First Choice

After the mirrors, two hands were waiting for me. One held a silver key.
The other held a gold key. Behind me was the path I already knew the old fears, the familiar rooms.
In front of me was a path I had never taken. The rabbit was still there too.
Not running this time. Just watching.
As if he had only brought me this far so I would have to choose. I have always been drawn to Alice in Wonderland, but this piece is not about her fall.
It is about the moment I stop running and have to choose. The fear was not that neither door would open.
The fear was that one of them would and whatever waited on the other side could no longer be ignored. Maybe the gold key leads to the life I always wanted.
Maybe the silver one takes me back to the place I have spent years escaping. I reach forward. Then I pull my hand away. Some fears do not protect us.
They just sit close enough to convince us it is still too soon to choose. The hands stay open.
The keys stay still.
And the rabbit waits. Perhaps the keys were never meant to open a door.
Perhaps they were only asking which version of myself I am more afraid of. I still do not know the answer. Third piece from Sariraa in Wonderland.