'The Black Box' - Anthology

Dad’s always had the same routine in the morning. His alarm would be set for 6am and he’d be straight out of bed with a stretch and a loud yawn that would make Mum groan about the “ungodly hour”. It would be Vegemite toast for breakfast, which he would always share with me. Then he would put on his boots – left next to the back door – and venture out into the crisp morning air, while I snuck into bed with Mum for cuddles.

Mornings are different now. Dad’s alarm doesn’t ring. The first few days, I thought that maybe it was broken, so I gently kissed his nose to wake him, but he just rolled over and went back to sleep. He sleeps a lot these days. We don’t have breakfast together anymore – it’s more like lunch – and his boots are packed away in a far corner of the wardrobe.

* * *

Things changed with Mum first. One day, she came home carrying a black box with thick black cords like snakes. The cords dragged behind her all the way up the stairs and I did my best to help carry them. After that day, instead of going out the front door in the morning, Mum would just go upstairs and we would spend the whole day together. Mum sitting in front of the black box and me keeping her company. I would try not to bother her too much and play quietly with my toys like a good girl. But sometimes I would bring her my favourite toy dinosaur and she would chase me around the house. The game would end with tickles and cuddles on the couch. It was the best.

* * *

When Mum used to leave the house, she would be gone for hours. Dad was always home first and he would take me to the park. We’d have dinner just the two of us, because Mum wouldn’t return until long after the sun had gone down. But since Mum’s been home, we all go to the park together – me and Mum and Dad. I run as fast I can and it’s like I have wings and I’m flying. Mum and Dad try to keep up with me, but they never can. I run until Mum says she is leaving without me, and then we all go home, together.

* * *

I wish we could go to the park now. But Dad won’t get out of bed and Mum spends all her time upstairs with the black box. I can tell that something is wrong, I just don’t know what it is. I thought that maybe Dad would feel better if he had some toys, so I carried all of my toys to the bed – one at a time. But he just brushed them to the ground and closed the bedroom door.

* * *

I had a long nap this morning and when I went to find Mum, she wasn’t sitting in front of the black box. At first, I was worried she had left and I called out for her as I frantically searched the house. “I’m in the bedroom, silly!” she said.

I tore into the bedroom and came to an abrupt stop. Mum was wearing a long white dress that trailed behind her all across the carpet. She was turning to one side and the other, as if trying to catch something on her back. She sat down on the bed and I rushed forward to scramble onto her lap. “No, not on the dress!” Mum yelled. Honestly, I was a little offended. I always sit on Mum’s lap.

While I patiently kept my distance, Mum took out a small box from the bedside drawer. I pushed forward to see what was inside. It was small and glittered in the light. Mum picked it up and slipped it onto her finger. But then she seemed sad. I slowly ventured closer and put my head in her lap and I didn’t even mind when I got a little wet. Eventually, Mum slid the small, glittery circle off her finger and put it back into the box. “One day soon,” she said. Then she slowly took off the dress and packed it away in the corner of the wardrobe, hanging above Dad’s boots.   

* * *

Today, I heard Grandma! I was so excited I tried to jump onto the kitchen bench to find her, but Mum told me to calm down because Grandma was on zoom. That doesn’t sound right to me because Grandma never wanted to zoom with me, but I looked in every room and even the backyard and I couldn’t find her. I can’t remember the last time I saw Grandma and Grandpa. We used to go to their house and I would sit on Grandma’s lap and Grandpa would sneak me treats when no-one was looking. But we haven’t done that in a long time.  

* * *

I thought that maybe Dad had forgotten where he left his boots and that was why he spent all his time in bed – Mum always says he has the memory of a goldfish – so I crawled into the back of the wardrobe and started to drag one of his boots down the stairs. But Dad grabbed his boot and threw it back into the wardrobe, sliding the door tightly shut.

* * *

I’ve worked it out. It’s the black box. Everything changed when Mum brought it home, so if I can get rid of it, maybe Mum won’t be trapped upstairs all the time and Dad will want to play again. But it won’t be easy. The black box looks heavy and it’s sitting on a table that I can’t reach – although, there are those black cords that dangle to the floor.

I have a plan. I’ll just have to wait until Mum and Dad go to bed tonight.

* * *

The plan didn’t work and I’m in big trouble.

* * *

It’s been a few days since my failed plan with the black box. Mum was really angry at me and when Dad tried to tell her it wasn’t my fault, she got really angry at him too. I don’t know why – I didn’t even get to the key part of the plan. I’d just tugged the cords and the black box had toppled to the floor when Mum caught me. She must have heard the noise when it fell. It was my mistake; I should have remembered that Mum has super hearing. That’s why she always catches Dad when he tries to eat cookies before bed.

* * *

This morning, I woke up to the most amazing smell wafting through the house. I raced to the kitchen with Mum close behind me. There was Dad – making eggs and bacon! He tickled under my chin and put his arm around Mum to swirl her around. Mum laughed and laughed. I can’t remember the last time I heard Mum laugh. Best of all, I got to have some bacon.

 * * *

“Lola,” Mum called. “Where’s my Lola girl?”

“I’m here!” I called and jumped onto the couch between Mum and Dad. Dad told me to get down, but I don’t think he meant it because he was smiling. I rolled onto my back, my legs flailing in the air and Dad rubbed my belly, while Mum scratched my ears.

“Should we go to the park, Lola?” Mum asked. I was so excited that I couldn’t keep still and Mum laughed as she struggled to put on my collar. As soon as I heard the clip snap, I rushed to the door, pulling Mum along with Dad following behind us.

As we left the house, I noticed Dad’s boots next to the back door.

Laura John

Class of 2007