Tommy walked towards the old shop. It was hot scalding sun outside, people wore hats and white gloves up to their elbows; mostly ladies and their children whom they wanted to safeguard for all throughout their life. Not a single cloud; dark and full of water could be seen anywhere. It was scalding hot. He was wearing a blue T-shirt and khaki shorts, which were completely exposed his knees and the rest of the hairy legs. He was already sweating, hairs were looked as if they just had a downpour of sweat. A Bead of sweat was formed near the earlobe. He constantly tried to stop himself from rubbing his cheeks and nose. Doing that increases the pimples. He slowly opened the door with a minimal amount of sound. The glass paned door was like 100 degree already. The owner of the shop, Jason Bertram, was inside sipping on some of the leftover Coca-Cola in the fridge.
Slowly and stealthily Tommy crept inside like cat, his back hunched and motion as slow as a sloth. He took a good quick view of the shop. ' Jackson's Antiques and DVD's ' it said on the front board. Tommy needed quick money, to pay off Robb from his school for letting him escape from the detention for scribbling on the principal's door and breaking the teacher's chair purposely. There were many such encounters, sometimes police was also involved. But Tommy was, as he believed, a free spirit. Usually it would be his cousin Margaret who would bail him out. He had gone to live with her.
Now, as he came towards the desk of the owner, he glanced towards his side. That man was looking something on his phone and sipping his coke. He placed his hands on the drawer knob from the outside and dragged it out. Sticking his tongue out and smacking his lips, he cautiously searched for the a bundle. There were a lot of coins and free cash notes but ignoring them he searched for a bundle because that's where maximum money is.
He grabbed hold of one, smiling to himself he pulled out the small bundle of green coloured paper; Money. Stashing his stock into his pocket he again placed his hand on the knob and began closing it. When suddenly his eyes went towards a big box and he stopped.
He stared at the box, it was ebony coloured wood with a red covering. It had that flick-open latch to it; it was golden coloured. Tommy looked at the box with utmost curiosity. His pupils widened and he began to stand upright still looking at the box. with an instance a thought struck his brain right at the centre,
' What are you doing here? ' He thought,
As he continued to stare at the box. He remembered. Yes. It was suddenly clear as if all the cobwebs had been dusted from his brains. All of that came back to him, rushing towards him, flinging its arms open and wide. As this sudden realisation struck into him,
" My toy box. " he said,
But as soon as he said it something happened, something which Tommy hesitated to narrate to Dr. Pillsbury. As the sun gleamed outside the window door, Tommy saw the box beginning to shine. It was a bright green shine it gave from it's borders as Tommy gaped at it. With a confused looking face he blinked his eyes. But still the box shined and the brightness increased and another reality smacked Tommy's brain fair and square in the face. He was also glowing, Just the same as the box glowed. He began to walk towards it, forgetting that there was a table in between, he was nostalgic and mesmerised at the fact that it was his own, the big ol' toy box.
" OI!!" screamed a man and the connection broke,
Tommy blinked at the box like a bird to Human. The shop-owner had returned, seeing the drawer open and a 17 year old boy walking towards it, it was quite clear what he was upto. Furious and heated, the owner rushed towards him with all his speed. He approached Tommy and just as soon the owner would have grabbed Tommy by his hairs, he escaped. Ducking beneath and under he escaped the clutches and ran towards the door and out into the open.
He ran all the way from 32nd Street to 20th street, then finally halting for his breath he chose a dark and shadowy space between two buildings and went in. He gasped for breath and sat down on the ground. He had no water, thirsty and parched he closed his mouth and tried to gulp down his own saliva. Little as it helped, he satisfied himself with it. He wiped his head and face with the back of his hand and closed his eyes for a minute, this was a lot to take in.
After about 2 minutes had passed, he still sat on the dirty garbage gully. He reached his pockets with his hands and removed the money, neatly rolled with a rubber band; Red in colour. He counted the money, $90. He had to give only 20 to Robb. Rest of the 70 would be his own comission. He rolled the notes again and stuffed them back into his pockets and touched his left eye, it pained. There were also bruises on his arms and a jab into his ribs had given a reddish blue stain to his body. He had fight, with Joe. Joe was a big time bully, however Tommy never feared him but today he had crossed Joe. During the Physics lecture, as Madam Malkova taught them about Motion on a Plane. He had written on his desk,
' You know you are as ugly as Gwen's snotty nose'
Gwen was Joe's girlfriend, who had all sorts of nasal problems. During winter she would have cold, during summer it was Hay Fever. So, she always had a mucus filled nose. Joe had looked around and during lunch break asked his loyal dogs; Friends, to look around. Some nerd had seen Tommy writing on his desk and tattled upon him. During the sports period, Joe had caught hold of Tommy in the lockers and shown him his one-two. In return Tommy had slipped the teachers chair before Joe when he came through the door, Joe had tripped down as fell in his face but as Joe was a bulky fellow the chair's leg was broken.
