"There are many absurd and fantastic stories floating about in this world, and this one will seem no different than any of the others that you have heard - of this I can assure you. I can also assure you that it's very true and should be examined with great caution, for if the wrong person were ever to pinpoint exactly what it's subject matter is, the world would be changed drastically." The man said. He sat in a dimly lit room speaking to a large machine that recorded his every word.

It was the only way they could get him to speak. When he was joined by a doctor he would only chant and mumble incoherently, and would seemingly ignore any attempt at conversation made by the doctors. They sat behind the two way mirror listening to him speak. They had trouble hiding their surprise at how absolutely sane he sounded. If he had been speaking of any other subject in the world they may have considered proclaiming him cured and safe to be released back into society. But what he spoke of lately could not possibly occur in the thoughts of any normal sane man.

"You see, it first came to be in a dream," he said. "I know it sounds unlikely and I realise that there is no possible proof for me to show anybody of this. That is something I have to live with and am unable to change." He paused momentarily to take a sip from the glass of water that was provided to him by the doctors. "It's my duty now. It's all on my shoulders to find the key." He said, fidgiting with the edge of the table and apparently losing himself in thought.

"I've tried nearly every possible combination now. I don't know how I remember what I've tried, that much is beyond me and was not made clear to me whatsoever. It's like I can keep a list in my mind. I know the key is seven words long." He stared at the tiled ceiling for a moment before laughing to himself. "Lucky seven, hah! It seems to be a common theme here."

The doctors scribbled notes on his behavior busilly as they listened to the man. They didn't even know his name, and the most surprising part of the entire scenario was that he brought himself to them. He refused to reveal his identity, he had no means of identification on him at the time, and he asked to be left alone with a tape recorder. If a doctor persisted on asking questions he would only mumble to himself, adding the phrase "That's not it," after saying exactly seven words. It was never more, and it was never less. The words he spoke did not make up phrases, they seemed to be random choices from the dictionary, skipping across the entire language as though he was carefully following some sort of patteren that was only visable to him.

The nameless man continued speaking, "The list is becoming narrowed now, I am close to finding the correct key, but unfortunately I don't know which door I'll open with it." He sounded distressed as he spoke this last part. "It's so hard not to just guess wildly and pray for the best, you know? I mean, I know that there are seven keys, each of them are made up of seven words and each will open a different one of the seven doors. I could bring great things to this world you know. Only by speaking the seven words. If I open the wrong door though..." His voice trailed off and he was lost once again to this thoughts. "Damnation for everybody." He said.

The man tipped his chair back and buried his chin in his chest as he stared at the table once again. "I keep telling you guys what I've tried so far. There are only so many combinations and I've managed to narrow it down. The list is almost full and I know that I am so very close. I can bring them here. Seven words and one of them is here. But which goddamned one will it be? I can't guess. Too much pressure." He shook his head as though he was trying to clear it.

"I've spent over a year trying to narrow it down. It was like playing a year long game of Russian Roulette. It was goddamned torture. I'm surprised I'm not totally out of my wits yet, to be honest with you." He said. "The funny thing is that these keys have been available since the beginning of time. If any person randomly chose one of the seven sets of seven words in the correct order and spoke them by accident, then they would have opened a door. Just like that. Presto!" He waved his arms about, exaggerating the effects of finding the correct key.

"It's not so hard to believe, is it?" He asked, this time turning toward the two way glass mirror. "They made themselves available to us, should we ever want their presence. I'm sure that they left a list of keys somewhere around here," he said. "I mean, on this planet. Somewhere. It shouldn't be this hard. We should know what key goes to what door."

He shook his head again, rubbing his temples with his index fingers. The doctors still scribbled busilly, though one could easily see that a few of them were actually buying this man's story, much to the dismay of their colleagues.

