The Box

• Amity Mayo, Grade 4, Albion Park Public School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Beyond Words 2015' competition

It was one day before my birthday and Keeley and I were heading over to Mackenzie’s house for a sleepover. We arrived at 5:00pm. Mackenzie lead us into her house and showed us where we were sleeping. She lead us up the stairs to the attic. There were two beds and one wardrobe that looked rather scary. Inside the wardrobe were old clothes, shoes and jewellery. “This jellewery is from years ago,” said Mackenzie. “The clothes belonged to my great, great, great grandparents. And the shoes,” she whispered, “well the shoes were bought in a garage sale in 1959.”
After Mackenzie had shown us around, her mother called us down to dinner. In the middle of the table there were all sorts of meats and all around them were lots of yummy salads. After dinner, we went back up to the attic to get ready for bed.
Mackenzie slept in her bed in her room and Keeley and I slept in the attic. I lay in bed trying to get to sleep but it was no use, so I decided to explore. I crept over to the wardrobe but that was locked, so I went to try the door. That was locked too! But over in the corner was a box, a big, brown box.
I opened the box and inside was a note, which said: ‘The window is open as you can see. If you close it, the lock on the wardrobe will unlock.’
I folded the note in half and placed it under my pillow. Then I went to close the window. I saw that the lock on the wardrobe had disappeared. As I was opening the wardrobe, I heard footsteps behind me. I jumped into the wardrobe and shut it tightly.
Behind all the clothes and old shoes and jewellery, I found a box. I opened the box and inside I found another note that said: ‘I am watching you!’
Then I saw a little box underneath the note. I opened the little box and inside was a key and on the note it said: ‘Attic door!’
I ran to the attic door and unlocked it. There I saw a girl. The girl who was holding a box, threw it at me then took the key, locked the door and ran away.
I decided to open the box and see what was inside it. In the box, I saw a ball and next to it I saw a key. I put the key in the ball and suddenly realised that I was standing in a different world. Then I saw a giant box in the middle of the land. In the box, I saw a fairy. It flew towards me and tapped me on the head.
Sparkles and jewels flew up around me. Then I woke up in my bed in my room. I sat up in my bed and said, “It was just a dream!” Suddenly my family ran in and shouted, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMITY!!!”