2

The alarm clock blared. Michael grunted and hit snooze. He pulled off the covers and got up. He rubbed his eyes to see his room. He gasped. His room had the word Fascination painted in red paint all around the walls. The pictures of his family had all been covered with the word Distractions. He ran through his trashed house, where all his electronics, any recreational thing, was destroyed and labeled a distraction. Everything was painted with the word fascination. He grabbed his phone and dialed 911. He glanced at his fingers as he dialed the number. Flecks of red, dry paint were all around his hand and fingers. He dropped the phone. He just stared his hands.

“911 what’s your emergency?” A woman’s voice piped over the phone. He looked up. His eyes were scarlet. He grunted and grabbed his baseball bat by his table. He swung the bat at the phone repeatedly and screamed as he did. The phone now was just broken pieces scattered across the floor. He went to his kitchen and opened a cabinet. He pulled out the can of paint he had used so many times that night. He carefully painted the word distraction on the phone and put the can and brush back. He slumped to his original position and closed his eyes. He opened them and they were back their normal, ocean blue color. Michael got up from his position and saw the phone.

The door creaked open and Michael’s wife, Shannon, stepped through. “Sorry I was out late-“ She dropped her groceries from her arms and surveyed her surroundings. “H-honey?” She called out in a cracked voice. “Shannon…Oh dear God Shannon help!” Michael screamed. Shannon rushed into the living room and bent down to her husband. “What’s going on?” Shannon asked, face now pale. Michael’s heart raced.

He wanted to tell her, but he couldn’t. Somewhere inside him he thought that if he told her, she would go after the door. He pushed the thoughts aside. Michael told her the whole story. Her hands grabbed his and she started shaking. “I don’t know what this door is doing to me, but somehow, last night, I did all this.” He waited for a response. Shannon just looked at him, shaking from head to toe. “Take me to the bridge.” She said finally, calming herself down.

Halfway to the bridge and his mind was already on the fritz. He had to push away thoughts of killing Shannon while they silently rode through the gravel. Michael’s eyes flashed red and he drove the car toward a large pine tree. “Michael what are doing?!” Shannon screamed, grabbing the wheel. Michael pushed her back and cackled. “I’m making sure he gets the door open.” He whispered. Shannon slapped his eyes to blue. Michael yelled and swerved his pick-up. “Are you crazy?!” Shannon screamed at him, pushing him a little. “What happened?” Michael asked, oblivious. “Well let’s see, you almost drove the car into a tree!” She screamed, slumping back into her chair in relief.

“Well I have no idea how I did that. I was driving, then I blink and I’m heading for a tree!” Michael argued. Shannon mumbled and looked out her window. “This door thing has got your head in a jam.” She whispered quietly. Michael screeched to a stop at the front of the old bridge. Shannon stepped out and walked across the new blanket of snow. “It’s over here!” Michael yelled while he sprinted to a clump of snow. Michael scraped off the excess snow and uncovered the mysterious door. Shannon walked casually to his position, an axe in her hand. “You aren’t just gonna break it are you?” Michael asked as Shannon brushed past him. She stood facing the side of the door.

She sighed and lifted her axe. “Bye bye door.” She whispered. Thump. A large crack severed the door, waves of ice spread out from it. Excitement flew threw Michael as he pushed away Shannon and started peeling the boards. A wave of ice covered his fingers as he pounced back, fingers frozen together. The boards from the door flew up into the air and started repairing itself, piece by piece. Shannon screamed and swung her axe again. Lightning sprang through her body, sending her into a frenzy. Her eyes flashed scarlet and she spun around to Michael. “Stay away from the door!” She screamed as she charged towards her husband.