“Find the newspapers, Alec, I need to bring them by the school tomorrow. Just put them by the door. I’ll be home in an hour at most.”

“But mom, they’re in the basement! It’s dark and smelly down there!”

“You’re a big boy, Alec, and they’re right by the stairs. I’ve got to go. Bye, Alec.”

“But, mom!”

The young boy stared at the door his mother had just left through. He was alone now. Tears started forming in his eyes but he rubbed at them angrily and looked at the door to the basement.

The solid oak door was the only one in the lonely house that had a tight seal-to keep the old smell down there or to keep things from coming up? That’s what Alec had always asked himself whenever he passed it when walking through the house.

He had voiced the question to his mother once, but she just rolled her eyes and told him “that imagination of yours is going to get you into some kind of trouble one day, son. Now you forget about whatever monsters you’ve dreamed up, go down there, and get me those Christmas lights you want put up!”

Alec didn’t move from his spot between the front door and the basement. Was it his imagination or was there a creaking sound coming from behind it? Like someone stepping on old stairs?
“Come on, I can do this. Just down the stairs and back again. Mommy said there’s no such thing as monsters. Mommy’s always right.”

Alec took a single step towards the door before turning and running down the hall to his room, jumping on the bed and hiding under the covers. He can’t go down there. Not when his mom's not home.

He stayed like that for a while, not moving an inch, not hearing a peep. There was nothing to be heard. Finally he slowly pulled the covers off him and sat up on the bed. He went down the hallway, past the Door, into the kitchen and sucked on a juice box. Juicy, Juice, the drink of warriors.

He smiled to himself, suddenly ready for an adventure. He left the box on the counter and walked slowly to the basement door, pretending he was a medieval knight with shiny armor and a big sword passed down to him from his father.

A metal-clad hand reached for the polished gold handle of the Dark Castle’s Door and flung it open. The Door made a loud swoosh as it opened, releasing the darkness within, but Prince Alec saw no guards of the Night come running to stop his mission.

The young prince strode quickly but confidently down the stairs, his sword ever-ready to swing out at the first sign of trouble. A castle-guard! A great, black, hooded figure seemed to fly down from the watch tower. Landing right in front of the prince, he drew his sword and held it up in warning. The road ahead was forbidden to the prince.

Prince Alec wasted no breath by taking to the guard. He swung out with his sword as the guard countered with his own. A fierce battle began, both warriors matching the other’s skill, but eventually the prince was victorious! He ran down the rest of the road and saw the princess he was supposed to rescue. She rand towards him and he smiled, taking her hand they turned back to the Door of the gate Alec had first come through.

A laugh stopped them in their tracks.They turned back to the tower the princess had just come from and saw the Dark Lord standing in the window, leering down at them. Castle-guards were running towards them from the castle and watch towers. They were surrounding them.

The prince didn’t have time to think as the door that led from the tower was opened and the Dark Lord’s cruel head could be seen. The prince pulled the princess close to him and ran, half-dragging her along with him. He fought a few guards on the run and made it safely to the great, oak, gate. He threw it open and raced through it, slamming it shut behind him.

Alec looked down at the newspapers in his hand and took them to the front door.