#magical mouse

04-22-2025

Though he had walked its corridors a thousand times, Reep found the castle could still surprise him. 

He stood in front of a door he had never noticed before, set back into an alcove. It was made of heavy set, old panelling, fastened together with large bolts that seemed almost too heavy for the wood. It sagged forwards on its hinges, as though some great pressure were being exerted on it from the other side. 

As if this apparently secret door were not curious enough, where the wood bent forwards on its hinges, light could be seen spilling out. It flickered and guttered like a candle flame but seemed much, much brighter; a pure, white light that crept across the floor towards it. 

He tore his eyes away to glance up and down the corridor; no one there. 

The wood looks almost rotten, he thought. Perhaps I could... 

He crept closer to the door, expecting it to burst open at any moment. The guttering torch on the wall behind him seemed unusually loud. 

As he drew near, he saw that there was a second handle, below the large steel knob used by the humans, that was about his height. 

Tentatively, he reached a paw up towards it.

If it's locked I'll leave it be.

The knob turned beneath his paw, and with but a small push the door swung open. The light was much brighter now, and he felt that he should be blinded and flinch away, but instead he found himself striding forwards into the light, into the secret room. 

The light began to clear, diffusing steadily as he walked forwards, peeling away to reveal stone walls, but kept the floor beneath his paws hidden. Then, it fell away completely, taking Reep with it.