Now, Tommy smiled. He had said to Robb that he will pay him $20 to tell to the teacher that Tommy was called in sick by his cousin. Remembering this he got up and began to go when he noticed the garbage tins. Neatly stacked above everything was again, the Toy box.
Tommy staggered back, wasn't the box at the Junk Man's shop? How can it be here?. He looked at the box, somehow he felt that he should go near it, touch it, feel it, open it. Without even thinking, he began moving towards box. It was beautiful, without even a scratch. The box looked like,
' A King's Treasure Box. ' came a voice inside Tommy's head, he sat down now. It had been his mother's voice. For about after 10 years the voice came into his mind. But now, Tommy was getting scared.
' All of this, it is coming so quick.' He thought, as he began to look inside himself, he had never done that, never thought what was good for him or his body or mind. He never paid attention towards himself, because he didn't need to he had thought earlier. But now, something made him dwell inside himself, something about his past. As his mind raced and did circles inside that skull, he grabbed it and shook it, looking back at box again he was now really scared because the box had begun to glow once again.
Picking up himself he dashed out to street and ran back towards the 15th street, his home where only he and Margret lived. It was evident, Both of Tommy's parents were dead. But that hardly did mattered now, as Tommy's heart pounded in his ears. He came towards Margret's house, taking out the spare key he clicked open the door.
Tommy rushed inside and went straight towards his room, shutting the door behind him, he fell onto his bed.
' It glowed! It Glowed! ' He thought,
He changed his clothes quickly and washed up.
" It was probably the heat. Or else which box glows? Haven't heard of any?" he muttered to himself. He fell on his bed when a sudden thought came to him,
' Is this Joe's trick? But how does he know about the box? I never told him.' he thought,
But soon these events shifted out of his mind when he felt relaxed. Today was indeed a very tiresome day. With a quick sigh of relief and the utter comfort-ness of the bed. He began to feel sleepy, slowly the questions shifted from the box to Rachel; Tommy's crush. His hands came together and with a final wave of reasoning about the box,
' I'll ask Marge '
He passed out in the cool and comfy air of the AC.
It was nearly after an hour when things began to place themself. It was like a puzzle and this was the final piece. The sky had acquired a blue colour with a splash of orange everywhere. There was stillness yet there was that jostling movement of birds. Together they worked up to a perfect harmony. A perfect combination.
Tommy rolled towards his right, and his hand connected with something having an edge, the sudden pain flared inside his body as he suddenly woke up. Massaging his hand softly he opened his eyes, yawning and stretching he looked at the outer view. His heart filled up to its brim. He always liked the mixed coloured the nature showed to its people. He looked down and,
" What!?" he shouted,
There was the box, the cursed Toy Box again. As if like a small child who wanted someone to play with it, the box innocently looked at Tommy. Tommy shuddered and moved away from the box,
' It's cursed, it's cursed. My God, It's Cursed!! ' he thought,
" It's Haunted. Cursed, You have too stay away Tom. " he began muttering to himself,
The box began to glow, green and black. As also Tommy's body began to glow, he began to move towards the box and somehow Tommy saw that the box also moved towards him. One step. . . Two step. . . Three step. . . And Four . . . He touched the box and,
There was complete darkness, suddenly everything went black as space. Tommy could just see, Black and dark. He waved his hands around but nothing. He began to get up and move. Taking a careful step he moved in one direction. After 7 steps the room ended.
' 7 steps ' he thought,
Suddenly a faint light glimmered somewhere behind him, he turned and stood watching it. Suddenly with an adrenalin kick he sprinted towards that light, it was tube light. But it was going away from him. He ran as fast as he could but the light moved away and away, soon he had completely forgotten the room was only 7 steps long,
" So how's your day been? " said a voice,
Tommy stopped, dead on his tracks. What had he just heard? The voice was of,
"It's been a tiresome day Sue." Tommy said,
But he never intended to say that! somebody else was talking, it was a deep voice. It was the voice of,
" Of course you'll be tired Richie." said Sue,
( Mom! )
" What do you mean by that? " asked Richie, in a curious tone,
( Dad! It's me Tommy! )
" No, nothing." replied Sue. She looked at him and then back to her chicken curry,
" No? Sue I am your husband answer me " said Richie, he gripped sue's hand,
( Dad what are you doing!)
" Leave me. " said Sue in a commanding voice,
( Mom? what's happening? I didn't hold your hand He did!)
" Have you been spying on me?" asked Richie,
" That's none of your business." said Sue,
Tommy was inside Richard Tagliaferro, he could see his mother, small and petite. Wearing rimless glasses.
" Answer me woman or you know the cost. " said Richie, touching her arm which was once fractured by him.
