Unleashing Pandora's Box

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Let’s get a few things straight. First, I go by Dor nowadays. Pandora is a little too obvious and the fate of humanity lies with my anonymity. Second, it’s true that I was the wife of Epimetheus but it wasn’t a willing union on my part. It’s one of the reasons I opened the box. I was a kid then, barely sixteen, and didn’t really know what I was getting myself in to. I was angry that I was going to have to spend the rest of my life with that ugly Titan. So even though I was told not to open to box, I did it anyways and boy was that the biggest mistake of my life.

It took me a few thousand years (I’m kind of immortal) to round up all the dark elements and when I finally accomplished it, it wasn’t perfect. The days of a perfect world was over and man would forever be plagued with small amounts of the elements that had seeped into the world.

As part of my punishment I was given the responsibility of protecting the box from any who wanted to get their hands on it. It was a responsibility I gladly took to appease the guilt I felt for opening the damn thing in the first place.

In the past few millennia there have been a few threats. There were the Nazis, and the Crusaders before them, then the Romans before that. Each one was only a minor thorn in my side and that box has remained in my possession since I opened it.

Mostly, I just spend my days hustling pool down and McGinty’s Pub and my nights hunting any evil badass wannabes that I can find. Just about any monster you’ve ever heard of is real and the world needs protection from them. Disposing of them keeps my life interesting. When you’re over 10,000 years old life can get pretty tedious.

***

I was at McGinty’s making some easy cash off some college frat boys when Pythia found me. You’ve probably heard of her, she used to live at Delphi giving out visions to those who asked for it, otherwise known as an oracle. She’s still giving out visions of the future, even if you don’t ask for it.

I sensed her presence right before I was about to sink the last ball and show these kids that even a five foot two, petite brunette like me can run the table. I finish taking the table and gather the cash I won before turning around to find her giving me a smirk.

“I see you’re still hanging out with these boring humans,” she said with a haughty undertone.

“I used to be human, Py, there’s nothing wrong with them,” I replied crossing my arms. Then I cut straight to the issue. “What are you doing here?”

There’s no love lost between the oracle and me. Well actually between most of the Greek deities and me. They still hold it against me because I opened the box and I can’t say I blame them.

“I came to warn you. Something is coming but I don’t know what,” she said as she frowned. “The visions are hard to interpret sometimes, you know how it goes.” I nod at her last comment.

“What can you tell me,” I asked. I wasn’t really worried. I was probably just another treasure hunter looking to get his hands on something worthwhile.

“All I can tell you is that it’s something big and dangerous. It will be here soon.” I digest this as she turns to walk away. As she reaches out the door she turned and said over her shoulder, “I almost forgot. You won’t be able to do this alone.”

And with that she was gone.

“Cryptic much,” I grumbled to myself. I sighed and grabbed my leather jacket from a stool I had thrown it on. Now that my good mood had vanished I headed home to my apartment in downtown Chicago. I walked out the door, shrugging my jacket on and thought about Pythia’s vision. I wasn’t sure what was coming but I knew enough never to ignore an oracle’s prophesy. They always came true in one way or another.