He stood watching the procession. He just couldn’t stand to be around others right now. He didn’t want to hear the sorries and condolences. He didn’t want to hear any of it. He was afraid he might cry and no one could see him crying. He didn’t want to show that kind of emotion to anyone.

He watched through the dark shades of his sunglasses. He wore the customary black suit with a grey trench coat. He wore a hat as well since it was raining, opting to go without the umbrella. They say you knew the locals because they never used umbrellas.

He watched them carry the casket and put it in place over the grave. The priest began talking as people gathered around but he couldn’t hear a word the priest was saying. No matter, he already had an idea of what was being said. He had some words to say himself, but nobody would ever hear them since it was between them and nobody else.

He saw one of his friends look over at him and start to walk over, but another friend grabbed their arm and shook her head. They argued for a bit and his friend decided she was right and just sat back down. Just as well, he thought. He didn’t need anyone right now. Not a soul.

He watched as the coffin began its slow descent into the earth. Everyone was crying, blowing their noses. Its days like these, he thought, that keeps Kleenex in business. He thought he would at least have cried by now but he found himself surprisingly cold. It was as if something had died in his soul and taken the emotions away from him. He thought it was just as well. He didn’t think he could deal with everything if he had to feel too.

He watched in complete cool as they started to fill the grave with the dirt. It was as if he was being buried in there. He almost felt responsible for her death. It was like he had killed her with his own hands. In a way, he did. He replayed it in his mind over and over. What could he have done differently? If he could feel, would he feel guilty? Would he feel remorse?  He didn’t think he would ever know.

Just then, he noticed his friend break away from his wife and started walking toward him. His look was not sad, but instead very angry. He was clearly not coming over to offer his condolences.

“You killed her!” he said. He started screaming expletives and using some creative words before his wife came up and restrained him.

By then, the man in the sunglasses and fedora hat had tuned him out. It was as if he were watching a movie with the volume turned really low and in slow motion. He thought he felt nothing. And everyone was now watching the ruckus.

“You’re heartless!” yelled his friend. “Why don’t you at least come pay your respects? You’re not even showing a hint of emotion! You’re responsible for this! You give me back my sister! How can you call yourself her husband? You’re just heartless,” his brother-in-law said as he dropped to the ground weeping. “You give me back my sister you son-of-a-bitch.”

He watched his brother-in-law crying like a little child on the ground. He felt remorse. He knew he was responsible. He knew, because of his actions, Maggie had died. He knew very well who should be the one to pay. But there was nothing he could do. There was nothing that could bring her back. Give me back my sister he asks. He didn’t have the power (or the right!) to do such a thing. Did he even know what he was asking for?

Instead of responding, he turned away from him and started walking toward his car. He turned his back on his brother-in-law and the rest of the family, letting them think he didn’t care at all about Maggie. Let them believe what they want, he thought. I know the truth.

The rest of the family watched as he walked away. They watched with a little anger, but mostly sadness. Their thoughts were easily ascertained. What drove him to be like this, they thought. Why didn’t he at least shed a tear for poor little Maggie? Didn’t he at least love her?

Samuel kept walking, wondering what they thought of him. For a moment, he stopped. The family thought he was about to turn around and come back to them, but instead he only turned halfway and paused. Then he resumed walking to his car and quietly got in.

If only everyone was close enough to see the tears running down his face then.

She was happy. Her boyfriend had finally proposed to her. They had been seeing each other for over five years and it was about time, she thought. She walked down the street admiring her ring. It was a 2 carat ring, something her boyfriend shouldn’t really be able to afford. But there it was. In her revelry, she hadn’t been paying any attention when she ran into a man. Apologizing for her clumsiness, she didn’t notice the man dropping something into her purse. He hurried off. She felt annoyed at the man’s inattention to her apology. She thought there were many a people who could use a lesson in politeness.

Already forgotten, Cricket kept on walking down the street, oblivious to everything that just happened. She was just happy she was finally engaged. She fished her cell phone out of her pocket and called Sheila.  She asked her best friend she must meet her for shopping, as she had some great new to tell her. She told her to hurry and that she was already in the shopping district so she should meet her at the Chinese market they always went to. Now that her day was planned out, she started walking faster towards the market.

***

From across the street, the man in the dark trench coat had watched everything that had transpired, and was determined to get the object in Cricket’s purse. Of course, he didn’t know that was her name. Nor did he care. He was only interested in whatever was dropped in her purse. He guessed that today he would be a purse snatcher. Great, he thought, more trouble with the law. It was nothing new for him. He wasn’t exactly the nice type after all.

