The walls were breathing. I couldn’t help
but notice this fact. The stone walls seemed almost sentient. I did not know
where I was, or how I even got here. I was just there, in a narrow corridor.
The floors and walls were made of stone and lit torches sat in wooden brackets
lined up along the walls, illuminating the corridor amidst the moonless dusk
that has befallen. I felt lost, but strangely unafraid.
I walked
slowly along the hallway. From where I was, I could catch glimpses of a
deserted courtyard through supporting pillars. It seemed as though I was in a
kind of medieval castle, one that has been abandoned for years. Wild vines were
growing everywhere and nature threatened to engulf the castle. A slight breeze
blew through the night air, causing the fires burning in the torches to flicker
and sending a cold chill down my spine.
As I
approached the end of the stretch of stone, I could only just make out stairs
leading downwards, into the dungeons it may seem. I didn’t know what possessed me
to do so, but I knew that I had to go down those stairs. Unlike the corridor I
just left, the stairway was dark, lit by not a single flame. I proceeded cautiously,
feeling my way along the walls with my hands.
It
seemed like a long time before I reached the bottom, but when I did, I was
somewhat relieved that I was welcomed by another lit corridor. However, this
one was different. It was the walls the emitted the light. A warm dark red glow
was given out by the walls, despite it being made of stone. It took a while for
my eyes to adjust to the new light, but I was determined to push on. I could
just feel something calling me.
This
hallway was lined with many doors. All were made of the typical heavy wood
found in castles. I approached the first door and immediately I felt sorrow and
grief overwhelm my being. I had no intention to even grab hold of the steel
door handle but managed a peek through the metal bars of the small opening on
the door. What I saw was too painful to describe here.
I pushed
on past door after door, each exuding strong emotions – happiness, anger, and melancholy.
I dared not open a single door. I continued until the end of the hallway, where
a single door stood, unlike the others. This one was bigger and more
intricately designed. There was also no space to peek into the room that lay
past the door. Strangely, I felt nothing from behind the heavy oak door. This
was the first, compared to all the locked up emotions in the other doors. After
a minute of bracing myself, I laid my hands on the door and pushed as hard as I
could. The hinges of the door resisted, but creaked open nonetheless.
The room
the lay beyond was very plain compared to the beautiful design of the door. Only
an average bed stood inside, and upon it laid an unconscious – or sleeping –
girl. For once, I did not know what to do, but curiosity got the best of me. I approached
the girl slowly, not wanting to disturb her slumber. I examined the girl
cautiously. She had the sweetest features I have seen in a long time. Even in
slumber, she seemed as though she was smiling, maybe due to a dream she was
having.
Unexpectedly,
a melodious female voice spoke in my head, “Finally”. I looked at the girl with
shock. Her lips had not moved. Then, as if on cue, her eyes slowly opened. When
she looked into my eyes, everything seemed to make sense. She smiled and said
to me “Come on outside, it’s a beautiful day.”
We ran
outside together, and the desolate castle that was once there, now looked as
though it was brand new. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the
fountain in the courtyard spouted beautiful streams of water. Even with all
that was going on, only one question played in my mind, “How could only one
person do this?”
-Izzat R.
