A Strange Sound

As the morning light peeked through the blinds, James opened his groggy eyes and read 05:00 on the digital clock by his bed. Before he could roll over and get reacquainted with sleep, he heard a dull thud from the apartment door. Slightly fearful, though more intrigued by the odd sound, James eased himself from the covers and headed toward the door. An eerie silence had fallen in the corridor outside; nervously, he looked through the peephole and saw nothing.

Stepping away from the door, James felt something papery beneath his feet. Looking down, he saw a slip of paper with neat cursive writing on it. Instinctively, he knelt and picked it up before reading the two words etched onto it: "Retrieve Me." Sensing the paper had come from the letterbox, he tentatively gripped the door handle before opening the door and looked down to see an ornate box with a delicate pink bow on his doormat.

James smiled as he picked up the box, dutifully following the command the note had advised him to oblige. He no longer yearned for sleep as he cradled the ornate box and wandered into the front room, eager to see what surprises awaited him within...