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Jenria

"The Door"

His name was Hodu. No one knew where he came from, or why he stayed. He merely was there, and no one questioned his presence. Ever since Katchen Hilger could remember, Hodu had stood, like a rock, guarding the Door.

What was beyond the Door was as strange a mystery. Some speculated it was the Door to Hell, and Hodu was sent to keep the demons from opening it and invading the land.

Others thought it was the Door to the forgotten Eden, the Lost Paradise. Hodu was there to make sure that no one was ever allowed to enter what had been forbidden.

Katchen wasn't sure what he believe, only that he felt it was his destiny to find out once and for all. So every day he'd walk by the Door, and Hodu, but the guardian was always there to prevent his tampering.

"Please, dear, don't be preoccupied with the Door," his parents scolded. "You're slacking in your studies."

"What does school have to do with the Door?" Katchen shrugged. "If I fail in school, it has nothing to do with the Door."

Katchen ignored his parents and barely passed through his elementry school years and into high school.

"Why do you persist in occupying yourself with the Door?" his friend Bunott would ask him. "No one will ever be allowed in, Kat," his chided. "You might as well forget about it. Hodu's not moving, and it's time to meet with our friends."

"No one can stand there forever. He'll move, and when that happens, I'll be there to find out the secret of the Door. All it takes is patience, I know it." Nothing Bunott would say could sway Katchen from his goal. Bunott left without him.

For years Katchen walked passed the door. When he became married, his wife pleaded for him to stop such nonsense. "I need you to here, on the ground, with your family," Lilah insisted. "What happens when we have children? Haven't you the slightest concern over how this habit of yours will affect them? What if they are consumed by this obsession of yours? What then?"

"It's not an obession," Katchen clamly replied. "It's my destiny. I cannot ignore my path in life." With that, he left to walk passed the door, where Hodu stood ever vigilant.

Lilah loved Katchen too much to leave him, so she stayed. More years passed, and Katchen grew to middle-age, and had children, but continued his walks. But now his patience was wearing thin. Why would Hodu never move? Why must he be keep from what he desired- what was behind the Door?

At long last, Katchen walked by Hodu and his patience fled. "Why don't you move?!" he yelled angrily at the unflinching Hodu. "Why do you taunt me and keep me away from my destiny? What is behind the Door!?"

With an angry cry, Katchen flung himself at Hodu with all his strength.

Crack!

Hodu fell backwards without a sound or a protest, his head cracking on the door he had protected for so long without tiring, Katchen falling on him. Startled, Katchen laid ontop the fallen guardian a few moments, dazed beyond thinking.

Gathering his wits about him, he slowly pulled himself to his feet. Something was wrong. He looked down at his hands, stained with blood. Blood from Hodu's head.

Oh heavens, Katchen's mind screamed, I killed him!

He stepped back quickly, but no one was there to see what he had done. No one. Hodu simply lay there, and there was no evidence to link Katchen to the crime. None at all.

Quickly Katchen ran home, encountering no one. What if they find out? he thought. I will be hanged! No, there's nothing to link me to the crime, his other half assured him. And dead men can't speak.

Katchen washed his hands free of the blood, until not even a faint scent remained. Later, Lilah and his children returned to their home. Lilah asked how his day was, and Katchen quickly said that it was fine. Nothing unusual.

"Did you already go on your walk?" she asked. He shook his head.

"I don't think I'll take one today." He quickly smiled to soothe her startled look and went to play with his children. Let her think I have finally taken her advice, he thought to himself.

The next day Katchen did not leave his home. No news of Hodu's death reached him.

How could they not have dicovered it yet? he wondered, but dared not say a word about it.

Several weeks passed, and Katchen never ventured near sight of the Door. He stayed with his family, and his children. Until then he had never appreciated what he had, or how beautiful Lilah was, or how wonderful his children were. For once in his life, Katchen slowly became truly happy with his life. What more could he possibly need? And it'll remain this way forever, he told hismelf. I haven't even heard anything about Hodu.

For a while all was good, and Katchen was happy. Then came the announcement: the Door was to be opened! The town took a vote on who should be the first to walk through, and all agreed that the man who's heart had always wished to be first should have the honor- Katchen himself.

Katchen couldn't believe his ears, and his heart raced. Nothing could be better for him- he had his family, and his patience and dedication had finally paid off. He'd be the first to know what was behind the Door!

The selected opening date came quickly, and everyone gathered to watch Katchen open the mysterious Door. At first, Katchen did not recognise the Door, but then realized it was because the guardan figure of Hodu was missing. Where he was, Katchen couldn't guess, and not a word was mentioned about his absense.

Finally, the mayor signaled for Katchen to do the honors. With the whole town watching him, including his beloved wife Lilah and their wonderful children, he turned and placed his hand on the knob. Slowly, ever so slowly, as to savour the moment, he twisted his hand.

His hand slipped.

Frowning, he tried again, but once more he could not find a grip on the knob. Anxious, he removed his hand to discover what was wrong and gasped.

His hand was covered in blood. Hodu's blood!

The entire crowd saw the dark red stain on his hands, and not one word was said. In an erie silence, each town member filed passed him, each individually opening the door and passing through. Even the tinyest babe opened the handle easily, but try as he might, Katchen could not grip hard enough through the blood.

He could not even see through the door, people were going by so quickly! He heard their awed gasped, their cries of joy, and he could not follow! He wiped his hands of on his shirt, but the blood remained. How cruel, how terrible a fate! Even his own wife gave not a second glance to him as she walked by.

Katchen fell to his knees, sobbing. Why must this happen to him? What had he done wrong? Why was he not as deserving? Why was he not even allowed a glimpse?

He stood up, and gazed out away from the door, feeling nothing, wishing nothing. And he continued to stand there, until he had forgotten how to move and how to speak. The only thing left was the nothingness inside.

And he stood there. For an eternity.

Epilogue

His name was Katchen. No one knew where he came from, or why he stayed. He merely was there, and no one questioned his presence. Ever since Calos Janger could remember, Katchen had stood, like a rock, guarding the Door. . .