"I don't really know why they came to me in those dreams," he said. "I saw all of them. All seven, and I immediately knew their purposes. All but one, that is. I assume we could use each of their services once throughout the process of time whenever we should see fit. As far as I remember there was one that would end all violence," he thought for a moment. "There was one to end all people. One to end all animals. One to clear all conciences. One to clense all souls. One to pass judgement on everybody. And then there was that dark one. The one who's intent I could not tell. He stared intently at me, reading me, studying me. I could not look into his face. He terrified me." The man stopped talking again for a moment.

"I wanted all of this to go on record, because even though I do not intend to summon these things, somebody someday accidentally might. My game of Russian Roulette is finished and now this record will be here to explain it to whomever decides to access it in the future." He stopped again for a second before adding, "I fear I may someday mumble the words to one of the keys in my sleep, as I have a good idea of which seven words will cause a door to open. No pressure there," he said, laughing.

"I know you doctors are all there listening to me," he said, knocking on the glass window. "I can't see you but I bet you can goddamned see me. You can trust me though." His voice was so absolutely monotone at this point that the doctors each had a chill, which they did their best to hide. The man sounded so very unnatural.

The doctors were all showing their discomfort now. "Should we sedate him?" Asked one. "Should we take the chance that he's speaking the truth? He can disappear, right? We can do that if we think it's best, just so he doesn't accidentally..." He couldn't finish his sentence.

The nameless man began to slowly and deliberately chant again. "Fear, Phantom, Fathom, Bribery, Liberate, Commence, Savior." He paused for a moment, turning to the glass again and seemingly staring right through it at all of the doctors horrified faces. "That's not it." He said, closing his eyes and searching for the next remaining possibility.

"Sedate him while we decide," said another.

The man spoke again, smiling, "Horse, Breeze, Live, Damn, Queen, Cane, Weave." He paused. "That's not it."

"No, we can't do that," said one of the men. "He's insane, why do you listen to him?"

"Are you sure? He might -"

"No, he's simply insane. It's nonsense. Ignore him and stop wasting your time on him." Said the opposed doctor.

The man spoke again. "There are only seven left. One for each door. I have a list. Every combination but seven is gone. I now carry all seven keys to open their doors, should the time ever come when I need to." He said. "I am pretty confident that these words will not be accidentally spoken in their correct order. The creatures did a very good job of choosing obscure words indeed." The man said. "It's on record now, though, just incase something ever does happen. You'll know and you'll be able to explain it, that is, if we're not all dead." The man smiled.

"He's insane," another doctor echoed. Nods of agreement.

"A man who believes in his nightmares a little too much," another doctor said. "Laughable." More nods of agreement.

"I do wish you'd all believe me," the man said. "I can hear you back there, you know. This glass isn't soundproof." He said. "You temp me."

The doctors, in their nervousness, had forgotten that the glass was indeed not soundproof. "We apologize," one said. "We believe you." The room filled with muffled laughter.

"Good. I'd hate very much to decide that I have to prove it to you." The man said. "It'll happen someday. It's inevitable, you know. Someday somebody will speak the right words in the right order, as unlikely as it is."

The doctors stood in silence.

"For now, though, I hold the keys. I hold the well being of man-kind. I hold all of your fates." He said. "I could well be your God if I go public with this."

"Yes," a doctor said. "Please, stay with us for a while, let us learn from you."

"I'd like that, I have much more to explain," The Man said.

"Good, follow us," another doctor said, entering the man's room and leading him down a hallway.

"It's all on record now," The Man said.

"Yes, it is."

"Good, good." said The Man.

They stopped outside of a large metal door with a barred window. "This is it," said the doctor. "Your quarters." He opened the door and ushered The Man inside.

"Fitting, for a God," The man said cheerfully. "I like it."

"Good," said the doctor. "We'll be around to speak with you. I'm eager to learn from you."

"Yes, I am eager to teach." The man said.

With that, the doctor closed the door and continued down the hallway, shaking his head. "What a goddamned nut," he said.