Bedtime

Chapter 2
The Black Box

Chapter Description: Jessica's boss gives her a black wooden box to help her with her problems regarding Andrew.

In the weeks that followed, Andrew had had one interview for a part-time job, for which he was told they’d call him back. Jessica told him to keep looking; telling him "they’d call him back if interested" wasn’t a guarantee, but he insisted he “had a good feeling” about it, which he used to justify the laziness into which he relapsed, which gave Jessica second thoughts as to whether he ever had a job to begin with. He would help himself to Jessica’s alcohol while he supported his other addiction, ignoring her once he plugged into his other world. Jessica was thoroughly annoyed by this, but it was too big a hassle to get him to do anything anymore. She kept wanting to give him more chances to shape up.

One particular day Jessica was very upset. She and Andrew had gotten into their first fight that morning and she just didn’t know what to do anymore. “Is everything alright?” her boss asked as she arrived to work.

“My boyfriend moved in with me and I can’t get him to get off the couch anymore. He doesn’t do his dishes, gets into my alcohol, and he’s turning into an unbearable leech. My bills are going up and he’s not contributing at all. I’d feel bad about kicking him out onto the street, but I can’t afford to keep babysitting him like this.” she sobbed as he hugged her.

Her boss, Jeff, was an older man and well into his golden years. He wasn’t the type of boss (or guy), to go out of his way to notice employees too much, but when he did so he generally could make the recipient feel very appreciated.

Jeff produced a black wooden box. “Light two red candles and place them on the coffee table. Light two more red candles and place them by the door in your room. . Read these instructions to your boyfriend before you go to bed and open the box, then place the box by the couch. Once you open the box, you have one hour before it takes effect. Go to your room and do not leave until morning. No matter what you hear outside your door, remain inside.” Jessica stared at her boss as he explained this occult nonsense to her. Seeing that she was skeptic, her boss continued, “It might sound stupid, but if you do it right, you’ll scare him into submission...” Jessica just grabbed the box and the instructions from out of his hands and thanked him. She thought she saw a devilish grin spread across his lips as he relinquished the box, but she dismissed it and got to work. She had a long day ahead of her.

***

Jessica came home that night to find Andrew still on the couch, having a good time. He had finished off all of her vodka, which had her very agitated since she was looking forward to having a glass tonight. She felt anger. Seeing as yelling at him didn’t work, she couldn’t think of anything else to do, short of finally threatening to kick him out.

Desperate for a measure, she pulled out the wooden black box and instructions from her bag. Giving him a scare seemed like the best thing she could do at the moment, though well after the fact, she’d wished they’d come up with a different alternative. The consequences of that night would be severely harsh in the months to follow.

After reading through the instructions several times, she turned out all the lights. She placed the candles about the house and lit them. Two on her coffee table and two in her room. Andrew watched her out of the corner of his eye, wondering what the heck she was doing. After she had everything set up, she entered the living room, closed Andrew’s laptop, and took his headset. Andrew glared at her with a drunken and stupid look as she sat down in the rocking chair, black box in lap. She began to recite the instructions as she opened the box.

“Now begins the night. This box contains essence of true fright. In your bed, safe you’ll stay, careful that you do not stray. If this taboo you do break, under cover you must take. If blanket’s shelter do you take, your reality will then be fake.”

Andrew stared at her quizzically. “W-w-wish okulsha you visit t-t-today?” he slurred, making little attempt to conceal how drunk he was.

Jessica rolled her eyes and continued, “In one hour, darkness shower. To be trapped in fear is to disappear. Sunlight is your salvation.”

“W-w-what the helllll does that mean?” Andrew burst out laughing, “s-s-sorry I-I-I’m not volunteering to keep your bed warm, but my guildies need me...” Andrew’s face was very red. It would not be worth the trouble to bother getting him up in the morning.

Jessica just sighed and opened the box, placing it beside the couch. Inside the box looked like it was pitch black and it seemed that the blackness was spilling out of the box just like a mist. Jessica chalked it up to her having had a long day and didn’t bother to wonder what it was. She brushed her teeth and went to bed.