Here's a summary:
* The Discovery: Michael and Lisa, bored and seeking excitement, find a dusty chest filled with intricately carved wooden boxes in their attic. Intrigued, they open them, discovering they hold strange, inexplicable objects: a feather, a key, a piece of fabric.
* The Mystery Deepens: As they open more boxes, they experience unsettling events: strange noises, feeling watched, and objects seemingly moving on their own. They also start having disturbing dreams.
* The Connection: The boxes seem to be linked to their family history, with the objects inside representing events from their ancestors' lives. The siblings become increasingly obsessed with understanding the boxes and the secrets they hold.
* The Danger: They realize that the boxes are not just artifacts – they have a malevolent presence, possibly even a malevolent entity. The boxes seem to be feeding on their fear and curiosity, pulling them into a dangerous game.
* The Confrontation: As the siblings delve deeper into the mystery, they must face their own fears and confront the dark forces at play. They come to realize that the boxes are not just about the past but also about their future.
* The Resolution: The ending of the story is ambiguous and leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions. The siblings, now deeply connected to the boxes and their history, are left to deal with the consequences of their curiosity and the potential danger that lies within.
Themes:
* Curiosity and its consequences: The story explores the dangers of unchecked curiosity and the potential for it to lead to unexpected and dangerous outcomes.
* Family history and its impact: The boxes represent the weight of family history and how the past can influence the present.
* Fear and the unknown: The story is filled with suspense and fear as the siblings confront the unknown and their own anxieties.
* The power of the mind: The story suggests that the power of the mind can be both a force for good and a source of danger.
"The Boxes" is a classic example of Sleator's work, blending elements of mystery, suspense, and psychological horror to create a chilling and thought-provoking story.