The Door

I found the door in the woods. It wasn’t there the day before. I was walking my usual route when I saw it—just standing there, out of place. A wooden door, with no walls, no house around it. It looked old, like it had been there for years, even though I was sure it hadn’t.

Curious, I walked closer. The air around it felt cold, almost like a breeze, but there was no wind. I stood in front of it for a long time, staring at the brass doorknob. It was shiny, like someone had polished it recently. The door was just... out of place.

I reached out and touched the knob. It felt warm, not cold like everything else. I hesitated for a moment. Why was it so warm? Should I open it?

But something pushed me. A feeling, like I needed to. So, I turned the knob. It creaked loudly, but the door didn’t open. It felt stuck, like something was on the other side, holding it closed. I gave it a shove, and finally, the door opened.

There was nothing on the other side. Just darkness. No light, no sounds, nothing. But the feeling, the weight of it, felt... wrong. I tried to step back, but my feet wouldn’t move. It was like the air around me had thickened. I could barely breathe.

I looked back at the door. The darkness was pulling at me. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew I had to go through. Every part of me screamed to turn and run, but I couldn’t. My legs moved forward, dragging me through the door.

The moment I stepped through, the door slammed shut behind me. I looked around, but there was still nothing. No walls, no ground, just an empty void. And then, I saw it.

There was a figure standing in the distance, barely visible. I couldn’t make out its features, but I knew it was watching me. Slowly, I began walking toward it. My steps felt heavy, as if something was pushing down on me.

When I got closer, I stopped. The figure was just standing there, still, silent. And then, it moved. It turned its head, slowly, to face me. Its eyes were wide, black voids. It didn’t blink.

I froze, unable to move. Its mouth opened, but no sound came out. And then, it smiled. A slow, wide grin that didn’t feel human. Something was wrong. I should have turned and ran, but I couldn’t. I was stuck, watching, as the smile stretched wider and wider.

I didn’t know how long I stood there, paralyzed by fear, but eventually, I blinked. When I opened my eyes, the figure was gone.

The door reappeared behind me. I didn’t hesitate. I ran to it, grabbed the knob, and yanked it open. I stepped through, back into the woods. But something was different. The trees were gone. The air was colder.

And then I realized. I wasn’t alone. The figure from the void was standing just behind me, smiling, watching.