Sam had shifted into another abandoned mansion just a week back. He was an archaeologist. But he was also passionate about myths and folklore that talked of magical items lost for centuries in the far-flung regions of India. So far, he had collected a glittering sword that gave advice, a stone that could summon flowers even in a desert, a ring whose stone’s color changed by the mood Sam was in. He had been able to find them after he stumbled across a book containing stories about hundreds of such magical items. The book was his most valuable possession.
It was an item from the book whose quest had brought Sam to the mansion in the middle of the Limeglass forest in Sessa. He wanted to find the Dream Key. A key that allowed the owner to live his dream for some time. The book said that in order for the key to work, the lock had to be made from the petals of the flowers in the room where the key was, and whenever a person wanted to live his dream, he would have to turn the key in the lock.
Working out the exact location of the key itself had taken Sam years. Many times, he ended up in wrong places but this time he was very hopeful. Because he had been able to work out even more clues after reaching the mansion and studying its environment. And he felt very strongly that the east end of the mansion, which looked surprisingly well maintained, should have the room he was looking for.
And he was proved right on his 10th day in the mansion. After multiple trips to the east wing, he decided that the evening twilight would be the best time to look for the magical room. So, the next day he entered from the archway with his treasures, he was surprised to see that the whole wing was glowing in a faint light much brighter than the light outside. Following the brightest beam of light, he reached a door. He tried to turn the handle but it wouldn’t budge; probably it had jammed. On looking closely, he noticed some scratches beside the handle. First, he thought it was due to the wear and tear over the years, but then the rest of the door didn’t have any markings!
Sam wiped his hand over it to clean the dust and suddenly the words etched deeper in the wood. It was a verse!
Open the door with all your might it won’t budge
Open the door with your mind, the door will judge
Show the door that you are worthy, it will show you the key
But beware,
Inside lie thorns with poison, one prick and you will sleep forever.
There is no cure, so go inside only if, you are sure.
The verses made Sam was a little nervous. He then lifted his sword, ring and stone(his greatest treasures), and showed them to the door.
Nothing happened for sometime, but after that, the door creaked and opened.
Beyond the door was a huge room filled with flowers of all colours, sizes and shapes you could think of, placed in beautiful vases glittering out light. In the centre of the room, the Key fluttered inside a glass vase.
But the floor was covered in a carpet of thorns. Sam remembered what the verse said. He hesitated for a moment but then he knew what needed to be done. He took out the ring and rolled it towards the vase. Wherever the ring touched the thorns they disappeared, showing a path wide enough to put one foot in front of the other.
Careful to not step on the poisonous thorns, Sam reached the centre. He lifted the vase and grabbed the key. He then summoned flowers using the stone and fashioned a lock out of it. Clutching the key and the lock in his palms, he started walking back to the door. Just as he crossed the door it shut itself down. He had done it.