Death by choice, life by chance.

With arms at my side and feet apart, the overwhelming pressure descended upon me. I watched the clock above as it ticked, tick-tock, tick-tock. Everyone believed that I would always choose the right thing, and I did; probably just luck. One time I chose the correct answer, and it prevented us from being in a room with manticores. But this choice was difficult, so I had to take all the precautions I could receive. One wrong choice, then we're all at the start again. Behind these doors held the key to my treasure. I could hear the gentle cries of Amber and envision Lucas' robust demeanour.

 I needed to get them out, even if it meant I risk my life. I promised myself that I'd protect, no matter the cost. I could imagine the tremulous fear coursing through their bodies and hear the chattering of their teeth. Amber must be terrified; she's the same person whose heart nearly jumped out of place when she saw a cockroach. But if it's one thing I knew, Lucas was with her. The same regret travelled through my veins then my mind; if I hadn't turn my head for 3 minutes, they would've been still here.

 The room itself made me quiver in my skin. The walls were tainted grey and crimson. The light flickered on and off, giving me a slight headache. And there was a horrible stench that clung to it; by the look at the walls, I would've guessed they used animals' intestines to paint the wall. In between the two doors, there was a book on a wooden table. On the front cover, it looked somewhat like a faun or a goat. It was too hard to distinguish with the amount of dust that sheltered it. Suddenly, the clock stopped ticking. There was a sharp chiming sound; the walls began to enclose. My time to decide was up already.

 I remembered what Lucas said when it was my first time choosing doors; to meet my unexpected reality. "Remember, a lo hecho, pecho, querida," he said, followed by a slight smirk .the literate meaning is, 'To what's Done, chest,' but means what's done, is done, deal with it. I clenched my jaw and squeezed my fists; my fingers bit into my delicate skin. Before the walls tightened any more, I hesitantly entered the second door. Whatever grabbed me held firm unto my clothing. When I entered, a hand pulled me downwards left me falling. My body sliced through the wind as I tried my best to catch my breath. It all happened too quickly that I forgot how to breathe. My eyesight gradually faded as things about me weren't still. I tried keeping my glasses firm on my face, but even that was a difficult task.

My thoughts were escaping, my body afloat, my sight disappeared. And it all came to an end with a thud and a concussion. The way this all ended seemed as if I chose the wrong door. I lost them. There was no retrying or going back. I had one choice, and I failed. Those few thoughts cruised in my head before darkness consumed me completely. Unconscious, I laid on the floor of my failure.

After a moment, I rubbed my head while a piercing migraine hit me. My teeth chattered and hurt as I ground them. The floor below me swayed; I still felt uneasy. A bewildered look plastered onto my face as I searched my surroundings. I tried recalling my memory and what happened, but it was very, very faint. My legs wobbled as I attempted to stand upright, but as I squinted my eyes, a bright veil sparkled from a distance. I walked closer, reassuring what I saw what real. I rubbed my eyes as I pulled the veil that blocked me from going any further. When I entered, my surrounding seemed so familiar, as if I'd been here before. It reminded me of what Amber explained when she chose a door; it seemed very similar.  

To my sides stood golden floating Ancient Greek sculptures, all lined up. Ahead was a brilliant golden light. It was so bright I used my hands to hinder it from blinding me. As beautiful as it was, I was uncertain about going further. Above the crown of my head were fluffy white clouds as mystical creatures flew through them. These creatures weren't ordinary; they had hooves with wings attached to their back. Yet, they still managed to hold a clean and soft image.

In the light appeared a figure of somewhat a man, with legs of a goat? As he drew closer, the light began to retreat. With my scepticism, I slowly took a step backwards. But as I did so, I felt as if something or someone stood behind me. When I turned around, my legs lost their balance and I fell back into a deep hole. My heart began to race like a train down its track. The beating rhythm of my heart was so vivid it sounded like pounded Celtic drums. It became more strident and deafening, to the point it even drowned out my thoughts. I closed my eyes and pinched my arms, wishing it was a dream. But that's when I fell into a figure that looked like a man.

