Deadly Desires (2 page)

Chapter 5: Be Careful What You Wish For

              "I wish that I was a famous artist" I said loudly. The box rumbled and shook and then a raspy voice said "be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. When you get it you might not know what to do with it. And it might just come back on you ten-fold". It sounded cryptic and eerie, but I wasn't going to let some box stop me from making a wish. "Just give me the stupid wish" I said rudely. "Ok but don't say I didn't warn you" said the voice in the box loudly.

    I took a well-deserved nap and fell asleep. When I awoke though it was 9:00pm. I painted something on canvas that literally was a masterpiece. It was something I would have never been able to draw or paint if my life depended on it. I sprayed it with a gloss protectant and framed it. I created a sculpture and another painting that night too. I decided to contact an art appraiser to see if they knew someone who would like to buy these.

      An art dealer named Felix Reno looked at my art and was blown away. He bought one of the paintings and told me he would commission the other 2 works. That day I made 20 thousand dollars off one painting. If I could make that much with one painting, imagine what I can make in a month. I was over the moon happy with this wish. How could this wish go wrong?

       Well after creating twenty works I was starting to make a name for myself as a new up and coming artist. Coca Cola and Pepsi were fighting over who would commission me for a billboard ad. Apple wanted a painting done for one of their stores and Nike wanted to hire me for a sculpture. I had so many ideas and so many requests. I just hope I didn't become exhausted from all this work.

      After one month of working as an artist I still remembered where the fame came from. I hadn't forgot about the box. I was hoping that what the box said was wrong. I was waiting for the negative things to happen. I guess thinking about it got me in quite the troublesome situation. I hadn't left my house the whole month and I decided to leave today. When I walked outside there was a homeless junkie sitting on my steps. I'm not sure who or what he was waiting for. As I tried to pass him although he kept following behind me. "You're that artist guy who I seen on TV aren't you. You created some awesome works" he said. I also seen you in the paper. He smelled like he needed a bath and a cup of black coffee. "Nope not me and I don't have any money" I said quickly. "I don't want your fucking money. I just wanted to say hi and tell you that you have great work. You're very popular" he said smiling. "Well hi then. Nice to meet you" I said confused as I walked really fast.

     I finally got to the deli and got up to the front counter. "Can I have a ham and cheese sub with everything on it" I said with a smile. This was the first time I had been out of the house in a month. I was so glad to be getting food somewhere besides the Pizza, Chinese, and Mexican restaurants. "Sure, I'll get that for you right away" said a rather muscular, but portly man. He looked like he had ate some pizza and subs in his day. He also looked like he worked out quite a bit too. 

      "Hey, you're that new famous artist guy huh? I used to see you around a lot and you haven’t been here in a month or more. Can you draw me an autograph? You know, just doodle something and initial it. You do that dinner is on me! Here's a piece of paper" he said with a smile. "Sure no problem. I can do that!" I said confused. I decided that the quickest thing to draw was an animal. So I drew a lion’s head with the full main, scary teeth, an average nose and vicious eyes. He was impressed by the drawing and let me get anything on the house. "Thanks buddy, I will keep this and cherish it. It might be worth something someday" he said smiling. I got the sub, a bag of chips, a 20 Oz soda, a pint of ice cream, and a candy bar. I was so happy I didn't have to pay for anything. I guess my day was quite lucky. It's not like I didn't have the money; it just felt really nice to feel respected. I think the fame was starting to go to my head. The next thing that happened though was not at all what I expected.

Chapter 6: The Second Visit

I sat there waiting for Dr. Mitchell and anxiously awaited my turn. I didn’t know who he was talking to and I really didn’t care either. Their problems weren’t any different than mine. I was just eager to get this done and over with. I wanted to tell him about this box and how it has been a blessing and a curse. All I did was wish for one thing and I feel overwhelmed with the wish.

“Greg the doctor will see you now” said his secretary Carrie. I was just getting coffee so he timed that one right.

I walked into his office and was greeted with a warm welcome “Greg how are you today and how is the box doing?” said Dr. Mitchell.

“Don’t play dumb doc, you know I wished to be a famous artist and now I am. I will be having people flocking to me in droves within the next few weeks probably. Already signed a picture autograph for the owner of my corner deli. Seriously doc, how intense do these wishes get!” I said in a worried voice. Well the wish feeds off your every emotion. If you like the attention, and you salivate for the attention, you’re just going to get more people wanting your art. I warned you and as your doctor I suggest you give me the box back. I really hope you listen. The outcome can cause you mental instability and it could be deadly. Don’t say I didn’t warn you though. You don’t need a box to have a problem like this. Look at me, I’m the most successful psychologist in my area. I do pretty damn well. I didn’t need the box to help me...or did I. When you wish from the box it’s like making a deal with the devil and it will come back and get what it wants. What it wants when it’s done is your soul. Believe me I have been waiting a long time and looking over my shoulder. That’s why I had the box locked up. That box is dangerous! If I were you I would bring it back or lock it up. If not, well don’t say I didn’t warn you sir.

