The Box and the Shark

A few days ago I never would have believed it.

I am a sensible person. I go to work, pay my bills on time, feed my goldfish, and hang out with my friends on the weekend. I certainly don’t believe in magic or magical gift giving items, but that’s exactly what I got from a friend a week ago.

They told me that this plain brown paper box would give me whatever I needed.

I thought they were too full of beer.

Still, I opened the box when I got home only to find, surprise! Nothing.

I had placed the box on my backyard patio table and pretty much just forgot about it for the next couple of days.

The trouble started yesterday when I was cleaning off that particular table for our weekly D&D night. I ended up knocking the box off of the table and out of the once empty box spilled out a massive aquarium that took up nearly half my patio!

I scrambled to close up the box before something else could come out it and after slamming the thing shut; I sat staring up at the new addition to my home. Heck, this aquarium was probably worth more than my tiny home!

That’s when I saw the tank’s lone occupant. I felt the blood drain from my face. Why of all things would the stupid magic box give me the one thing that I was terrified of?

It circled and swam back to the far end of the tank and I took off to grab my phone.

I tried calling my friend who had given me the box but all I got was her voicemail. My next call was to my friend who was currently in Florida.

I listened to the phone ring and ring, praying to God that he wasn’t out on a boat or in the middle of a dive.

“Leah?”

I let out a giggle of nerves, “Cole, thank God! I need your help!”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I had this shark show up in my backyard and –”

“Wait, what are you talking about Leah? What shark? Like you got a little sand shark or something? I thought you hated sharks.”

“It’s, it’s a long story Cole and I don’t think you would believe me if I told you but who do I call to come and get this demon fish out of my backyard?”

“Well that depends. What kind of shark is it?”

“I don’t know. You’re the fish expert not me. Hang on, let me send you a picture.”

I timidly crept up to the aquarium and held my phone as close as I dared, taking a picture of the thing as it swam by.

“Did you get it?” I asked backing away from the glass again.

“No way! How did you get your hands on a Salmon Shark?”

“A magic box,” I grumbled.

There was a slight pause from Cole before he continued, “Leah, that shark is from the coast of Alaska. Did you rob from a smuggling operation or something?”

“Let’s go with ‘or something’. Now can you help me get rid of it or do I have to take my chances with my local animal control?”

“Well he looks like just a baby Salmon Shark so I might be able to talk to a friend who runs an aquarium in Iowa that might take him. Let me give him a call and I’ll get back to you.”

“Ok, thanks Cole. You’re the best!”

“Sure thing. Oh, and Leah?”

“Yeah?”

“Make sure to feed him. They like salmon and herring.” I could hear the smile in his voice before he hung up the phone.

“YOU FEED HIM!” I yelled into my phone. He knew I was scared of sharks, even if they were small.

I glared at the thing swimming peacefully in the tank. I saw no reason why the magic box thought I needed a shark but at least he wouldn’t be my problem soon.

Angrily, I tossed the paper box into the tank where it behaved, well, not like a paper box and sank to the bottom almost immediately; the shark nosing it curiously.

“All yours buddy.” I grumbled again turning around only to find man dressed in solid black standing directly behind me, his face coved by a thin black ski mask.

“Don’t mind if I do.” The man growled and grabbed me by the throat, slamming me back against the tank glass.

“I’ll be taking that box. It’s a shame you didn’t just go back inside after talking to your friend.” He picked me up and threw me half into the tank, his grip holding me under.

I fought and thrashed but it made no difference. His grip was too strong. I opened my eyes underwater only to see the shark streaking right towards me. I screamed and squeezed my eyes shut waiting for the piercing feeling of shark teeth against my skin but instead the pressure on my neck was released.

I threw myself back coughing and sputtering as the man in black lay screaming on the ground, his arm bleeding profusely and the shark hovering in the corner of the aquarium nearest to him.

I grabbed my phone and quickly called the cops.

Everything was resolved pretty quickly after that. The man in black was taken away and I was given a clean bill of health but instructed to get checked out by the hospital later anyway.

After everyone had left I got another call from Cole.

“Hey Leah. Good news, my friend from Iowa can take your little buddy but it will take him a few weeks to get everything ready. Will that be ok with you?”

“Yeah will be fine Cole,” I said smiling at the shark, “I’m in no rush.”