A Collection of Odd Stories (Aim To Engage Contest - Prompts 3-30)

The Box (Thriller)

Roder strolled through the forest, humming to himself. The sun shone brightly upon his face, its golden rays illuminating his appearance in an angelic glow.

Today was a great day. Roder had found several gold plated items on his scavenging trips that day, and they'd sell for a pretty penny. Maybe he could finally get that flat screen tv he always wanted.

Roder frowned as he spotted a tendril of smoke rising into the sky in the distance, reaching up towards the sky like a huge, ghostly arm. A crash? Or maybe more valuables?

He sprinted forward, hurrying to get there before the other scavengers did. A leaf snapped against his face as he pushed it back. He snarled, cutting the stem with his machete.

Maybe this find would change his lousy life on a lousy planet. Global warming had taken a toll, causing Earth to collapse completely. It was now mostly a toxic wasteland.

The rich quickly got on rockets and flew out into a space colony known as "The Arc", while the others stayed behind on the slowly withering planet. Slowly, the middle class saved up enough money to get on spacecrafts of their own, leaving the poor to fend for themselves.

The safe places that the Earth soon gained the name "Pits".

Roder was one of them, surviving everyday fearing that he won't see tomorrow. The toxic air was slowly spreading, and it wouldn't be long before there were no safe zones left on this godforsaken rock. It'd just be one huge, toxic cloud.

There were still companies offering to fly you to the Arc, for a price of course. Nothing in this world was free.

Roder closed his eyes and prayed that this was a worthwhile find. He needed it.

He pushed apart the foliage and stared at his prize. A crashed airplane. The smoke was caused by a small fire at the rear end of the plane. It was sure to explode sometime.

Roder strode forward, quickly gaining speed. He had to get whatever loot was inside out quickly. He had to, this was the only way. If he was going to die, then so be it, the toxic air would reach him in some months anyway.

He kicked the door to the plane down, rushing inside. Small fires burned against the leather seats on either side of a long alleyway. A passenger plane.

Oddly, there were no people inside. Did they leave?

Maybe these passengers were one of those lunatic groups that tried to go into space with commercial airplanes but failed miserably. Roder didn't care. He just needed some money.

He frantically looked around, pawing through the seats on either side. He kicks the door to the cockpit in. He steps inside, analyzing the scene.

Smack dab in the middle of all the fray and fire lay a single box.

Bingo.

He clamped his hand around the container, trying to pry it open. After a few seconds of struggle, the lid gives. A wild smile spreads over Roder's face in anticipation. It quickly fades.

Nothing. The box was empty.

"Are you fu-" Roder started to curse, but his throat started to constrict, choking itself. "Wha- a-" He sputtered as his knees give, the energy leaving his body. The world started to go black.

His eyes slowly rolled back as he sees the words on the box.

"Pandora's box".