《Behind The Door》


 A city without a shadow

    Chapter One: "A City Without a Shadow"


    The alarm rang with its usual monotonous, annoying sound.


    I remained lying there, staring at the ceiling as the beeping echoed in my ears, as if I needed an extra moment to process that a new day had begun. I could have gotten up immediately, but I didn¡¯t see a good enough reason to rush. After all, this morning was no different from any other¡ªjust as my life wasn¡¯t any different from the days that came before it.


    I¡¯m Christopher. Thirty-eight years old. A man who lives alone, works in a consulting firm, and follows the same routine every day. To others, my life might seem simple, just a series of identical days. But to me, it wasn¡¯t that straightforward.


    I had always felt that there was something hidden beneath the reality I lived in, as if I were just a small part of something much larger. But no matter how hard I tried, I could never see the full picture. Every morning, I asked myself the same question:


    Is this really life? Is this all there is?


    I let out a slow sigh and finally got out of bed. I headed to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked the same as always¡ªmessy brown hair, tired eyes despite having slept well, and a neutral expression that was neither happy nor sad.


    Well¡­ just another day.


    I walked into the kitchen, prepared my usual black coffee, and grabbed a slice of toasted bread. I sat at the table, staring into nothing as I slowly sipped my coffee.


    I was alone¡­ but not entirely.


    It wasn¡¯t loneliness itself that bothered me¡ªit was the feeling of isolation. I was social enough; I smiled at people, talked to my colleagues, and felt like I was part of the world. But at home, it was just me.


    After finishing my breakfast, I put on my usual outfit: a long-sleeved blue shirt and formal gray trousers. It didn¡¯t matter much, as long as I looked presentable for work.


    When I stepped outside, the sun was shining, and people were walking in all directions. I greeted the elderly woman who sold flowers at the street corner, and she responded with a warm smile. I passed by the small caf¨¦ I occasionally visited and gave the owner a quick nod. I liked these morning moments when the world felt normal and familiar.


    Arriving at work, I took the elevator up to my office on the fifth floor. I was just another employee among dozens, spending hours buried in paperwork and screens.


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    Adrian, my closest colleague, was waiting for me at my desk, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk.


    "Late again, Chris."


    I smiled and shook my head. "Five minutes doesn¡¯t count as late."


    Adrian wasn¡¯t just a coworker¡ªhe was more like the brother I never had. In this dull place, where everything revolved around numbers and reports, he was the only one who made things feel a little lighter.


    The hours passed slowly. The executive manager, Richard, stopped by my desk to drop off some reports and then disappeared as usual. I had no issues with him, but he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who left much of an impression.


    By the time work ended, I decided to stay a few extra hours to finish some files. I was exhausted, but I wanted to get it done so it wouldn¡¯t pile up the next day. When I finally left the office, night had already fallen, and the city was nothing but scattered lights in the quiet darkness.


    When I got back to my apartment, I wasted no time. I collapsed onto the bed without even changing my clothes and closed my eyes.


    And then I drifted off.


    The alarm rang again.


    I opened my eyes sluggishly. Same morning, same routine¡­ or so I thought.


    But when I stepped outside, the real shock hit me.


    There was no one.


    The city was completely empty.


    I stood frozen at the doorstep, staring at the street ahead of me. The scene was familiar¡­ but unsettlingly different.


    There was no one.


    The street, which was always bustling with life every morning, was now eerily silent. The buildings stood as they always had, the cars were still parked along the sides of the road, but there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight.


    I took a slow step forward, my heart pounding. Maybe I had woken up earlier than usual? Maybe¡­ but that didn¡¯t make sense. I checked my watch¡ªit was 7:30 AM, the time when the city should already be awake.


    "Hello?" I called out loudly, but my voice faded into the emptiness.


    No response.


    I walked further down the street, searching for any movement, any sign that I wasn¡¯t alone. But the city remained as it was¡ªcompletely deserted.


    I reached the caf¨¦ I passed every morning. It was open, yet no one was inside. The cups were still on the tables, as if the customers had vanished in the middle of their coffee. I approached the counter, where the coffee machine was still running, emitting a low hum. There was no sign of chaos, no signs of a sudden evacuation¡ªjust¡­ absence.


