The Treasurer Of The Future

Knock! Knock! Knock!

It was 12:30, Midnight.

I wasn't expecting visitors. I just wanted to finish watching the news and go to bed since I had just come home from a night shift at the hospital.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

There they were again.

I was in two minds as to whether I should answer the door or ignore it. It seemed unlikely that I would have any visitors at this hour. My work colleagues would have gone to bed now, anyway.

I decided to go to bed myself. I was exhausted. Mr. Dollinghull had made me attend three meetings with his executives tonight. We had been talking about the hospital's financial situation all day, and it had given me a headache.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Okay, I'm coming. Hold off, would ya?" I complained as I ran down the stairs.

Whoever it was can just go home.

I unlocked the door to find a man dressed in an ancient, worn-out jacket and a scruffy, tired hat, standing there.

I had never seen him before!

He did not say a word. He entered my house quietly and began looking around.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"A friend," he replied.

He held his arm out, moving it down the wall in a downward motion. A portal appeared before my eyes. I had never seen anything like this before, and all I could do was gasp.

The portal was like a film being played on a screen on my wall.

I watched closely.

I saw my children crying with hunger. We struggled to live in a garage on the street. I saw my mum lying in a hospital bed in a terrible state. The streets were burning, and orphans were running around, crying for their parents.

I placed my hand over my mouth in horror. I wanted to kick him out, but I couldn't.

"Is this how you want to live?" he asked.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"I can't tell you that. I can tell you that if you close the door on that job promotion you were offered today, this will be your reality."

I was struggling with money.

I just had enough to pay the babysitter, and our house was at risk of being repossessed. My children had to eat soup instead of a proper meal tonight. It had been this way since my husband passed away three years ago, and my mum was very sick.

The man closed the portal and opened another one.

My mum was laid in a cheap, wooden coffin, and I was crying over her.

"I'm sorry, Mum, I couldn't save you. If only I had the money..."

I broke down.

The man put a finger to his lips, shaking his head.

"You've had years of bad luck because you punish yourself over your husband's death. There is a way to make life better; you just have to be brave and open the new door to your future. Move forward, Crystal. Fate will remain if the door is never opened."

The man nodded and disappeared without going through the door.

I stood there in shock. I'd never experienced anything like this before. It made me pick up that phone and take the promotion.

My children and I didn't get everything we wanted, but we were able to buy a new house and put better food on the table.

Three years later, I opened up an Orphanage to protect other children who were parentless from being on the street.

As well as protecting myself and my family, I had protected the lives of many homeless children.