The Chocolate Box

I wish something interesting would happen. It was raining today, and I was stuck inside this office with nothing to do but stare out my small window. I felt trapped in my small room.

My phone buzzed. Someone here was nice enough to connect my phone to the camera outside, so I’d at least have something to watch. There was a notification, the camera spotted motion outside. An intruder was not what I had in mind. I opened my camera app and saw a drone dropping off a package outside the door. I didn’t order anything and pondered what it could be.

I opened the door just in time to hear the drone buzzing off, and brought in the package. It came with a card, which I opened first.

“To Dave, inside is the most delightful find, keep that in mind. Have some fun, we’ve got your behind. Feel better soon. Your friends, The Watchers.”

The note was signed in cursive. Who were ‘The Watchers?’ This had to be a prank. I opened the package and inside was a very colorful box of chocolates. Included in the chocolate box was twenty four chocolates and an extra note.

“Each chocolate is a new adventure, with visions abound where will you venture? It will seem a lot of time has passed, when you realize it’s only been a minute, you’ll be aghast. The fun comes with a warning though, only enjoy three chocolates today or your life will blow,” the note said.

Yah, this was a joke. But the chocolates looked good and my mouth was salivating. Since they were delivered in a sealed package, I guess it was safe to try one. Even if the chocolate sent me to the hospital, at least I could sue the manufacturer.

I picked up a chocolate and underneath was a name, ‘Ocean Adventure.’ It was probably salted caramel. I checked the time, it had just turned five.

I ate the chocolate and felt sea sick. The room started spinning and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was on a boat. I looked around and saw sailors running around.

I grabbed someone running past me and asked, “What’s happening?”

“We’re being attacked by pirates. Why don’t you have your rifle? Here, take mine. I’ll grab another,” he said and shoved a rifle in my hand and ran off.

“What? Attacked by pirates. How did I get here?” I asked. I heard a loud bang and turned around. There were pirates swinging on to our ship from theirs.

I was scared and pointed my rifle at one of the pirates. I wondered if I could I really be here or were the chocolates laced with something?

The pirate saw me and fired a pistol in my direction but missed. I fired back, also missing. He took out a sword and ran at me, then knocked the rifle out of my hands.

“What’s happening?” I shouted. The pirate put his sword on my neck and said, “We’re plundering your boat. We’re taking your loot and leaving, aarrggg.”

“That’s fine, take it all. Just let me live,” I pleaded. He walked behind me and tied my hands behind my back. Another pirate had captured a sailor, made him get on his knees and tied his hand behind his back. They started going through our pockets and taking things out.

“Sorry to steal and run, but we’re very busy and really must be going,” the pirate said.

“Can you untie us first?” I shouted. The pirates ignored me and started walking back to their boat.

“Don’t worry, I have a plan,” the sailor said and grabbed a small knife from his pocket. He cut through his ropes then cut mine off. He grabbed two swords and handed me one.

“Stop right there, pirate scum,” the sailor shouted. The two pirates turned around.

“You think you can stop us?” one of them said, and the pirates drew swords.

“Wait, I don’t know how to use…” I started to say and the pirates charged. I thrust my sword at them, it was like my arm had taken secret fencing lessons I didn’t know about. I parried, dodged and countered like an expert before finally cutting the pirate down. I looked over at the sailor, who’d been knocked over. The pirate lifted his sword to stab the sailor.

“Hey, back off,” I shouted and lunged. I stabbed the pirate before he could kill my new friend.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Of course, you helped me. This is payback,” I said and reached out to shake his hand.

He grabbed mine, then I felt dizzy again. Everything was getting blurry. I was back in my room, sitting in the same place I was before. I looked at the time, it was 5:01. Wow, that really was only a minute.

This was great, I have to try another one of these chocolates. I picked one up and it said, “Safari adventure.” I always wanted to go on a safari. I took it, sat down and the room started spinning again. I was now sitting in the passenger side of a Jeep driving through the jungle.

The driver stopped, pointed out the window and said, “Look at that. A pride of lions. They’re eating a gazelle.”

“That’s so cool,” I said. He turned to me and smiled. The lions looked up from there meal and stared at us.

“They see us,” The driver said.

“Is that bad?” I asked.

“Not unless they start coming towards us,” the driver said. The lions started walking towards us.

“Start driving,” I said. The driver hit the gas. The lions started chasing us.

“Don’t worry, they can’t catch up to us,” The driver said.

