Garage sales are some of the best places to get items from. A lot of collectors come looking for something rare that a family doesn’t want. Anyone can be a collector, even if you just buy the occasional keyring when you see one at the Disney store. Some people have a more specific type of item they want to collect. Me, I like to collect old musical boxes. Anything from the 1960s and before, the wooden texture, the sounds of it barely working or even working perfectly fine all is like music to my ears. Plus, I like to scare people. I like to hide the practically broken ones around the house and start playing them when I have guests over. The distorted sounds play through them when they are alone and see their eyes widen in horror. Most of the time they laugh with me, and I show them my collection but sometimes they get quite annoyed. It started out as a prank but now I use it more as a way to decide if I’m going to be good friends with them or not.
That’s how I met my best mate, Alice. I broke into a friend’s house, well I say broke in. I and another friend were going to their party but weren’t 100% sure we got the right house. No one answered the door, and it was unlocked so we just walked inside. Luckily it was the right house, but I was waiting by the door ready to run encase it wasn’t.
Alice has a similar hobby to me, but instead of musical boxes it was a ventriloquist’s dummy, I found this out before I even met her when she strung a trap on the door. Her creepiest dummy would fall from above the door and hang in Infront of anyone who came through it. A speaker was put inside of the doll so the wind beneath my wings would play before it fell and screamed. My friend screamed and so did I but then I started laughing. It was a good joke. The now ex-friend did not like it and started to cry, leaving in a huff. But I decided to get revenge. And that is how it started, I hid the musical box and scared her.
Since we’re both collectors, we often look for stuff together or for each other. There was one garage sale that I couldn’t attend, I was unfortunately out of town at the time seeing family, but I was on the phone with her as she was going through our neighbour’s stuff when she found a music box for our collection. She started to try and describe it to me, but her signal kept going out and I was unable to picture it. But from what I heard I didn’t have it in my collection. She brought it and took a picture to send it to me for a quick examination.
My excitement couldn’t be held that even my own family members asked if I was okay as I was constantly shaking. The picture was taking a while to send so I asked her if there was anything else she can tell me about it but all I got back was silence. You probably expect me to say how I heard laughter, but I didn’t. There was nothing but deafening silence before the beeping of the phone hanging up broke me from my trance.
I tried to call them back but ended up with the automatic voicemail. Since the signal wasn’t working, I assumed that they would just call me back. But as the hours went by, I still heard nothing from them. No phone call, no pictures not even a text message saying that they have been having problems, just nothing.
It wasn’t until later in the night when I finally get a phone call from her mom, that I knew something was wrong. I heard crying before I even put it against my ear. She was gone, hit by a car while crossing the road. Hit and run driver and no one got their plate. I didn’t know how to react, I just stopped. My head felt empty apart from the pulsing boom that had been sent on a pilgrimage throughout my entire body.
I didn’t know what to do so I just hung up. We didn’t talk about what happened or comfort each other. We didn’t reminisce about memories we just stopped. But at that moment, sitting there, feeling the nausea rising, head pounding, sight darkening. A ding. A notification from my phone ripped me from my trance.
I saw on my screen a message “Ventriloquist Alice sent a photo”. I slowly grabbed my phone and unlocked it, to see a picture of the musical box. There wasn’t blood on it or covered in satanic imagery. The car wasn’t in the background or anything was wrong. It was just, a normal musical box. A white old carousel, its colour lost over the years now replaced with a dirty grey colour. One of the horses was missing and the other had only three legs but the third was perfectly intact. It must have been connected to the floor however as the pole is missing yet the horses were still floating there.
Two weeks later I knocked on Alice’s mom’s door. We’ve never been too close, I wouldn’t call us friends, but it was still her daughter, and I was still her best friend. She opened the door wearing all black with a thick veil covering her face making her look like the grim reaper without the scythe. Instead, she has a musical box. The same one that Alice was holding when she died.
