Heirloom

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

Well…that’s stupid, Alexander scoffed. Now, I gotta open it!

He stood before the large door wrapped tightly in chains and partly covered in cinder blocks. No noises could be heard on the other side when he put his ear up to it --- only a dusty silence. Some of the cinder blocks had been pushed out from the door previously, perhaps by the fabled monster inside, but Alexander figured that was a prank pulled by other kids years ago.

I’m not a kid anymore, Alexander huffed as he moved the blocks out of the way. Before long, the door was cleared of the debris. Nobody believes that crap these days!

His anger grew larger the more he remembered all the times, when he was a child, how he was brow-beat for wanting to see what was beyond that door. If he’d had nightmares about it at all, it was not from the door itself but from everyone telling him he must never go through it! Whether it consumed his thoughts through daydreaming or haunted him at night, one that was for certain—Alexander’s mind would not allow him to let go of it until the mystery was solved!

Here goes nothing, his breath somewhat shaky. Now was the time to prove everyone wrong. With trembling hands, he lifted the heavy piece of crumbling old oak wood that kept the door locked. The door then burst open with a mighty howling wind!

I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU…roared the monstrosity from within. YOUR DESTINY AWAITS!

Overcome by the sudden winds, Alexander is sucked inside the chamber with the door slammed shut once again. The echoes rang throughout the town, followed only by a deadly silence.