(1985) [Reprinted in "Reality Module No.16" in June 2000.]

A piece I rediscovered when going through an old folder of creative works. It probably dates from about 1985....

DOOR

Firstly there was Wendy who knew everything, and then there was Irene, my sister, who knew very little.

Irene was small, about seven, and had bright eyes and beautiful black hair. Wendy was older and enigmatic, her hair was the dull brown of mouse fur and her eyes were dark. Her lips were as red as blood. She never smiled.

They were in a room. The walls, floor and ceiling were of wood. It was dusty and full of cobwebs. There were two doors. One they had entered by, was polished - almost beautiful. The other, which had just now become visible to Irene's eyes was old, dark and almost invisible in the wall. This was the door Wendy's white hand touched.

She opened it. Beyond the door was the dark.

"I do not wish to enter!" said Irene in fear.

Wendy, who had taken it into her heart to share some of her secrets with Irene said:

"It is the door to Hell, but it also leads to Paradise."

"I do not understand," said Irene.

"If you want to fly you must dwell in the earth and feed on maggots first!"

Irene wished to fly. Wendy could fly on her spell-wings, and often she had watched the girl fly in the moonlight, to vanish and return the next day with nectar-fruit from the world beyond the next one.

"Will you come with me?" asked Irene.

"I cannot. If I return to this world I may never leave again."

"Can you help me?" she asked.

Wendy removed a chain from her neck and gave it to Irene.

"Keep this safe. It is all I can give you. It will save you from Death."

Irene placed the chain round her neck, and hesitated.

"Hurry please! If I keep the door open something will escape."

Irene shuddered. She straightened up, then stopped.

"I do not want Wings of Dreaming."

"Then you will never dance in the white dawn, nor hear the birds singing in the Garden of Delights."

Finis

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