    An unsettling feeling crept over me.


    Was this a dream?


    I pinched my arm. The pain was real.


    So¡­ this wasn¡¯t a dream.


    I turned back to the street and started walking toward my office. If anyone was still here, I would find them there.


    The walk to work felt eerie. No sounds, no movement, just emptiness. Even the birds that usually fluttered above the buildings were nowhere to be seen.


    I reached the building and hurried inside. No one. I took the stairs up to the fifth floor.


    Still, no one.


    The offices remained tidy, the computers were still running, and there was even a steaming cup of coffee on a colleague¡¯s desk, as if he had been there just moments ago.


    "Adrian?" I called out.


    Silence.


    I headed to the executive manager¡¯s office. Maybe he had answers. I pushed the door open¡ªempty.


    I stood in the middle of the office, looking around in disbelief.


    There was no way everyone could have disappeared just like that.


    I turned to leave, but then something strange caught my eye.


    A door that wasn¡¯t there before.


    It was on the opposite wall¡ªa wooden door that looked far too old to belong to this building. A shiver ran down my spine. I had worked here for years¡­ I knew every corner of this office.


    That door had never been here before.


    I stepped forward hesitantly, reaching out for the handle, but stopped just before touching it.


    Something felt deeply, terribly wrong.


    But¡­ I had no other choice.


    I extended my hand again, gripped the handle, and pulled the door open¡ª


    A blinding white light burst through, forcing me to shield my face with my hands. I squeezed my eyes shut against the overwhelming brightness.


    And then¡ª


    The light vanished.


    Slowly, I opened my eyes.


    What I saw sent shivers through my entire body.


    I was in a vast, endless white void.


    And in front of me, standing alone in the emptiness, was a single brown door.


    And that¡­ was where the story truly began.


    ¡ª(End of Chapter)

 The First Passage

    Chapter 2 ¨C The First Passage


    I opened the door.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn¡¯t this¡­


    A narrow hallway stretched before me, with no end in sight. Its walls were made of aged, decaying wood, and the floor was a checkerboard pattern of black and white tiles. The air was thick, heavy with the scent of dust and dampness, making me cough. This place felt like it had been abandoned for decades.


    I turned around¡­ nothing.


    A void. Absolute darkness.


    There was no way back.


    ---


    Level One ¨C "The Decision"


    I kept walking, the sound of my footsteps echoing through the corridor. There was no other noise¡ªonly my breathing and the rhythmic tapping of my shoes against the cold tiles.


    As I moved forward, an eerie sensation crept over me. Something was watching me. I couldn¡¯t see it, but I could feel it, lurking somewhere in the distant shadows.


    Then, I came to a crossroad.


    Two doors stood before me:


    The door on the right read: "Follow the unknown."


    The door on the left read: "Stay where you feel safe."


    My chest tightened. This wasn¡¯t just a choice¡ªit was a psychological test.


    Safety? In a place like this?


    Strangely, the left door felt¡­ inviting. Like it knew me. Like something behind it was calling me, whispering that it was the right choice. But that only made me doubt it more.


    I hesitated, reaching out slowly¡­


    Then, I heard breathing behind me.


    I spun around¡ªnothing.


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    The silence remained, but the feeling of something being there only grew stronger.


    I couldn¡¯t stay here any longer.


    Without a second thought, I yanked the right door open.


    There was nothing.


    And then¡ªI fell.


    ---


    Level Two ¨C "Reflection"


    I hit the ground hard. The air was knocked out of my lungs, but strangely¡­ I felt no pain.


    I pushed myself up, gasping, and looked around.


    A small, white, square-shaped room. No doors. No windows. Just endless white walls.


    Where was the door?


    I turned in every direction. Nothing. The walls were identical, seamless¡ªno exits in sight.


    Then I noticed something off.


    I had no shadow.


    I looked down. Nothing. The room was brightly lit, yet I cast no shadow.


    A shiver ran down my spine. And then¡­ a massive mirror materialized in front of me, as if it had always been there.


    I stepped closer, staring.


    My reflection looked back at me¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t moving.


    Then, it spoke.


    ? "What are you looking for here, Christopher?"


    My breath hitched. I hadn¡¯t said anything. Yet¡­ my reflection was speaking.