As I plunged immediately into its arms, cloth quickly covered my face from behind. When great darkness grew upon me, I twisted and turned to wiggle myself out of its grasp. The bag securely clasped around my head. Even as I panicked, I felt my breath escaping from me. If I knew one thing, it was the fact that nobody survives when they panic. It took great control to gather my mind and tranquillize it. I rested my tensed muscles and slowly began to retreat from fussing. Deep and slow breaths were the only thing I had in mind, just as they thought me in training.

Behind the thin lining of the cloth, I detected the appearance of a hand waving. It drew close enough to remove the fabric that blindfolded me. When my cloth got removed, all strings attached to me loosened. As the cloth fell to the floor, so did it; my glasses also fell. While I knelt to the floor and searched it, squinting my eyes, my hands led me to a furry foot. My eyes followed after, and the feet of a fawn met my eyes.

I quickly gathered myself and stood upright. I looked around to see who held me, but nobody stood behind me. When I stood, the faun and I were about the same height. But even though we were, the superiority about its demeanour looked down on me. The faun held the face of a man, an uncanny similarity to Tom Cruise, but had the body of a deer. Besides that, his face looked very familiar. If only my memory weren't so wonky, I'd remember by now.

Think, Athena, think, where had we seen the faun's face before. I searched his face a little longer to recollect my memory. I bit my lip to the point where I almost felt my teeth slicing into it. It finally crossed my mind; rewinding before I chose, I saw a book. On the cover was the face of the faun that had resembled the one I looked at. That means I hadn't chosen the wrong door; I'm able to see Amber and Lucas again. I'm able to protect them again as I promised. 

"Athena," the faun's voice broke the silence.

"Yes?" I responded with scepticism.

"The door behind me, you will find what you're searching for,"

What I'm searching for? I didn't understand what he meant unless he meant who I'm looking for. He nodded his head and allowed me to go to the door. The closer I got, the more I wanted to expect Amber and Lucas behind there. I placed my hand on the knob, fiddling my feet against each other. I felt uncertain as to if they weren't there. Lucas said even the wrong doors had the same outcome, just missing the reason why we chose it. I reluctantly opened the door. A quick, strong wind blew, making me close my eyes. I brought my knuckles to my glasses to clean my lenses. I stepped into the spacious, large room as the door shut behind me. 

The lighting was poor, and the room looked as if it extended for another 100 meters. There was nothing I didn't see anything.

 I ran my fingers through my hair and fell to my knees. I already messed up; I don't know where Lucas or Amber is. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," I repeated over and over. I abided in my disappointment. Until I heard a distant shout, I turned around. No other voice sounded like the one I knew.

"Amber?" my voice slowly cracked

"Thena!" I heard Amber's voice slicing through the silence.

I quickly brought myself up and ran in the direction I heard her voice come. 

"Keep shouting, Amber! I need to find you!"

Her callings felt closer and closer to the point where they embraced me. Knowing that Amber was alive calmed my worries.

I spotted her, she quickly ran into my arms; I knelt and pressed her tightly to my chest. I patted her head and brushed back her hair.

"Amy, you're okay. I thought I chose the wrong door, I thought I lost you" Her hair looked unkempt, and her clothes were dirty. 

"No, Thena, I'm fine. Lucas was with me the entire time," she giggled and pointed towards him.

When I turned to where she pointed, I melted. I tried so hard to keep my tears from bursting its banks. But it was no use; he's alive. I hadn't lost him. He looked exhausted, I saw it in his posture and his eyes. His brown hair was matted, and a new scar hid behind his curls on his face. He walked up and placed his arms firmly around my waist and me, around his shoulders. This is what home felt like for me, it's what brought me comfort and relief.

"You're not getting rid of me, querida," he smirked, looking down at me.

I've reunited with them, and I'm not leaving or turning my back ever.

"Never."