15 Boxes (1/2)

Not a second sooner than when I pulled into my driveway did Johnny's phone go off. His parents had received a box as well. I leapt from his car and left the keys in the ignition. Johnny peeled off on his own with the truck following in tow.

I didn't know if another one was on the way to back me up, but at the time the thought didn't really cross my mind. I just needed to get to my parents and get them safe.

I tore through the house like a tornado ignoring my parent's calls for me. I nearly pushed my father over as I went for my room. There the package sat. A simple brown box tapped close. Both my parents asked me what was going on but I just muttered something about car parts and left for the barn with the box under my arm.

I sat it down on my work table. It was lighter than I thought. Something in my mind thought that since it wasn't ticking like in the movies it wasn't a bomb. Rational thought kicked in next telling me that there was probably a way to make bombs that didn't tick.

With a flat head from my table I slit the tap on the top. I felt fear creeping in. Its cold fingers gripped my gut in a vise grip. Just like when I heard the click of Ricky's gun on the back of my head months ago.

I shook like I was having my own personal earthquake. my fingers fumbled with the box's flaps trying to get it open. After a few attempts the flaps pulled back to reveal pictures. For a brief moment my fear left as it wasn't a bomb or something crazy like a severed arm.

When I lifted the first picture that fear came back like a punch to the gut with a pair of knuckle dusters. Every picture was of my parents or Jessica. Pictures of my parents leaving for work on different days. Pictures of them at work. Pictures of them out on the town from various distances and angles.

The pictures of Jessica where more of the same. Her around town. Outside of her house. A few of her getting in my car with me. At the bottom I found one last picture.

A polaroid like the rest spliced together. Shots of my mom, dad, and Jessica with X's marked over their heads. My breathing picked up. Too quick for me to keep up. I braced myself on the table trying my hardest to keep my air in but it was gone as soon as it came. I was drowning on dry land.

My phone sounded off in my pocket. Shaking horribly, I tried my best to check it, but I just dropped it. It clattered across the table sounding off again with Johnny's name on the screen. Next came Adal's.

”The pictures oh my God Jack”

A preview of Johnny's text was on the screen. Right below it was Adal's

”I have received a box as well...”

The air just wouldn't stay in my lungs. I tried to hold onto it but my chest tightened and heaved it out on its own accord. My knees felt like wet noodles trying to hold me up as the worst panic attack of my life ripped through me.

The phone buzzed again. This time it was Jessica's name. I found a slight break in the panic as it was replaced with ice pumping through my blood. I read her words across the screen right under Adal's in horror.

”What are these pictures?”

I sprinted back to the house. I left the box of photos under a box of tools to hide them. In my closet I found my gun. I slipped the handy little piece of metal in my waist band hidden perfectly under my shirt and jacket.

”What's the hurry sweetie?”

My mom blocked me at the door. I tried to hide my hyperventilating but failed spectacularly only pushing her worry.

”Are you ok? Are you taking your anxiety meds?”

”No but when am I ever? I'm just running late so I've been running.”

She didn't buy it. Her eyes gave it away. The little eye squint causing her blue side to glimmer. Despite this she crossed her arms and stepped aside from the door way.

”I'm just headed to Jessica's. I'll be back in an hour tops”

”You're an adult Jack you don't have to report to me”

I hugged her before I left. A thank you for just still being alive. She was surprised but hugged me back regardless. In the next second I was in the wind. Tearing down the street in the 302. It wasn't happy about not being warmed up, but I had places to be.

The thing slid dangerously almost the whole way without real snow tires. Under normal conditions I could have contended with it easily, but with my constant shaking throttle and clutch control became impossible.

While I was flying down the icy road I called Jess. After one ring she picked up with a confused tone.

”Jack what's going on right now?”

”Are you home alone?”

”What?”

”Home alone!? Yes or no Jess!?”

”Fuck! Yes, I am. Parents went to get groceries”

”Don't move. Not till I get there. I'm in the 302”

I swore to myself as I narrowly avoided a ditch when I slipped on a turn. I tossed the phone to the passenger seat before I dropped a gear and tried to haul it down a straight, but I only managed to slip the back tires on snow.

When I got the phone back to my ear Jessica was not happy.

”Jack what's going on?! Tell me what these pictures mean!”

”Jessica I'll explain everything when I'm not slipping off the road. I'll be there in five minutes flat”

I was there in two. I drove like a total asshole to do it endangering everyone I passed, but I was hardly thinking that far ahead. My tires tossed snow in a cascade to my right as I slid into Jessica's drive way.

She came out of her house stomping angrily through the snow at me. Her jaw was set in an upset scowl.