***

Cricket was browsing the wares in the Chinese market when yet another man bumped into her. Ok, this is getting really old, she thought, and spun around only to see the best looking man she had ever seen. She was instantly smitten. There was nothing flawed about him at all. He was even the perfect height. She was very short herself, and really preferred very tall men. There was something about a taller man that she loved.  He was looking down at her and apologized for bumping into her. He was just really very clumsy. She hardly heard him. She only nodded and told him it was all ok, even she’s clumsy on occasion. Kneeling down, he picked up her purse and handed it back to her. In the confusion she didn’t even realize she dropped it. She thanked him and they soon parted ways.

Soon after that, Sheila walked into the store and Cricket went to meet her. She immediately told Sheila about this man she literally bumped into. Laughing, Sheila asked her if that’s the great news she had to tell her. That good-looking man must have charmed her more than she thought. Cricket had totally forgotten the great news she had to share. Immediately she showed Sheila her ring. Sheila was excited, and jumping up and down, hugged her friend. The left the market and went to Sheila’s place instead to have a few drinks.

***

He opened up the small package the stranger had dropped into Cricket’s purse. It was a small black box. He smiled, knowing some of the tricks some people might leave in such a box. Instead of opening it, he put it on the table and drew a circle around it in chalk. Murmuring to himself, he snapped his fingers and the chalk line began to glow a bit and went out with a popping sound. Satisfied it was safe to open the box, he did so. Inside was a ring. He pondered the ring for a moment. He wondered what it was for. Was it a signet ring perhaps? He finally took it out of the box and studied it. It was a simple gold ring. It looked like it could have been a wedding ring, but it had the feel of being very, very old. It definitely looked as if it was taken care of.

Putting the ring back into the box, he sat back and wondered why the stranger had dropped it into Cricket’s purse. What was her story? Why was she important? And what was the ring for? Whose ring was it? He had many questions. He needed answers. Putting the black box into his coat pocket, he went out to find some.

I ran. I ran as fast as I could. I didn’t know what was following me, but I did know that I didn’t want it to catch me. So I ran. I have to admit that I’m not exactly in perfect shape, but I guess when you’re running for your life, you tend to run pretty fast.

I ran through alleyways and back streets, places I probably shouldn’t have been, but I knew that if it caught me, I was dead. I knew if I couldn’t lose it, I wouldn’t live to see the light of day. So I ran through restaurants, stores, anywhere, as long as I could try to shake off whatever was trying to follow me.

I stopped to catch a breath, and looked behind me. I was in an alleyway, and I could smell the distinct odor of trash from the dumpster next to me. But I had to catch my breath. I wasn’t going anywhere if I couldn’t breath. I didn’t see it anywhere. Did I lose it? Perhaps. I took out my cellphone and dialed the number for Frank. I desperately needed his help. I knew he would know what to do.

Damn. I got his answering machine. Now I’m really fucked.

Looking around, I realized that I wasn’t too far from his apartment. Maybe he was sleeping. Regardless, if I at least tried to get to his place and managed to get inside, I’d be ok. So I ran for his apartment.

Thinking back, I probably shouldn’t have opened that box. I knew it was something mystical. I knew it was not for the uninitiated. But no, arrogant me had to think I could handle it and anything it might throw at me. Oh no, was I wrong. When I found that box in front of my door, I wasn’t sure what to think. I mean, in this day and age, anything just left behind could be a bomb, or some kind of delivery system for the bubonic plague or something. But no, it looked harmless to me. It was only a black box.

It was a very black box. It almost seems to suck the light out of the area around it. It was really fascinating. I had to check it out. Of course, aren’t we all warned about “Pandora’s Box”? But that’s just a legend right? I’m gonna say no, because when I opened that box, the room got as cold as it could, and then a small mist escaped the opened box. I couldn’t even see what was inside of it because it was so dark. It was almost as if I was looking into the pit of the void itself. But when I saw that mist start to form into some kind of … something, I ran. I knew better. I just ran.

Which brings us to this predicament. Arriving at Franks place, I look around and I don’t see what’s been following me, so I take a breather and knock on his apartment door.

Now I’m not expecting to anyone to come to the door, since I’m assuming that he’s not home. But the door opened, but it wasn’t Frank. As a matter of a fact, I didn’t know who the hell this was at the door.

