Wayne Batson - The Door Within

Something awakened Aidan in the still hours before dawn. He had a fleeting thought that maybe, like before, he would find himself in Alleble with Gwenne standing near his bedside. Perhaps the King had called him back for some other adventure.

No, Aidan wasn’t in the castle-just his own room in Colorado. His arm wasn’t around the neck of a friendly dragon-just his down pillow. And it was not Gwenne who awakened him-it was his father.

It was dark, but Aidan knew it was him, silhouetted against the window. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, and he seemed to be rocking back and forth slightly.

“Dad, what is it?”

He nodded ever so slightly. “Aidan, I-I’m so grateful that you’re okay. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if… if you and my father.. .” His voice trailed off for a moment, but then he gathered his strength and spoke more assuredly.

“Grampin was in a coma, for almost the whole time after the heart attack, but once, when no one else was around, he just woke up and started talking to me. He told me a whole bunch of crazy stuff about the Kingdom of Alleble, just like you said the other night. He said all I had to do was believe it was true and choose to follow the King of Alleble, and it would all become real to me.

“He even got a little mad at me when I told him I didn’t buy into any of that pie-in-the-sky fantasy garbage. He said, ‘Boy, ye better open up yer eyes to see, fer it gets too late!’ I think we both fell asleep after that, Aidan. But I tell you, I had the most amazing dream. I don’t remember too much of it, but Grampin was in it. He was dressed in bright silver armor, and he looked younger, happier, and more alive than I have ever seen him. In fact, he was riding on a flying dragon, doing loop-the-loops in the sky above a breathtaking castle.”

Aidan’s dad paused for a while, swallowed hard, and then continued. “When I woke up, Grampin was already gone. He… he died, Aidan.”

Dad wiped his tears with an abrupt swipe of his forearms. Aidan just waited patiently and listened.

“Y’know, on the drive home from the hospital, I got to thinking about what Grampin had told me. In some ways, I wanted to write it off as the nutty fantasies of a senile old man. But I just couldn’t, Aidan. I mean, when he was speaking to me, he seemed as clear-minded as can be. He completely believed everything he said to me, and there was such a powerful look of hope in his eyes that I had to listen.

“He must have known that he was close to death… he had to know. But there wasn’t the slightest hint of fear in his eyes. I think my crazy old man was actually looking forward to it! Then, it hit me so hard, I had to pull the car over to the side of the road. I made a decision there, son, and I wanted you to be the first to hear it.”

Aidan was so thrilled he thought he was going to pop!

Aidan stared anxiously at him. Aidan could tell his father was staring back. Finally, he announced: “Aidan, I believe it. I believe it all!”

The happiest of tears bounced down Aidan’s cheek. “I know,” he replied joyfully.

“What!?” Dad blurted out.

“It’s a long story, Dad,” Aidan said, smiling. “It’s a long story.”

The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of ups and downs. Aidan and his dad read and reread the Scrolls of Alleble-the whole time his mom thinking they had gone collectively off their rockers!

Aidan occupied most of the last days of the summer preparing for the upcoming school year. And every spare moment he had, he spent trying to contact Robby. For some reason, no one ever answered at his home, and Robby didn’t return a single email Aidan sent.

Being home, and knowing he could not return to Alleble, left Aidan with empty pangs of sadness now and then. But even within that sadness there sprang hope. For though he was away from Alleble, Alleble lived within his heart. He would never be alone, and he knew he had much work to do in his lifetime on Earth.

And though Aidan knew he could not see Gwenne for many, many years in The Realm, he had a plan…