if there was a third
an assignment we did for class we had to answer the question what if there was a third door in the story 'the lady or the tiger' by frank stockton and the prince went through that door my teacher was shook when she saw how much i wrote "really?? that's so much! and you wrote that all in twenty minutes??????" she shook credit to frank stockton for writing the raw original and my brain for coming up with this
a third door option could just have nothing in it, but whoever chose this door would have a life sentence in prison, and there is no way to be bailed out. [told from the lover's perspective]
The yells and cheers of the people in this kingdom in which I had lived in for a long time abruptly ended as I made my way to the three doors that stood ominously in front of me. Everyone knew what lay behind those doors, but in which door, only the king knew. One door contained a fair maiden who I were to marry right then and there, proving me innocent. The second door held a ravaging tiger, the last thing I would ever see, deeming me guilty of my crime. The last door held nothing behind it, but if I were to chose that door, I would be condemned to the cold and bare rooms of the prison until my thread was cut by the Fates.
My heart beating faster than a horse's gallop, I squared my shoulders, making myself seem courageous even though I was trembling. I risked a glance over my shoulder to where my love was sitting beside her father, the only reason why I was standing here. I could feel many sets of eyes boring into me, trying to reach to my brain and soul to pick a door, fast. One of these sets eyes were definitely the princess's. No matter my fate, I wanted to see those eyes one last time. Everyone still concentrated on me I turned to look at her beautiful face once more. She did not smile or frown. She merely raised her hand and made a slight, quick, movement to the right. Thanking her with my eyes, I glanced back to the crowd, wondering if they saw what she was pointing to. After turning back, I made my way to the door on the right with no hesitation. I trusted her with my life.
I reached the door, everyone in the crowd fading away in my memory as all I could focus on was what lay behind the door. It could be the tiger, but I would die immediately. It could be the lady, but I would never get to see the princess again. Or it could be the door that holds only silence, in which I could maybe get to see the fair lady more. Turning the knob, I braced myself for anything that would fly and hit me. Only air greeted me in return.
I could see the crowd behind me jumping up and screaming, but I could hear nothing. I was granted life, but confined to a limited area. I could hear the king's voice booming through the arena, but my body was paralyzed. So many thoughts were running in my head. I could see the lady again, no matter if she has another suitor or not. I didn't die at the hands of an animal, but hopefully I will simply die at the hands of Time himself, no mercy given. I didn't marry a lady who I don't even know, nor will I ever find out. I racked my brain as to why the princess chose this fate for me, but firstly how she knew what lay behind the doors, this one specifically, before I felt synchronised marching through the dusty ground I stood on, followed by two strong and rough arms grabbing me by the biceps and walking me down through the dim light of the cold stone corridor, leading me to not my doom, but what would be my home until I join the stars.