....out in the field she
came upon a chest. Stepping all around the chest at a safe distance of
course, she eyed it up and down. Now in front of the chest, she looked
at the grass. Nothing of a mark which might have suggested just how it
got there. Grass was growing evenly, not a blade looked as if it had
been stepped on.
"Looked old", she thought. "I do wonder just what could be inside?"
Taking another walk around this time a little closer. She could almost
touch it if she were to extend her hand. She didn't want to touch it,
not just yet. She could see the detailing on the lock, and the handles.
Strange drawings, could have been writing, or perhaps a design of some
sort. The hinges old, rusty and very uneven on the surface. Much like
the frame which looked like someone had beaten the thing with a hammer
long ago. About halfway through this second walk around, she turned and
gave the landside a hard look. No signs anywhere of even a path someone
might have come and dropped it off. Just grassy fields as far as the eye
could see. At this point she was committed to trying to see if it could
be opened. Moving back around to the front of the box giving it one more
look. She gave the lid a little push, and nothing. It did not budge.
Stepped over to the left front side corner of the box, and crouching
down to get some leverage, she pushed again. It moved! Harder, she
pushed and harder. The grinding of the old hinges rubbing rusted metal
against rusted metal in a 'tat-tat-tat-tat' rhythm. She pushed harder.
An eerie squeal, told of her success, as she side stepped along the left
side of the box pushing the lid as high as she could. Letting go of the
lid, she pushed her hair back from her face with one hand then the
other. Leaving dirt and rust on her face where her hands brushed the
surface. Smudges much like the markings a young warrior would have going
into battle. Wasn't much doubt about it, that lid wasn't going to come
down on its own. She wasn't even sure if she had enough weight to her to
pull it back down.
Lots of fabric filled the inside of the chest. Clothes she would have
guessed, but could there be more in there? She stepped back around to
the front of the chest and reaching in she touched the first of the
pieces of clothes. Thick and burly it was, but there was more. She
grabbed it as hard as she could and flung it out to the side. One by
one, doing the same with each piece of clothing she would come to.
Until...
"What is this down in the corner?" She ponder as she reached deeper into
the chest. So deep she was unbalanced on the side rim and ...
(Aine 2010)
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