The Door

It was Summer, and the perfect kind at that.  Breezy wind, warm sun, and just little specks of cloud decorated the sky.  Truly a fantastic time of the year. 
But I was stuck in a house, and worse than that, it was someone else’s.  A much nicer house that I could never afford that was my duty to clean and scrub on such a beautiful day.  A travesty. 

The house was big- big enough to get lost in.  It was a struggle to navigate through the never ending corridors and rooms like some robotic cleaning machine.  But I did it.  Day in,  day out. I made sure to earn my keep like I should.

At least this job pays decently.  Several people have been not so kind after I provided a luxury the majority of people would kill to afford.  
Is it fair? I suppose. At least for those work for it.  The trust fund kids are what get me.  Stuck up snobs with no sense of hard work or effort. 
Four hours I have been at it with a whopping six more to go.  Joy.

Letting out a large sigh, I walked into the nearest bedroom to clean like clockwork- just turning those gears. 

But there was something off about this room – this one was different. An odd presence hung in the air.  I couldn’t put my finger on it, but that familiar feeling of uncertain intuition stayed persistent.  It appeared as if it hadn’t been touched since the mansion was built.  Forgotten it seemed in the labyrinth of uniformity and comfortable living.  
A fully made bed sat comfortably in the back corner, the blankets as crisp as day one.  Along the opposite wall sat two leather chairs along with a couch- they’re legs finished wood and the cushions sewed to perfection. An antiquity.  An excellent term to describe it.  However,  even in a state of age,  it was immaculate. Treated kindly by Father Time in a graceful and gentle process. 
Let’s get started. With a mental sigh I begin dusting the sleek cherry nightstand that could have cost a year’s salary.  The handles were gold with an ornate pattern that resembled the Victorian era while the wood- even with a layer of dust – was smoothly finished by the hand of a professional.  Ornate. 

I shifted the nightstand to clean behind it.  The dust flew up in a blinding cloud, causing a fit of coughing on my part.  
But when it settled I noticed something behind it.  A little door,  about three feet high with a battered wood finish staring at me, taunting me to explore to the other side. 

Of course I had to look.  Turning the handle slowly, the door let out a high pitch creak of pain.  Slowly,  I poked my head in.  And what I saw was indescribable. 

It was a field, no trees nor hills in sight,  with only the slightest bit of grass peeking from the earth. 
Holy shit.  
I went the rest of the way through, standing up to see a dreamscape of infinitesimal wonder.  
A deep blue sky reminiscent of the ocean hung above me while a glowing yellow sun dangled in the center.  The grass, while minimal, was the richest shade of green that no worldly grass could compare to.  A mild scent of freshness entered my nose,  relaxing me and putting my mind at ease. 
And the atmosphere- unbelievably tranquil.  A subtle aura of peace and well-being wafted across the plain in a way that told me everything would be okay- that all my pain and suffering was merely a projection of my own insecurities. A mere presentation of my personal mental discord.  
It was too good to be true.  No way this could be reality.  
I had to tell people. 

I turn around for the door, and a gasp escaped my lips. What was by far the worst possible scenario had in fact unfolded upon me in a timely display of unfortunate luck. 
The door was gone.  
Not a trace of anything for what seemed to be dozens of miles.  Just an empty field with a lone man standing within it- confused and frightened in this strange new world he found himself in. 

An overwhelming sense of intense dread washed over me.

And I was alone.