              So how have you been doing otherwise Greg? How is the painting career going. I imagine you’re very successful and that can be really good or very bad.

Chapter 7: As The World Turns

              Dr. Mitchell sat at his desk of his high-rise apartment enjoying a nice aged scotch. He was looking out the window at the cityscape below. He said to himself “ahhh this is the life” as he took a deep breath in and exhaled. Dr. Mitchell was a portly man with a bald head. He had a cream colored complexion and his hair was thinning a great deal. He didn’t seem like the type to take a morning or evening jog. He had fat fingers that clasped the glass of scotch firmly and made it look like he was holding a child’s glass.

              There was a rustling that went through the hallway and Dr. Mitchell shouted “Who’s there! I have a gun and I’m not afraid to use it. There was a running through the hallway again and all you could see was a black blur. There was a giggle that echoed through the hallway. “Come play doc! Come on it will be fun”

“I don’t know who you are but I have a clean shot and I will shoot” said Dr. Mitchell with fear. “Go ahead and shoot doc, you’ll miss” said the blur. All of a sudden the blur came up to the doc face to face and shouted BOO. He had red eyes, white teeth, and a black cape with a hood. Dr. Mitchell fell over and started to have a heart attack. “awww did I scare someone. Well maybe you shouldn’t have unlocked me” the blur said as his red eyes and white sharp teeth glowed brightly. “I’ll leave you to your dying as I leave and go back to my box. Thank you for everything doc” the blur said.

Chapter 8: Dead End

              “He died of a heart attack” said Detective Johnson.

“The coroner puts his death around 11pm” said Detective Michaels.

“Who was the last patient to see him alive” says Detective Johnson with curiosity

“Well he has had the last few days off but his book says Greg Harris was the last one to see him” said Detective Michaels with intrigue.

“His secretary was worried about him because he hadn’t been in to see patients. She thought he may have fell off the wagon and went on an alcohol bender again. She went to check on him and found him lying on the floor. By the look of the scotch bottle she was right. It’s almost empty. He could have died from anything” said Detective Johnson with concern.

“Let’s go talk to this Greg guy. Maybe he knows something” said Detective Michaels.

“Are you sure that the secretary, an ex-wife, or any old patients wouldn’t be better people to question?” said Detective Johnson.

“Well I guess we got a lot of work to do” said Detective Michaels.

Chapter 9: Big Ego

              I got home to my dull and drab apartment. About 10 minutes later there was a knock at the door. It was rather strange to have a knock at this time of night. I didn’t expect any visitors or have many people who would visit. I looked through the peephole and it was two guys in cheap suits. They looked like detectives, but I wasn’t really sure! I opened the door and asked “Ya what do you want?”.

“Well aren’t you a peach. Are you Greg Harris?” said Detective Michaels.

“Ya and you both are who?” I said quickly. I didn’t like visitors who seemed hasty.

“We are detective Michaels and Detective Johnson. We want to know when is the last time you seen Dr. Mitchell” said Detective Michaels calmly.

“Well I seen him a few days ago in the afternoon. What happened to him?” I said with a worried voice.

“He died of a heart attack, but his apartment was ransacked and it looked like it was robbed. Anyone you know who would do something bad to him?” said Detective Johnson.

“No, all I know is he was going to take a few days off” I said to them. I was trying to remain as calm as possible. I didn’t want to be a suspect and I didn’t want to tell them about some box who may or may not have come for his soul. They would find me a padded room for sure.

“He died of a heart attack, but it looks like he died of fear. It looks like it might have been an attack. He has scratch marks on his arm” said Detective Michaels.

“Well I am sorry for his loss. He was an amazing doctor even though I only had two sessions. Can you give his family my condolences” I said with sadness. I felt really bad for him. I wish that the doctor hadn’t given me this box after all. I wished that I had listened to him. I really should listen to him, but I wanted to wish for something else. I really wasn’t sure if it was a good idea though. Maybe if it was just an open ended or ambiguous wish it would be able to be easily fulfilled and nothing bad would happen. “Magic Box I wish…”

Chapter 10: Second Wish

              I was confused by what just happened. Who would want to kill Dr. Mitchell? I didn't believe his bogus bull crap about the box coming back to collect your soul. It was just mere coincidence he died. Oh ya back to my wish. "Magic box I wish I was happy" I said smiling sarcastically. That was vague enough to work and not backfire. ""Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. When you get it you might not know what to do with it. And it might just come back on you ten-fold" the box said loudly. “Just grant me the wish” I said irritated.

