The air is ice cold around me as I dig my fingers into the soft dirt. This is the spot, it has to be. Old madam Lizanne swore by it the last time I went to her shop. Her words remain locked in my mind, set on replay like a broken record playing the sweetest tune of hope, and I grasped it with both hands. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAYVfiXr6ne9
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAvLLLUAfbHW
1009Please respect copyright.PENANALXsg95RxRP
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAGOPQl9KdKb
No matter how far fetched it seemed at the time, I'd do anything to achieve my dream. "Go to the forest at midnight, dear boy," She told me, her wrinkled hands clasping a large velvet bag. "there you will find an old oak tree. You must use your bare hands to dig to the root that calls you. Once you find it, place these objects beside the root and bury them." 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAxiRQhHd8Pk
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAZDUno36qdG
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAw70L7Hz643
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAMEIIUSpPvW
She thrusts the bag into my hands. I grip it tight, pulling it away but her hands remain wrapped around the thin rope knotted at the top. She turns her wise, hazel eyes towards me and says, "Once the root is covered, you will start to fall asleep. Lay facing north and when you wake, the fae will come." 1009Please respect copyright.PENANA17pznaxgHU
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA04s6V5UIpx
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA37ArLhmB4i
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAPWOh1AQytc
So here I am, digging a hole in the middle of the forest, looking for God knows what. I dig for about an hour, my body feeling exhausted from all the manual labour I'm not accustomed to. Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do to get to where you want to be in life, at least she didn't tell me to murder anyone or summon a demon in a witches circle or something like that.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAkPMClY6CFT
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAVhdAi9LWmi
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAjNVAnjWOhg
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAJiyvqh2HCn
Eventually, I push into something solid. I gently wipe away the sand to expose a large root. I squint my eyes, not believing the glow emanating from the dark brown soil as I study the odd looking wood.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAAhFBjyYECr
1009Please respect copyright.PENANABwRjbfjRSG
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAWtxZWeTVf5
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAXS1iqucfMA
I quickly open the bag, taking out each object one at a time and placing it next the root that, I assume, is calling to me. I place a small animal's skull, a few sharks teeth, a bag of herbs and another smaller pouch filled with crystals in the hole and cover it up. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAaHvbIG5qzj
1009Please respect copyright.PENANARIXy8qxhT8
1009Please respect copyright.PENANACCV2Xp1wrL
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAiKdOYAaol5
Once everything is buried, I take out my compass to ensure I was laying in the correct direction, lay my head on the cool grass and close my eyes, allowing my fatigued body to finally rest.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAjqG4i36GbC
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA4nlOhf4Fzh
1009Please respect copyright.PENANALV11X7Kstq
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAccCtXILW6G
Moments later, my eyes fly open. I'm greeted with nothing but darkness and the feeling of damp soil under my hands. Immediately I start to panic, sure that something's gone horribly wrong when suddenly I hear a light, melodic voice and instantly a wave of calmness washes over me.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAARjNbOdLzP
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAMMH7bOo0Y0
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAMOZrJaAzaO
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAb0ZJc28416
"Hello, Jonathan. I've been waiting for you." Immediately as she speaks, the small room is lit up by thousands of fireflies. Only then do I lay eyes on the beautiful creature who spoke.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAd4gfNjdwUV
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAiL64hm9fUM
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAfchNwzj9PS
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAjDfgvT71RD
Her hair is bright violet, falling to her waist in large, thick curls. Butterflies and flowers of all different kids are woven around her stark naked body along vines. Her light blue skin is complimented by her bright green eyes. In short, she's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAUm9kk5GARj
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA5tHeBMw4wx
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAYINY4N3ky3
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAaMyWxWJPXY
She smiles and walks forward, placing one hand on my cheek. "What is it that you seek, my child?" I gulp, trying to find the words to speak. This is it, this is really happening. I wet my lips, take a deep breath and look into her eyes. "I want to be the most talented artist to ever live." 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAPK3HNz93YB
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAqtMMKf6dQ0
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAqu6Nuc0iTV
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAEKszqDH4uq
She smiles and drops her hand before turning around and walking to the centre of the small room. "Your wish is my command." She tells me before facing me again. "There is just one thing you must do for me first." 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAg3Zw3Rd4MX
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAf9mRA3dhPj
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAFQHeza1eZh
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAm0zBl78GqK
My heart starts hammering in my chest, excitement building as I take two quick steps towards her. "Anything! I'll do anything, just tell me." She waves her hand above her head and four doors appear behind her.1009Please respect copyright.PENANA16MFFc2jLc
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAlfUcDMa3O7
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAWD5b7ceIdi
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAGvRT7oSyCX
"You have a choice to make. To get your gift, your intentions need to be pure, your heart, needs to be pure. You have four powerful artifacts, one of them is the key to the door that'll lead you to your wish. Each door will lead you down a different passage, only one of them holds what you desire at the end. If you choose incorrectly, I must warn you, the consequences are dire. Choose wisely, my child. You have two attempts."1009Please respect copyright.PENANA1CSb4KK9VJ