I could have been nicer; I could have politely asked if she was sure or just asked why? But instead, I snatched it out of her hand like I caught her stealing it. I felt violated that she should have something that was brought for me. Though I couldn’t see her face her body seemingly didn’t react. She was stiff, her movements purposeful but not hers. Like someone else was controlling her arms. I apologised for my reaction and we both went to my car.
We drove in silence, the heavy air weighing on us both. I could feel it crushing my chest and my throat. Like someone’s hand has grabbed my neck and was squeezing it shut. The car was getting smaller and smaller, and I tried to breathe, but I just couldn’t. I quickly pulled my car over and rushed out. Heaving and forcing air back into my lungs before vomiting onto the floor. I started crying, tears pouring down my face, I turn around to check on Alice’s mom, but she was just sitting there. Staring at me, like she couldn’t even see me. I don’t know if she didn’t care, or she hated me, but I just wanted this over.
Speeding down to the church probably getting hundreds of different fines, it’s a borderline miracle that I didn’t get pulled over, but I just needed her out of my car and away from me. Finally, at the funeral, I practically threw myself out of the car and finally was able to breathe again. My arms and legs both aching like I’ve just run a marathon.
I feel my phone vibrate, taking it out of my pocket and checking the notification I notice it’s from Alice’s mother?
“The funeral is starting, where are you?”
Staring at the message, my mind turns and creaks at my phone. This must be a joke; I turn back around to look at Alice’s mother who has been with me this whole time. Her head is slumped, and her body is relaxed but she doesn’t seem to just be sleeping. She is completely still, not even breathing.
A tune starts playing, it makes me jump and frantically look around for the source only to find it’s the musical box. I’ve left it in the back seat, the horses seemingly hovered in circles with nothing holding them down. I couldn’t help but stare, the tune was beautiful, I even recognized the song it was the wind beneath my wings.
The tune played like it was being played on a piano, each tone soft and comforting. I felt the wind blow across my face, but I couldn’t look away. It was almost hypnotic I reach out to touch the musical box, but a scream echoed out making me jump and bang my head on the roof of the car.
I looked up to see Alice’s mom on the floor practically crawling backwards crying hysterically. But she was also sitting next to me still in the black dress. Confused I focused on the face of whoever was sitting next to me. My eyes widen, terrified at who’s in front of me. Alice’s mom came looking for me, and she saw that I was in the car with someone else. Like me she thought they were asleep, so she opened the door and lifted the veil. She screamed because it was a big ventriloquist dummy of Alice.
Her face was wooden with a permeant smile crudely carved into her face like it was done using a knife. Her mouth was covered in splinters making it look like it was poorly sown shut.
Before I could react, I was pulled out of the car by someone, they were shouting at me how I’m disgusting and how I could do such a thing. I try to explain how I thought it was her mom but no matter what I said they wouldn’t believe me. I wouldn’t believe me either, someone I barely know turns up to a funeral spouting how a doll was moving.
I managed to escape the hands and get back into my car to drive away. Pushing the life-sized doll out of the car door while smashing down the pedal, people jumped out of the way as I drove as fast as I could, nearly smashing through the graveyard gate but just missing it. The whole time the tune is still playing,
It might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I’ve got it all here in my heart
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you
I stared at it in my mirror, curious about it. I needed to find out what it is.
Arriving home, I quickly jumped out of the car, forgetting to close the door, and practically broke my front door trying to get to my equipment and finally examine it. It’s what Alice would have wanted. I haven’t used my equipment for a while as I usually just add them to my collection but this time, I must give Alice’s memory the justice it deserves.
I spent all night examining every single tiny millimetre stared at until the sun came up. For some reason, this had no markings or brand on it. It doesn’t say anywhere who made it so I can only assume custom made.
I couldn’t figure out how to get the music to work. There was no wind-up key or even a keyhole. I kept examining it until I saw the sunrise from my bedroom window and the exhaustion suddenly hit me all at once. I forced myself away from the desk and into bed. Something kept on trying to stop me from getting into bed though. Felt like I was being pushed away from my bed and towards to musical box that stood on my desk. Almost beckoning me to keep trying.
