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The Box.."Once"
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The Box.."Once" |
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Solstice Son Member
since 2000-09-19
Posts 469 |
His name was John Mallestar. He owned a magic shop called “ The Pharoh’s Tomb.” I worked for him for one year. All that time I enjoyed his company, and picking his brain for the seemingly endless supply of slight of hand magic knowledge that he possesed. I liked John. He was a soft voiced, good natured sort that would always have a story on any given topic, and as a magician, he always had a trick up his sleeve. Even when he wore a tank top. One day I noticed a decorated box under a glass case. I tried to think of why I hadn’t noticed it ever before, but try as I might, I could not recall. I reached up and pulled it off the shelf that I had never noticed and stared at the rune - carved wooden box. They looked like a hybrid cross between nordic runes, and egyptian hieroglyphs. I lifted off the leaded-glass case and traced my fingers over them..... as I was about to lift the rune- carved lid John’s large, wrinkled hand came crashing down over my much younger one. “ Some magic....is better left to the ages....some spells...are better left asleep. “ He put the glass case back over the box, put it back up on its self, and started going through the reciepts as if nothing odd had possibly occured. I looked at him, just stared blankly. Finally, in that voice he got sometimes, the one that hinted at his foreign heritage, the one with just a hint of accent, he spoke. “ You ..are curious no??? About de runes??? I vill tell you...and den you must pledge..to leave the metter be, yes?? Yes. Say it. Pledge to me, you will leave the metter be. “ ‘ I pledge....to leave it be. ‘ I said. Hell, I’d say anything for more information on the box. So I pledged. Now....well now I wish I had kept that pledge...but I am getting ahead of the story. “ Dis is vhat de sey....” ONCE...and the Door will open TWICE ...can it be used THRICE...and the Door will close behind you When or where, win or lose. We closed up the shop then, and I was left to ponder. Weeks went by and often my thoughts would stray to “the Box”. That’s what I started calling it anyway. John never said anything else about it, but often I would catch him with his eye on me. A look of deep concern almost, mixed with a fair amount of vexation. I often found myself looking up at “ The Box” and wanting to pull it down and open the thing...just to see. Then came my second discovery. I was working in the shop, selling magic cards to the kids that lived around the corner, when I decided to ask them about “ The Box.” See, I had only been there a year, but a few of the kids had been coming to the shop for at least five or six and I thought maybe they would know more. ‘ Say Tony,.....you know anything about the Box???? ‘ I asked the oldest one. Anthony Cuello. Good kid, thought girls were stupid and meant for housework and school, and that men and boys had two brains, one for school, and one for driving cars. He was only eleven and hadn’t realised that there was so much more to women than his own chauvenistic thoughts. That would change. “ Umm..what box??? You mean the ‘ Tomb? ‘ sure..it’s a great trick, you get to hide a quarter and keep it and call it magic...girl’s fall for it all the time.” ‘ No not the Tomb, I know how that trick works. I mean that Box.’ I said, and thumbed over my shoulder to the shelf behind me. Tony stared at me, then towards the Box, and then nudged Bobby Gulliver in the ribs. Bobby sniffed his nose, his big, round, blonde head, split with a snicker and he started laughing at me. “ Man, you’re crazy...at’s no box....at’s just a stupid clock that Old Man Mallestar keeps to tell the time...it’s ugly....my mom says its disgusting...she hates me lookin at it...I mean her tits are great, but she’s got no arms! And who’d wanna statue of a naked woman, with no arms, AND a clock in her gut?” I looked back to the wall and sure enough I saw what Bobby so ‘eloquently’ desribed. A replica of Venus de Milo, with a clock in her stomach. Tacky at best. I rubbed my eyes once or twice and then shook my head. ‘ Sorry guys, guess John moved it. Have a good day now, and Tony, try not to steal all the quarters huh?! ’ “ Later, man! “ they both chimed and then were gone. I looked around the shop and saw I was alone and then turned my eyes up to the clock.....but venus was gone...and “ The Box “ had returned. John’s voice was pealing in my head like some great bellsong, yet I couldn’t bring myself to keep the pledge. I lifted the glass case off, set it beside the register and then carefully hefted down the wooden relic. I ran my fingers over the runes that held such a fascination for me and then I held my breath, and cracked open the lid....Nothing. No chimes, no whirlwinds, no haunted laughter, just...a bit of faded velvet and a whisper of breath as I exhaled in disappointment. I frowned and closed the lid, and went to set it back up on the magic shelf, mumbling to myself at the stupid trick John was playing on me. ‘ He’s probably lauging at me right now, and how stupid I am...” Once and the Door will be opened” ...my ass.’ Ever drop something? Ever see it in that instant before its out of your grasp, just about to be free from your influence and power? That’s what I saw, suddenly the Box went soaring to the floor, the lid flung open wide as it fell and bright, blue, light poured out of it in a fount of magic power. In a moment, a massive sparkling doorway stood before me, the sound of an old iron lock opening with a screaming squeak and then I saw it...... Egypt........and the Pharoh’s Tomb. " and I dream of her always, |
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| © Copyright 2002 Adam M.M. Stevanovic' - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
i really liked the straight-forward directness of the character in this. it read smooth and easy, with no large bumps. the story flowed smooth, with a certain amount of expectation... which was all but ruined with the end. i knew the general direction you were going, but am kind of disappointed at the abrupt ending. i have a feeling you were going for dramatic end, but instead, you left me a bit confused. perhaps a little more explanation at the end, and you'd have a pretty good story here. peace Chris |
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Solstice Son Member
since 2000-09-19
Posts 469 |
Chris....my apologies....there are two more parts...i haven't written them at this very moment, but knew if I didn't submit this one..i'd never finish..patience..is all i ask  sol " and I dream of her always, |
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J. K. Mitchell Member
since 2002-01-12
Posts 311GA |
Woah! You certainly peaked my curiosity. Give me more! "The only love there is, is the love we make."--Prince |
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Kethry Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-29
Posts 9082Victoria Australia |
Cool storyline, it kept me interested and I have a ten second concentration span. Good write Kethry Here in the midst of my lonely abyss, a single joy I find...your presence in my mind. Unknown |
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Pilgrimage Member Elite
since 2001-12-04
Posts 3945Texas, USA |
This is great, right in the tradition of the old "Don't Open This Book". I'm running over to read the next one now. Nan |
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