The odd man remained silent, forcing a small copper box into my hands.

I looked at the box. “What’s this?”

He remained silent.

I examined the box. There didn’t seem to be anything extraordinary about it. I tried to lift the lid. The box didn’t open. I looked up at the odd man. 

“How do I open it?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

I shrugged mine back. “What’s that supposed to mean. You give me a nondescript copper box and expect me to know what to do with it.”

“I was only told to deliver it.”

With that he left.