The old man looked at me all confused. He didn’t recognize me either, and why would he? “Can I help you?” he asked.

Confused, I answered, “I’m looking for Frank? He lives here.”

“Um, I think you have the wrong apartment buddy. I’ve been living here for ten years and I don’t know any Frank.” He slammed the door in my face.

Now, I’ve been coming to see Frank for help on paranormal stuff for 3 years now. He’s always been here to help me out in a situation if I ever needed it. So let me just say that I’m looking at the door thinking what the fuck?

I leave the building and look around. I have no idea what the hell I’m going to do now. I look around to be sure the thing is not following me still when my phone rings. I just about jump out of my skin.

“Julian, it’s Frank, you been trying to call me?”

“Thank god,” I said. “Dude, where are you? And did you move recently?”

“Uh, no I haven’t moved at all. I’m still living in the same apartment I’ve… oh shit.” I was not liking that tone.

“What, what the fuck?” I started to panic.

He sounded really anxious on the phone. “Did you go to my apartment and some old man answer the door?”

“Uh, yeah, what the hell was that all about?” I wasn’t liking this one bit.

He now sounded like he was about to have a heart attack. “Okay man, I’m gonna come get you but you gotta stay put. Don’t go anywhere! I can’t help you get out of there if I can’t find you. So I need you to stay where you are. You listening to me?”

“Yeah, yeah, stay here.” I was pretty sure I didn’t know where I was going to go at this point anyways. “But what do I do if it comes back looking for me?”

“What? If what comes back looking for you?”

“I don’t know, it was some kind of spirit or something. After I opened that black box, it came out in a mist and…”

“YOU HAD A BLACK BOX?” he practically strangled me through the phone.

“Um, yeah, it was at my door.”

If he was frantic before, he was in a frenzy now.

“Ok ok ok ok. You stay put, hide whatever. I’ll come get you and I’ll get you out of there. Stay put! And hide!” He hung up the phone.

So I went back into the building, hoping that I could hide there. I found a bench in the lobby and sat down. I was tired. I must have ran miles to get where I was. I didn’t even know I had it in me. I must have dozed off though, because before I knew it, Frank was bursting into the door all crazy.

“Julian! Holy shit man, I’ve been looking for you! You have gotta come with me right now! Come on! Hurry!”

I got up and we ran out of the building. We ran a short way and I started getting tired. It didn’t help that I was groggy from taking that short nap.

“Frank, we gotta stop,” I yelled out to him.

He stopped and turned and gave me a look of despair. It was as if he saw something behind me that frightened him to death. I slowly turned around and couldn’t believe my eyes.

It was a monster about the size of an elephant. It was like something out of Cthulhu. It had what could only be hundreds of tentacles, and a no visible head. It was like an octopus, except it was all tentacles. I could not believe my eyes. I turned immediately and started to run. Frank started running too, and started speaking in tongues.

I knew he was about to cast a spell, but I couldn’t imagine what he could pull on something that giant! I couldn’t tell you what it was, but it was scared the shit out of me.

All I knew was to keep running, and don’t stop no matter what. But suddenly, I started feeling light headed, and it was like a blanket of drowsiness had been laid on top of me. I felt myself collapse onto the ground, and I knew I had to have hit it hard because I was running pretty fast. Before I knew it, everything faded to black, and I lost consciousness.

When I awoke, I was in a small white room. There was nothing in there but me. There didn’t appear to be any doors, and I was laying on the floor. I looked around and couldn’t find anything. It was just white walls, white floor, white ceiling, and no furniture, nothing. Just a room. It’s as if the room were just built around me. I started knocking on the walls, and I could tell they sounded a bit hollow everywhere. So where was I?

Suddenly, the ceiling opened up, as if it was a lid lifting up. I looked up and saw the face of Frank, as if he was a giant! What the hell? was my only thought.

“Frank? Is that you? What the hell is going on?” I yelled out.

He smiled and said to me, “Julian, welcome to my collection. I’ve been looking for someone like you to put into my black box. Of course, you realize it was all a ploy to get you into my possession. I’m really sorry, but I could use a human with your powers to add to my collection of power. I’m sure you won’t mind if you spend eternity in that white room would you? Oh don’t worry, you won’t be able to see the walls once I close the ceiling. You’ll get accustomed to the darkness. I’m told it takes a few years but you’ll get used to it.”

He laughed at me while he closed the ceiling and plunged me into total darkness.