Mystery box submission

Through the window, everything was black and white. The city lights glistened on the pavement after the rain, and Penny sat on her bed and finished listening to a podcast before heading out.

Just another day when the world seemed to have its own rhythm, Penny wondered when she would fall in sync. She gently kissed her cat Cloud’s head, looked him in the eyes, and told him she’d be back later as she got off her bed. She put on her rain boots, the fluffy scarf she’d gotten as a gift from a former lover, her raincoat, and her keys, and she was on her way.

As she made her way to the train, she saw something from the corner of her eye just across the street. Penny thought she saw some–, but it couldn't be. She disregarded whatever glimpse she thought she had seen, and kept walking through the monochromatic city streets. She felt It was easier just to stick to the script, though deep down she hoped for something more even if she couldn’t quite put it into words.

Penny went up the stairs of the train station onto her platform. As she waited she ran into Charlie. Charlie was a friend from her college days. He quickly engaged in conversation, but out of the corner of her eye there SHE was again. Penny excused herself from the conversation and ran as quickly as she could to the other side of the platform to try and catch up to her.

Penny scrambled through the crowd, and almost out of breath she finally caught up with the mysterious woman. She tapped her on the shoulder, and said “excuse me, why are you glowing?” Penny was still catching her breath when she finally got a good look at the woman's face. It was as if she was staring into a mirror. A glimpse, a momentary reflection in the color of something she hadn’t seen in a long time.

The mysterious woman smiled with grace and gave Penny a cardboard box wrapped in a soft red ribbon that made a bow on the top. Penny grabbed the box, and before she could say anything, she looked back up, and the mysterious woman disappeared into the crowd of the passing train.

Now, Penny was left with this box and so many questions. As she sat in the window seat of the train, she held the box and decided to wait to open it. She smiled to herself as she imagined that this might be an attempt of those people to reach out about her car's extended warranty, but it was obviously not. She knew this was something more.

Penny had fallen asleep on the train as she was heading back home, and woke up as she felt the warm sun rays caress her face. She looked out the window and saw the lush green mountains, the colorful birds, and familiar places, and knew she was close. She looked at her lap, there was the package still. She had not imagined it, it was real. She put her ear up to the package, and thought she could hear something, but, it was hard to tell.

She arrived at her destination, and she felt the fresh air fill her lungs as she stepped outside. The colorful flowers seemed to dance as the breeze swayed them from side to side, and Penny’s heart glowed with emerald warmth.

As she got to her cabin on top of the mountain she shed the layers of clothing from her long journey, took off her boots, picked up the package, and in the silent solitude she listened, and heard a beat. She pulled on the bow end and removed the bow from the package. She grabbed her keys and used them as a makeshift blade to cut through the tape that was sealing the package.

Inside the package, there was a beautiful olivewood box, and Penny could hear the beat even louder. She ran outside through the field of grass with the olivewood box. She lifted the lid off, and there was a glowing live-beating heart that lit up the night with golden and emerald light. Water started pouring out of the heart, and Penny felt like she kept the pace of this rhythm. She felt tears streaming down her face as she reconnected with herself as heard the calling of her soul.