Syringe

Rebecca closed her eyes, turning her head away as her right hand clenched a tiny, squeezable football. The doctor swabbed the curve of her forearm, then turned around for the needle. David held tightly to her other hand as the needle pricked her arm.
"Almost done..." The doctor depressed the plunger, then slowly pulled it back out. The syringe slowly filled with bright-red blood, and David's hand clenched tighter to Rebecca's.
"There! All done." The doctor pulled the needle out, then capped it and put it in a chill box. Rebecca drew her arm away, sighing a tiny bit with relief. David loosened his grip on her hand, but did not release it.
"Thank you for your time, Miss..." The doctor looked at the data sheet. "Miss Williams. We will be sure to contact you if there are any problems." He turned to the door.
"Thank you, doctor," Rebecca's voice called after his receding form; it carried no feeling, but was merely formality.
Nathan, the youngest, appeared from the back of the tiny house, glaring at the space the doctor had occupied.
"Are all your things ready, Nathan?" David called from his place at the table.
"Yeah. And I checked your packs too."
"Good. I'll go get them. Then we can go."
Rebecca stood with David and followed him as far as the back half of the house. As he went out the back door, she turned to the right to the bedrooms. She donned her backpack, and picked up the other two, moving them to the front of the house.
David returned, dragging several big bags into the house. Rebecca moved to help him open the bags and set out three large items. Nathan stood by, scowling as he put on his own backpack.
When all was in readiness, David and Rebecca stood back, checking to be sure all was ready. David picked up his backpack as Rebecca went into the minuscule kitchen to set up the toaster. She pushed the plunger down, then fastened it with some string.
"Every thing's ready. Let's go," she said as she returned from the kitchen. David led the way to the back of the house again and out the back door, followed by Nathan with Rebecca taking up the rear.
The following day, when the doctor returned with several government people to 'follow up' on his visit, it was to find the house burnt to the ground. Upon further inspection, they found the cause to be a toaster with a frayed cord. They also found the charred remains of three people: one young adult male, one young adult female, and one young teenage male. The one that interested them most, however, was the corpse of the woman. The doctor, after looking at the remains, was sure that these corpses were the very ones he met the day before. He gave his report to the government people, who made note of it and left.
Their job had been taken care of for them, by the frayed wires of a toaster. Anna Williams was dead.

not so strange a thing at all

come in, come in
dear friend!
so good to see you!

indeed, 'tis good to meet you again
we have spoken so little
these past years
how fare you?

ah, though i did stumble
and stagger, and weep
long ago, when i was young,
i fare well now.
and yourself?

indeed, i fare well
spouse and children are well
business is well
thank you for asking

would you like a drink?

yes, please.
oh!

what is it?

that bookshelf!
i did not spot it till now!
what a color!
how came it to be such a vivid red?

that bookshelf?
ah, that one
it is a hardwood, walnut
stained with blood
here is some tea.

ah. i'm sorry i asked.

don't be.
it has a story behind it.
but no time now to tell it.

it is alright.
but, now i must attempt
to satisfy my curiosity once again;
that box, on the shelf
it looks strange indeed
so pale, almost as if it might be translucent
might i ask, what is it made of?

indeed, that box
the very one you speak of,
'tis carved of bone
and its inside lined with skin

ah, i see
i'm sorry i asked

don't be.
it also has a tale to tell
but no time to tell it.

i see.
let us change the subject.

lets.

how fares your family?

alas, all but my uncle are dead
and he near death himself

what? even your sister?

yes, even fair sister.
her weak heart did her in

i'm sorry, i didn't know.

it is alright.

...

...

if you might permit me
to change the subject again...

go right ahead

i'm almost afraid to ask...
but what is in that white box?

that box?
it is full, to the top,
of shattered, broken dreams.

...broken...dreams, you said?

yes.

and...how is that,
might i ask?

all the hopes and dreams of mine
and those of sister
and mother, and father,
and some uncles and aunts and cousins, too
all those that were shattered as life was lived
these were collected and saved
and put in a box
made of bone
to be saved on a shelf
stained with blood.

and...why, might i inquire?
it does seem a rather odd habit
to me.

not so strange, i think.
for whoever wants to dream
and hope
can come and look
into the box
and see what others might have hoped for
once
and then they can take pieces
and fit them together
like a jigsaw puzzle
and make for them self
a unique dream or hope.
would you like to look?

i think i would...
i am curious now.

here, i will open it up.

ahh...
what dreams...
though they are but fragments,
they reflect, refract, the light
like diamonds
though...imperfectly
i think i understand now...

i am glad.
sister would be pleased.

indeed...
not so strange a thing, after all...