Monstrous Love Tales

The Music Box (Whole Wheat Pete)

This story deals with racism in the South in the early 1900s. We must remember the past to ensure it does not continue in our present and future. There is a murder and false testimony that leads to the hanging of an innocent black man. This story is fictional but unfortunately things like this did happen. 

The Story...

Pete was walking past an antique shop downtown Atlanta would an item caught his eye. It was a music box with a ballerina figurine. The trim of the box was gold with scroll work. The box has a pearl sheen on it. It was the length of his hand and a thick as a cigar box. It was so pretty.

Drawn like a moth, Pete headed into the shop, right to the window display. Easily, he picked it up. There was a bit of unexpected weight in the box. There was a tiny knob to use to pull out a drawer. Pete gently tugged on it. Nothing. Whatever was in that drawer was locked in there forever.

The winding key turned with ease. Soon, a little melody played and the ballerina twirled. Pete watched as the little dancer spun in her blue tutu. Pete closed his eyes, listening to the notes.

Please, take me home. A feminine voice whispered in his ear. Startled, Pete nearly dropped the box. Looking around, there was no one around him. Only the fat, grey cat on the counter. Weirded out, Pete place the music box back in the window.

Stepping away, he felt a slight tug on his shirt sleeve. Looking back at the music box, he felt overwhelming urge to protect it at all cost.

"It is just a music box." Pete shook his head. He turned to head for the door again. A light whimpering stopped him. He bit his lip. "It is just a music box." He squared up his shoulders and was going to resume his day.

Twenty-five dollars lighter and a bit sweaty for his walk, Pete arrived home. Clearing some knick knacks from a bookshelf, Pete placed the music box there. In the light, there was an odd glow to the box. A feeling of happiness radiated from the item. That is not possible, right?

Pete went about his day, actually forgetting about the music box until later that night. As he settled into bed, he could hear the faint tone of the music box. His eyes grew heavy as he entered into a slumber.

In his dreams...

There was a young woman dancing. Her long, golden hair fluttered around her. There was such a lovely look in her dark brown eyes. She was wearing a light blue dress that flowed like water around her.

"Who are you?" Pete asked. She smiled and danced to him. She reached out and touch his cheek. Her smiling face suddenly turned to a fearful expression as she looked over his shoulder. Pete dared not turned around, but he could hear something large and menacing behind him.

"Help us." She pleaded in a whisper as he started to heard the sound of his alarm in the dream.

The next day...

"So, you can't tell me where the music box came from." Pete asked the clerk of the antique shop. The dreams had him worried. He went back to the shop with his receipt in hand to see if there was some information about the seller of the music box.

"I started working here over fifty years ago. That box sat on a shelf in the back all that time. One of the new employees cleaned it up and set it in the window just about two weeks ago." They told Pete. "I recall a story that it was a gift to a young dancer from a love interest. Whether the love was mutual, I can't remember. Something happen and the dancer was never heard from again. That could just be a story though." They said, petting the cat who laid on the counter. Pete thanked them and left.

Returning home from a few more errands, he took the music box from the shelf. There were initials and a date carved on the bottom. L.B.R. Feb. 1906. Settling the box down in the table. Pete started to search from the significance of those initials and the year.