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THE BOX
“To whom it may concern” was how I would start the letter. It sounded poetic to me, although who was I to say such a thing, never had I ever been the one for poetic writing. But it seemed fitting to allow such a dark and heavy topic be lifted, just for a little, by the soft, gentle flow of a poem. So that would be how I addressed the world, an epistolary, a form of poetry which had the flow of a poem but the structure of a letter. It was perfect. The person who found it would believe they were just reading a letter but the hidden touch of the sweet poetry would the calm the person while reading. Satisfied by how this was planned out I continued on with the letter:
My time is nearing due to the acts of my own hands. I have stumbled upon something and now my existence races to a screaming halt.
I shook my head at the last sentence, it didn’t sound right to me. Plus I wouldn’t be able to find a good word to rhyme with halt, so I crossed it out.
halt.end. I take claim of my own fa demise for it was my own actions that have sent me too my doom. However, I do not regret my fate as some may may assume.
My hands were shaking as I wrote the letter and trying to stabilize the shake I wrote faster, causing myself to make many mistakes. This of course no longer looked professional but why should it? I’m dying and the world soon would to if I didn’t finish this letter. So there was no point to be fussy in being neat, I was in panic! Who was ever calm about dying anyway?
I took a breath to calm down and got a whiff of my house and all its familiar smells. Dish soap from recently cleaned dishes, spaghetti from lasts night dinner, and the sweet smell of my bible which sat on the desk next to the letter nearing completion. That, I must admit, was my favorite of all the smells which dwelled in my home. But even that could not help me forget that my life was fated to end, and so the writing continued:
A martyr’s life is not an easy one, but I am proud and honored to give my last breath for the sake of human kind. Al-
A sharp pain came from behind my arm before I could finish the word. Well it felt more like an itch but as it tingled like all itches did it carried a stab of pain as well. I went to go scratch but as I touched my skin I felt a lump move its way up. It was small but I knew it was the bug. I froze from disgust and fear of angering it, making it cause me more discomfort. I despised the idea of having something as evil as this inside my body, controlling me, making me bend to it’s pleasure only because of my fear of what it could do. But there was nothing I could do. Once it
settled I did my best to put that event at the back of my mind and gave all my attention to the letter.
The introduction was done and it was time to start at the beginning:
When I came across this chest there was a bug residing inside. ‘what a discovery,’ I had said with a sigh. This sentence sent me back to the actual event before I had time to throw it in the reject pile of memories stored in the back of my mind. It was raining and I had heard something crash into the trash cans in the nearby ally. I was on my way home but decided there was no harm in taking it with me. Just a well made wooden box that had me curious as to what was inside.
I had to crack it open since the key was missing but how I wish the last two days never happened. “But there’s no use in wishing is there Lord?” I said looking towards my bible, waiting for an answer. Once I got over the fact that there would be no answer I went back to my main priority:
I then began to close the box not having wanting to see this disappointment any longer. But what I was truly unaware of was the tiny bugs hunger. It lunged at me from the wooden box, clinging to my flesh; making me, its host. The pain was undefying and such such suffering may have tortured most. Imagine the slow tearing of flash as it burrows into your skin. Any further details I must say of the
pain will be irrelevant if you will just listen. That and I just couldn’t get myself to explain any of the agony I was going through, it would take too long to even try and explain such a feeling. I could actually feel myself change; it wasn’t physical but more mental. It wasn’t just my voice inside my head anymore, there was another. One that I couldn’t define, it was a stranger, an intruder on my thoughts and I was doing my best to keep sane. I suppose focusing on the planet was helping some so I returned to it:
The purpose of this bug is to take control once it gets its feast. The creator of such a creature is obviously a beast. This I truly agreed with, and for so long I had obeyed the government; followed there laws and paid there beloved taxes, and for what, just so now that I could be taken down by them and there precious new weapon? It sickened me and I wanted find the one responsible for this hideous creation so that I could strangle the life out of them! “What this? Even if the government had ruined my life never have I had such a hateful thought…I need to get back to my writing.”
Well, No matter what you do there were no imaginable cure? Well, I can’t say any cure, because there is always one way. This path however I dare not say for no matter which way I go, a holy man like me would never be proud to say. Either I take my life or condemn another. I had already chosen to give myself, but for some reason I couldn’t get myself to write it. It would seem a part of me didn’t want to die for the sake of the people, but what worried me was if that part was really a part of me at all. I didn’t want to stay on the subject any longer, especially since the point of the letter was slowly fading away from my mind. I rushed to finish the letter and was finally reaching the end:
My mind is becoming a haze and thoughts begin to change. I know this moment would happen but it still feels so stragle strange. I am becoming part of the bug, or it becoming apart of me? I know I keep on talking but it’s hard to make sure sure I’m clear in helping you see. There is just so much I want you to know, but if I want life to continue I need this point across. If I should die the bug which lives off my existence will parish, resulting with the world gaining freedom from my loss. Althog Although as much I am willing to take this fall to stop the spread of this dead deadly disease. I have not the strength strength to stop this on my own. So I ask who ever reads this, please come and save me, save me from this suffering, and in the process become a hero.
Signed,
A desperate and tortured Soul
A desperate and tortured Soul
I smiled at my accomplishment; I had finished the letter before the bug took over me. I quickly stopped at the city and dropped off my letters. First was the letter to the world. I let it drop in front of a police station and left to the flower shop. Next was Mrs. Belling, the loving old lady from the flower shop that always brought me and the other ladies goodies. I had left hers taped to the door so that when she went to visit, like all days, she would see it. Then of course, was my little brother. He had helped me in life more then he had to. Gave me a home, allowed me to live rent free, and had faith in me that one day I would make my big discovery. Surely the one I was doing this for the most was him. I was so grateful but as I thought of them the haziness was getting stronger. And as soon as the letters were send I headed home.
When I got back to the cabin I didn’t want to forget my purpose for keeping myself in the house, so I put reminders all over the cabin. “Don’t leave the house or die” was what I had put. So as long as me or the bug wanted to live we wouldn’t want to leave, not for anything. Not me to eat or him to spread.
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the italic words are the words he is writing and if some of it doesnt make sense it's because in word precessing i was able to acually crossw out words but on here it doesnt seem to be working, just thought i'd let you know and for who ever reads this i would like comments but feel free to not.