The Unknown: Darkness Among Us #1

9 - Lost Lives

As Pam straightened out the papers against the desk, James walked back into the room carrying a brown paper bag, with the logo of the restaurant printed on the side.

"Any luck?". He asked as he set the food down on the table.

"Well, I finally managed to get this one sorted". Pam explained as she got up, she moved to the side table to put her papers with the rest. Heaving a heavy sigh she turned to James. "This was interesting when it first began with the idea of reading stories... but after everything I've read so far... it's not fun anymore".

James nodded as he dug through the bag and was sorting out their food. Wandering over Pam picked up the boxes James had set aside. Sitting down next to him Pam opened her takeout boxes and began to sort out her food. 

"So, what ended up happening in the story?". James asked as he wiped his chin.

"Turns out that there were five stories wrapped up into one, all written by a different person". Pam replied as she took a quick drink from her fizzy drink. "The story seemed to be centred around the same strange little box".

"A strange little box... what like this one?". James questioned as he picked up the item in question off of the drawings it had been sitting on. 

"I don't know if it's the real one or whether Simms made a replica". Pam admitted. "But yes, a simple black box that you could see your reflection in".

"So, what happened? Did the box get passed around and everyone became filthy rich?". James replied sarcastically as he set it back down. Taking the lid off his drink and dipped a chip into his milkshake.

"Not everyone became filthy rich. But I'm not sure what the box really did".

"Everyone who came into contact with the box seemed to gain something, but they also lost something. The first person wanted to be successful which happened but at the cost of uncovering a  deep-rooted betrayal from his closest friend. He died not long after getting what he wanted... others followed similar events, all except the last one".

"What happened to the last one?". James asked her curiously.

"I'm not sure. He killed his friends out of jealousy, after watching his crush fall for his friend. The story ends after he crashes his car into theirs and it catches on fire. While he's being taken away by paramedics he drops the box and I'm guessing it gets passed on to the next person. But it never explains whether he died like the rest or not".

"Maybe the boxes reasons aren't as black and white as they appear". James suggested.

"Possibly, but why did it claim the lives of four of them but not the fifth? Then everyone gained what they wanted in a way but the last one didn't, what makes him so special? Something is missing and I can't quite see it yet". Pam trailed off as she quickly became lost in thought.

Her mind was racing to try and understand what she could have missed. Racking her brain to come up with an answer. She didn't realise how far she had fallen down the rabbit hole. Until James touched her shoulder and made her jump out of her skin.

James didn't say anything as he stood up and dragged the drawings closer to him. Pam watched him curiously as he dug through the drawings. Eventually, he pulled one out of the pile.

"Look at this". James demanded as he put the drawing down right in front of her. Studying the image before her, Pam soon realised she was looking at the car crash that was depicted at the start of the story. A devastating crash with emergency services working hard to save lives and keep people safe, while people were watching on from the sidelines.

"Ok, it's a drawing of a crash what am I looking for?". She asked as she looked towards James for an answer.

"Look at the faces". James pointed out. "There are loads of people present in this image, but there are only five that have completely faced, the rest don't".