The Box

The first thing little Carl noticed was the blood. Actually, the shiny wrapping paper was what drew his attention but the blood was the thing he really noticed at first. It wasn't the first time Carl had received a box like this. Last Christmas, Christmas morning in fact, little Carl had raced down the stairs to find the largest present just sitting on the living room floor. Just waiting for him. So, as any little boy on Christmas morning would do, Carl tore open the paper and saw the big picture of the bicycle on the box he had shown his mom the day after Thanksgiving when they bundled up and made the traditional holiday trek for the 'after holiday' shopping event his mother loved so well. And on that morning, as he was ripping into the paper, he remembered how excited he was and how pretty the paper was. Shiny with a huge bow on top. And so this morning, with no one yelling wake up, Carl was a little surprised to see the same paper but a much smaller box sitting on his floor. He quickly did a mental check of the season and what day it was. "No, it's not my birthday", he thought. It wasn't even close to his birthday. And it definitely wasn't Christmas. He would have remembered that. No, this was just a regular school day and nothing, absolutely nothing was remarkable about this date. "What could it be?" he muttered to himself. "Carl! Are you getting up?" echoed through the house as his mother prepared breakfast for him and his father. She had lost her job shortly after Christmas last year and now she kept busy with the house and job hunting. "Yes Mom. What's in the box?" he yelled back at her. "What box? What are you talking about?" Now he was really curious about it. He knew if he showed her and she saw the blood she would really freak. "Never mind, Mom. I was just kidding. I'll be down in a little bit. I just need to get dressed." Carl had been too quick to alert his mom. In fact, he wasn't sure mom or dad should see this. Dad would get mad at him and it wasn't even his fault. "Blood? Why is there a pretty box sitting in a pool of blood?" Carl knew if his mom saw it after she left she would flip out and then she would show up at school and he'd have to talk to the counselor again. He really didn't mind going into her office 'cause she really was cute but she would ask the stupid questions again. And Carl would feel small again just like back at the old school. When they left a couple of years ago all he could remember was the yelling and mom moving out for awhile but then she came back. Dad never really said it was Carl's fault but he knew he never looked at him the same after the move. And all he could remember the first week was his mom telling him things would be different at this school. And it was a pretty scary time. First the police asked him questions and then he was made to talk to that old bald guy that smelled like chlorine all the time. "Why is this happening again?" echoed in the back of his mind but he tried his best to ignore it. "Mom will really freak out and then dad's gonna hate me again." was all he could think about. When he was very young, just a toddler, the doctor's had taken a big interest in Carl. Close to death, twice, Carl was somewhat of a marvel to the local hospital. Specialists had flown in from around the country just to see the "miracle" boy. Ans his mother would call him that from time to time. He was never really sure why they were so curious. But there were long stretches of time that Carl really couldn't account for. And it was only after the last examination that his mother had put a stop to any more testing. Carl was special but he didn't really understand the "why". Why was he different? And if these really smart doctors couldn't figure it out then he knew he would probably never really understand. So, one day Carl was tired of all the tests and broke down in tears. And his mother had told the funny smelling bald man "no more tests". The bald man had shown up at the house one time after that but his mother had called the police. With a verbal warning the bald man drove away. But Carl could still remember the haunted look in the man's eyes as he looked up at Carl's window before he drove up. There were still so many questions and very little answers. And now there was another box. And also a mess on the floor. Carl walked to the bathroom down the hall and said, "I better get started..." "Hey, what you doing little man?" Carl's dad always referred to him that way and he sort of liked the phrase. "Just getting ready for school." His dad looked him over as only a father could and rustled his hair. With a smile he said, "Well you better brush your hair or your mom with have a kanipchin." Carl really never understood what a kanipchin was but his father liked saying it. Especially in reference to his mother. "Sure Dad. Are you gonna be late again tonight?" Carl had noticed all the suppers his father had missed and the worried look on his mom's face. "No. Should be home around 6. Who are you, the Gestapo?" That was another term Carl really didn't understand but it never occurred to him to ask his father what that meant. With a smile Carl rushed on past his dad and headed to the restroom. As reality sunk back in Carl still couldn't kick the uneasy feeling about the box or what it would mean if his mother found it. But for now he'd just have to clean it up and hide it. Maybe the answers would come after school. Mom always went shopping on Wednesdays and Carl knew he would have the house to himself for an hour or so. And then he would open it. And then he would find out if it was happening again. My name is Rueuhy and I approve this blog.