Open Up

The Third Door

I gripped my forearm tightly, trying to prevent anymore blood from leaving my body. However, to my surprise, when I looked down at the slits, barely any blood was coming out of them at all. How is that even possible? How can I be bleeding one minute and then be healing the next. I don't understand what all of this is about. I never even found out where I am, or why I'm here and I still haven't woke up. I need answers. I deserve answers after enduring the pain behind that one.

I lifted my head off of the door, stood up straight and confident, opening the third door with force. Let's get this over with. The door slammed open, and yet again revealed a bright, white room. Go figure. I walked into to room, scoping out my surroundings. I checked out my wrist again, and sure enough, the bleeding had completely stopped. All that was left was thick, pink slashes. I traced my fingers across them, I can't believe I caved.

When I lifted my eyes and fingers from my arm, I looked in front of me to find a small boy walking towards me. He had brown hair that was a bit darker than mine; he was wearing a white t-shirt with dark jeans and he was barefoot. He looked like he was a part of one of those classic family photos down at the beach, and his slightly chubby-little-boy-cheeks were lightly blushed, matching the appearance. The little boy was definitely young, he had to be at least eight or nine. He looked so familiar, as if I've seen him before, especially in the outfit, and as he grew closer to me — it clicked. My eyes widen and I began to sprint to towards the little boy.

"Johnny!" I basically screamed at my eight year old little brother. When I reached him I scooped him up in my arms and hugged him tight. I wasn't even sure if he was real but at this point I wasn't really sure if anything was or not. All that matter was that I wasn't planning on letting him go. I ruffled his hair and put my hand on his cheek, looking him in the eyes to make sure he really was who I thought he was.

"Hey Caseeeey," he said, stretching out my name as he usually does. Tears began to form in my eyes as I laughed lightly while the little boy in my arms squirmed restlessly, begging me to put him down.

"How did you get here Johnny? What are you doing here? Where even are we? Am I dreaming?" I questioned, kneeling down to be level with his height. Lord knows that boy couldn't lie for the life of him, if he knew, there was no way I couldn't find out.

"The scary lady told me I wasn't allowed to tell you, she wasn't very nice."

I thought back to the beautiful goddess in the door, surely it couldn't have been her, could it have been? So far none of the doors had any connections to each other...

"What scary lady?" I asked, fear lacing my voice as I clung to his boyish shoulders, determined to get some sort of answers.

I didn't get a response, instead he grabbed my hand as firmly as an eight year old could and looked down at my wrist. Instinctively, I pulled my shirt sleeve down so he wouldn't stare at the ugly scars any longer. That's when I noticed I was in a similar outfit as his. My head snapped up and I took in my surroundings once more; we were at the beach. How? I looked down to see myself barefooted, dressed in dark jeans, and a white collared long sleeve tee. I regained my posture, standing up to my true form — not one of a little boy's. Johnny's eyes met mine, and all I could see was calmness, although I knew mine had to be filled with confusion.

He grabbed my hand again and began walking me down the beach. It was silent for awhile, I was soaking in the normalcy for a bit as I knew something bad was soon to happen. But I swore on my life, nothing and I meant absolutely nothing, wouldn't happen to Johnny in this one. I didn't care if I had to die for his safety. The sound of the waves washing against the shore calmed my thoughts slightly. Maybe nothing bad would happen in this one after all. My self-calming methods were halted when Johnny finally broke the silence.

"I really miss you Casey," he said with sadness hinted throughout his tone. I stopped and looked down at my favorite and only little sibling, smiling at him.

"Miss you too bud, but you do realize you just saw me before just bed right?" I said puzzled as to why he seemed so upset. Maybe I've been stuck in this fucked up white-wall-red-door realm for a dreamish nightmare for much longer than I expected? Am I in a coma or something?

He ignored what I said and continued on walking with my hand in his.

"Mommy said you weren't gonna do it again, that you were gonna get better but you didn't look better..." he trailed off, his eyes were glued to the sand, kicking at it still clearly upset.

"Why'd you do it Casey? Why did you leave me? The scary lady came into my room tonight and told me I needed to be here! I didn't know what was going on or where she was taking me and she started laughing when I asked why she was so dirty and why her hair was a mess, it was so weird, every time I asked questions she told me to shut up and I was really scared because I was waiting here alone for awhile but I'm really happy I get to see you again, I just don't know for how long and I just really miss you!" His eyes were filled to the brim with tears now after he finally bursted open, trying to get everything out basically in one sentence. He grabbed me, pulling me into an extremely tight, unexpected hug, as if he hadn't done it in forever and if he were to let go, I would just disappear.

"Woah woah woah there Johnny, I didn't do anything and I didn't leave you! I'm right here bud, right in front of you! Look at me I'm right here!" I said tears filling my own eyes again as I grabbed his face forcing him to look at me. I wiped the tears from his own eyes, trying to process all of the blabber that has just came racing out of his mouth.

"Wait Johnny, you said a dirty looking girl with messy hair came to your room and brought you here?" Oh shit. That has to be the same girl that was standing at the foot of my bed, the same one that brought me too this awful hell-hole of a mystery place. Maybe this isn't a dream after all? How is this all even possible? How could he see the same girl I did, and end up in the same place as me? If this really is some kind of a dream I'm praying to wake up soon, but if it isn't....

Before he could even answer my question, he was cut off by an angelic voice that I tried so desperately to get out of my head. Fuck, this is where it gets bad.

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Authors Note:

hey guys!! sorry for such a long wait for an update! I've been pretty busy with school and everything else going on in my life — college isn't easy that's for sure. anyway I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and don't worry there will be a part two coming shortly! (hopefully as soon as possible)

attached is what I believe Johnny to look like! I said it with Casey and I'll say it again here when I attach photos it is what I believe my characters look like! you can picture them however you want, but this is what I picture while writing them!