I pushed all my feelings into the back of my mind and tried to sleep. But after a few minutes, music started to play. I got up to find where it was coming from but as soon as I lifted my head the music stopped. I figured it was just in my head and tried to fall asleep again but after a few minutes, the same jingle played again. I quickly got up and this time the jingle kept playing. It was a bit distant this time, but I could hear it echo throughout the house.
Following the noise, I slowly searched through the house and ended up in the living room. The noise was its loudest in here, but it couldn’t be found. Looking up, I saw the open vent with the musical box inside, spinning and playing its tune. It’s in the same spot I put my other musical boxes to scare people. I don’t remember putting it there but there it was.
After I found the box in the vent, I called the police believing that someone was inside my house. They searched throughout my entire house but were unable to find anyone and seemed sceptical that they would find anyone at all. I think the only reason I didn’t get a fine for a false police report was how scared and out of it I looked. Though as they searched my house and found nothing, I was getting nervous that I put it there myself and forgot. I hadn’t slept the night before and I do sometimes put musical boxes in the vent to scare people so maybe I just zoned out because I was tired and did it without realising it.
Once I convinced myself that no one broke into my house, the disappointment started to weigh in. The song that the musical box was playing was from the year 1988 so the musical box was made later than that.
Alice’s mom has always been a little superstitious and the song is popular among funerals, so she probably thought that it was mocking her. Though I won’t deny it certainly is strange.
Tears suddenly started to block my vision again, and I started to cry again for no real reason. It’s been happening a lot these past few days where I would just be doing something then start crying and I have no idea why.
I looked towards the musical box and all the sadness just leaves. It feels like a part of Alice is still with me even though she is gone. The last present she has ever got me, sitting right on my table surrounded by equipment that could pull it all apart.
I picked up the musical box and carefully place it with the rest of my collection, right front and centre. It’s too important to be hidden away or placed with the rest like just another part of my collection. It must be kept safe, somewhere else where everyone can see it but no one else can take it.
I emptied out my collection from the locked cabinet and replaced them all with Alice’s box. Nothing else should go near it and ruin its beauty. I keep staring at it, admiring everything about it. Looking around, seeing all the other musical boxes I’ve just left on the floor. A small part of me is heartbroken at what I’ve done. None of them are broken but seeing them thrown onto the floor made me feel somewhat guilty.
Picking up an older musical box, I tried to push all my instinct to the back of my mind and put my collection back onto the shelve but something was stopping me. I could feel a little prick on my arm like something just stuck into me and is possessing me. I couldn’t stand being in that room for much longer and decided to follow my instincts.
Sitting in the living room, staring up at the vent like I was waiting for something to crawl out of it. Someone must be in my vent, making me feel like I was being watched continuously. Like a pair of eyes, gazing at me.
I wanted out, I needed some fresh air. Not even grabbing my coat even though it was pouring rain outside, I decided to apologize to Alice’s mom.
Was it a bad idea, probably but I needed her to understand how I didn’t know who it was but I thought it was her. What’s the point? I wouldn’t believe me so why should she? She’ll believe me for Alice, yes Alice! She has to forgive me as I was Alice’s best friend.
The rain poured harder as I got closer like the eye of the storm was right above her house. I started counting the number of seconds between the lighting and the rumble.
FLASH, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 RUMBLE.
FLASH, 1, 2, 3, RUMBLE
FLASH, 1, RUMBLE.
The lighting is right on top of me as I turn the corner and see Alice’s mom’s house. At that moment, the radio turned on by itself. I go to switch it off but then realise what song it’s playing. Wind beneath my wings. At first, I was scared, my body was shocked and I felt a vibration run down my spine like a sharp fingernail was feeling all the way down. But then the feeling went away following my comfort. A small smile emerged from my lips as I relaxed in my seat. I no longer felt like I was being watched I felt more like something was protecting me.
