Box of Other Worlds

There I was, thirty-two years around the sun, living in a world filled with mysteries; or so that's what I thought.

The carrier drone had left a package out on my front porch this afternoon, though I was sure I hadn't ordered anything. I could see the unwanted act through my door camera as I continued to ignore the computer assignments in front of me. I never quite trusted those carrier drones, snooping around in this futuristic era of technology. I could only think of the poor souls who lost their jobs to such devices. Truly a devastation no one could account for, and yet here we were, in this so-called future of “possibilities”; a world consisting of mainly mechanism, and the other seventy-eight percent was homelessness.

“Daydreaming again, are we?” Ursa, my boss, snuck up behind me as I spun around in my chair. "You know, I've told you before, and I am going to tell you again. You work far too much, take some time off, Rey. You need the rest!"

I scoffed, "What? So, another drone can take over my job, no thanks."

She chuckled, Ursa was more like a best friend than she was a boss, "well, if you won't go home, lets at least go for lunch."

"Don't have to ask me twice for that one." I said, patting my half-full belly from the breakfast I ate only a couple hours prior. We both grabbed our things and hurried out the office doors.

As we walked down the weary sidewalk of 6th Avenue, a street that was for once, not littered with technology; we came upon several of the plebians that had lost their entire lively hood to the new world society. Sorrowful and abandoned, it made my heart ache to see them strolling along for survival, on a planet that doesn't care. Nit picking at any scraps of food they could find or collecting rubbish to sell in order to feed their families. They were nothing but mere figments of the world's imagination now, and I feared we soon would be too.

"Rey... Rey, are you okay?" Ursa shook me back to reality.

"Sorry. Just hate seeing these people like this. I wish there was something we could do, Ursa... I'm scared, " I sighed in defeat.

"So, that's what's been on your mind lately." She gave me one of her warm, one arm hugs and I rested my head on her shoulder as we continued to walk down the path to our regular lunch spot, Odair's. It was one of the sole pubs that still existed in the future of 2067, that was also discreetly run by humans, and machines that were strictly man-made and man operated. It was our little slice of heaven.

"Good aft' noon, ladies!" Ol' Greg, the barkeep, greeted us warmly. It was always a relief seeing his enthusiastic smile in these dark times, I will never understand how he does it.

"Hi, Greg!" Ursa and I said in unison.

"The usual?" He asked not taking his eyes up from the counter, already starting on our drinks.

"You got er'!" We mimicked again as we sat at the bar. Greg handed me my ale and slid Ursa her gin and tonic. There was something about a beer coming out of the tap... rather than in a can or a bottle, it just tasted smoother, fresher. I'm happy to announce that we at least still have that.

"Lunch?" He liked to keep it short and sweet.

"Yeah, hand us one of them menus." I motioned to the one sitting on the counter behind Greg. He gave a slight nod and handed it to us, continuing on with his own work of wiping the bar; he did that just to look busy.

Odair's had an old Irish pub vibe to it, as did Gregs accent, but it was quaint and homey. It reminded me of when times weren't so tough, and we could come sit down with friends during happy times. I grew up in the era when all this technology was just kicking off, so everything was still... normal. Odair's was nostalgic. It seemed to keep us humans sane.

Finally, after much debate, I decided on my usual of battered fish, French fries and a side of tossed salad. Ursa only ordered her salad.

As we stuffed our faces, or rather, I stuffed mine and Ursa nibbled on one little vegetable at a time. I couldn't help but to think about that package. What on Earth could it be? I don't have friends, or family for that matter. Everyone was dead, long gone... or so that's what I was told from a distant cousin before she passed too. No one I could think of that would send me a gift of that size. Nor could it be work related, since carriers always dropped them off right at the building. Where did this thing come from?

"You know, on second thought, maybe I will cut the day short." I professed, still stuffing my face.

Ursa beamed with a laugh, "good girl!"

Determined, I had to figure out what was in that package, it didn't make sense; and I'd be damned if I let it sit there any longer. What if the thing blew up my house! And with that radical thought, I had to leave. Gathered my things, said my goodbyes, and ran the fuck home.

As I walked up the pathway to my little, rundown house, I got this eerie feeling and stopped dead in my tracks. I felt sick but intrigued and then I could see a letter resting on top of it; slowly I continued my extent up the porch stairs, picking up the letter, it read:

Dear Rey,

This may come to a shock to you, but I hope you understand. Please, take pity and forgiveness in the situation. I know how smart you are and will ease the pain of planet Earth with this package from the Universe. Inside you will find the cure to the endless torture that I had to leave the planet to find, I know you will only do good. Do NOT let anyone else see this. With time, you will know what to do. I will see you soon, my shining star.

Love,

Mom

As I stood there in complete shock for what felt like eons, I finally came to; hesitantly, I sat down on the step and opened the package in my lap, one sleeve at a time. Out came a black box with silver stars stretched across the soft fabric that coated it with a sincere carefulness.

"How... beautiful!" I said out loud, completely flustered by this turn of events. I lifted the lid and my eyes sparkled like the fourth of July.

What I held in my lap, was the Universe itself.