     Again I fell asleep and when I did I crashed hard. What is with these sudden pass outs? Were these wishes that exhausting? Glad I didn’t wish for unlimited wealth, I would be out for days! I woke up a few hours later and I really didn’t feel any different. I guess this wish was a fluke after all, or was the box a fluke? I decided the only thing to do was get rid of the damn box. I decided I would take a car ride and throw it out of the window. Ya that would work out just fine. Maybe some hobo would find it and make a wish or try and open it. I would even attach a note to it. This was a great idea. I didn’t want to end up like Dr. Mitchell. That would be a horrible fate. Better yet the box creature might come back after me and do something worse. I didn’t know and I wasn’t waiting to find out. Ok get a hold of yourself your talking delusional.

              I got out a pen and paper and wrote a short note.

“To whom it may concern,

If you find this box you are entitled to 3 wishes. Use them wisely and be careful what you wish for. When you wish don’t wish for anything to do wish love, money, reversing time, or bringing back the dead. This is not a joke. I got rid of the box and I suggest you don’t even bother with it or lock it up. It’s Dangerous!!

Sincerely,

Greg”

              I taped the note around the box securely and I didn’t feel any remorse doing it. I borrowed my neighbor’s car and I happily got into the front seat. I put the box in the front seat of my car and I drove out into the middle of town. I threw the box over a bridge and it fell into the grass and rolled down the hill. I felt a sigh of relief because finally it was gone! I hoped someone would find it. I thought I heard the box say “Curse You”. I honestly didn’t care what happened next because the box was out of my hands.

Chapter 11: Terra

It was 10:30 am and it was a rather dark and dreary day. It was quite rainy outside. Terra Andrews sat at her desk listening to her statistics lecture almost falling asleep. She didn’t understand why she had to take this. She understood math better than most people. In order to graduate she had to take a math elective and she didn’t want to take a calculus or linear algebra class. She was happy to take the class though. There was a cute guy named Mike who sat next to her. She just wished he would pay attention to her.

              She sat there listening to the boring lecture and waited for the instructor to finally say that class was over. It was only 10 minutes, but it felt like hours. Finally everyone was dismissed and she left for the door. She wanted to go to Denny’s and get breakfast. She was really hungry. She had 2 morning classes back to back and then she had 2 evening classes. The college was walking distance from all the major restaurants, so she decided to walk instead of take her car.

              As she walked she paid attention to the ground very adamantly. She did this quite often looking out for money, rare coins, and other trinkets. She spotted an odd looking box with a note attached to it. She read the note and she thought to herself that the note was just a bluff. She decided to put the box in her book bag though. She liked the look of the box. It had an old vintage quality to it that. It was red, black, and gold. It had some strange Sanskrit writing on it. She didn’t know what it meant, but she would look it up. She imagined that the box wasn’t dangerous at all. Genies lamps weren’t bad, they were just misunderstood. She walked quickly to Denny’s now and when she got there she was seated by a nice waitress name Dana. She ordered a Moons over Myhammy meal with a side order of pancakes and sausage. She also ordered a large black coffee with three sugar. She needed the caffeine fix.

              When she got her meal, she ate it like a lion attacking a gazelle. She had a voracious appetite, and she seemed hungrier than usual. Patrons around her were even surprised by the amount of food. She wanted to just eat in peace and get back to the college. She had a lot of studying to do and she wanted to figure out what this box said.

              She finished her meal, paid her bill and left a $10 tip for the great service. She was impressed by how good the food and service was. She rushed out of Denny’s and went back to the college. She wanted to find out what this said so she decided to ask an instructor who could translate Sanskrit. She found Dr. Thomas who was trained in linguistics and foreign language. He looked at the box and looked back at her worried. “It says be careful what you wish for! It also says what goes around comes back tenfold” said Dr. Thomas. He continued “It also says Beware ad Danger all around the box, I would stay away from this. It could be really bad and someone may have got rid of it” said Dr. Thomas.

              What did he know it was just a box? It couldn’t really be that harmful could it? Whoever tossed it must have had good reason. Maybe they just had some sort of psychotic issue and thought that the box was causing them harm of some sort. Whatever it was it was probably in their head. She didn’t believe in this bull crap and she would prove it as soon as she got home.

              She went to each of her classes and they felt like they took forever. She would have skipped them, but her parents were paying good money for them. She drove home and while she waited in traffic she got stuck at a red light. “What the hell does a girl have to do to get home by a decent time” she shouted. She was extremely angry with the line of traffic. It felt like it was moving at a slow crawl. Finally, the line of traffic moved faster and faster, almost like what she said actually mattered. When she finally got home she got out of the car and she got into her apartment. She put the box on the table and looked at it with wide eyes. “Ok box I wish that I…”