“Aaahh, watch out,” I shouted. There was an elephant standing in front of the Jeep. We swerved and the car tipped over. I climbed out of the car. The driver was stuck and calling for help. There was no way to get his door open. He reached his hand towards mine, and I grabbed on to it and pulled him out. We turned around and the giant elephant was staring at us.

“Back away slowly,” the driver said. As we were backing up, we heard a roar behind us. We turned around and saw the lions.

“Crap,” was all I managed to say. The elephant charged and the lions ran away. The elephant turned around, waived his trunk in the air and trumpeted. Everything got fuzzy again and I was back in my room. That was incredible, I had to try another.

One last adventure, I had to choose carefully. I picked two chocolates up this time, so I could compare them. One said “Magical adventure,” and the other said, “Crime adventure.” I always liked crime shows, so I ate that one. I got dizzy again, closed my eyes and opened them in a police station. I walked passed a mirror and saw myself wearing a police uniform.

“Alright, I’m a cop,” I said.

“And one of the best cops we have, Officer McGee,” someone said and patted me on the shoulder. I turned and looked at his name tag.

“Thanks, Sgt. Smith,” I said.

“Let’s hit the road,” Sgt. Smith said.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You don’t remember? We’re arresting Jimmy Two-Shoes, the head of an organized crime group,” Sgt. Smith said.

I noticed Jimmy Two-Shoe’s poster on the wall. It said wanted for murder, robbery, smuggling, securities fraud, and witness tampering. There was nothing about shoes.

“Why do they call him Jimmy Two-Shoes?” I asked.

“Because he always wears two shoes,” he said.

“Oh, but doesn’t everybody?” I asked.

“Not when were home or trying to relax. But Jimmy does,” Sgt. Smith said.

“Let’s go get this sick piece of garbage,” I said.

We walked to the squad car and drove to Jimmy Two-Shoes place of business. We walked up to the door and Sgt. Smith pulled out his gun. I pulled mine out too.

“Kick the door down at three, two, and one…” Sgt. Smith said and we kicked the door in.

“Freeze,” I yelled. Jimmy Two-Shoes and some of his goonies stood up and started firing machine guns at us.

“Take cover,” Sgt. Smith said. I flipped over a couch and we ducked behind it.

“You’ll never take us alive, copers,” Jimmy Two-Shoes shouted. They stopped shooting, and before they could reload me and Sgt. Smith stood up and fired. He shot the Goonies and I shot Jimmy Two-Shoes in the face.

“That’s for never taking off your shoes, sicko,” I said. There was one goony left alive. We handcuffed him and put him in the car. I got dizzy again and was back in my room. That felt amazing. I looked at the clock, it was only five o three. I wondered who the watchers were, and why they had sent this to me.

There was a knocking at my door. I walked over and opened it.

“Doctor Berkowitz, I’m glad you’re finally back. I have something amazing to tell you. But first, do you have the medications I’m supposed to try? I’ve been waiting all day. I’d like to go home,” I said.

“You tried the medications. They were in the chocolates. Thank you for helping us with the clinical trial, they’ll pay you at the front desk. But first, how was your experience. Were the adventures accurately described? If not, we have to reformulate the chemicals,” Doctor Berkowitz said.

“Oh, the medicine was the chocolate. That makes so much sense now. Yes, the adventures were amazing, and very accurate. They really helped to fix my depression,” I said.

“That’s why we’re making them. We’re hoping they can fix everyone’s depression,” Dr. Berkowitz said.

“Before I leave, I have to know something. Why did you deliver the chocolates by drone? And who are the watchers?” I asked.

“We have a lot of patients and unfortunately don’t have time to deliver each box of chocolates in person. And the doctors running the clinical trial, including myself, were watching you on the camera to make sure you were safe. We still don’t know all the side effects yet,” Dr. Berkowitz said.

“Oh, you’re the watchers. Thank you so much for the experience,” I said.

“Glad we could help,” Dr. Berkowitz replied.

I started to walk to the front desk to get my money and Dr. Berkowitz said, “You can keep the rest of the chocolates,” and handed me the box.

“Thanks,” I said and smiled.

“Just remember, don’t take any more today. And don’t take more than three in a twenty four hour period, they are potentially addictive,” Dr. Berkowitz said.

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.

I walked to the desk and they gave me a check.

“Two thousand dollars. That’s great,” I said.

“We pay well,” The lady at the desk said.

I walked back to my car, carefully placed the chocolates on my passenger seat and buckled the seat-belt over them, just in case.

I drove home smiling. I was excited for three more adventures tomorrow.

Copyright © November 9th, 2022 by Alex H. Mittelman. All Rights reserved.