mage

I stared at the box, then shrugged.

If it was someone’s phone, they would come back for it.

As I stood up, the edge of the box nicked my finger, and a drop of blood dripped over the box.

The lid sprung open.

I pulled back the boards and discovered a strange box buried inside of a solid stone chamber.

I blinked down at it, but whatever was glowing was coming from inside the box.

Had to be bright as the light was seeping out of the cracks.

I turned the strange box over in my hands, but I could see no way to open it.

I opened the closet.

The light was coming from under the floorboards.

Had I dropped something down there? Seemed unlikely, but I needed to check. Possible someone had dropped their phone, but how it would have gotten under the floorboards was a puzzle.

I fetched my hammer and flashlight.

When I lifted my head and wiped my eyes, I swore I saw a light coming from the back closet.

I frowned.

I had emptied the closet some time ago.

Perhaps I had forgotten to turn off the light.

I had taken so much to charity shops already. The house was almost empty. Almost ready for a new owner.

Hard to believe it was the same place I had spent a few weeks every summer.

There was almost nothing of my great-grandmother left.

I sat in the middle of the bedroom I had once shared with her and cried.

The rest of the family had already come and what they wished. Not that there was much.

My great-grandmother had always lived a simple existence, finding more pleasure in the lush gardens she’d kept even at her age than in the house.

She preferred nights on her porch swing watching the stars telling stories to whomever would listen.

I was really going to miss her. I wish I would have made the six hour drive out to see her more often.