Life in a Box
Seventy-year-old Emma slowly walked towards the small closet resting in her cosy living room. Her steps were slow and small, but she never felt sorry for how old she was getting. Instead, she was grateful for the extra days she’s been blessed to live. She wished she could say the same about some of her lifelong friends.
She was looking for something in particular, which she knew she hid in this exact spot four decades ago. With a frail, shaky hand freckled with ageing spots and carved with ageing wrinkles, she opened one of her closet’s doors. Tentatively moving a few objects aside, her exhausted, bloodshot eyes landed on her target, and her lips twitched to form a small smile on her fatigued face.
Her hands latched onto a medium-sized cardboard box and pulled it up and to her chest. Leaving the closet door open, Emma shuffled over towards her favourite armchair, and it took half her energy to get herself to finally sit herself down. Cautiously inspecting the box resting on her lap, she bit her lower lip in anticipation. Emma could feel her heartbeat quicken its pace against her chest, and felt a small surge of adrenaline rush through her.
She couldn’t possibly remember the last time she’d examined the contents of this box, but she knew that she needed to today. Her best friend since she was twenty years old had passed away earlier this morning, and Emma was quietly mourning the loss of half of her soul — until she recalled having stored a box of memories somewhere in her house. Now that it was right there, staring at her daringly, Emma was not sure if she was ready to let this box control her emotions.
Despite her growing trepidation towards unleashing the power of this container, Emma knew deep in her heart that she needed to uncover its contents to honour the memory of her best friend. So, with a deep, courageous breath, Emma lifted the flaps of the cardboard box and left it open. Exhaling anxiously, she slowly peered over the box for her eyes to uncover what hidden treasures it held for her safely in its belly.
Carefully picking a photograph out of the box, she gasped softly upon seeing it. Tears welled up in her eyes as she surveyed the polaroid of her and friend, James, sitting in their university’s lab and creating their project model out of scrap materials. Their permanent smiles radiated off the smooth polaroid, and Emma could almost not believe how so young and care-free they looked. James had his arm wrapped around Emma’s shoulders, and Emma was holding a pair of scissors in one hand while the other held onto James’s waist. They were both grinning from ear to ear, and their model looked like an absolute disaster, but back then, they thought it was the most magnificent thing they’ve ever built.
Emma set the photograph aside and picked up another item from the cardboard box, only to reveal a keychain James had made for Emma representing their model. He was celebrating their success in acing their university project, and made a keychain for Emma. Emma laughed as the tears streamed down her face achingly and her heart suffocating with nostalgia. She could remember how much she had laughed when he’d given it to her with the proudest look on his face. She couldn’t believe she still had it this entire time.
As she fumbled for another object in the box, she picked up something and revealed it, only to find herself clutching a grey T-shirt. Furrowing her eyebrows perplexedly, Emma unfolded the shirt to inspect it, and this time, she couldn’t help the tears that fell shamelessly at a rapid speed onto the soft material of the clothing item. It was an aspiring memento to keep, and Emma recalled at once that James had one of his own. On the front of the shirt, a text was printed onto it, saying, “J&E’s Candy Corner.” It was a childish dream now that Emma thought about it. However, back then, James and Emma were certain that one day, they would own their very own candy store and run it together, and base it on their university’s thesis and model.
Sniffling solemnly, Emma found herself hugging the box after placing the shirt back inside. She felt an overwhelmingly large wave of gratitude engulf her and swallow her whole for this box she was holding onto for dear life. It was her life in a box, and no words could ever begin to express how much she appreciated the existence of this box for keeping its contents safe for her to see after forty years.
