Hand-Me-Downs

A tiny box wrapped in brown paper remains protected from the elements nestled in a tree trunk. Time has become lost and its placement soon becomes forgotten by the surrounding wildlife. How long it has been in hiding begs the question, and who put it there remains a mystery. As if engulfed in magic, the treasure sits free from elemental damage. A surprising feat given the luscious foliage in the surrounding area.

One somewhat dismal day, laughter and giggles break the silence of the forest. Little fingers pluck the box from its bed. Two girls examine the package with quizzical eyes. It gets shaken but no sound is emitted as a clue. The only tell is the surprising weight this small box has. The sisters compose elaborate origins for the endless potential wonders hidden inside. To add allure, the girls vow to keep the box unopened.

Many years were spent speculating and creating grand adventures featuring the mystery package. Epic stories were told of the vast magic held within the contents of the tiny treasure. Chasms were crossed; beasts were slain. The girls triumphed over every obstacle. The box always under careful eye and guarded with great pride. There was but one rule: it is not to be opened. The sisters stood adamantly by and pledged loyalty. And so it remained an unopened mystery of intrigue.

Over time this mysterious treasure kept getting pushed further and further back on the shelves, making room for newer and seemingly more exciting items. Laughter that was once joyous turned to jeering cachinnation. The younger sister grew tired of always being in the shadows; tired of her “new” shoes already being worn in and her hand-me-down clothes fitting awkwardly as they had grown accustomed to the elder girl’s body. What was once love in their eyes turned to envy and distain. Words dissipated and were replaced with snide eye rolls and razor sharp upper cuts.

Sisters lost their friendship, favouring hatred; leaving the package to collect dust and become insignificant. In a fleeting fit of anger, the tiny mystery was thrown into a bigger box to be packed away after witnessing the final moments the sisters spent together. As sand kicks up from the road under tires it hides the taillights speeding away. The elder sister never looks back, leaving the younger behind without so much as an after thought. Both cheeks stained with tears as the pain in their faces slowly recedes and relief settles in. Lives are built without room for the other, and so they remain estranged.

Some forty years go by. The elder sister is met on the road by a car driving in the same desperate haste to escape. The two vehicles collide and the girl, now a woman, is thrown through the windshield. Blood stains the glass and in the final moments of life, she whispers her sister's name and remembers the day in the woods when they discovered the wonder of their world. As her last breath escaped her, so did her pain of being the guinea pig; the trial and error child.

Many more years passed. The younger sister, now an old woman, sits in a rocking chair holding the tiny box so long ago found. The outside now a faded shade of grey, it wore the age of time. A child sits cross-legged with eyes as wide as the sun; and beaming just as bright. The younger sister exposes the mystery treasure while recanting the story to her granddaughter. The girl grew sad upon hearing the ending and cast a concerned look towards her own older sister sitting on the other side of the room. The old lady opened the box and covered it again; handing the brown wrapped box on to the child to keep the magic alive.