One Shots: An ADNBookClub Writing Challenge

Puzzle

by: einsy

You are the piece of the puzzle in someone else's life.

You may never know where you fit,

But others will fit the holes in their lives with pieces of you.

Richard is an avid antique collector. Ever since he could remember, he was drawn to the uniqueness of the old things he'd see in old houses and mansions. They seemed to hold secrets that could either remain as such forever or hold mysteries waiting to be unlocked.

He excitedly opened the newly delivered wooden chest he purchased from the States. To the casual observer it just looked like junk. It was old, faded and dusty. The corners had been smoothened by constant handlng over time. Richard discovered it hidden underneath other old things in an old storage container in the property of an antique collector in Iowa, in Midwestern America.

"...I believe it belonged to someone who liked to collect things judging from the many drawers it has.." Morgan, the old man Richard spoke to, said. "...and maybe, he or she didn't want to get caught with them that's why the chest looks rather plain."

Richard nodded. He didn't ask too many questions and immediately decided to buy the piece without really inspecting all of it. He had years of experience to know if the item was authentic or not just by looking at it.

Richard opened the chest and found its main compartment empty as expected. He then pulled on the knobs of the drawers and discovered that they were separate pieces and could be removed from it's 'casing'. As he got down on his knees to peep inside the main case where he had pulled out the drawers, something 'odd' caught his attention.

It looked different from the wooden panel on the inside the chest. He had a slight problem though, this 'object' was lodged in between the wood. If Richard wanted to get to it, he'd have to dismantle the chest or destroy it. He decided just to keep it the way he found it. He replaced the drawers and pushed the chest to the side of his study. He got ready for his date with Isabel, his girlfriend.

Unknown to Isabel, Richard had been having strange dreams for the past days. He had always seen the same girl in his dreams. The images he sees in his sleep are that of him and the girl in a very romantic and loving relationship. He's dreamt about their past and their future with three little kids in their happy 'family'.

One time, while he and Isabel were asleep on his bed, Richard had a nightmare. The girl and he were on an adventure, hiking in the woods. Aside from being an avid antique collector, Richard was the outdoorsy type. He would oftentimes go camping and climbing with or without Isabel.

In his dream, they found an old chest in an abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods. It looked similar to the chest he had just purchased and examined. He saw the girl write something on a piece of paper and slip it into the chest. He then followed her with his gaze as she disappeared into the dark forest next to the cabin.

"Dei!" Richard called out.

But, he didn't only call her name out in his dream, he also mumbled her name in his sleep! Isabel woke up to Richard's thrashing and mumbling that she had to wake him up.

"...wake up, Rich! You're having a nightmare!" Isabel said as she shook him awake. She called him "Rich" because "Richard is too long".

"Wha...?"

"You were mumbling..."

"...it seemed so real..."

"You mentioned a name..."