Natalie’s grandfather had placed her name in his will. Natalie didn’t understand why. She wasn’t even that close with him. The last time she saw him was during her brother’s graduation from high school.
She didn’t bother paying attention to the entire event. Natalie’s main priority that night was to catch up on whatever everyone else was getting up to on social media.
Her parents constantly told her to put her phone away, but she ignored them. They didn’t understand what was so special about the rest of the world.
Shouldn’t they also celebrate the wonders of everyone’s success on social media? Her brother’s graduation was just as important as the likes or views on these accounts.
At some point while Natalie was so absorbed by her phone, her grandfather had broken her concentration. He tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. Annoyed, Natalie turned around to address him.
“Can’t you see I’m busy here?,” Natalie snapped.
“You shouldn’t be on your phone all the time. Phones aren’t important.”
Natalie rolled her eyes.
“Oh, please. You obviously have no idea how important technology can be. You’re an old man. You wouldn’t understand.”
Her grandfather glared at her.
“If I was your parents, I would make sure you would never touch a phone again. Oh yes, I would make sure of it.”
After that was said, her grandfather went back to cheering on her brother. Natalie went back to the online world, feeling annoyed that she was interrupted by someone who would never understand the significance of social media.
Natalie never thought that would be her last interaction with her grandfather. He had died three weeks later, from old age. She was even more shocked to discover that he had written her into his will.
She was going to receive a box from him.
Natalie was given the box by her mother. She was wiping away tears, still feeling broken over the loss.
“He wanted you to have this. He insisted on it. I’m not sure why, but I hope you will come to appreciate it. He did love you, Natalie. He just had a funny way of showing it.”
Natalie took the box from her mother, and went upstairs to her bedroom to open the box. She could faintly hear her mother weeping softly downstairs. Natalie was always uncomfortable around people crying.
She didn’t like to be around them. On social media, at least people knew how to show their perfect selves. Crying was a sign of weakness.
It gave Natalie secondhand embarrassment that people would dare to post stuff like that online. She would rather die than get publicly humiliated for showing that side of her to the world.
Natalie walked into her bedroom, and placed the box on her pink carpet. There was a note tucked underneath the pink bow of the box. She pulled it off to read it:
Since you love to be on your phone so damn much, why not just buy you a new phone? The kind that your parents can’t afford? I hope you come to appreciate this gift, Natalie. I’m sure that you will.
Sincerely,
Your dearest old man.
Natalie let out an eager gasp, and quickly opened up the box. There was nothing inside. Irritated, Natalie stuffed her hand in the box, hoping that was a secret mechanism that would reveal the real hidden gift.
Large white teeth that were the size of rats shot out of the box, sinking into Natalie’s flesh. The pain was so quick, that Natalie didn’t realize it at first.
Until she saw her own hand get bitten off, the teeth chewing loudly on her flesh. Natalie let out a scream, and fell on her side.
The box quickly hopped over to Natalie’s other hand, and stretched its mouth wide, shoving its teeth straight into her skin. Natalie let out a shriek, and she swung her arm back and forth to be rid of this box beast.
It flew away, with Natalie’s other hand in its mouth.
Natalie could feel herself fading into complete darkness, as she could hear the box eating away. It treated her flesh like a dog bone. Natalie’s mother ran into the room, screaming.
She yelled at her father to call 911. Natalie passed out from the blood loss.
The piece of paper that was stuck to the bow of the box was now upside down. In pencil, there was another note written on the back of it.
That will teach you to use your damn phone ever again.
Sincerely,
Your dearest old man.
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