New Beginnings

The office

As I pull away for the driveway I turn on the radio to see what songs are playing. Of course it's the top 10 songs that came our 5 weeks ago and all they do is repeat the same verse over and over to a good beat. That's all music is these days and it's shit! None of the songs have meaning unless its to throw shade at another singer.

I pull into the office and step out of my car to be greeted by flashing cameras.

"Mrs. Woods, what's the latest news on the resent murders!?" A news reporter asks.

"Mrs. Woods! Do you have a comment on the killers notes?!" Another asks.

"Do you believe it's connected to your parents, hence you taking on the case?!" One yells.

I shove past people and finally get inside, I've never been more happy to slam a door in a face of someone. How dare that person bring up my parents in front of recording cameras and voice recorders!

"Good morning Mrs. Woods, I see you met the infestation that's rampaging the parking lot." My secretary joking says.

I laugh a little and walk up to her desk as she stands to grab my mail.  Here I am Mrs. Woods, the best detective in the building who makes killer cookies. Marcy holds out two small letters and one package in brown paper.

"Your uncle stopped by, said to give you the package in person and for you to open it when alone." She tells me happily.

I nod and take the items. The box is the size of my human palm.

"Thank you Marcy, which uncle?" I ask seeing no name from who it was sent from.

"William? Oh no tch... the one with glasses and a vest." She tells me frowning she can't remember.

"Ah! My uncle Robert, thank you." I say walking towards my office.

I unlock the door and step inside to once again lock the door, something I do regularly. Only Marcy and Jeff have the spare keys to get in, each knowing when and which people in without asking first. I set the letters and package on my glass desk and open the curtains, peering out the the new reporters. Going back to my desk, I sit in my chair and unwrap my package.

"It's a box?" I ask myself.

I beautifully carved dark oak box sits on my beck. Flowers and vines decorate the top but looking at the sides you see flames and people suffering. I trace the sides to find the key hole but there's none but a thin line shows it can be opened. I gently lift the top while holding the bottom tightly but it doesn't budge.  I see a note in the brown paper where the box sat.

"Open when you are ready to uncover the answer."

I know it's uncle trendy's handwriting because of the way he writes the word "to". I look the the box and hold my ear to it, gently shaking it. Very little movement can be heard inside but something is in it. I turn it over on its side and see a slender like people on the bottom but they are horribly disfigured. I sit it down when a knock is heard from my door, followed by the door being unlocked.

Marcy pokes her head in, smiling.

"You're uncle is here Mrs. Woods!" She says happily.

She opens the door for him as Slenderman thanks her, stepping in as she closes the door behind him. I stand up and greet him with a hug, changing into our natural form. He towers over me of course but he knows I run the show when anyone steps in my office. I motion for him to sit and he does.

"How are you today Nichol?" He asks in a deep voice.

I sit behind my desk and throw away the brown paper but keep the note.

"Good, trendy sent me something." I tell him placing my hand on the box.

He holds out his hand and I pick it up, he looks at my hand as I gently pace it in his massive palm. He shuffles uncomfortably and quickly places it on my desk.

"Nichol, please don't open that. Ever." He says trying to hide the edge in his voice.

"Why?" I ask picking it back up.

"Nothing good came from that box, and if you think it has something to do with your parents it didn't." He says standing.

I peer at him as he shuffles uncomfortably. He's nervous but telling the truth. I look down at the box and turn it on its side to revel the bottom.

"Then what about this? Those are slender like people." I state.

"Those were not slender people!" He snaps at me.

I jump up and yell at him even though I know it's wrong.

"You will not speak to me that way in my office! Tell me what you know about this box!" I demand in my voice that makes men fear me.

"You don't need to know about it! If I were you I'd get rid of it!" He says in a threatening voice before stomping out.

Before the door swings close I yell out,

"I didn't think it had something to do with them!!"