The Man Inside the Box
/The Man Inside the Box
by Audrey Safir ’20
The Man in the Box
There is a man, and the man lives inside the box. He is comfortable enough. When he reaches his feet, he can wiggle his toes, and if he curls a little, the man can sleep.
Sheep
At night, the man dreams of a sheep. When he wakes up, he draws the sheep, tracing his finger along the side of the box. He can never get the nose right. It was thinner, no, rounder, no, bigger, or maybe just a different color. Sometimes, he draws it with his pinky finger, but his nail is too thin, so he uses his thumb. Every night, the man dreams of the sheep, and every morning, the nose is wrong.
Noises
Sometimes, the man hears noises from outside the box. The man does not like these noises. He curls into himself, jamming his palms over his ears.
Secrets
Inside the box, the man writes secrets: things that excite him, things that scare him. He always scribbles out the secrets, leaving them crumpled in the corner. Then, when he feels anxious, he unfolds each secret and presses it to his chest.
Woman
The man dreams of a woman. She is an hourglass swathed in red, her ringlets sweeping just below her breasts. The man reaches for the woman, but every time he gets close, she laughs and starts to fade. The man keeps reaching for the woman, and she keeps fading farther and farther until she is a picture at the end of a long hall.
Spear
The next night, the man has a spear. He throws it at the woman, striking her in the throat. The woman gaps, crimson streaking across her skin. The man tries to grab her, but she has fallen outside the box. He yanks his hand away before light can touch it, concealing his fingers beneath his chest.
Corner
Distraught, the man kicks the corner of the box. The corner frays, showing the first dent in the wall. The man does not like the dent; the corner is a warped version of the others. He covers it with his secrets.
Bird
The man dreams he is a bird. He flies over smoke-filled cities, over cannon shots and screams. A large noise rings, then the man feels his body being torn apart. The man wakes up drenched in sweat.
Footsteps
The man mumbles to himself, rocking back and forth. He hears footsteps outside the box, and they make him tremble. More ripping, more shouting, until the man is crying thick tears. The water strikes the box, causing it to change. The man desperately covers his tears with more secrets. He feels the box shake with their weight, scrambling to keep it from collapse.
The Box in the Man
The man hears a rip, then light pours into the box. The man does not like the light. He curls into himself, closing his eyes. “You’re free!” shouts a voice. Something grabs his shoulder, shaking it firmly. But the man will not budge. The man has only ever lived inside the box. And he will be inside it when he dies.