“Maybe it’s filled with snakes,” mumbled Rybeck. 

Strycker glanced at him worriedly. “Snakes? They’d be dead snakes by now. This box looks 50 years old.”

Rybeck cautiously moved forwards three steps and then lightly kicked the box. Nothing happened, nothing moved.

Stupid box, he thought, backing away to stand next to Strycker. 

Strycker, meanwhile, was lost in his own thoughts. It could be Grandma's box for something or other. A lot of her old junk is up here. Or maybe we could solve a mystery about it. I think we should just open it…

“Let's open it,” prompted Strycker, and Rybeck did what his brother told him to. 

"Nothing's happening. This is really lame. I'm gonna go call Becky now…" Rybeck walked away slowly towards the stairs and was about to go down them when Strycker noticed something.

"Becky can wait. Look!"

Becky was Rybeck's best friend. She was the lead vocal in his band and also a complete and total punk. Rybeck called her once a day to make sure she hadn’t gotten grounded again, and was actually able to come to band practice.

"Come back over here, Ry," Strycker called. Rybeck reluctantly followed another of his brother's orders.

"What in the heck is that?" Rybeck peered into the box, his mouth wide open.  

"It

looks a lot like… a mummy or something. All that paper."

"Toilet paper, possibly?"

At this comment Strycker turned away from the fascinating find and stared at his brother with a look that said "Seriously?"

"No, not toilet paper," Rybeck said, correcting himself. 

"Should I touch it?"

"Go for it…"

Strycker reached down into the box and pulled out an old, weathered scroll.

"Ooh, now we're talking." Rybeck rubbed his hands together in anticipation and eagerly waited for Strycker to unroll it.

"Be careful. It's super brittle," Strycker whispered. He unrolled the scroll and there was lots of writing on it, some in a different language.

"What… I can't even…" Rybeck said, trying ro read the paper. And then Strycker produced another object from the box.

It was old, black, and very rusty. There was an old rope tied through the top of the small object, and Strycker examined it closely.

"Looks like a key," he remarked.

"Wait, wait, wait. Check out this scroll thing.  There was the mention of a key," said Rybeck, showing Strycker the old paper. 

The holder of the key must find the heart's locket. 

Locket found in Black Forest. 

Cursed.

Those were the only words written in English, and Rybeck dropped the key. "Cursed?!"