation, we are excited to announce that you are in-line to join the next game. Inside this box you will...
