The rain poured down as I ran away from the house.

I’m sorry father, I can’t live like this anymore. My cheeks burn from where she slapped me.

“I want you out of my life completely. Now that your father has married me, I am his family. He DOES NOT need you. Stop bothering us; your father doesn’t love you. Go back to where your witch mother came from!”

“You’re lying! You’re the one who has cast some evil spell on my father! He’ll remember how much he loves me one day! And NEVER call my mother a witch!!”

She raises her hand and slaps me.

“GET OUT NOW!”

Collapsing on the side of the road, I thought of the times before father met his new wife.

“Your mother came from a beautiful world. It’s a world where magic exists… She was the daughter of one of the most powerful lords. If she weren’t so adventurous and curious, she would have never met me. Our worlds usually do not collide, but somehow, I had the luck to fall in love with her…”

“Daddy, will I ever be able to visit that world she comes from?”

“Maybe one day… if your mother was still here, she would know how to bring you. But because she had to leave us so early, we will have to think of another way…”

Tears start to stream down my face as I think about how these happy times were gone forever. Father was never going to tell beautiful stories of mother anymore…

Why can’t I leave this ugly world and join the one mother came from…? Please, mother, take me there. Let me leave this place forever…

Right at that moment, a mystical white dove flew in front of me. In its beak, there was a letter. The dove moved closer and dropped the letter at my foot.

Follow the sunset into the garden. In the rose petals by the door, you will find a key.

Stunned, I raised my eyes and saw the sun setting. I started to run as fast as I could, desperately following the fast sunset.

I entered the garden and saw the roses in a pile by a giant door. The door looked like it was shimmering in the remaining sunlight, but I told shook my head and reminded myself that a door couldn’t actually shimmer. I thought of how silly this whole thing was and decided to turn back…but something shiny caught my eye…

A key was lying on the floor in the middle of red and white rose petals. I knelt down and picked it up.

Should I open the door? What if something horrible is behind it? What if it’s worse than here? Nevermind, nothing can be worse then here…

My fingers trembling, I inserted the key inside the lock. My body froze and my mind turned blank as the door slowly starts to open and a bright light sneaks out from behind...