6 Bejeweled Box

When will I be lucky?

My mind seemed so buggy.

I love you, but this will end here,

I know what I adhere

***

The year 2021, 500 centuries away from Zhaochong Empire

"But you put up that theme on the first day of the contest!" Althea spat out as she closed her eyes and the tears escaped from her eyes. She felt so hopeless and restless about what happened. She was so happy earlier in the morning, and she didn't have the time to think that her entry might be out of the limits. Althea covered her eyes for a second as the people took turns glancing at her for a second as she walked up swiftly at the exit.

The woman sighed on the other end of the line while Althea removed her cell phone from her ear. She panted as she hanged up the line and she closed her eyes as soon as she got out of the glass doors. The snow started to dip down on the broad daylight as she gripped her cell phone tightly while crying. She drooped her head down as she put her hands over her eyes.

She couldn't believe that in just a few hours, she had been taken back from the happiness that she felt earlier. She sat down on the bench as she propped up her elbows by her knees while huffing the cold air from her mouth. The tears fell down from her eyes continuously and she doesn't know how could she not tempt her to cry the pain in her heart.

"I'm sorry, Grandma, I didn't make it," Althea whispered as she leaned her back on the seat while she was sobbing uncontrollably. She clutched the hem of her coat as she looked down and her brown hair swept over both sides of her face. She felt the anger rising in her veins as she recalled the Legend of the Cursed Dragon. She looked up as she glared at the skyscraper of the Hanzi Times as she gritted her teeth.

She stood up from her seat as she pocketed her cell phone on her coat once again as she whispered furiously, "That damn legend."

She wiped her tears rashly as she ran up the steps towards the bus waiting station and she quickly rode the one back to the Shanghai center. She slumped on the seat as she glared outside while the bus was starting to move underneath. She gritted her teeth as the tears welled up on her eyes so quickly that she doesn't know why she felt numb, deep in her heart. She gripped the hem of her coat as she opened the windows of her seat and glimpsed outside.

She let the tears escaped from her eyes. She was glad that no one was there to sit beside her. She let herself cry over once more as she clutched the hem of her coat. She saw the snow dripping through the Yangtze River as the bus took a speed than usual. She heard her cell phone ringing but Althea just ignored it.

After an hour, the bus stopped at the waiting station where she rode earlier and Althea quickly stashed some cash on the dashboard of the bus. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she climbed down while her bag was slinging on her abdomen. She ran up the steps towards the narrow street of her house and she quickly fumbled for the keys. She opened the gate all at once and grimacing as she closed it. She ran up the steps as she barged inside and threw her bag on the floor.

She clenched her jaw as she opened the door towards her bedroom and looked around. She crouched down towards the bed and retrieved a box. She opened it and looked inside. She threw the contents on the floor as wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead.

"It's not here," Althea whispered to herself as she stood up while removing her coat and her sneakers. She opened the drawers one by one and started to rummage for the bejeweled box that her grandma gave to her when she turned thirteen.

"Where are you?" Althea muttered to herself as she opened her closet and she closed her eyes when she finally found it. She picked it up and stared at its appearance in the light. She sat up through her study table and placed the box on the top.

The box had gray sequins and black lace on the cover. It was plain white when her grandma gave it to her but it had been yellowish ever since she pulled out of her closet, and Althea couldn't seem to contain the puzzlement she attained by that box. She squinted her eyes as she leaned her back on the seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

She slowly propped up against one of her hands on the table and picked it up lightly. She swallowed as she stared up through it at the front of her nose. She turned the box upside down and she raised her eyebrows when she saw an initial. She murmured, "WQL?"

She creased her forehead as she turned it onto its front once again and swallowed constantly. She remembered her grandmother's voice about the box and how she was reminded over and over again not to open it. Althea gritted her teeth as she whispered a question, "Why can't I open it?"

As soon as she finished her question, a ringing protruded through her ears once again. She put her fingers on the hole of her ears and she screamed in pain. She heard once another voice as she closed her eyes tightly and she fell on the floor.

"Don't open the box. You were prohibited to open the box."

Althea curled on the floor while the sweat trickled down on the sides of her face and she was grunting. She trembled in fear as she heard that sentence over and over again while she clasped her abdomen. She sniffed as the ringing stopped abruptly and she panted as soon as she opened her eyes. She slowly stood up from the floor as she was out of her breath and she opened her mouth widely. She inhaled a large amount of air as she glanced around. She caught a glimpse of the box as soon as she stood upright.

She picked it up hastily from the table and retrieved her coat. She glared right through the front door as she put on her sneakers. She barged outside as she gripped the box tightly on her palms while she was clenching her jaw. She locked the gate and ran up the steps towards the streets. She ran at the waiting station. She lined up at the queue while the wind gusted louder than usual while she grasped the box on her palms rigidly.

The bus stopped in front of them and she quickly rode inside. She said towards the driver that she will be climbing down towards the waiting station near the side of the Yangtze River. She slumped on her seat once again as she looked at the box and glared on the front window.

After an hour, she bowed her head down politely on the driver as she was the last one to climb down the bus. She stepped foot on the waiting station and saw the railings towards the side of the Yangtze River. She breathed furiously as she stepped foot on the stairs downwards at the nearest shore and she walked swiftly. She swallowed as she saw countless people who deemed of the river as their park and picnic area while she was planning to throw the box, deep onto the depths of the waters.

She reached the foot of the stairs and glanced around the area. She saw families who were playing, lying down on the lawns, and even eating, with their packed lunch and snacks. She knuckled her left hand as she thought to herself why does she had been deprived of her family. She doesn't know why.

"Maybe it's the cursed legend, it cursed my fortunes and my life," Althea whispered to herself as she walked on the side of the bridge where the deck had been supported. She saw a boat that was anchored on the deck, and she stopped a few distances away. A guide on the side saw the presence of a brunette woman as she swung her hand with the box on her palms once. The box flew in the air as the guide stood up from his seat and called out to her. She doesn't have any second doubts about throwing it if it will be leaving herself a peaceful life without bad luck and cursed fortunes.

The box landed on the depths of the water as Althea ignored the guide, who was crying few meters apart from her. She turned her head to the side but as soon as she stepped to stay away from the deck, she tripped on the railings.

Althea opened her mouth slightly as she found herself falling on the cold water by the deck.