A Door, A Woman, and a Frightened Child

There was only one rule: don't open the door.

The individual holding my hand quietly asked, "why not?"

I didn't quite know how to answer her as I felt myself shrink and the forbidden door grow ever larger.

She waited patiently for an answer and then stepped forward towards the door, pulling me with her - despite my feet being planted firmly on the wooden floor.

"No." I whispered.

"Yes." She responded. "Nothing on the other side can be as scary as the unknown that begs your imagination to hide you in fear."

Famous last words, I thought to myself.

As her hand reached out to grasp the door handle, my "No." came out a bit louder. She barely paused as she glanced down at me, a frightened little girl, and said, "It's going to be okay."

Her hand turned the door knob and the door flew open!

"No!" was my scream as we were sucked into the fiery tornado... I lost her hand as I flailed - desperate to grab onto the door knob to avoid the bitterly hot flames.

I felt ever so grateful as the cold metal lodged into my grasp and I clung to that doorknob with every muscle that I had for I had no wish to be burned alive!

"Let go!" came the demand.

"NOOOO!!!!!" I screamed once more as the pull got even stronger, threatening to rip me from the limited safety of the door.

"Let go now!" came the demand once again as the flames grabbed ahold of my ankles and yanked me free.

The door slammed shut again and I was in the center of the flames. Only... they weren't burning me, they were simply... just... me.