    ? "Do you even know who you are?"


    A cold wave of unease washed over me. This wasn¡¯t a reflection. It was something else.


    ? "You¡¯re lying to yourself, Christopher. The door didn¡¯t open for you by chance. You¡¯re here because you no longer belong to the world you came from."


    The room began to shrink.


    The walls inched closer¡ªslowly, but unmistakably.


    No. No, no, no! I couldn¡¯t stay here!


    I scanned the room in desperation, and¡ªthere. A door. Behind the mirror.


    It hadn¡¯t been there before.


    I lunged toward it, refusing to look back.


    ---


    Level Three ¨C "Scarcity"


    I found myself in an empty store.


    It was massive, filled with aisles stretching endlessly in every direction. But the shelves? Bare.


    Then, a whisper slithered through the silence¡­


    ? "Choose wisely, for this is all you will take with you."


    I turned to the nearest shelf. There were only four items:


    1. A bottle of water.


    2. A lighter.


    3. An old, titleless book.


    4. A rusted key.


    Each seemed ordinary. Yet, somehow, I knew that this choice mattered.


    I hesitated.


    The water could be vital. The lighter could help in the dark. But¡­ the key?


    It was simple. Unremarkable. And yet, something deep inside urged me toward it.


    I reached out, my fingers brushing against the cool metal¡ª


    The lights cut out.


    And then, I heard footsteps. Rushing toward me.


    ---


    Level Four ¨C "The Passage"


    I threw the door open and leapt through, slamming it shut behind me.


    Panting, I pressed my back against the wood, straining my ears.


    Silence.


    I exhaled shakily and turned.


    I was in an old train station.


    The fog was thick, curling around the dim streetlamps. Everything was eerily still.


    I stepped forward cautiously, searching for an exit.


    Then, suddenly¡ª


    A neon sign buzzed to life above me:


    ? "Do you deserve to pass?"


    A strange weight settled in my chest. Pass where?


    I kept moving, scanning the station. Then, I saw it.


    A door.


    A wooden door, standing absurdly out of place, embedded in the station¡¯s cold stone wall.


    And it wasn¡¯t shut.


    It was slightly ajar¡ªas if someone had just stepped through.


    For a moment, I hesitated. Every door had led me deeper into this mystery. Would this one be any different?


    Maybe if I stayed here, I¡¯d find something new.


    I turned away from the door, wandering past the empty trains, through the thickening fog. A creeping unease crawled up my spine. Something wasn¡¯t right.


    Then, I heard it.


    Fast. Rushing. Footsteps.


    I froze. My heart pounded as I spun around¡ª


    And I saw myself.


    A perfect copy of me stood there, grinning.


    But it wasn¡¯t a friendly smile.


    It was the kind of grin that sent ice through your veins.


    My knees nearly buckled. My vision blurred at the sheer horror of it.


    Then, my copy spoke, voice twisted, distorted¡ª


    ? "Christopher, you¡¯ve spent your life asking for meaning¡­ but why have you never searched for it?"


    A shiver ripped down my spine. My breath hitched.


    This place wasn¡¯t random.


    I wasn¡¯t here by accident.


    The copy of me laughed¡ªa deep, unsettling laugh that echoed through the empty station. The fog grew thicker.


    I bolted.


    I ran like hell toward the door, my heart hammering. My surroundings blurred¡ªall I could see was the door.


    I reached it. Gripped the handle.


    And pulled.


    And what I saw defied all logic.


    --- (End of Chapter.)

 Reflecttions

    Chapter 3 ¨C Reflections


    Level ¨C Mirrors


    I opened the door and found myself in an infinite white void. No walls, no floor¡ªjust an endless expanse of pure whiteness, as if I were trapped inside an unfinished dream.


    And then, I saw them.


    Mirrors.


    Millions of them, lined up in endless rows, each reflecting a different version of me. But they weren¡¯t just mere reflections.


    I approached cautiously, my heart pounding as if some terrible secret awaited me. In the first mirror, I saw myself as a successful man, dressed in an elegant suit, surrounded by the lights of fame and fortune. In the mirror beside it, I was broken, sitting alone in a dark room, my face etched with unbearable disappointment. In another, I was a criminal, my hands stained with blood, my eyes filled with both fury and regret.


