DISPATCH FROM THE CITY
Something’s happening in Noir City. You’ve been called to the scene. Make your choice. See what happens.
The Tin Box
It’s getting late.
You’re heading home when you remember a shortcut a friend mentioned earlier today—an alley you’d normally avoid.
Tonight, saving a few minutes sounds like a good idea.
Halfway through, something hits the pavement ahead of you.
Clang.
You stop.
A small battered tin box lies beneath the alley light.
You look up.
Fire escapes. Dark windows. Rooftops.
Nobody.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
You pick up the box.
It’s heavier than it looks.
There’s a small crank on one side.
You turn it.
A few notes of an old tune struggle out.
Then the lid snaps open.
No toy.
Just a folded piece of paper.
You unfold it.
DON’T GO HOME.
You leave the box where it fell.
Whatever this is, you want no part of it.
You turn back and take the long way home.
By the time you reach your building, it’s dark.
You climb the stairs and turn down the hall.
Then you stop.
A small battered tin box sits outside your apartment door.
The same scratches. The same dents.
Then you hear something from inside your apartment.
A slow, tinny melody.
You don’t move.