The Box by Brian Harmon Read Free Book Online

odds of correctly solving the clues in such a short amount of time.
    Brandy had been speaking to him, but not looking at him. Now she turned and looked directly at him, her blue eyes brilliant. “Just stay above ground, okay? You’re a nice guy. Don’t get yourself killed.”
    That pretty much settled it. After class he came home and sat down at his desk. He felt like a first class idiot. He’d spent good money on flashlights and batteries, and all for a stupid expedition that made no sense to anyone but himself. There was no proof that there was anything down there. There was nothing but a map and a box full of junk. Furthermore, she was absolutely right when she said that somebody gave them the box, somebody whose intentions had obviously been for them to follow the map, but who neglected to mention why . In a country where there were something like thirty-five serial killers active at any given time and somewhere someone turned up missing, raped, brutalized or murdered almost hourly, it was far more likely that such a map would lead to a sociopath than to a treasure.
    Above all, Albert Cross was a logical-minded person, and he could not deny that, logically, nothing about the box made any sense.
    That night, he took the box with all its contents, locked it and then placed it and the key inside the plastic bag with the things he’d bought that morning. He then dropped the entire box into his bottom desk drawer and closed it.

Chapter 5
    On the following Monday, Albert arrived at class early, and was sitting at the table when Brandy walked in. She was wearing a small, purple dress, and he was surprised by how great it looked on her. Her slender legs were smooth and sexy, her figure lean, modest, pretty. She dropped her backpack on the table and sat down next to him, her knees neatly together, perfectly ladylike.
    “Hello,” she chimed with tired cheerfulness.
    “Hi. You look nice today.”
    “Thanks.” She smiled at him as she sat down, genuinely pleased by his compliment.
    “Special occasion or just wanted to dress nice?”
    “Just wanted to.”
    “That’s cool. If you know you’re pretty, show it.”
    She smiled at him again, this time with a shy sort of embarrassment. He had flattered her. The look made him blush a little.
    “You going to be ready for Friday’s test?” she asked, mercifully changing the subject.
    “I think so. How about you?”
    “Tests always make me nervous, but we’ll see.”
    “I’ve always liked tests. Usually means no homework.”
    “That’s true.”
    “I’m going into the tunnels.”
    Brandy looked at him so quickly that she nearly startled him. “What?”
    “I’m going. I’ve been thinking about it all weekend.” Obsessing over it was more like it. He hadn’t been able to stop wondering where the box came from and what it meant. He could not get it off his mind. He kept finding himself gazing toward his desk, toward the drawer where it was hidden away. “I have to know what’s down there and I have to know why that stuff was sent to us.”
    “Albert, I don’t know.”
    “I know. I’m just telling you because this belongs to you too. If you don’t want to come that’s fine, I understand, but I can’t go down there without at least letting you know I’m going. Give you the option.”
    “I’m not going.”
    “Okay.”
    “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”
    “I know.”
    “It’s not safe.”
    “I’m going tonight. If you don’t see me again, you’ll know that for sure.”
    “Don’t say that. It’s scary.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    She shook her head. “Crazy.”
    “I know.”
    She began to remove her books from her backpack. “I mean I want to know what’s down there too, but Jesus .”
    “I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
    Brandy laughed. It was a short bark of a laugh, the sort of laugh that was akin to rolling ones eyes. “What is it with boys and adventures?”
    “Too many cartoons.”
    Again she laughed, this time more freely.