    One mirror after another, I saw countless versions of myself¡ªpresidents, beggars, scientists, victims, killers, artists¡ªeven my own dead body.


    I staggered back, my breath unsteady. There was no difference between me and them. There was no "true me." I was just one version out of millions, each living the life dictated by fate. But if that was true¡­ then where was the real Christopher?


    My mind spiraled. I fell to my knees, pressing my hands to my face, struggling to grasp the horrifying realization. If I was no different from them¡­ was I just another possibility? Just another variation of an endless Christopher?


    Madness threatened to consume me. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone standing far away, amidst the endless mirrors.


    I stood up slowly and walked toward him. The path stretched endlessly, defying logic¡ªeach step bringing me closer yet somehow making him seem even further. But at last, I reached him.


    He was an old man, his long white beard flowing over a robe as white as the void itself. But he was no ordinary man.


    He was me. An older version of me.


    He stood there, gazing at me with calm eyes, holding an answer I couldn''t yet understand. As I stepped closer, he spoke in a deep voice, his words cryptic.


    ? "If you seek the truth, don¡¯t expect to find it in the glass."


    I struggled to comprehend his meaning, but he continued:


    ? "Each of them is you, yet you have never been any of them."


    A shiver ran through my spine. My thoughts tangled, trying to piece together what he was saying. I asked, "Why am I here? What is all of this?"


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he turned and began walking through the mirrors. I hesitated, then followed. There was no clear path, but I walked¡ªpast endless rows of mirrors¡ªuntil I reached another door.


    I paused for a moment, glancing at him as he gestured toward the door. Then, I pushed it open and stepped inside.


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    ---


    Level ¨C 99


    I found myself in my bedroom.


    The same bed, the same windows, everything just as I had left it. A wave of relief washed over me. I was home.


    Everything seemed normal. I looked outside, and the people were back. They were no longer missing like before. Everything had returned to normal.


    But when I walked downstairs to the living room, I was met with pure horror.


    I was already there. Sitting in front of the television. The only sound in the room was the eerie static hum.


    He was watching a blank screen, and on it, a single phrase appeared:


    "Search to find who you are."


    I clenched my fists. I hadn¡¯t returned to the real world after all.


    "Why am I still here? Why won¡¯t this nightmare end?!"


    I turned to face him, anger boiling inside me. "What the hell is happening?!"


    He slowly looked at me, his expression blank¡ªlike I was a complete stranger. Then, he spoke in a calm, detached voice:


    ? "Oh, I didn¡¯t see you there. Who are you?"


    I froze. How does he not recognize me? He is me.


    I turned toward the mirror, checking if I had changed. No. I looked exactly the same. I spun back toward him and said:


    "I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Christopher. I¡¯m you."


    He studied me with cold eyes before replying:


    ? "I do not look outward, but inward. And within, we are as different as the sky and the earth."


    His words struck like a whip against my mind. I tried to understand what he meant, but before I could respond, he suddenly burst into laughter.


    It wasn¡¯t normal laughter¡ªit was sharp, unnatural, like the sound of something breaking inside me. A deep shudder ran through my body.


    I looked around as the world began to collapse. In the chaos, a door in the far corner of the room creaked open.


    Without hesitation, I sprinted toward it and stepped through.


    ---


    Level ¨C Nothingness


    I emerged into a world of endless white¡ªa maze of pristine walls stretching infinitely in all directions.


    The ground was flawless, the walls seamless. But the sky¡­ was a motionless blue. The clouds were frozen, as if time had ceased to exist. No wind. No sound. No birds.


    I was in a maze.


    I walked, turning through corridor after corridor, only to find myself back at the beginning. There was no logic here. Nothing was constant.


    Frustration boiled inside me. This wasn¡¯t fun anymore. If this was a dream, why did it feel too real? I needed to get out.


    As I wandered, I started noticing writings on the walls. They weren¡¯t fully legible, but they seemed to be telling me something:


    "Are you looking for an answer?"


    "Every question is a path, and every path leads to a door."


    "You didn¡¯t choose to come here, but you chose to stay."


    The words were bizarre, yet somehow familiar¡ªechoing what I had heard before.


