When my 67-year-old neighbor, Mrs. Cartwright, collapsed while frantically digging in her yard, I rushed to help.
I wasn’t prepared to uncover a buried wooden box that changed everything.
The sun bathed my quiet street in golden light as I folded laundry by the window.
Across the way, Mrs. Cartwright, my elderly neighbor, was in her yard.
She was a petite woman, always wearing neat cardigans and a kind smile.
Even at sixty-seven, she had a certain energy, though I knew her health was touchy.
Today, she wasn’t her usual composed self.
She was digging. Hard. Her frail arms jabbed a spade into the dirt, sweat staining her blouse.
It didn’t look right.
I opened my window and called, “Mrs. Cartwright! Are you okay?”
She didn’t look up, just kept at it like she didn’t hear me.
“Do you need help?” I tried again, louder.
Still no answer.
I watched her, uneasy.
Maybe she was fine? I started to pull the window shut when she suddenly stopped, dropped the spade, and threw up her hands.
“Finally!” she cried out. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, she crumpled to the ground.
“Mrs.
Cartwright!” My voice cracked. I bolted out the door, sprinting to her yard.
Her thin body lay sprawled by the hole, one hand resting on the edge. I shook her shoulder gently.
She didn’t move.
My heart pounded as I checked her pulse.
It was faint but there. Thank God. I leaned in closer, listening for her breath.
Slow and shallow, but steady. Relief washed over me.
“Okay, hang on,” I murmured, unsure if she could hear.
While adjusting her head for better airflow, something caught my eye. In the hole she’d been digging, something wooden peeked through the dirt.
A box?
I hesitated. Helping her was the priority. But the box glinted faintly, pulling my focus like a magnet.
“What were you looking for?” I whispered, glancing between her and the hole.
My curiosity got the better of me. I reached into the dirt and tugged at the box. It came loose with surprising ease.
The wood was weathered but intact, and the lid creaked as I lifted it.
Inside were bundles of letters tied with faded twine. Next to them lay yellowed photographs and a sealed envelope.
“What…?” My voice trailed off as I pulled out one of the photographs. It showed a young Mrs.
Cartwright, smiling beside a man in uniform. Her husband?
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