The Box Paradox | ✅

Chapter 9

Micaela wasn't really sure what happened after she opened the lid of the box. Everything flew past like a blur and her brain was so full of fear and thoughts and curiosity that it didn't really register what really happened.

All she knew at the moment that there was something flying around the room, buzzing like a demented fly.

At first she thought it was just that—a fly. But then when it stopped on the bookshelf by the window and she crept forwards to take a better look at it, she stared in horror at what it actually was.

A tiny space rocket.

"Oh, PA," she mumbled, holding her head with one hand. "I think you weren't the only one who was going to resign."

Her thoughts were interrupted when the tiny engine was cut off, revealing deadly silence.

Then the door slid opened and the small figurines tumbled out one by one.

"Oh God," she muttered. "They move."

There were people she didn't know—she hadn't spent much time with her new present and the only figurines she knew were Shaggy and Dora.

All of them lined up in a line in front of her, gazing up at her in wonder, like she was a rare alien they had never seen before. Maybe that was true. These guys had never seen her in action.

One little figure at the end of the line seemed out of place from the rest. It seemed so much shorter than all the others, with wild blonde hair tumbling down her small shoulders. Micaela knew who that was.

Dora.

"Um, hello," a voice said and it seemed to Micaela that it was one of the big men speaking. His voice was like a chipmunk. It seemed so funny that such a big man—for a figurine anyway—had such a high voice. Micaela had to fight down her laughter.

"Hi," she replied, smiling.

One of the other figurines turned to the other. "She's got a low voice," he squeaked and then turned back, eyeing Micaela, wondering if he'd heard her.

"I know I do," she said. "So, what are you doing here?"

One of the figurines next to Dora stepped forward. It was Shaggy. "We wanted to find out about the unknown."

"Well," Micaela said, reaching out to grab him but he ducked. "Why don't you go back to your little box? Well, big box—"

"Box?" Shaggy squealed in confusion. "We don't have no box!"

She chuckled, still not getting over the fact their vocal chords were so tiny. "Of course you do. It's over there."

All of the figurines followed her gaze to the big box at the end of her room.

"We don't live in a box!" Dora cried, her voice higher than all the others. It was so high Micaela had to lean in closer to hear it properly. "We don't, do we Shaggy?!"

"Oh heavens!" one of the older ones shouted. "We live in a box!"

"A box!"

"Just a big box?"

"That's so unfair!"

"We demand to be moved immediately!" This came from the man who had spoken first. By the looks of things, he was a pilot.

"Um, well I can't exactly do that," Micaela ventured. "You all have to stay in your box—"

"I am not going back!" the pilot spat. "I am staying here with you aliens!"

Shaggy took another step forward. "We came here to find the world beyond the stars."

Micaela was so amused by all this, she let herself smile. "I'm sorry, but there is no world beyond the stars. Now go back in—"

"I refuse!"

"Me too!"

"We are not going back in there!"

"Ok, well. What will my father do," Micaela began, fiddling with the curtain. She peered out of the window. The PA's car was gone. So he hadn't been lying, "when he finds ten little figurines talking to me?"

There was no reply. Micaela turned back in confusion and found that all the figurines had disappeared from the shelf.

Gone.

Poof.

Into thin air.

She hunted for them, calling out for them. The space ship still lay on the shelf, untouched. She picked it up and looked under it, wondering if they'd hid under there. It was empty.

She searched low and high and high and low but couldn't find any of them. It was only when she lowered herself to the floor did she hear what sounded like high-pitched giggling.

The little girl tried to find the source of the sound but it seemed to be coming from underneath the floorboards.

Then the giggling was gone. They were gone.

They had gone under the floorboards like cheeky mice.

She couldn't get them back.

They were gone.

Gone.

Poof.

Into thin air.