    I kept walking, encountering random objects scattered throughout: a lone chair in the middle of a hallway, a window leading to nowhere, a clock with no hands, a tiny door that opened to nothingness. This place was chaos.


    After what felt like days of wandering, I finally found something different¡ªa glowing white wall. There was no door, but somehow, I knew I had to go through it.


    I hesitated. Was this a trap? What if I was supposed to find a door instead?


    I looked around. Nothing but randomness. No other way forward.


    I had no choice.


    I reached out and touched the light. A wave of indescribable peace washed over me, like I was feeling true comfort for the first time in my life.


    ---


    Level ¨C Home


    I blinked, snapping out of the sensation.


    I was inside a house. Not mine. But it felt strangely familiar.


    I opened a door and found a scene from my childhood¡ªa moment I had forgotten. In another room, I saw a memory of my first day at work, but I wasn¡¯t even sure if it had actually happened or if it was just an illusion.


    Then, I entered a room full of photographs.


    Pictures of memories I had never lived.


    Strange faces, unfamiliar places. Yet, they weren¡¯t completely foreign. They felt like memories that should belong to me¡ªbut didn¡¯t.


    In one of the rooms, I found a mirror. But instead of reflecting my image¡­ it showed a moment from my past, as if it were a window into another time.


    I stood there, watching, reliving the moment as if it were happening for the first time.


    Then, I found a different door.


    A message was carved into the wall beside it:


    ? "Stay in the memories forever, or move forward into the unknown."


    I wanted to stay¡­ here, I was surrounded by everything I had lost. But I wasn¡¯t living. I was merely watching.


    I took a deep breath.


    I didn¡¯t know what lay beyond this door¡­ but I turned the handle and stepped through.


    ---


    (End of Chapter.)

 The Beginning of Awareness

    Chapter Four: The Beginning of Awareness


    ---


    Level ¨C Room 404


    I opened the door and found myself in a massive, abandoned library, covered in thick layers of dust. The air was heavy, making it difficult to breathe. I wandered through endless rows of shelves, filled with countless books¡ªall without titles.


    I suddenly remembered the untitled book in the store, the one I didn¡¯t choose. Instead, I had taken the key¡­ Perhaps I needed that book now, but there was no way to retrieve it anymore.


    I tried opening one of the books, but it was blank¡ªjust like all the others. I couldn¡¯t understand the purpose of this, yet I continued wandering for hours, finding nothing but infinite shelves and empty pages. Then, suddenly, my eyes landed on a book with a title!


    Its title was strange and unclear, but I managed to make out my name among the few visible words. I didn¡¯t understand the rest, but I didn¡¯t care¡ªI opened it immediately. Each page contained only a single line, written in fragmented words:


    Page One: "You, find, many, what, ."


    Page Two: "Answers, from, but, did not, notice, ."


    Page Three: "Among them, waiting, ."


    I tried piecing the sentences together, but they didn¡¯t make sense¡­ However, after several attempts, I formed a coherent sentence:


    "You find many answers, but you did not notice any of them. So what are you waiting for?"


    I knew I had added words that weren¡¯t originally there, but this was the most logical interpretation. Still¡­ what did it mean? I hadn¡¯t seen any answers before¡ªeverything had been a mystery. What was I supposed to do now?


    Well, I had understood the sentence¡­ but where was the door? I took the book with me and continued walking, shouting, "Where is the door?" But the only response was silence and the endless rows of shelves. The heat in the room started rising, along with my anxiety. Then, suddenly, I heard distant footsteps, their echoes reverberating throughout the library.


    I turned around quickly¡ªbut no one was there. Fear began creeping into my mind, and I wanted to find the door as fast as possible before something bad happened.


    I kept walking, but each step felt like it took years to complete. It was a strange sensation¡ªyet somehow¡­ comforting. Then, I saw it! A door at the end of the aisle!


    I ran toward it, but when I arrived, I realized it wasn¡¯t just one door¡ªit was two.


    They were identical in appearance, but beside each one, a phrase was written:


    The door on the right: "Seek the darkness to find the light."


    The door on the left: "Seek the light to find the darkness."


    I didn¡¯t understand¡­ The phrases seemed similar, but the difference in meaning was profound. Each door would lead me to a completely different path. What should I do?


