The Package
Elmer’s feet made a clattering sound as he walked down the gravel road to the mailbox at the bottom of the hill. It was a cold morning. The sun was up but still quite frigid. The nice thing about being in the mountains is the silence. It was just him, nature, and nothing else.
He kept forgetting how down the mountain in the morning was colder than the peak where the house was. As he got to the bottom of the hill, he saw a brown box next to the mailbox. He was not expecting any packages. Opening the mailbox, he took out the bills and magazines shoved them under his arm as he bent down to pick up the package. It was surprisingly heavy but manageable. Turning around, he walked back up the hill to his cottage, wondering what was in the box.
Entering the house, he placed the mail down on the counter and picked up a pair of scissors from the kitchen. The package was addressed to him but did not have a return address. What was peculiar was that the box was neatly wrapped with old brown paper tied with white twine. Comically retro, he thought to himself. Placing the scissors down, he carefully untied the twine and took off the paper, revealing a white box. Opening the box on top of a bed of pinkish tissue paper, there was a handwritten letter that read:
“My dear Elmer. My love. My joy. By the time you get this package, know that I am already on my way. Your one true love Emily.”
Elmer dropped the package as the contents fell onto the floor. His face turned white in shock, trembling. He quickly grabbed his keys and ran out of the house screaming. As the letter floated down onto the stained wooden floor, it had the watermark of the Saint Easton’s Mental Hospital.