" You could have killed me. But Cheat on me? I never expected that! I saw you kissing that ugly waitress." she said with a scream,
Little Tommy had begun to cry, sue took him in her arms and to his bed in his room.
" So you indeed have been spying on me," said Richie and he stomped his cutlery on the table.
" Yes I spied, Spied and found you are the most unfaithful husband I have had the misfortune to marry, unfortunate of me that I had to share the bed and have a baby !" she screamed,
" Susan control yourself!" said Richie with a loud voice,
" You control yourself you little cockroach!" she said,
A hand came from her side and
WHAM!
Her head was smashed into the curry
( DAD NO! )
" You see that's what you get when you speak loudly to me, next time you say something I will nail that mouth of yours." said Richie,
Susan lifter her head, her spectacles were cracked and mixed with the curry, her eyes burned from the spices in it,
" I will speak, I will charge against you-" she said and a slap came from Richie again,
( DAD NO! please control yourself )
Tommy tried to take break through the box
" You'll not shut up now, well I can make you do that!" said Richie, He got and began to move towards the stairs,
Inside Tommy screamed and screamed of pain, he had never seen this! How did this happen?
" Dad please control!! please dad! stop it!" he screamed, but Richie continued,
He went up and shuffled through the tool box, he cut his finger on the nail and cursed himself, finally he found it. The ultimate weapon. The hammer. He began moving back down, a drop of blood spilled down on the floor.
" You shall pay now!" he screamed,
Sue saw the hammer and ran towards little Tommy but it was too late, Richie grabbed hold of her and struck the hammer on her face, the hammer her across the jaw, dislocating it completely, she kicked him in the ribs and ran up the stairs,
" Come here you puny little woman!" said Richie in rage, he threw the hammer towards her, it struck her ankle, she stumbled but went ahead, Richie smiled he knew that Sue was no longer capable of walking, he climbed upstairs like a wretched wolf. He opened the door and Sue was ready with a box full of nails. She flung the whole box on him. Sharp and pointy nails dug into Richie's skin, eyes and mouth.
And again there was total blackness, Tommy was whirling around himself. He stopped and looked around, it was the same house, it was his parents house. How did he get here?.
He ran straight upstairs, the rooms where dusty and webbed. To his disappointment, this was reality, but how did arrive here? He had been in that box and now he was here? How!?He turned around and a drop of blood splashed on the same spot it had splashed earlier. A sudden shiver ran down Tommy's spine. He turned his hand to reveal the horrific sight, on his arm it was written,
' Choices '
His own flesh had been cut down and the word was carved in. He grabbed hold of it. He began moving down. He came down to see that the box was floating in the air, all the animals had cut loose. The teddy bear, smeared with blood with one eye popped out and one ear chewed up. It stumbled towards Tommy, it was the one carrying the scalpel, he wrote it on his arm. The giraffe was wrapping its neck around itself. Goosebumps came over Tommy. A sudden anger rose in him.
" You are not real! Not real! I burn you! Burn You all!" he screamed, just like his father. Pulling out the light he lit the teddy bear and as if the whole house was covered in petroleum the whole House caught fire in an instant.
' Even in the Holiest Mind the devil lures/ Virtue or Sin?/ The choice is Yours ' the verse rang throughout the room,
Choice is yours. . .
your's is the choice. . .
Your choice my darling. . .
Tommy looked right and left, up and down. No body seen.But even in the burning fire he could see the hooded figure of someone on the outside,
" Gotcha!! " he said, he picked up the scalpel and ran outside,
The whole house was on fire, it was like hell. Tommy walked outside but nobody, Then who was the cloaked figure? Who? WHO?. . .
The following part is taken from, ' Stories from my Past ' by Thomas Tagliaferro ( Pg 100-101 )
. . . To this day, I still wonder what was that I saw. I was later found out and charged by the police but it was seen that I was driven out of my mind and hence treated as a minor and send to a government mental asylum. Dr. Pillsbury, who treated me was much surprised to hear my incident and I am sure didn't approve even one part of it. Meh, she was a doctor and all doctors are same, trying to find logic in everything. I was told by her that the word ' Choices ' was in fact written by me but to block the memory of self-harm, I thought of it as a work of a ' living teddy bear'. However, Nobody could really answer the question as to how did such a thing occurred. I was dispatched from the asylum 2 months after treatment. I was completely changed by that incident, my cousin had paid the money. She is nice and always will be. My theory as too this incidence is, Maybe this was a blocked memory. I have been doing quite a lot of research on Psychological and Supernatural phenomenon and there reasons. And from this I infer that, Whatever it maybe, Be it reality or Supernatural. The fact was I really made a choice, I don't yet know what kind of choice, Bad or Good, For Better or For worse. But I made a choice and that's what matters now. You won't remember the exact situation you were into but you will always remember the choice you made. After all it's only and only in your hands to make things right or make them worse. It's your Choice.
THE END