Danny & The Magic Box

Danny pulled at the seams of his scratchy suit that was too small for him, he grew a couple of inches over the summer and they did not have any time to buy a new one. His mother tugged at his sleeves and brushed him off trying to make him look presentable. Danny liked his suit despite being slightly uncomfortable, it reminded him of his Uncle Harry who always had his sleeves pushed up to show people that he wasn’t hiding anything. His Uncle was a Magician. His parents did not like Danny to be around his Uncle in fear that he was a bad influence. They did not want their son to look up to a man who was performing at children’s birthday parties. Uncle Harry invited Danny to stay with him over the summer and work at his magic shop but his parents made excuses then kept him busy with baseball, basketball, tutoring, and piano lessons. Danny wished that he could have had more time with his Uncle before he passed away. It was an untimely death, a freak accident when Uncle Harry was performing the “Box of Impaling Swords”. During his funeral he had one last trick up his sleeve. After the viewing, the casket was closed and reopened and was revealed as empty. Everyone had a good laugh even though it made them uneasy.

His uncle left his only sibling Danny’s Father, the Magic Shop. The little shop was musty, it had not been open in a long while, towers of books were stacked on the floor with odd contraptions dangling from them. The walls were covered in hundreds of vintage posters from Magicians like Thurston, Karlini and of course his Uncle’s favorite Harry Houdini. They heard a scuttle across the floor and Danny’s mother let out a small yelp. Danny’s Father gripped his arm around her. “It’s probably just a mouse Dear. We left the door open, maybe it will scuttle out.” They continued squeezing in around old antiqued trunks and stage props. Danny’s parents were looking for anything of value and Danny was wide eyed and picking up everything and asking “Can I have this to remember Uncle Harry by?” Danny’s mother shook her head at everything he offered and made a wince to whatever he was holding up. She turned a corner and was then face to face with a dusty stuffed platypus with antlers.

“Ronald lets go. We will sell this place as is and take the first offer we get. I just want to be done with this.” Danny’s father nodded his head in agreement, still distracted by looking around at all the knick knacks and oddities as he guided her back to the door. Danny heard another scuttle and turned around to see his Uncle’s pet Rabbit, Tibbar that he used sometimes during his act. He yelled to his parents outside but they were too busy talking with the realtor to hear him. He crept slowly up to him but the rabbit bolted. Danny found him again in the back of the store and started to chew on a box that was wrapped in brown parchment paper and tied with twine. Danny caught the Rabbit but noticed that the package had a note on it that said: For Danny

He came out of the shop with the rabbit in one arm and the package in the other. After he promised his mother that he would take good care of Tibbar and with a puppy face she gave in.

After he got Tibbar set up in his room he sat down on his bed and spun the box around looking for any other clues to what it was. The twine was tightly tied and almost broke his scissors cutting through it. He unwrapped the parchment and there was a note on the other side.

“Enclosed is all you need. Be careful indeed, it will be whatever you want it to be. When it’s job is done say-” the rest of the words were bitten off from Tibbar. Inside the box was an old puzzle box that didn’t open until you figured out the combination. Danny twisted the knobs, pulled the sides, moved the latches he was just about to give up until there was a light click and the box was open. He lifted the lid slowly then the box pulled back and something jumped out of it. Danny quickly dropped the box. Whatever it was it left a trail when it quickly slithered under his bed, the slime was iridescent. Danny wide eyed stopped still to hear his parents were still in the next room snoring. He looked for something to defend himself with just in case surely his uncle wouldn’t give him anything dangerous, but then he remembered the trick gum he gave him one birthday that turned into ink. He saw his baseball bat peeking underneath his bed, he snatched it out and braced himself. But something didn’t seem quite right. The baseball bat didn’t have the right texture. He smoothed his hand down the handle and the bat lost its shape and plopped on the floor. Danny grabbed the box to trap it and the clear blob changed its shape to an identical box. Danny needed to sit down, then the blob changed to a chair identical to the one at his desk. He pinched his skin hoping to come out of a dream but no, the chair was still there. He wanted to splash some water on his face to make doubly sure, but then the chair transformed into a glass of water. He picked it up and the water jiggled like jello. Not quite right. He placed the glass of water back into the box where it transformed back into a blob. He shut the lid and re-read the note on the parchment. It will be what ever you need it to be.

The next couple of days the blob was quicker to change to whatever Danny needed. A towel, a resharpened pencil, and sometimes when Danny was hungry it would change to food. He had to be careful to remember not to eat it, the blob was getting better at its impressions, it even started to smell like the food it was pretending to be. Danny almost ate a plate of cookies that he was thinking about but realized before he took a bite that the chocolate chips were in a pyramid shape. He wished he had a friend to share this with then the blob changed into a boy that looked similar to him and this gave Danny an idea.

The next day he placed the blob version of himself in his bed and called for his mom. His mom took one look at the blob Danny and felt his forehead and to her surprise it was cold. “You have the chills?”

Blob Danny stared at her and let out a squeaked. The blob was trying to speak. Danny’s mother patted his head and told him that he could stay home from school. When she left Danny came out from hiding and danced. The blob danced with him, the whole rest of the day Danny taught the blob how to play marbles, battleship and he read him his favorite book. Danny had a great day with the blob but wished for an actual friend to play with someone he could talk to. Danny started using the blob to do chores he didn’t care to do like clean out Tibbar’s cage, or wash the dishes. Soon his parents got used to the blob not ever knowing it wasn’t Danny.

Danny made friends with a boy that moved in down the street, and after a couple of days and a pinky swear, he decided to show him the blob. His new friend Fred didn’t believe him, Danny picked up all the items in his room trying to find the blob but it was getting better and better at intimation everyday. They could hear Fred’s dad call for him. He turned to leave Danny saw the blob was coming after Fred he grabbed it and pulled it back. The blob turned into the shape of Fred and spoke “Danny need only me”. The blob didn’t want Fred around and Danny was scared. He found the parchment and re-read the note.

“Enclosed is all you need. Be careful indeed, it will be whatever you want it to be. When it’s job is done say-”

Say what? Danny scratched his head. He looked at the blob that was still in the form of Fred.

“Your job is done. Get back in the Box.” The blob looked at him then said again. “Danny need me.”

Danny’s mom called for him and then the blob then changed to its form of Danny again and walked into the hallway. Danny grabbed him to pull him back but the blob pushed him back. Danny fought with the blob but it slipped out of his fingers and continued down the stairs. Danny yelled “Done! Done! Your job is done!” The blob continued down the stairs unaffected. Danny stopped and thought real hard, I need the blob to go back in the box. The blob stopped and reverted back to his clear small state and made its way back to the room and into the box. Danny grabbed it and locked the box back. Then he thought I need to put this where someone won’t find it and the box disappeared. Danny doesn’t know where the box went to but he still checks every once in a while for anything to be slightly off.