The Accessible Door

01

1991, September

A letter from Mum and my sister Shevon should have come. It should have come a week ago. So why was it not here?

And why was I so anxious?

There might have been a delay at the post office. Maybe Shevon had shred up the letter because she's done with all my shit. Anything could have happened. There was no reason for me to be nervous.

My inner calming thoughts did nothing to stop me from pacing my shared apartment with my friend, rapping my nails against the worn wooden table, or repeatedly knocking my feet against the wall beneath the tiny window by my bed. I was rendered helpless to stay in the apartment, only able to roam from my bedroom to the kitchen to the living room, because the dumbass Kay had forgotten that he had to attend some meeting and had started cooking something in the kitchen. When he was rushing out, he had shouted over his shoulder at me to, "Make sure the kitchen doesn't burn down," because the flames from the stove might burn everything down or something.

Going to the post office would be the quickest way to confirm if I had any mail, but it wasn't as if the office was very near the house. I could go downstairs and check the post box for any mail, or I could wait for Kay to come back and tell me if I had received any letters. The latter sounded a lot easier.

I shifted over to my table by the window, and started fiddling with some papers. A bird flew and settled by my window, ruffling its feathers as it basked in the sun.

"Jordan! Oi! Sorry, I forgot to take my keys when I went out!" Kay's voice rang out.

Slightly shaking my head, I started searching for my keys. They were somewhere on my bed. I think. Probably.

"Jordan! You there?"

"Yeah yeah, I--- Just where the hell are they?"

"Are what?"

"Keys!"

I continue flipping over blankets and clothes, trying to rack my brains for where I had left them.

Oh wait. They were in the cupboard by the main door.

I unlocked the doors for Kay, who immediately ran into the house --- dumping whatever he was holding on the table --- to the bathroom. Probably to relieve himself.

I sifted through the stuff Kay deposited on the table --- they were mostly letters, the most eye-catching being one where the envelope had lots of hearts drawn on it and a, "To my soulmate, Kayden," written on it. I do not want to know what's in that. Turning over the last envelope, the 'Jordan Alon, Longturn Street, #03-31' written on it made me pause and stare.

It was finally here. The letter I had been waiting for had finally arrived.

My sixth sense was telling me that this letter was unlike other previous letters where Mum would worry over my diet, while Shevon would scratch out a half-hearted, "Hope you are doing well," at the end of Mum's entire paragraph.

A crashing sound echoed throughout the apartment, and Kay bounded out of the bathroom to the kitchen. "Why are you staring at that envelope? Open it if it's yours."

That's true. Why on earth was I hesitating?

I tore open the seal and paused yet again. Is it just me or was the paper shimmering?

Oh wait nevermind. Must have been the glare of the sun or something.

But there is no sun.

Whatever.

I took out the paper inside and folded it open, and that was when I was certain that something was amiss.

Hold on, before you proceed.
Someone who looks similar
To your friend will appear
Out from a door that vanishes.
In his hands holds something
Of utmost importance
For the world of 2091.
Believe the unexpected
And you shall find the way.