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    Then, I remembered the key I had taken from the store. I decided to try it.


    I inserted it into the left door¡¯s lock¡­ It didn¡¯t open.


    I tried the right door¡­ and it unlocked.


    And so, I stepped forward¡ªto seek the light within the darkness¡­


    ---


    Level ¨C The End


    I stepped through the door and found myself back in the city. Life was moving as usual¡ªpeople walking the streets, cars passing by. Had everything finally ended? Had I returned to reality?


    But I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to believe that so easily. I had been deceived too many times in this place. My suspicions were confirmed when I realized no one could see or hear me¡ªI was a ghost walking among the crowd.


    Then, a thrilling idea struck me¡­ What if I returned to my company? Would I find the same door that had led me into this maze? Perhaps that was my way out.


    I rushed toward the building.


    Upon arrival, I entered to find employees working as if nothing had happened. But I was invisible to all of them. I ran to where the door had been, but it was no longer there.


    Disappointment flooded over me. I was about to give up¡­ but then, I heard a familiar voice.


    "Adrian!"


    I found him in his office, speaking on the phone in a tone that felt eerily familiar.


    "Christopher has been missing for three days¡­ I couldn¡¯t find any trace of him, not even in his house¡­"


    A chill ran down my spine. Had I returned to reality but as a ghost? Was I already dead, trapped in an endless world?


    A million questions flooded my mind¡ªconfusing, terrifying.


    Then, I saw Adrian stand up with a mysterious smile and head toward a place I had never noticed before.


    I followed him until we reached a secret room in the company.


    I stepped in after him and found myself inside an old chamber with wooden walls, filled with the scent of dust.


    Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind me.


    Adrian turned around¡­ and looked straight at me.


    He could see me.


    "You finally arrived, Christopher¡­ There were better endings¡ªwhy did you choose this one?"


    I was stunned. "What endings? I didn¡¯t choose anything! I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on!"


    Adrian smiled and pointed to an old computer on the desk. I stepped closer and saw that it was running a game titled:


    Behind the Door.


    "What does this mean?" I muttered.


    There was only one option: Start.


    I looked at Adrian and hesitantly asked, "Is this another trick? I¡¯ve been fooled too many times."


    He chuckled softly and asked, "Do you think those tricks have harmed you?"


    I replied, "They haven¡¯t helped me either!"


    His smile widened. "You still don¡¯t understand the truth, Christopher¡­ Press the button."


    I hesitated for a moment, then extended my hand and pressed it.


    Suddenly, the world began collapsing¡ªthe walls crumbling, a massive rock about to crash down on me. I shut my eyes in fear¡­


    But nothing happened.


    I opened my eyes to find myself once again in the white void¡ªonly this time, Adrian was standing beside me.


    He spoke calmly. "Look down, Christopher."


    I looked¡ªand what I saw shook me to my core!


    Thousands of people, each trapped in a different level¡ªeach level unique. I didn¡¯t recognize any of them. I saw one man desperately searching for an exit, another who had found one and moved on, and another who had given up, becoming part of the place itself¡­


    I whispered, "Why am I seeing this? What am I supposed to do?"


    Adrian replied, "All these people are just like you, searching for the same thing. But the difference is¡­ you never gave up."


    "What am I searching for?" I asked.


    He smiled. "You¡¯ve always searched for uniqueness in your life, but you never found it, did you?"


    "Yes¡­ Yes, that¡¯s true. Am I here to find the answer?"


    He said calmly, "You could¡¯ve found it much easier if you had understood what uniqueness truly meant."


    I was shocked. "Then¡­ what is uniqueness?"


    Adrian smiled, then suddenly disappeared, revealing another door behind him.


    Then, I heard footsteps¡ªthousands of them.


    I turned around in shock¡ªto find thousands of versions of myself, each with a different appearance¡ªrich, poor, all kinds of variations¡­ but they were all me.


    They all pointed at the door and spoke in unison:


    "Enter, and you will find the answer, Christopher¡ªthe original."


    At that moment, I felt something I had never experienced before¡­


    Now, I think I finally understand what uniqueness truly is.


    I stepped toward the door.


    I reached for the handle¡­ turned it¡­


    (End of Chapter.)