I jumped out of the car and ran towards the door, rain blinding me as I ran towards the door. Banging on it and slamming into it, trying to get out of the storm but no one answered. I tried to look through the window but rain had obscured my view. Squinting through the pane of glass, I could see someone inside, standing upright and swaying ever so slightly.
I knocked on the window to no answer, getting more worried by the second, I tried to open the window but to no avail. As if god himself was watching me, the rain started to clear up and I could see more clearly through the window. Wiping away the rain and condensation, I could see the shadow of whoever was inside slowly turning around. But it was almost still, they were turning around with a slight bobbing motion as we use our feet. They stayed completely still, like someone in space floating around.
they started to come towards the window slowly, as they got closer I saw it was Alice’s mother. But as she got closer, I could see vein-like tendrils sticking out of her arms and legs. Blood poured from them as the bloody strings almost dragged her across the room towards the window.
She was suddenly flung against the window like someone just grabbed her and threw her at me and she smashes into the window hard enough to shatter.
Screaming, I fell backwards as glass covered me in tiny cuts. The body just stayed on the ground in front of me, the grass painted a dark red around her. I got up and scrambled away, jumping through several back gardens and running over roads. I finally made it back to my house. I run back into my musical box room to find it jammed. Panic set in, I needed that box now, needed to listen to the music and hear the beautiful melody. I started slamming into the door, doing everything I could to open it. Kicked, punched, hit, slam, anything.
Noises came from inside, smashing my collection and stung me ears. I could feel each box crack and break as if they were throwing it right into me. Stabbing me with all the broken shards that keep cutting me. I wince and scream as I can feel it bury deeper into my body. The glass gashes feel like they are being forced wider. Alice appears inside my head, all our memories together. Breaking into the house, pranking each other. The way she laughed at the musical box prank. Begging to be a part of any other pranks in the future. We would sit on the couch together pretending that we couldn’t hear anything while trying to hold in our laughter. I and Alice would have a conversation about anything while watching whoever was on the other side of the couch squirm uncomfortably, trying to rationalise it as just an ice cream van.
All these memories, all of them came to me at once. I stopped trying to force it open. Instead, I took a step back and locked eyes with the door. I breathed in and out, calming myself down. I took another step forward, grabbed the handle and slowly open the door.
Inside, everything was shattered. All over the floor were crumbled pieces of my collection. The entire ground was covered in the remains of my life’s work with only a single musical box left. The Carousel. Sitting directly in the middle of the now-empty shelves. All alone, as if to say. I won. As if to mock me and everything I’ve done.
I went to grab the carousel and throw it at the ground but as I lifted my arm to throw it something stops me from doing it. It was like there was a hand I couldn’t feel holding my arm back from harming itself. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t smash it.
I slowly brought my arm down, wanting to not look at it but I had no control over my eyes. It was like someone was holding my eyes, forcing me to stare at the musical box. I wanted to look away and never look at it again, but I couldn’t. I collapsed onto the floor holding the musical box tightly to my chest. I could feel my heartbeat vibrate and beat getting louder and louder.
My vision goes dark, I can’t breathe, and I feel like I’m drowning. My chest hurts as I push my friend deep into my chest harder and harder. Almost cracking ribs but then, music starts playing.
It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that’s your way
You always walked a step behind
The charcoal, my beautiful charcoal, starts playing the song that has scared me so much recently. But it isn’t supposed to scare me, it’s supposed to comfort me. I know what it is, it’s my friend. She’s letting me know it’s okay. Letting me know that she is here waiting for me. I’m here too Emily. I’m on my way to you.
If you have ever lost someone close to you, know that they are waiting for you. Know that this “Demon” is just someone trying to show you the way. They don’t lie or manipulate; they just want to help you. Satan himself is nothing more than a rebel against his abusive father after all. it’s what people tell you because they are selfish. They don’t want you to be with your friend. I’m going to join mine soon. I hope that you can too.