Euler's Box

That morning she had been awake since 5AM. The morning ritual and that feeling of not having anything to do, were things she loved.

She was the neat sort of person. Everything had its time and place.

By the time she finished eating her breakfast and mindlessly had news on in the background. It was already 9:08am.

The news finally caught her interest after being on for about an hour. Something about a suicide in the mountains.

She would've heard the whole story if someone didn't knock on the door just then.

A simple 'don-don' followed by the word, "Package." Accompanied by the dropping of a box.

She felt like that was pretty rude of the delivery man, but then again he did climb three stories just to drop that off and probably had a truck load more to drop off in this apartment building too.

She didn't want to blame him, still though what if it was a bomb or something?

The delivery person would be in pieces and she'd be just fine.

She realized she's day dreaming.

Besides who'd send a bomb to her anyway? She's about as targetable as a blade of grass on the prairie.

Not that she's ever seen the Prairie.

9:09AM, she gets up to pick up her package.

It was an unlabeled little cardboard box. The kind with interlocking flaps. When she picked it up it felt weightless.

It was still full of something, but something without weight.

It wasn't even remotely addressed to her. Peering out her door she scans the apartment hallway searching for the delivery person but there isn't anyone insight.

Delivery people sure move fast.

She places the box on her counter top and steps away to get a blanket to put over her head and box.

All that day dreaming about a bomb made her paranoid.

Apparently the most common type of mailbomb is a photosensitive type. Should she open it, a small device similar to a solar panel absorbs surrounding light, giving the detonator the necessary electricity to trigger the explosion.

In short she had to open it with no light present.

It is now 9:15AM, she opens the box with a blanket over her head.

It was full of confetti.

Rummaging through it, it wasn't really confetti. It was countless little slips of paper, each with a zero printed on one side.

This had to be a joke.

Though she doesn't talk to any of her neighbors beyond saying 'Hello' at random chance meetings at the stair case.

She doesn't think this could be out of malice or anything.

Maybe its a case of mistaken identity.

Either way she was over the issue. Its almost time for her to head out. She dumps the zeroes in the recycling bin and leaves her dishes unwashed.

Its 9:24AM and time passes.

The sunsets in the windows as she opens the door to her air conditioned apartment. The cool orange glow hits something at just the right angle, casting a myriad of refracted light on her wall, just outside tiny hallway. Something the apartment planners jokingly called a 'foyer'.

She doesn't have anything in particular that'd do something like that.

She thought silently while removing her shoes at the entrance.

Walking out into her living room she sees a glass bottle.

Empty and glistening. Dropping her things right then and there she searches her apartment for any intruders.

She was absolutely certain she locked the door running back and forth her apartment, searching if anything else was out of place.

She returned back to her living room having searched everywhere, wanting to call the building manager and police.

Suddenly however, the bottle had disappeared.

She was certain she saw it there, but it was gone.

She looked at the wall.

The bottle may have been gone but the light refraction stayed cascading the wall in its colors.

She doesn't drink and doesn't keep alcohol in her home, so she couldn't have just left something like that out. Moreover it disappeared in an instant.

It is 6:39PM and she is scared to be alone in her apartment but bears with it for right now.

It is now 7:03AM.

She woke up later than usual. She hates doing that but it isn't her fault. It's hard to sleep in a house that you used to be comfortable in.

Before she even got the chance to get out of bed she heard knocking on the front door.

A quick knock, knock, knock. Followed by a voice.

"Package."

Confused at the earliness of the delivery, she covers herself in a hoodie and goes to pick up the box. Opening the door to her apartment she's greeted by another box.

A big box.

About knee high.

She tapped it with her foot to measure its weight and it moved relatively easily.

Picking it up she notices it's unmarked, and full of something, despite weighing nothing.

Annoyed, she guesses it's another box full of zeroes.

The bits of paper were enough to fill her recycling bin twice over, not to mention the big box taking up space.

What ever sort of joke or harassment this is, it's starting to get stupid.

It is 7:44AM and she rushes her routine, eats breakfast and leaves an hour later, deciding she'll throw out the zeroes and boxes when she's back.

6:47PM and she's back home and tired.

Entering her apartment she sees nothing unusual. No disappearing objects or phantom lights on the wall. Wondering if she's thinking too much she goes to sleep on her sofa.

Her back relaxes on the cushions. Feeling the air conditioning brush over her heated body, she rolls over and can't fight the urge too coo in the comfort.

Although in her cooing, she feels something poke her.

Reaching for it between the cushions, she pulls it out.

Car keys.

She doesn't own a car.

Shooting up from the couch in a panic her head spins.

Seeing a man and woman arguing. The yelling, the sound of their voices skip in her head. The feedback loop of voices break into a clear defined conversation.

If having a shouting match can be called that.

"You can't handle that shit!"

"But you can't handle me! You always complain that I'm too serious like it's my fault!"

"That doesn't mean go out drinking with your friends and come back fucked up! Even they can't put up with you!"

"Sh-sh-sh-shhhhhhh-"

The woman gets close to the man. Her leg hugging him and arms wrapping around his neck.

"Shuttup. Just calm down a little..." She smiled, knowingly.

"Fuck off me-" The man shoves her off and marches towards the girl on the couch.

He reaches towards her and she instinctively flinches and yells to no avail.

He doesn't stop and his arm passes through her body. Pulling the keys out from where she did.

Shocked and grossed out from having a man 'inside' her for a moment, all she can do is watch.

Powerlessness settles like bones in sand.

"Here, get out." He puts the keys in the other woman's hand and she giggles.

"I scratched your car in gimme the other keys..."

"What!?"

"Okay I really hit it-"

"Just get out!"

The woman takes the keys and leaves.

Once the door slams, she's back from her coma.

The moonlight was in her face, along with the countless streetlights that intensified the light.

The keys she pulled out were nowhere to be seen and she was back in her apartment. However it was different, the box and recycling bin were tipped over and all the zeroes filled an empty bottle in her hand.

Flustered she throws the bottle, freaked out at how it even got into her hand in the first place. The bottle bounces on the carpet vaulting around until it stops.

She felt awful.

Her head pounded and she was thirsty beyond belief. She really had to pee but felt like if she got up too fast she'd tip over instantly.

It is 1:14AM and after getting herself together she calls for a driving service to pick her up. She doesn't want to stay there anymore. Getting a change of clothes, a tote bag, and her purse, she steps out of the door.

As she leaves, at the staircase just before reaching the landing, she sees a man in a jumpsuit holding a box. He was a little shorter than her and didn't really look at her.

She stared for a moment before speaking.

"Is that for me?"

"Yes."

"Take it back." She said as she tried to continue her descent.

"I can't do that." Saying this stopped her from moving.

"Whatever is going on, I don't care."

"Oh no-" The man hopped back and shows his hands now empty.

The box was now in her bag, despite them being a flight apart.

"How'd you-?"

"Not me. I just deliver boxes."

The man finally looked her in the eyes. His eyes were gazeless, and they stared at her. It was as though they had been made out of milk poured into water.

She was so scared she laughed.

"I'm glad we could talk again back then I missed out on hanging out with a lot of friends."

Whatever time he refers to she's certain she wasn't there. More certain was she on the fact the weren't friends either.

She sees that he's extended his arm in a gesture.

She sheepishly shakes it wanting to leave and stay somewhere else for the night already.

As she shook it she laughed again and left, hearing him mutter behind her.

"Wake up this time, ma'am."

It's 9:08AM and she decides to open the box.

It's a bottle of wine, covered in twenty seven, ones.

01110111 01100001 01101011 01100101 00100000 01110101 01110000