The Door in the Wall

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

This was a difficult rule when you were small, and the door was tiny and at your level. Mika was certain that fairies lived there. She had noticed it one day while playing in her grandmother's kitchen. It looked like an interesting knot. She stared at it, and it seemed to change. She reached out toward it and--

The white cat screeched. Her grandmother was by her side in a moment, yanking her back roughly by her pigtails.

As she got older over the next couple of years, she noticed other things about the knot. Sometimes, it changed for her, and sometimes, she supposed she must have imagined the whole thing--except that the cat watched her very closely. Whenever she was in the kitchen, the cat would appear. "Tattle-tale," she hissed at him.

But one night, she woke up thirsty. Trailing pigtails and nightgown, she made her sleepy way to the flagstone kitchen. She was pouring herself a mug of water when a tiny light caught her eye. The fairy knot was not only changed to be fully a door but was glowing as if lit from the other side. She set down her cup and started crawling toward the knot-door. She reached out, and it leapt in size. It was growing to fit her!

She laid a hand on the knob...but her hand didn't look right. Fur? She tried to pull her hand back to look but couldn't. She called for her grandmother, but her voice came out squealing.

"I knew you'd have to try it eventually." Mika turned, barely breathing. The white cat towered above her, as did her grandmother's kitchen. The door hadn't grown; she had shrunk. Her mousetail trembled; the cat grinned.

And then he pounced.