Open the Door

Open the Door

By R. W. Hampton

“Open the door Marcus.”

The voice called from behind the locked door. The young boy stared up at it from his place upon the stoop. He’d been hiding here for a year now, ever since the first day he’d heard her voice calling out. He could distinctly remember the first words she had said to him “Is someone out there?”

At first their interaction had been limited to the times he hid from the bullies constantly on his tail. He’d been frightened of her, he remembered all the stories the villagers told for as long as he could remember. They’d all warned him never to go near this house. . .but it had become his only sanctuary.

The woman locked inside was some foul creature according to the legends, one who ate the flesh of humans while they still drew breath, and sometimes even the flesh of the dead. She was said to be able to survive years without eating, and did not age the same as humanity did. The tales tell of the horrors she used to perform without the slightest bit of remorse.

His people one day captured her after discovering her ways. And so, the villagers built a one room house, with no windows and only one door in and out; and chained her to the back wall. They left her to rot, for so long, that she’d forgotten her own name, and long given up the thought of making her escape. He gave her a name when he discovered the tragedy; everyone needed a name, especially her. His dearest friend.

But, after speaking to her, he couldn’t possibly believe those lies. She was the only one who listened to him, who cared what he said, who wanted to help him. All their conversations started off the same though; with the request to be released from her prison.

So he responded the same way each time, “I can’t Sophia, you know I can’t.”

There would come a tense silence for a moment before she would ask what the weather that day was like, what he’d done that day, whether he was feeling well, how his day went, and what news there was from the world.

And he would tell her, because he was all she had, her only connection to the outside world. No matter how long he put it off he would eventually tell her of how he had been beaten that day, and her scarred, nail-less fingers would come out from under the door for him to hold, and she would offer words of comfort and affection.

In the beginning he’d asked about her past, but she couldn’t remember that either, only that she’d been placed in that room because she was bad and that she was always hungry. He’d tried bringing her food to eat, but she couldn’t eat it.

It made his heart hurt that he could not help her, could not free her. He’d thought of doing it many times. The promises she’d made at first when he came lingered in his mind every day. And he knew she would make good on them, he felt it in his very being that she would. He knew it as only a matter of time before he gave in and broke the rusty locks kept her imprisoned.

Those exact thoughts were churning in his mind as he stared at the black eye adorning his face in the mirror. Marcus sniffled slightly as he made his way through his empty little house. It had been empty for years now and he had become used to the uncomfortable quiet. He stopped and stared at his pack that held all of his belongings for a long moment before moving on to the hammer that rested against the wall.

With determination lighting his eyes he picked it up, took a deep breath, placed it in his pack, slung it over his shoulder and went on his way to see Sophia. He took the back roads so as not to garner the attention of his people. He smiled as he thought of what she would say when he told her about setting her free.

His smile had grown to a full blown beaming grin as he ascended the first of the steps to her door. “Sophia!” he called exuberantly breaking their greeting tradition in his jubilation.

“Marcus?”

“Phia! I need to ask you something. Do you remember the promises you made me should I free you from your prison?”

It was quiet for a moment as the captive digested his words. “Yessssss, I do remember them Marcus, every single one.”

The young boys’ eyes sparkled with mirth as he climbed another couple steps. “I wanna hear them again. . .please?” he tacked on bashfully.

In the darkness of the doom the woman smiled affectionately; her boy was so precious. “Of course I can my dear darling. Anything for you.

“I promise to protect you, to cherish you, to care for you, to support you, to respect you, to treat you well, to never raise my hand to you, to never yell at you, to hold you, to never allow harm to come to you, to always stand by your side, to fight for you, to seek vengeance on those who would dare to harm you, but most importantly. . .I promise to love you.

“This I swear to you, on my very life do I make this vow. . .my dear darling child.”

At the end of her pledge a mottled hand came from under the door, reaching for her child in assurance of her sincerity. With warm cheeks and an affectionate smile the boy placed his hand in hers.

“Sophia oh, Sophia. . .I’m going to get you outta there today, that is my promise to you. I’ll break these locks and chains that bind you. Phia, let’s leave this place.”

