The Lock Upon the Door

Life in Four Holes is never as it seems. Up may be down and down can be sideways. But its swamp critters live free from those perplexing dilemmas. A rich riparian habitat, the swamp teems with life.

Leaving the highway and turning down the lane that winds through the community, one finds himself in a fog, except he realizes no fog exists. Something has changed, something hard to place a finger on, something suspending time or the feeling one gets when experience will not suffice. He sees and thinks all to be normal but knows this not to be the case. The kingfisher, the salamander, and the wild hog live in harmony indifferent to this sense you get winding through the swamp.

Though Jimmy had lived his 33 years in Four Holes, he awoke on this morning, rising into consciousness as one does when the washed ethereal purples and golds and pinks announce the rising sun. This morning, Jimmy realized something was different because straightway he heard crickets clicking their beat. Quickly, nightfall came.

Curious, Jimmy slid from his bed, dressed, and walked outside. Soon he found himself lost, wandering about through the forest in the dark with only the moonlight and fireflies to guide him. The tupelo trees and the loblolly’s looked the same but swayed out of rhythm with the wind as though someone waving their arms in warning. Jimmy pressed on despite a sense of unexplained foreboding. He never experienced fear as most understand it, but this time the feeling entered him.

Walking on, and before long, across an opening in the forest, he saw a house perched on a knoll. There aren’t many high spots in Four Holes, and this seemed odd. From his vantage, he saw lights on in the house and people enjoying themselves, yet this gathering appeared not to be a party. Each person looked busy with a task all the while singing while they attended to their work. Compelled, though still sensing fear, Jimmy decided to walk toward the house.

The night sky had cleared and walking across the opening, the moonlight gave him ample sight. Looking behind him, toward the forest, Jimmy had a strange feeling to go back, to think sleepwalking explained his predicament. Then, he heard the Barred Owl whistle his tune, and he knew by its clarity that dreaming could not explain it. He pressed on toward the house.

Getting close, clouds covered the moon. Rain began to fall. Jimmy hurried toward the house looking for cover. When he got there, the door was closed and he assumed it was locked. By the window, he sheltered from the rain under the eave. He waited there for what seemed to him hours. In reality, only minutes had passed.

In his waiting, the fear in him began dissipating, and he felt a warming sensation. Feeling tired because the walk had been long, he nodded off. He thought, “I’ll knock in the morning.”

Morning came, and Jimmy noticed a peculiar thing. The deadbolt turn was on the outside of the door.

Though trials may come, the door to eternal peace is unlocked to those who choose to enter.