She glided forward, silent but swift, down the narrow hall. Her lantern swung back and forth, casting shadows further back as if the candle's glow was death itself. The hall was dark, nothing, not even the floor was visible. I took each step with caution. The walls hugged at my sides, though I could not see them, I could feel them. And her voice rang in my ears as she hummed.

As a claustrophobic person I wasn't too pleased with my surroundings. It felt as though we had been walking for decades, and we still have yet to find the end.

"Hush now, little one." her voice rang, it startled me. "The end is near, no need to fret." Her words had shocked me a little, 'The end is near', it sounded like a death sentence. Then, I wondered, how did she know what I was thinking?

Again her voice rang like a bell. "Some things are better left unsaid, little one." I rolled my eyes, she couldn't see it, but I bet she could read my very un-pleased thoughts. She giggled. Moments later we entered a large cavern like room. Like the hall it was pitch black. Several street lights were on either side.

She twirled around and grabbed my hand, leading me to two large oak wood doors. A smile spread across her face as she released my hand. She skipped to the right of both doors and stood with her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. I admired the aged doors, each one had a silver doorknob. The right was carved to reveal a snarling lion. The left was carved to resemble a mellow wolf.

She squeaked again, leaning back on her heels and pointing at the doors.

"Pick one." she chirped. Her voice was like a harp as it echoed off the unseen walls.

"Pick one? You mean the doors?" I gestured toward the wooden doors.

"Yes, little one. Pick any which one you want." She replied. I looked each door over carefully. Both worn, both edged with splinters. The same casual design. The only difference between them were the oddly carved silver doorknobs.

"Does it matter which door I pick? They look exactly the same."

"Ah, ah, ah, little one." She wagged her finger at me, her smile started to creep me out. "The door knobs are the difference, but can you see the difference in the doorknobs?" I was getting tired of her nonsense. Again I examined each doorknob.

The wolf, eyes narrowed and focused. Ears forward and alert. Fangs hidden. The lion, his face wrinkled in a glare. Long fangs bared. Truly a noble and fearless creature. But I saw nothing.

I turned to the girl, I didn't know what to do. She had her hands on her hips and her lips were pursed in annoyance. "You're geting closer, little one. Let me give you a hint." She sauntered over and placed her hands on my shoulders, then pointed to the wolf.

"The lonely wolf. Howling away his pain each night. The sign of grief. Is he not an unloved ruler of a barren land?" Then she switched arms, pointing the lion. "The noble lion. Royal and fearless at heart. The sign of pride. Is he not the ruler of a flourished land?"

I thought this over for a minute, then took a step towards the lion. I tried to keep my line of sight away from the lonely wolf.

"Its the lion you seek, little one?" She hummed. "Lets make sure. Answer this question for me... Is darkness the cause of all the trouble in the world?

I thought about this question, not sure what it had to do with the Lion and the Wolf. When I was younger I remembered fearing the dark, and had not the dark been the cloak on evil's back, hiding evil away into the last second? In movies and books, it was light that triumphed over all. I didn't want to over think the question so I went with my first answer.

"Yes" I mumbled, repeating myself with a little more confidence after wards. Natalie, the jester-like woman stared right through me, her perky smiley was gone. She shook her head sighing.

"No, darkness is not the cause of all the trouble in the world." She sighed, looking down at the floor. She pointed, in the direction of the wolf's head doorknob. I reached for it, almost afraid that the silver knob would come to life and bite me, it didn't. I looked back at the lion, its face was even more ferocious now, without the golden rays of courage but with a screwed up expression of rage. The wolf's head remained calm and unchanged. I turned the doorknob and looked back at Natalie who watched my every move. 

Before I could glimpse at anything on the other side of the door, I found myself pushed forward and the door slammed behind me. Collapsed upon the ground, covered in dirt I pulled myself up and looked back. The door was closed shut, and there was no doorknob on this side. I tried pushing the door with all my might. It didn't budge. I sat down, leaning my back against it and finally taking the time to recollect my surroundings. 

A dirt path weaved into a pine forest, mist clung to the earth and hung in the air. Mountain tops peaked in the distance, the sky was a dull gray. I sat there for a while, playing with the dirt, picking up rocks and throwing them into the mist. It was getting darker, not a single bird sang. I began to notice there were no birds at all, or any bugs, or anything for that matter. 

Uneasy, I stood up, I didn't want to stay by the door all night, the wind was growing stronger and I shivered. The best thing I could do was follow the dirt path. Without looking back at the door, I took my first few steps into the sea of fog. 

At first I found the fog pretty normal, I had been used to it in the mornings in the summer. But as I followed the path the fog got denser. The sky became dark and starless and the forest was empty. I couldn't see the ground, and I often tripped on on whatever was in my way. The only comfort I had was to hum or sing to myself, or listen to the gravel beneath my shoes that reminded me I was still on the right path. 

It seemed like hours had passed by, exhausted I reached out my arms in the pitch black night and stumbled upon a tree. I curled up by the roots and looked out into the night. Still nothing there. The wind burned my face, I shuddered and wrapped my arms around my knees. Burying my face in my sweater and trying to stay warm. I finally drifted off to sleep.

Frozen, my arms and legs were stiff from being curled up all night. I had a massive headache and goosebumps all over my arms. I stood up, stretching and shivering to myself. The sky was dull gray again, full of dark clouds. The fog, just as dense as ever. I sighed, frustrated. Stupid Natalie, I didn't even see the point in all of this. Just because I was lost in the woods didn't mean she had to take me to some other-worldly place and shove me into a world, leaving me behind. I didn't care if she heard my thoughts, she deserved my negative comments. 

I kicked at the gravel as I continued to follow the path, my stomach growled and I kicked the gravel harder. Cold, alone, lost, and hungry. What could be worse? My stomach grumbled again, I tried to ignore it. Another growl. I really hated my stomach.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?" I cupped my hands over my mouth and shouted, no response. I was only hoping someone would hear me, and point me in the right direction. My stomach growled again, though I didn't feel it this time. I don't even think it was me. I stopped, listening for movement. Maybe someone was here. The sound of gravel shifting confirmed my theory. 

"I know you're out there! Just come out and stop playing games!" I looked around. Nothing moved. "Natalie?" Even though I was mad at her, I was hoping that maybe even she would be out here. A cool breeze lifted the fog for a slight second, and in the shadows of the forest I saw two golden eyes peering at me. The fog quickly