Trapped in a Box

"Fine, I'll go. I want to see what tricks she's up to!" Yoel stormed off, heading back to the basement.

My soul floated behind him, following his steps. Back in that dark, damp room, I shivered. Even as a soul, the fear of being imprisoned was still deeply ingrained in my mind.

Yoel covered his nose in disgust, squinting from the unbearable stench of the corpse. He kicked the wooden box a few times, cursing angrily. "Julianna! Get out here! What's your problem? You ruined Elaine's birthday, and you're not going to get away with it! I'm counting to three. If you don't come out, don't blame me for making things worse for you!"

I let out a pained laugh and thought, ‘Yoel, I'm already dead. How else could you make anything worse for me? What are you going to do—dig up my corpse and parade it around just to please Elaine?’

Obviously, Yoel could not hear what I wanted to say. "One, two, three!" he counted, teeth gritted. The box remained still, the blood I had shed a week ago now dark and crusted.

Yoel's face twisted with rage. "Julianna, how dare you defy me! You're dead meat!" He lunged for the box lid, determination blazing in his eyes.

Just then, Elaine stepped into the room. "Yoel!" she shouted, and he jerked his hand back as if burned.

"Elaine, what are you doing here?" He quickly moved to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and guiding her towards the door. "This place is filthy. You shouldn't be here."

Elaine, calm as ever, shook her head. "Yoel, you're being too harsh. Maybe that's why Julianna doesn't want to come out." She glanced at the box. "How about you go back to the banquet hall and let me talk to her?"

Yoel tightened his grip on her. "No way! She's dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt again."

Elaine sighed, exasperated. "It won't happen. She's had time to reflect. She knows she was wrong."

Reluctantly, Yoel nodded. "Fine, but if she gives you any trouble, I swear I'll make her regret it." He shot the box a venomous look before storming out.

I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. Wasn't my death ugly enough already?

Elaine approached the box, pinching her nose against the stench. When she lifted the lid, her eyes widened in shock, and she staggered back.

After a moment, she steadied herself, pulling out her phone.

In no time, two men dressed in black appeared beside her.

"Get rid of the body. Take it out through the back door and bury it," Elaine commanded, her voice icy and resolute.

Panic surged through me. ‘This is really bad! She is going to bury me, and I will never get a chance to clear my name!’

I screamed and shouted, but it was useless. They could not hear me, and my soul had no power over them. I watched helplessly as they carried my lifeless body away.

The basement's back door led straight to the villa's backyard. I knew this place well; it was my family's old home. My parents had lived here before they passed away. After they were gone, I could not bear to leave. Yoel moved in with me to keep me company. Who would've thought that would be the beginning of my nightmares?

Elaine had been eyeing this mansion for a long time and often visited, so she knew the layout well.

"Find a spot and bury her," she directed the men, her tone devoid of any emotion.

I screamed again. No! Please, no!