The Odd Box
Sometime ago now, a few weeks after my eighteenth birthday, I first put out advertisements for The Hokum Files online. This was in the early winter of 2023. I thought nothing much would come of it. I thought wrong. Not three days after those ads went up did I receive an email from someone who lived, surprisingly, not too far from my home. This was the email I received.
"Dear, Miss Moon,
I have had something most peculiar occur at my home, and over the past few weeks it has terrorised both me and my young son. I was unsure of who to turn to. You see, the matter in which I am concerned is not one that most people would believe. To most I would seem mad. I hope, then, that you are not most people. Please, I request your help. For me, and for my son. Rid us of this evil.
Sincerely, Ellamay Rayne"
Exactly what plagued her home I was unsure of. Her email did not give specifics. But this was my first job, and so I would not be saying no. I responded with haste, intact, typing up an email as I waited in-line at my local cafe. We exchanged some more information, and she offered to house me in her spare room for the night. She said that what happens, what awaits, only shows itself at night. I obliged.
Two days after our exchange, no sooner due to my schooling, I was able to drive to the home, and meet in-person Miss Rayne.
She was a kind woman, perhaps early thirties. Her son, who had been described to me as young, was intact only a year younger than me. She brought me into her home, and first of all showed me to the spare room. It was opposite her sons, both doors facing one another. I placed my bag down, and returned to the living room to discuss the problem.
There, sat on the coffee table, was a shoebox. It had been surrounded by small tears of paper which read:
"DO NOT TOUCH THE BOX"
She began to explain to me the situation. The following is a recording of our interview.
[H] Miss. Rayne, the evil which you described in your message to me, is it the box sat there?
[E] No. It's what's in the box that's evil. Some strange thing. I belive it's cursed us.
(Note: She motioned a cross over her body here)
[H] What exactly is inside?
[E] Darkness.
[H] Interesting. Could you described the darkness to me?
(Her son, who's name was Ajay, interrupted)
[A] Stop this. We can't talk about it. Turn off the recorder.
I did as was asked of me. Ajay retreated to his room, and the door slammed upstairs. His mother sat with me still, and offered to explain what it was, so long as I did not record her.
Later that night I wrote down what I was told.
"It's a void. The box doesn't stop at the table. It keeps going. Down. Forever. And...and it speaks. Sometimes. It speaks to me, and to Ajay, and it...knows things. Bad things. I tried moving it...getting rid of it...but it kept coming back."
Once she had finished her explaining, she begged me for help. Offered me money, enough that she would run out, which I did not accept. I explained to her that, if I were to truly understand the box as she did, I would need to open it. After some convincing, I managed to gain access, so long as both her and her son stood outside. I accepted.
While they stood in the dark and cold snow outside, I was alone with the box. It had come to my attention that the Rayne family were a family of worship. Whatever is in this box knows that. I pulled a number of small wooden crosses from my kit, placing them around the box.
[Hokum Note: Demons can often be deterred with strong religious faith]
I surrounded the box in a ring of salt.
[Hokum Note: Demonic spirits are restricted to withing a ring of salt]
Then, I removed the notes of warning, and opened the shoebox. Nothing came out of the box. However, when I peered in, I saw exactly what had been described to me. An endless pit. Curiosity took hold of me, and I removed both of my shoelaces, fashioning them into a makeshift rope, and tying one end to of the wooden crosses. I began to feed it down into the box, attempting to see how deep it went. After half if my lace had descended, the cross became clouded in a shadow. I continued, until there was no more lace to let. It never found anything. I pulled it out. I waited for the box to speak to me, but nothing came of it. I waited for another half an hour. Nothing. Just an endless void hidden in this shoebox.
I closed it off, put away my supplies, and brought the two back inside. I explained to them what I had done, and the son looked at me with disgust. I wished not to annoy him further. Night had come upon us, and everyone had retreated now to their rooms.
I sat on the bed, scribbling notes in my journal, when I heard a strange creaking noise on the other side if my door. It was the dead of night. Past that, perhaps. The creak was slow. Not of someone walking, but standing.
I walked over, pressing my ear against the door to hear for any sort of noise. All I heard was the slow creaking again.
I turned the handle, and opened the door, and to the surprise of every atom in my body, there stood Ajay, completely in the nude, at the frame of his door. He was still. Far too still. Until he whispered.
"Shame on you. Sinner."
I was confused. I whispered his name, but he cut me off.
"Shame on you. Sinner."
He stood perfectly still. Though, when his mouth opened, I saw nothing but the endless black off the odd box on the coffee table.
"Ajay, are you awake?" I asked him.
I was met with the same answer.
"Shame on you. Sinner."
Though, this time. He continued.
"They will find out. Won't they? You sin. Have sinned. Will sin. Sinner."
He lunged.
Something, not his legs, carried him. It was as if the wind brought him to me. His hand clutched to my throat, and he stood now a mere few inches from my face.
"Sinners die. Sometime when those without sin would not, those with sin shall suffer. Greatly."
I grasped for my throat, though I wouldn't need to. He released me, and I fell to my feet. Suddenly, he was gone. My door was closed.
I returned to my bed, although I did not get much sleep that night.
In the morning, I debating explaining the situation to Miss. Rayne. However, upon seeing Ajay, and the lack of any indication as to last night's happenings, I decided against it. I explained away the marks on my neck as a rash.
As I prepared for leaving their home, I asked if I could take with me the box. To study it further. They were quick to allow me, strangely, as they had told me before that losing it was a harder challenge than they had though.
I said my farewell, and drove home, with the box in the boot of my car.
I arrived home an hour later, and after bringing my stuff inside, I returned for the box.
The box was not there.
.
Thank you for joining us here in The Hokum Files, I've been Holly, and stay spooky!