[ WP ] you find a door you have never noticed before in a home you 've lived in for 20 years .

He had waited his whole life for this moment. He had spent years desperately hoping that someday it would be his turn. Waiting for his adventure to begin he filled the time with novels and movies, games and daydreams. He grew up, but never really gave up on the hope that someday he would get the call. 
 
 Now it was finally his chance. He'd discovered the wardrobe had no back. Gandalf had just sat down in his kitchen. His letter had finally, finally arrived by owl. 
 
 He could n't do it. 
 
 He had been working on his novel all evening. He was almost halfway through and needed a little caffeine to finish this last chapter before bed. One cup of coffee, a few pages and then he would allow himself to sleep. He'd be tired at work tomorrow, but it's not like his job was demanding. He spent half his time playing games anyway. 
 
 On the way back from the kitchen he spotted it. Grey splintery wood with a tarnished brass handle, it looked like it belonged on an abandoned farmhouse somewhere. For a few minutes he was unable to process what a thing like that was doing in his hallway. His mind finally cleared as the adrenaline kicked in. Then he reached for the handle and froze. 
 
 Five minutes later he was still standing there coffee in one hand, the other stretched out toward the handle of this ancient door. He let his hand drop and leaned against the opposite wall. Sliding to the floor he sat his coffee down, never taking his eyes off the door. 
 
 Why could n't he open it? After spending so many days wishing for this very thing to happen he could n't understand what was preventing him from following his lifelong dream. Sitting on his scuffed wood floor, staring at his deepest desire he tried to figure out what was holding him back. It did n't make sense. This was what he wanted, was n't it? 
 
 All he knew was that he was afraid. Afraid of what might happen when he stepped through. Afraid of what might be waiting for him. Afraid that it might just be a door to a new linen closet. Afraid he would fail. 
 
 He considered every bad thing that could happen and realized that none of it would be as bad as the regret if he did n't at least try. It was finally his chance to be a hero. The fear faded and was replaced with certainty. It was the middle of the night and he was physically and mentally exhausted, but he was determined to walk through that door. 
 
 One sip of his cold coffee made him realize that he must have been staring at the door without really seeing it for hours. Standing up he pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. It was 4 am and he'd been trying to force himself to open the door for two hours now. Well, that was over. 
 
 Putting his phone back in his pocket he stepped forward and looked up at his print of Munch's *The Scream*.