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAVtpHJgybAu
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA9V7QvphaBN
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAlDzoP4zpyb
In a blink of an eye she disappears and I'm left holding the same bag I buried at the root, except this time, I assume they hold the four artifacts. I lay the bag down on the floor and undo the knot, excited to see what these keys are. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANALo7P6GTmdk
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAz7NnBzwUQ2
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAAFmprVOxYm
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAtVlnvVuHDZ
One is a set of earplugs, or at least, that's what I think they are. They're shaped the same except for the two sharp thorns on each small, yellow bud. Well, those can't be of use, I'm sure. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAOFiDqIJdWD
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAfmi3qXqmKb
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAjw5vx8sIWX
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAQi426ae9Di
I set them aside and pull out a large golden hammer with green jewels arranged neatly along the wide handle. The weight of it sets me off balance and I drop it quickly onto the floor next to the earplugs.1009Please respect copyright.PENANA8T0ZO1ubk4
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA3xFEezRjfU
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAcZKXqxMegz
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAwstvHbaB5U
Next, I find a pair of gloves. Made from the finest silk, they're softer than any material I've ever come across. I carefully place it on my left hand and find that the inside is laced with leather. I have no idea how this could help either.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAwyt4rw3oFR
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAVrk72jSBpQ
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA3dhOMG2C9j
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0Ibs88FYj
I pull the glove off, fold both neatly and lay them down, eager to pull out the last object. Finally, I pull out a large book. A book? How could this possibly be a key for anything? I pick it up and run my finger along the leather binding. No doubt it's old, but what does it say? I start pulling at the belt-like buckle keeping the book shut tight, and stop. Wait, I should look at the doors and asses each before interacting with the keys too much.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAXBzCk82iPt
1009Please respect copyright.PENANATKCmCD6Zla
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAQuqNHqgGKs
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAjTCegb2u59
I stand up and brush the dirt off my pants before standing in front of all four doors. They don't look dangerous, but something deep inside warns me not to take this situation lightly. I bite down on my lower lip as I let my eyes settle on the first door to my left. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAfKIFTU8JVL
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAHeUcNgy1X1
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAIiO7Cc251y
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA2jaTkNVCBz
Well, it looks pretty harmless. It looks like it's made purely of rose quartz. I walk up to it until I'm standing inches away. The first thing I notice is the smell. It smells like candy floss! It instantly reminds me of the many festivals my mother would take us to as kids, where we'd spend the day stuffing ourselves with all things sweet as we tried out every children's ride available. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAHKpjhXd6eb
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAbuh7LyNdNE
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAduZb7F10f0
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAkkszYHSI8l
It brings back many happy memories, but the one thing throwing me off is the intense heat radiating from the door. I didn't even realize that I'd started sweating until I felt a drop slowly slip down the side of my face. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAiFSMAFTmaG
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA3dhZsDxNPe
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAgD64maxrZt
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAiDUcVxmOOn
I step back, moving onto the next door. This one is covered in bright green vines, I shrug and move closer. The closer I get, the more I'm sure I hear something coming from behind the door. As soon as I'm standing right in front of it, I let my hand hover over the green vines. Well, at least this one isn't insanely hot. Satisfied that I won't be burned the moment I touch it, I press my ear against the door and listen.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAnvyWrUMjqo
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAYCJIMUqF6A
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA9JpOfVPf8e
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA4tE0RleBOl
The moment I do this, the most beautiful melody starts playing on a piano. I listen quietly as the tune changes and goes on to play something I'm very familiar with. It's the same tune my sister would hum to me as a small child when I couldn't sleep. I smile and lean back with a smile. Yeah, I hope it's this one. Before moving to the next, I glance towards the top of the green door and spot the initials K.N engraved on a golden plaque. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAiZ6CkDMzLR
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAhBrcMMf1Oc
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA4eY4FXtiJ5
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAci4begUT27
I think nothing of it as I move onto the second last door. This one is simple, there's no music coming from behind the door, no smell of candy floss or anything like that. It's just a simple door that looks like it's been made of solid gold. The main thing I notice that sets it apart from the rest, is the lack of a handle. Where the others had round, brass knobs, this one has a little golden bell. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAKKr8RdlUWM
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAJhu3mOtmWv
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAytkLaPkkSq
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA5Yl0aSoOaC
Slowly I make my way to the final door. This one is further away from the others and made up of nothing more than wood and bright red paint. I walk forward, examining it closely. I place one finger on the hard wood and look down, shocked at what I see. The red on the door which I assumed was paint, looks more to me like blood. I quickly wipe the sticky substance off on my jeans and walk over to the artifacts. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANA3jkGegtSZa
