Keykeeper

It was when I found a door.

Not a normal old door, like the one in a building. But a door just out in the streets, attached to no building or anything. Just a door. Existing.

It was raining that day. The moon was climbing its way to the top of the dark sky while I walked home that day. I had been looking for a job for months with no success. My shabby old apartment room, which was good enough for me, was emptied out except for my few possessions. I couldn't afford it. I was near broke and without a home. My parents lived in the next state over, so I couldn't visit them. I had no siblings or relatives to go to. That night I was miserable and wet. Clutching my backpack filled with whatever meager items I owned, I continued walking down the soaked sidewalk. There was really no destination on my mind. There was no place for me to go. No other people graced the streets; it was late and everyone was sleeping. I kept on walking.

And then I saw a door.

It suddenly appeared in front of me. It wasn't connected to a building or anything. The door itself was made of sturdy mahogany wood with a golden-brown knob adorning it. It was a simple door. But on a street connected to nothing? I looked around. No one else was around so no one else was could witness the strange happening. I looked behind the door. Just the back end of a door.

For some reason, something told me to open it.

You're an idiot. I thought to myself. Just walk off. It's probably just some dumb prank or construction project or something. But standing alone in that pouring rain, poor and homeless...the door called me to open it. To turn the knob.

I had nothing to lose. I grabbed the smooth handle and turned.

It was locked.

"You see the door, don't you?"

Suddenly a man was behind me. I turned around quickly, stunned. He wasn't there a minute before, how had he managed to appear there? Was it magic? This was a night of strange doors and appearing men. He was dressed with a large white fedora hat with a black band. A strange but alluring red stone was imbedded into the middle of the band. A white cap was draped around his shoulders, while he wore a black and white striped long-sleeved shirt with long black pants. His gray eyes regarded with me with an oddly warm gaze that contrasted the gloomy rain. He twirled a cane in his hand, with the same red stone imbedded on the top. I said nothing while I stared at him, slowly backing away until my back hit the hard surface of the door.

"You see the door, don't you?" He repeated. "First door I've seen in fifteen years. Time seems to go slow and go fast at the same time, yes?"

"Who are you?" I asked in a strong voice, hoping to scare him off.

"I'm the Keykeeper." He regarded with a cheerful smile. "Well, I used to be. I was stripped of my title years ago but that's a long story I'm sure you don't want to hear."

I said nothing. I simply stared at him. What should I say?

"Ah, yes." He motioned for me to move out of the way. I quickly sidestepped out of the way, watching as he walked toward the door and put a gloved hand on it. "I thought the doors were all gone. I wonder…" He reached into his cape and pulled out a single key. It was rusted and miserable looking but he smiled at it like it was the most valuable thing to him. "I still have this. Years ago, I got it. It's the only key I have. I used to have many. Though they were taken away from me as well as my title. But who cares about the past? It's the present, am I right? It's a gift. A gift we should appreciate."

He whistled a cheerful tune as he put the key in the keyhole of the door and turned it. I looked around. There were still no people. It was just me, standing in the rain with a strange door and an even stranger man. The lock clicked and he opened it. He took one look, gave a shocked expression before it turned into the most happiest expression I've ever seen. He quickly closed it and turned to me.

"Chervil Lewis." He said calmly, bowing deeply.

"Ah…!" How did he know my name? My full name? I backed up again and hit the side of a building on the street. I considered running and going to the nearest police station. I gripped both of my hands on my suitcase handle, prepared to use it as a weapon. "I'll hit you if you come near me."

"What? Why would you want to do that?" He was taken aback, a hand going over his mouth.

"I mean it. I'll beat your head into the sidewalk." I wouldn't hesitate to hurt him if he truly wanted to harm me.

"But Ms. Lewis, don't you want to look inside the door?"

"No."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to leave me alone."

"Just take one look into the door. That's all I'm asking."

"Will you leave me alone if I do?"

"Sure."

I sighed and put my suitcase down. He walked to the door and opened it again. I walked over and stuck my head in.

After a few minutes of looking, I pulled my head out. I stared at him with wonder and amazement. "How could…?"

"Vil," He said, using my nickname that he somehow knew. "What're you waiting for? You can drop that old sack of stuff on the sidewalk; you won't need it."

"I—"

"Oh yes, aren't you excited? The first door, in fifteen years—"

"Wait!"

He shut up and blinked, gazing at me.

I cleared my throat. "I'm not sure if I want to go."

"What? Don't you want to go?"

"I don't know. I mean, to go into a strange place with a strange man and leave behind a life I've lived for."

"Well, what do you have to live for now?"

I thought about it. I had no home, no money, nothing other than the shabby clothes I was wearing and the small possessions that I had in my suitcase, most of which were just odds and trinkets that I didn't need. If I stayed here, I would most likely end up on the streets as some lowly prostitute. But to go with him, I would gain new opportunities. With new opportunities come bad things and good things. Would I be willing to put up with one and hope for the other?

"Sure. I'll go." I finally said.

"Wonderful." He then grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. His white gloves contrasted against my dark brown skin. "Well, then let's go off, shall we?"

"Hold on, what was your name?"

"I already told you. The Keykeeper."

"No, your real name."

He looked at me with a bemused expression. I sighed.

"Just call me the keeper." He said merrily. "My, it would be a pleasure to travel with such a wonderfully beautiful woman."

"Shut it." I said, punching him hard in the arm. He laughed it.

"Alright, then. Ladies first." He opened the door.

I walked in.