I had done it and chosen the final door. I had chosen freedom. The room felt anticlimactic. One light buzzed in the center of the room illuminating a small table and chair. A white rectangle on the table.
Not seeing anything else I approached the table metal folding table. The white rectangle cleared into an envelope with nothing written on it. I wondered if no one had been assigned to this door to tell me what happened next since no one ever chose Freedom.
Thinking maybe the envelope provided the instructions, I picked it up and took out a folded paper. The paper had a yellowed color as if it had been around a while, yet not quite brittle. I could see writing, handwriting. No one ever wrote by hand anymore. Everyone used computers and devices. Looking closely, I began reading.
To Whom It May Concern:
You have chosen freedom. Congratulations, now you get a choice. Life or death.
Someone will soon walk in that door and offer you the choice of wealth or comfort if you will forget about freedom. If you decide not to choose then the leaders will kill you.
We offer you another choice.
Bring the letter or hide it.
Freedom
Confused, I carefully read the letter again. Another choice? Where? How? Curiously, I look around the room, but don’t see anything until I look at the floor. One spot has a small ring on it, almost like a pull.
Footsteps grow closer. I have to decide and I don’t even know what is the truth. Frozen, I try to decide, then realize the one thing I want most. Truth.
Diving for the floor I grab the ring and pull. Surprisingly it comes up easily. I see a ladder descending into darkness. Quickly, easing myself down the ladder I reach up and close the door just before the door opens.
Gripping the top rung, I listen to the footsteps stomp around the room. Another door opens and I hear murmurs from people, but I can’t make out what they are saying. Finally the footsteps fade and silence echoes.
Maybe I should go back up, but before I try to push open the door, I look down. I can see the ground, so light shines from somewhere. I shrug, I chose this. Now I need to see it through. Carefully, I begin the descend the ladder, headed to the light.
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