With that Marcus took the hammer from his pack, rose it over his head, and brought it crashing down on the heavy lock that kept the door closed. After several more tries the rusted piece of metal fell to the floor.

A victorious smile spread over his face as he laughed delightedly. “Phia I did it!”

Her soft chuckles permeated the now useless door as she replied, “I knew you could do it Marcus, I have always had faith in you.”

He practically glowed at her soft praises, and reached for the key that hung by the door, made for the wretched chain and collar Sophia had described she was enforced to wear. With a deep breath he threw open the door to see the most heart wrenching scene he would see in all his life that would haunt his nightmares for years to come.

Sophia, the person he admired and adored sat in front of the door squinting at the shock of light after so many years. The room was concrete and had absolutely nothing in it; there were gouges in the wall where she had tried to dig her way out years before; the marks of blood where he knew she’d banged her head on the wall in frustration; and the chain hanging from one of the walls that led to his dear friend.

A sob escaped his throat as tears threatened to fall without his consent as he caught sight of his companion. She was horrendously malnourished, just skin over bones; her eyes were more deep set than they were supposed to be and they had deep bags under them; there was a small sliver missing from her lower lip, and there were tiny dot like scars surrounding her mouth where he knew there had once been thread keeping them shut; her hands were missing their nails, and covered in half moon scars from where she’d bitten them raw and they had healed; around her neck her skin was covered in scabs from where the collar had rubbed off layers of skin; her hair was missing in places where she’d pulled it out; her skin was deathly pale from being deprived of sunlight; and arms, legs, and torso were covered in scratch scars that she’d inflicted in the early years of her incarceration.

As he cried Sophia rose to her knees and pulled the boy to her with the utmost gentleness. “Oh, my sweet boy do not shed tears for me! I am free now, we can go wherever we want, and start a new life!”

He sniffled and whipped the tears from his eyes as he moved to unlock the miserable collar from her. He whimpered slightly as he said, “Phia, I’m sorry it took me so long to let you out.”

She smiled and whipped the tears from his face. Her eyes narrowed as she caught of his blackened eye. “Oh, Marcus. . .”

“S-Sophia. . .we’re gonna leave right? Go away from this hurtful place?”

She smiled maternally as he looked up at her through his shaggy hair. “Of course we are going to leave here child. . .But first I need to eat.”

The boy nodded understandingly as they walked out the door together. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eye as she carefully said, “Marcus. . .you know what I eat do you not?” At his nod she continued, “Then I want you to wait here while I dine. I do not wish you to see me in such a state. Please stay here while I feast, I will bring about your vengeance on those who have wronged you as well. . .just wait for me here my dear darling. ”

He smiled as he threw his arms around her boney shoulders and said, “Of course I’ll wait for you Phia! I’ll sit right here!”

He plopped down on the stoop and pulled a book from his pack as the woman smiled at him, descended the steps, and started for the village.

Marcus hummed nursery rhymes to himself quietly as he awaited her return, diligently ignoring the screams emanating from the village. The only thought that passed through his mind during the massacre was, I think we should go to Paris first. Phia would like to see the plays I think.

A few moments later he looked up as he heard her approach and smiled brightly. Sophia looked far better than she had when he opened door. She was no longer skin and bones, her skin wasn’t so sickly looking, the bags under her eyes had receded, her wounds were on the mend, and even her hair had grown back in places. And around her waist was a belt fashioned of tightly braided hair, trailing behind her slightly as she walked.

He laughed joyously as he ran to her, his pack slung over his shoulders and sprung in to her arms. The woman joined in his mirthful laughed and spun him about with her new found strength. She held him close as she asked, “Where shall we go first my son?”

His eyes sparkled blissfully as his head shot up to stare at her. A loving smile spread across his face as he said, “Let’s go to Paris momma, they’re supposed to have these really great plays there. I want to see them with you.”

She petted his soft hair as she set him back on the ground, took up his hand and began walking. “Paris it is then.”

FINN