Pandora is given a box. Quite simply, she must never open it.
And Pandora is normally very good at following rules.
Until she isn't.
Out comes her curiosity and out comes the contents of her box.
It's not all the disasters you've read about in t...
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𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙. THE DEADLIEST OF THE DEADLY
•••
My breath caught in my throat as I read over several chapters, many of the pages discoloured and worn with age. Time escaped me, the window outside darkening into night again as I stood there.
A series of footsteps echoed behind me, bouncing around amongst the tall shelves. I spun my head to the right before swivelling to the left.
The subtle tap of shoes against the worn carpet halted directly behind me.
"My, my, ma cherie." Her chuckles bounced around the bookcases. "Do you plan to read the whole thing here?"
I forced a smile. "No, sorry. I just got caught up."
"That's alright. We're closing now but if you still want to borrow the book, dear, pop your head around again in the morning."
"Will do." I glanced through the alphabetical order of the book, slotting the book into place. "H-have a nice evening."
"You too, lovely."
I shot a quick glance over my shoulder as I began to walk out of the haze of books, my lips parting as the woman removed the book and placed it back into the corner.
Where I'd found it—away from the others, out of order.
I couldn't get out of their fast enough.
Outside, a white blanket adorned the pavement, untouched and pristine. Damp seeped in through my shoes, the snow covering everything in an unfamiliar cast.
When I'd left home, everything had been visible—now everything was shielded, hidden away.
My steps led themselves back down the roads and alleyways to my apartment, my thoughts consuming the rest of my consciousness.
Beast was the sin of Lust. I knew that from the very beginning.
What I didn't know was that the Seven Deadly Sins could be provoked if their names were to be called out in the presence of another Sin.
Like I'd done.
I rounded a corner, my chest beginning to constrict.
In the stories, Pandora opens a box, unleashing all seven sins into the world. I'd unleashed Beast. Lust.
In the fairytales, Pandora is at fault for the suffering of the human race.
I rounded another corner, the buildings slipping past me.
But this was no folklore.
I stopped walking.
I wasn't in a fairytale or a fable out of a book of myths and legends. I was human.
