The box

"Why are we up here? Attics are nasty." My sister Sheena grimaces as her hand skims along a dusty trunk.

I just shake my head at her "Are you kidding me? Attics are awesome! You never know what vintage items or cool antiques you might find. Especially when you are looking in your crazy great-aunt's attic. I mean, seriously, look at this stuff." My aunt used to be a fortune teller traveling all over Europe plying her trade in her youth. Her attic is filled with random items used for fortune telling and rare antiques from her travels.

I scan the room looking for the piece de resistance, something that will truly astound her. My eyes espy a gold box hidden in the corner, the edge just barely peeking out behind a stack of ordinary decaying boxes. Gasping I rush over to it, shoving the boxes aside creating an avalanche of crushed boxes behind me.

"Geez, what IS your damage? We aren't allowed to be up here, remember?" Sheena hisses at me "I am not getting in trouble just so you can route through this garbage"

I just shove more boxes aside "Just hold on a second, okay, I see something, just let me..." I reach in and my hands finally grasp the golden box. It is cool to the touch but seems to heat up instantly in my hands to an almost uncomfortable degree. I pull it out and discover it is not just a box, it is a heart shaped container, literally the most beautiful object I have ever beheld. Studying it closer the gold designs are full of ornate details. Each design is no bigger than a finger nail. Tiny dancing men and women. Lovers embracing. Flower gardens more intricate than it would seem possible in etchings so tiny.

I must have been staring longer than I thought because I startle at the hand on my shoulder. Sheena gasps "Wow, that is really beautiful, let me see" She has to be kidding me, like I am going to hand over a treasure like this when a few minutes before she wanted to leave.

"It's mine!" I snap, snatching it away from her eager outstretched fingers.

"Damn, I just wanted to see what's inside."

I study it, looking for a latch. Gently, I try to pry it open along the slight seam. It is barely visible, but there is definitely a seam and it should open.

Sheena pleads "Just let me try, I won't keep it, I just want to see inside" Reluctantly, I pass it over. Her hands tremble as she struggles to open the majestic heart shaped box.

One moment I am eagerly anticipating the heart being opened, the next I am thrown backwards, blinded by a shroud of gold dust that envelops my body in a rush of heat. Despite the heat I shudder from fright. The blinding gold clears in an instant and I am all alone. The box is there on the floor, two separate pieces now, only a single aged piece of paper inside.

"Sheena? Where are you?" I glance around frantically. She must have been knocked back as I was by the golden mist. I expect her head to pop up somewhere over the mound of boxes. "SHEENA, where are you? Are you okay?" I shove boxes to the side desperately. Minutes pass and she still has not made a peep. I become more and more frantic as the seconds drag by and I still cannot find my sister. She has to be here somewhere. She could not have just disappeared.

After an eternity of searching frustrated tears ravage my face. Wailing "Sheena, please, where are you?" I have to find her, she has to be here.

I do not know how long it has been but I finally turn my attention to the box. Maybe it holds some sort of answer for me. My hands tremble as I reluctantly reach towards the golden monstrosity. I cannot do it. I do not want to touch that thing with my bare hands. Scanning the room I search for something, anything I can use. Finally I see something useful, a scepter my great-aunt used to claim once belonged to a king. Since she used to let us play with it as very young children, I highly doubt that is true, but it will serve me well now. Gingerly I prod the heart with the scepter. Nothing happens. Carefully and ever so slowly I use the scepter to pull the paper yellowed with age out of the box towards me. Sliding it slowly across the floor I tamp the edge down with my boot. I flip the folded edge upwards with the scepter.

My eyes widen as I slowly read the words written on the paper in what is clearly my sister's hand writing. My brain seems to be on the fritz as I try to comprehend what she has written. Rereading the words, there is no changing of the meaning. I cannot comprehend what it says, that the heart shaped box posseses some sort of magic and sent my sister back in time to join her with her true love. She wrote that she is deliriously happy with two small children. That is has been several years and that she has decided to leave a note in the box in the hope that someday I would find it. My mind just stutters to a halt. My eyes rescanning the words that seem to have lost all meaning. This has to be some sort of joke. It has to be. But how could she possibly have just disappeared like that?

I glance over towards the box, gasping in even more shock at the sight of it. It is closed! But it was open. No one is here with me. I would have seen or heard a person closing the box.

Fear rolls down my body in waves. I feel like I must be trapped in a nightmare, or a dream, I do not know which. Could this be possible? It can't, truly, it can't be possible. It certainly cannot be a joke because there is no rational explanation.

Shuffling towards the box my mind keeps sending me messages to run, that the box must be evil. But it is so beautiful. It almost beckons to me. What will happen if I open it?

All thoughts clear my mind as I pick up the box. I inspect the outside, looking for something, I do not know what. A shriek escapes my lips as I spot it. The same as the others, an etching no bigger than my thumbnail. It is my sister in the arms of a man. So much detail there is no doubt in my mind it is an image of my sister. I can even make out the 90s style choker she loves to wear all the time for some reason. I press my thumb onto her image. Magic is not possible. My brain knows that. But dread thumps in my heart and tells me it is real. That this magical gorgeous antique heart shaped box did something to my sister. I have never felt such fear in my entire life. Would this box really take me through time to be joined with my one true love or was it an evil trick that would trap me inside, change me into a beautiful etching forever. I do not know what will happen, I really don't. The golden heart is singing a sirens song to me. My body hums in fear as I pry my fingers into the seams. I pull the two halves apart with all my strength. Golden dust enshrouds me, infusing my body with golden heat and love. I shall be happy now.