The Researcher was examining a number of four specimen boxes one lazy afternoon, when they came across an unbelievable discovery: The boxes were silent!
No matter how much and how frequent they shook them, banged them, dropped them, or scratched them, they never heard anything from the inside. Not a squeak, not a peep. Not even a smick-smack. Nothing. Nada!
The Researcher stood there, baffled. This should not even be possible! The specimens were very much alive and sentient before they were placed inside. They scratched their head and palmed the boxes thoughtfully. What could this possibly mean?
They could be... But it couldn't be possible! It should never even be possible. The specimens had a lot going on for them. They had everything and something! The Researcher retreated back a few steps and bumped their back against their table. Perhaps they were doing something else inside their boxes? But what could they possibly be doing inside their own boxes?
The Researcher sat on their chair. Fascinating, fascinating. They stroked their chin in careful thought.
The specimen boxes rested on top of the table. Unmoving. Not even making a sound. Not even a little peep. The Researcher pouted. They guess they should call them silent boxes now.
The Researcher stacked the silent boxes on top of each other. They cannot even tell what was on the individual containers anymore. They're labelled according to their individual specimen's separate characteristics recorded before they were placed inside, yes, but now? During the most crucial examination? They might as well be empty specimen boxes with pre-
written labels on them. Not so different from the empty specimen boxes lying around the Researcher's lab.
Oh well. The Researcher gathered the four in one hand. Plenty of specimen boxes around. They crossed over to the other side of the room. Plenty of boxes with actual living specimen inside, and responding to the examination being conducted to them. The Researcher approached the can waiting in the corner and dropped the boxes in. Such a shame these four didn't act their part. They pushed the button labelled 'INCINERATE'.
Pained wailing erupted from the can. The Researcher's eyes widened. Oh shit.
|Originally written: April 06, 2020
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Choice Cuts
Short StorySweetest Decay, Series 1 A collection of my short stories I first published in my writing blog, Sweet Decay.
