Bubbe’s Shaynekeit

Eli shook the wooden box. Each dull thump vibrated soundlessly into his fingertips, and it grew warmer with each impact. It had severe half-blind dovetail joinery but was accented with three iron nails on all four corners. Eli rubbed his thumbs over the nails, cold in contrast with the warm wood. The iron mortised lock wasn’t originally part of the box. It was hammered in with claw-like nails bent inward around the edges that dug into the box. Above the keyhole, carved and painted red, was אגלא.