A Hidden Door

This is my final version of this story. It is what it is.

“What should I do today?” asked Aaron out loud. He cocked his head to the side and placed his thumb and forefinger on his chin as he thought. Without moving his head, Aaron scanned his room. A wide smile appeared across his face. “I know! I’ll move my room around.” He laughed for an instant before standing up. “I bet I’ll find things that I have been searching for.”

Aaron began clearing his floor before he could talk himself out of it. He picked up dirty clothes, threw away the trash that littered his floor, and put away his school books. After his floor was cleared, he pushed his bookshelf from the middle of the farthest wall from the door to the corner of his room. He walked across his room to where his bed lay then turned to scan his room to pinpoint the exact angles he would need to maneuver his bed to where his bookshelf had been.

He stopped, frozen in place. His eyes widened in surprise. He’d never noticed a door there before, probably because for as long as he could remember his bookshelf had always been in the same spot.

“There is a door . . .” he trailed off. Aaron rubbed his eyes and pinched his arm. “Well, it’s not a dream.” He moved closer to the mysterious door then stopped. He glanced around his room once more. “No, it can’t be a closet because my closet is on the left side of my room. Could it lead to another room? Well I guess I should check.”

Aaron again moved towards the door until he was right in front of it. His hand hesitated on the door knob. He swallowed a sudden knot in his throat and ignored a cold chill that ran down his spine. “Stop freaking yourself out, Aaron.” He took a deep breath to calm himself down and opened the door.

He could feel his hands begin to tremble, and he stumbled back. Fear pierced his heart. “W-what?!” Aaron gasped, brows drawn together. “H-how the heck did this get in here?”

Aaron shook his head and shut his eyes. “It’s not a real skeleton; it can’t be a real skeleton!” He whimpered before opening his eyes to come face to face with the skeleton in his closet. Aaron crawled back to distance himself from the horror in the hidden closet.

A knock sounded on his door. “Yo, Aaron, it’s me, Finley. Can I come in?” Aaron stood up and put his back to the closet as Finley let himself in, laughing. “Put your hands where I can see them, dude!” Finley was looking around the room when his eyes landed on the door behind Aaron. “Has that closet always been there?”

Aaron mimicked Finley’s movements as he tried to get a peek inside the door. “Stop! I need to explain something before you see what is in that closet,” Aaron spoke frantically. He sidestepped Finley every time he made a move towards the door.

“Explain what?”

Aaron sucked in a deep breath. His lips thinned into a straight line and he cast his eyes downwards as he spoke. “The-there is a real-life skeleton in my closet. I didn’t even know that door was there…I’m freaking out. What happened here? How did I not know that the door was there? How?” His voice was quick and tense.

Finley tilted his head to the side. His eyes narrowed and his face became drawn. “A real skeleton? Are you sure? Wouldn’t it stink in here? Come on, let me see dude. You might have just been so creeped out that you tricked yourself into thinking it was real.”

“How are you not freaking out, Finley?” asked Aaron. “You are way to calm, but then I guess I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.” As long as Aaron had known him, Finley had always been a very serene person. Nothing ever fazed him.

Aaron moved out of Finley’s way. Finley stepped behind Aaron and walked straight toward the closet. He stopped right in front of the door and stared at the empty space. He looked back at Aaron.

“Are you sure you weren’t just seeing things?” Finley shook his head at Aaron. “Dude, there’s nothing here.”

Aaron’s forehead creased in apprehension. “What do you mean there is nothing there?” Aaron shook with fear; his voice broke as he spoke. “I swear there was a skeleton there! Finley, I’m not crazy!”

Finley’s own forehead creased with concern. “Aaron, calm down.” His eyes searched Aaron’s face. “But honestly, if there was indeed something there, then where could it have gone?”

Aaron frantically searched his room. Fear settled in his heart and his movements became stiff and erratic. Aaron feared that there was more to that hidden door had more secrets than he would ever know.

“I don’t know, but there is definitely something not right about that door . . .” Aaron trailed off. A hand touched his shoulder. He looked down at the hand, frozen in terror, and then he looked up at Finley, whose face had gone white. “Wh-what is that? What is touching me, Finley? Is that skeleton behind me? Does it look malicious? Is it angry? Finley!” Aaron spoke faster and faster with each word. He could not stop talking.

“Calm down,” said a cracked voice. “Let me tell you my story . . .”

Author's Note

The ending purposeful, so don't tell me to change it.

Reviews

[Amaya Sullivan]

It was interesting enough for me because I love alternate worlds, so I read it this expecting this scenario. What does the skeleton mean? Will it come to life? If you do not like that route the door could lead to another world? A momento from the previous house owners? A book sealed by lock and chain?

Right now, it is very much at a cliffhanger. I would brainstorm a little the old fashion way, and write down all possibilities that you see in this story both the ones you think are good even the ideas you my not like as much.

I hope it helps your writers block because the story is good so far.

[Deanna Maestas]

Thanks.