Hinnom Magazine Issue 001 by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gehenna & Hinnom
Published: 2017-06-30T04:00:00+00:00

Weeks passed, and Mark had forgotten about the letter. He arrived home one Friday to find a folded piece of paper in the grate of his mail box. He removed it, and found a note from George, the building superintendent, asking him to stop by when he got home. He walked down the hall to George's apartment, hoping a pipe hadn't burst, or some other disaster, and rang the bell.

"Hello, George . . . you wanted to see me?"

"Hi, Mr. Baker, yes. A package came for you today; they let me sign for it. One minute," he stepped over to a table in his hallway, reaching for something there.

"Here you go," George returned, handing Mark a small cardboard box with labels all over it.

"Thank you, George. I appreciate you signing for it for me."

"No problem, Mr. Baker. You have a good one now." Smiling, George closed his door as Mark examined the box. He turned it over and saw his name and address, with “Quimby and Howe, Solicitors,” as the return address.

So, this was the mysterious item they'd mailed him about. He went upstairs to his apartment, put it aside, and set about making his supper.

Once the dinner dishes were cleaned and put away, Mark sat down and used a pair of scissors to cut the tape securing the box and opened it. Inside was a folded letter, and a small wooden box, once polished to a high gloss, but marred heavily with dents and tool marks. He opened the letter, which apologized for the deplorable condition of the box, stating that this was how it came into their possession, clearly from failed attempts to pry it open.

They ascertained what appeared to be a seam, indicating that it should open, but were unable to determine how to open it. As such, they encouraged him to report any valuables he might find inside to the appropriate authorities for tax purposes, and wished him well.

He set the letter aside, and picked up the box. He turned it over, feeling weight inside it, but seeing no obvious way to unlock it. The deep gouges in it showed many attempts at forcing it open, which hadn't seemed to work. He held it in both hands, and smiled, remembering an old cartoon he'd watched.

"Open Sesame . . ." he whispered, using his thumbs to push up on the top half of the box.

It opened smoothly and easily on hidden hinges.

He was so startled, he nearly dropped it. In the bottom, set in a cushion of black satin, was a ring. It was gold, but a darker shade of the yellow than he'd ever seen in gold jewelry, with a deep blue gemstone speckled with gilded dots, resembling stars in the night sky. Toward the bottom, the dots changed to red, and finally to black at the very edge. The sides of the ring surrounding the stone were engraved with what appeared to be dragons reaching toward the center. It looked like it had been made by hand, not nearly as refined as the rings you might see in a modern display case.

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