Mystery Package

Maria often sits at her window sill waiting for something. She never knows what but feels like life is just a waiting game. Maria doesn’t have many close friends and often ends up alone and isolated from most of the world. Maria’s parents want her to venture out but instead she often ends up sitting in front of the window sill. Maria is a good soul, one who does for others and one who cares for everyone. She seems to be waiting for something though so her parents keep encouraging her to venture out and be more of a people person. Every time Maria has ventured out it has ended with turmoil. She once went to a teen club with friends that ended in a shooting with 3 of her classmates dead. Maria once went out to a play and somehow a flesh eating bacteria infected the dancers. Maria has always seen the positive in tragedy and has always wanted the best for all. One day from her window she sees a drone coming near her home. The drone is carrying a package. Maria watches as the package is gently dropped on her doorstep, then she runs downstairs.

“Mom, Dad some weird drone just dropped a package on our doorstep”. Maria yells at the top of her lungs. Her parents are already in the kitchen planning out their day. Her dad William goes to the door and finds the package. “Hmmm, not a note just addressed to the mister and mistress of the house, well I guess I should see what’s inside”. William opens the package and pulls a box from the box. He reads the note attached and his face becomes pale. “What’s it say, daddy”. Says Maria. “Nothing important, it's just a gift from someone wanting donations.” William shows his wife the note and now both of their faces are pale. Maria has learned that this isn’t something they’ll tell her and decides to leave the room.

“What do we do?” Says Olivia to her husband William. “We do nothing, we hold onto it and then decide what to do when the time is right. We do not know anyone who can do this sacrifice and until we do there is no need in worrying”, William says. Olivia is not easily swayed “I want it, I want it all. We have to figure out what to do to get it and I don’t care what it costs.” William loves his wife and life. Magic has been something that has always brought hardship. He married his wife who was a lesser in the magical sense. He was a member of the court. Someone who could take power but decided for a lesser life because he wanted happiness. He thought picking someone with Olivia’s weakness would not make him a choice. He was wrong. He had never seen Olivia so power hungry. This was the first day he saw his wife for what she really was.

William called out to his daughter the love of his life “Maria, come on you’ll be late to school”. Each day he drove her to school and they talked about teachers, life, boys Maria thought were cute, and dreams Maria had of being so important. Each day William reminded Maria that she was important, she was in fact the most important part of his life. Having a daughter gave William purpose and helped him see his place in the world. She was his everything, literally and he was willing to give up anything for her.

When William reached the office he was surprised to see his wife waiting for him in his office. “William, we have to talk about the package. The note said ultimate power. This is a big deal. We can’t just ignore this. I married you, because I knew you were somebody. You have adopted this family lifestyle and tried to be this doubting father since Maria was born. You know who you are and the power you possess. You have to act. The box was given to you. William loved his wife when he married her and loved her when she gave him the gift of fatherhood but he had seen her turn into something he didn’t recognize. William tried to explain to his wife that they were happy, that he grew up with parents who went after power and it never ended in happiness. His wife left, not accepting his words, he saw it in her face.

William was in the middle of closing the day when he felt it. The power filled his every being. The package had been opened completely. The sacrifice had been made. The ultimate power, the ruler of the magic world had been chosen, him. William felt the strength infiltrate every cell of his being. He could control matter at will, he could travel in an instant. His first thought was of his daughter so he went home.

When William entered his home he saw his wife first. “My, darling, how do you feel? Is it everything? I am so happy you were able to get the power and become what you were meant to me and that I was able to aid in the sacrifice to get you there. I knew we were meant for more, it just took a sacrifice that I can accept. William had no idea what his wife meant until he saw the package fully opened and the body laying next to it. His life, his everything, his reason for existing lay next to the box. Williams' tears sprang free as he held the lifeless body of his daughter. The only reason for his regular life and his reason for seeking happiness from the magical realm.

Olivia placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder and said “we can have more children, I sacrificed this one so that we could become more. It’s okay I am young and we can have as many girls or boys as you want now that you are the ultimate power. A shriek of pain filled from the room, growing louder and louder until no sound but the breath of William was heard. He was now immortal. He was now controller of all elements but he had lost his reason for being. His daughter lay dead in his arms by the hand of his wife who allowed her to open the package. The package granted the power but only to the one who allowed innocence to open the package for a sacrifice to grant the gift. William now had everything when it came to power but inside he had nothing but a void that power would never fill.