1009Please respect copyright.PENANArayoVjfick
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA5ox5grPa2L
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAtAUkRJotlI
She said I had two chances, right? I think the most logical thing to try first would be the gloves on the hot door. That seems to be the most logical choice, the door is hot, the glove should protect my hand, right? Right.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAkBbizdYREQ
1009Please respect copyright.PENANADg3zqPWj06
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA8dgrjMwDzd
1009Please respect copyright.PENANALaBEu32lbt
I slip both white gloves on quickly before flexing my fingers. I must admit, they're quite comfortable and look quite strong, so they should prevent the heat from seeping through.1009Please respect copyright.PENANACdn7xmbQkq
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAbHyTrBec0v
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAqFY91x8Ln3
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAd9IywXrQwt
I walk over to the pink door and place my hand on the doorknob. As soon as I grip it tightly, my hand starts to burn. I open my mouth and scream out in pain as I try to let go, but for some reason my hand won't move. The smell of candy floss and burnt flesh fills the air around me as I continue to scream in agony. Eventually I manage to pull my hand out of the glove and watch in horror as it melts onto the door handle, sizzling as the once beautiful material glues itself onto the brass.1009Please respect copyright.PENANAfz7VazdE1A
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAZLVYrQRsKc
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAKkHo8fDGyg
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAbkpBTzLkwK
Taking off my shirt, I wrap it around my blistering hand and look to the other artifacts, now eager to get out of here whether I get what I came for or not. I grab the hammer in my other hand and walk towards the red door, even if it's covered in blood, it should still break into pieces if I knock this thing into it. I heave it up and over my shoulder, sweating as I slowly walk towards the door. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAyAwyor3PnC
1009Please respect copyright.PENANApoCx8FpB1V
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA5q3CcvuZjt
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA35EhuId65R
The second I get there I swing the hammer back and bring it down onto the door, ignoring the cries of pain from my body. I fall back as the door splinters. Yes! This must be it! I leave the hammer laying where it is and pull at the splintered wood until there's just enough space for me to squeeze through. Once I'm through, I find myself in a long, dark tunnel. The only light being the lit torches set on either side of the stone walls. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANARMCXMFwc3c
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAmcitU3rXBv
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAaqgSxrThlX
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAXV7UAdhA4W
She never told me what to do once I got to the other side of the door, so I follow my instincts and run as fast as I can. Giving my adrenaline a chance to shine as I dash down the quiet underground passage. After running for what feels like hours I come to yet another door. I open it quickly and come face to face with the fae I saw earlier. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANAplfn4FR5zs
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAgBUF1vY7fI
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAB9U14UJl4j
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAqrYETi9Cns
Except this time, her purple hair is thin and frayed, her large green eyes have been replaced with dark, emotionless marbles of black. She looks to me and smiles, but instead of feeling calm like before, a feeling of dread washes over me. She opens her mouth and I wait, staring at the terrifying woman, hoping that she's about to tell me that this was all a joke, that I won and I get my wish, but instead she just throws her head back and starts laughing. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANACyzFncjnUr
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA5bO3aGORb3
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAi6TMdc64kd
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAZW7lFNt2LI
The deep maniacal laughter sends shivers down my spine as she blinks twice and stops laughing. She leans closer to me, and I find myself paralyzed by fear as she whispers. "Run." I waste no time turning around, eager to get away from this hellish nightmare when I run straight into the door. I try the handle again, only to find it locked. I turn back around, flattening myself into the door as much as I can as the creature slowly stalks towards me. 1009Please respect copyright.PENANADeyudOPiZ9
1009Please respect copyright.PENANA0UTp8TbgFi
1009Please respect copyright.PENANASmP0hAtVO7
1009Please respect copyright.PENANAOxxUajBMW4
"You failed, my child, and now you're mine." Those were the last words I heard before she rushed towards me and everything went black.
arrow_back
Four doors and a locked room contest
more_vert
-
info_outline Info
-
toc Table of Contents
-
share Share
-
format_color_text Display Settings
-
exposure_plus_1 Recommend
-
Sponsor
-
report_problem Report
-
account_circle Login
Search stories, writers or societies
Continue ReadingClear All
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
Four doors and a locked room contest
Published:
Nov 11, 2019
ENTRY #1
The Fae's Request
Author:
Nixi
Published:
Nov 11, 2019
10 Mins Read
2,174 Words
LIKES 1
READS 1005
BOOKMARKS 4
Sponsor
Login with Facebook
or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark! Click to load the next chapter
X
After each update request, the author will receive a notification!
smartphone100
→ Request update
X
Sponsor again
Click to login
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.
Thank you for supporting the story! :)
Please Login first.
×
Four doors and a locked room contest
Other
Community Vote
✪ Submission Closed
Contest Holder:
Challengers:
mystery
suspense
contest
writing
lockedroom
whatsbehindthedoor
Report this story
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:
Font Size:
Line Spacing:
Paragraph Spacing:
Load the next issue automatically
Reset to default
×
People Who Like This
x
Before You Publish
Please ensure your story does not contain illegal, hateful, inciting, or violence-promoting content, or any infringing, plagiarized, or spam material, and that it complies with Penana’s Terms of Use.
Penana reserves the right to remove any content that violates these rules or causes legal or community risk, and to suspend or terminate related accounts.

