The Box

In the basement closet on the top shelf.

Sarah found a dusty box of unsent letters.

They were written by Beth her former roommate.

There were no addresses or stamps.

She thought she should return the box to Beth.

But her curiosity got the better of her.

So after dinner she sat by the fireside.

Then opened the first letter.

It read like a journal.

Talked about moving into the house,

Unpacking, getting ready to start her new job.

Sarah remembered those days well.

The letters were so interesting.

She didn’t realize Beth was such a writer.

Sarah made it a nightly journey now.

Beth’s letters and a glass of wine.

The letters dated somewhere around June.

Started to sound a little different.

“What does Sarah really see in him?”

Beth must have been talking about Alan.

It took her till September to see the same as Beth, Alan was no good for her.

Beth’s next letter said “Look at Sarah staring out the window. What is she thinking about?”

“It really breaks my heart”

The following letter: “I cried all night, I don’t know if I can go on this way”

This one really crushed Sarah.

She didn’t know this was happening to Beth.

There was only one letter left.

Beth talked of moving out that it would be better this way. Beth took a new job just as an excuse to move. Sarah was crying now. That was three months ago.

Night came again, no wine or reading tonight.

Sarah was sitting at her desk pen in hand.

Dear Beth,

How could I be so blind?

I hope I’m not too late...