The Door Within Read Free Page A

He half expected his mother to run down the stairs immediately to lecture him about his carelessness. She didn’t, of course; for she wasn’t at home.
    Then Aidan noticed that lying in the shards of each pot was a scroll. TREASURE MAPS! Aidan hoped as he reached down and picked up one of the scrolls. It was surprisingly heavy, and Aidan immediately saw why. For it was not one but many pieces of parchment rolled up and secured by a leather lace.
    Aidan scooped up the other two scroll bundles. He carefully walked up the darkened, creaky basement stairs, but at the top he bounded through the door and rushed to his room—all the while wondering what was in the scrolls.

4

THE BETRAYAL
    C arefully, Aidan untied the lace around the first scroll. As he unrolled it specks of parchment fell to the bed. He caught his breath, fearing the scrolls might be so ancient and brittle that they would crumble to dust if opened. Aidan’s fears proved unfounded, for the pages were quite thick—more a stout cloth than paper.
    A stone castle tower was emblazoned near the top of the first page and seemed to guard the beginning of the text—which, to Aidan’s relief, was in English. Aidan read the first line aloud.
    Outside of time and place,
there is a realm of
great nobility and renown.
    Aidan’s mind buzzed with excitement. He read the words over and over, as if he was sampling some rich, delectable treat. Eagerly, he gently turned to the next page.
    For the next three hours, Aidan lay in his bed reading the scrolls, his mind mesmerized by the fantasy world unfolding before him.
    The first scroll told the story of another world, a region known only as The Realm. Early in the history of The Realm, a vast and glorious medieval kingdom known as Alleble became very powerful. The kingdom grew and gave birth to many neighboring cities. In time, castles and townships appeared in every corner of the known world. But Alleble was the Father Kingdom. And like a good father, Alleble protected all of its offspring, those who swore allegiance to Alleble, and even the many who did not. There was a great time of peace, for Alleble’s power was absolute. Its King, sovereign. Its armies, unmatched.
    There were, of course, occasional skirmishes between smaller armies, much as young siblings might bicker. And there too were natural threats, aggressive creatures that left their caves and other dark places of the world to assault the strongholds of nearby cities. But with each incident, the King of Alleble saw to it that all conflict was resolved and order restored. The Peace, as it was called, did not last. For in all its plans to protect its people from the dangers lurking outside it, Alleble never dreamed of a war within the kingdom.

    Aidan had read lots of fantasy fiction before: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Oswald’s Quest, The Dark Mountain Chronicles —all mysterious and exciting tales. But something about the story in the scrolls was different. Of course, none of those other tales were written on ancient scrolls Aidan had found, but it was more than that.
    From the first word, Aidan found himself strangely connected with everything he read. Yet a suspicion grew at the edge of Aidan’s consciousness. Sure the story was full of fantasy stuff—knights, castles, dragons, and other beasties—but it sure seemed real. Of course, it could not be real, Aidan thought. However, certain elements nagged Aidan to reconsider. The unbelievable detail, for instance. Things like the exact measurements of a castle gate or the precise number of knights killed in a specific battle—even their names! Some of these lists went on for almost an entire page.
    Aidan wondered why the story’s author—whoever it was— would interrupt the plot to include such precise details. At times, it almost seemed like a history book. And history was real.
    Aidan could not help himself. He had to know more. As soon as he finished the first scroll, he picked up the