Doors by K. Leigh

The stream of light beamed from Clara’s small flashlight. Her batteries would be failing any time now. She noticed the light get less powerful over the hours she spent trying to figure out this underground labyrinth. The stones that made up the wall harbored areas of moss. The dirt dusted path crunched under her black Converse. Drips of water vibrated through the passage as they dropped from an unseen ceiling. It must be raining outside, but how far down am I? Clara thought to herself. Whom was she hiding from? There was no reason to stay silent. “Who knew that libraries really did have books that led to secret tunnels?” Clara’s voice echoed down the empty hallway.

“We did,” came a reply.

“Who’s there?” She called as she stopped. Fear and worry rose up in her. Her eyes darted about in the flickering light. It seemed that the flashlight decided to give up and die on her after all.

Then came a glowing orange light. Her gut told her to stay where she was, but she decided to ignore the feeling. A bad habit, indeed. There was no going back to the door that led her there. She had already tried, but it locked behind her. She made her way forward to what looked to be a bonfire, lighting up a five-foot radius all around. Her face twisted in curiosity: brows furrowed, lips pouted, head tilted to the right. This wasn’t the strangest part of it at all. It was the wooden doors on either side of the source of light that gave her an odd feeling. They were too perfectly placed and there had been no other doors prior.

“Who’s there?” she cried as she circled the small flaming pit.

“Turn around! Turn around! Go back down! Go back down!” came a chorus of voices. Out of the darkness stepped what appeared to be a small gnome. He was everything she had seen upon people’s lawns. Red cap, long white beard, but lacking a cheery face.

“I already tried. The only way out is through this hallway,” she said not knowing what to think of the small man.

“There is no way out this way,” he pointed in the direction she had been going. “There is a way. Through one of these doors, that is.”

“Which one?”

“I don’t know. It’s been many years since we had a…visitor. We do so miss them. We enjoyed playing games with them.”

“Games?” Clara raised an eyebrow.

“Oh! How about a game then, girl? Which door is the exit? One door leads to the exit, the other leads to…well…how should I put this? An eternity down here with the others.”

“I would assume the others would be those who came here before and lost.”

“Smart girl! Smart girl!” sang the gnomes who refused to step into the light.

The gnome before her looked at her with a grin, flashing his pointy teeth. “I’ll give you a hint. “It’s not the door on the left.”

Now Clara thought that was a dumb hint for a game. He gave the answer to her! “I choose the door on the right, then.”

“Are you sure?” His grin widened.

She hesitated. Now thinking closely, it was a horrible hint. Did he mean her left or his left? Did he just say that to throw her off? What if the door to freedom was actually the door on the left, but he tricked her into thinking it wasn’t? What if either door actually didn’t let her out? She had to stop and think about it. She heard of something like this before.

“I’m sure,” her voice squeaked out. “Whichever door you tell me leads out isn’t the correct door.” An infuriated blink was all she got in return.

“Did I say left door?” he muttered trying to sway the outcome in his favor, but Clara had already started to move.

She could feel the pressure and fear build up in her as she reached the left door. She put her hand on the handle and pushed it open. Fresh air filled the musty chamber as she disappeared from the community of gnomes.

“Quick to guess! Quick to guess! Now she’s gone and made a mess!”