The Freedom of an Open Door

The Freedom of an Open Door – a short story
by Chase March
Locks only keep honest people out. That’s what his dad used to say and he never understood it. He always locked his door even though he wasn’t afraid of those honest people.
There were nights where he’d forgotten to lock it. In those mornings, his heart would skip a beat as he realized that he had been unprotected during the night. The next moment though he always felt relief that he hadn’t needed that lock.
His door isn’t locked right now. The screen door lets the cool spring breeze in and it feels good to have the freedom of an open door.
He’s been alone for years. Ever since she broke his heart. He knew that she might need the freedom of an open door one day. A place she could escape to if ever she needed it. No one would know about this place. She’d be safe here. That’s why he had insisted that she keep the key when she’d left him.
He hadn’t thought about that key in a while; it had been so long. She probably had forgotten all about it too. Perhaps things had worked out just fine with her and …
It still hurt to even think it …
him.
There, he completed the thought and then he rolled over and fell asleep for the last night he’d ever spend in this apartment.
The next day, he looked around at the empty digs before locking the door and moving on with his life.
She was nervous and scared to use the key after all these years but she did. She’d needed the freedom of the open door today. She wanted him to be there to tell her that everything would be okay. She needed him for that.
When she opened the door, her heart sank. Seeing the place empty at that moment broke her heart. She fell to the ground crying, closed the door behind her, locked it, and cried some more.

THE END


4 responses to “The Freedom of an Open Door”

  1. Hi Chase .. lovely sad story .. it's time to move on .. we never know and we must take responsibility for ourselves. Waiting deprives us of our own time ..

    However if the desire is there all will be well .. she will hear of his new projects, listen to his interviews, hear him on the radio .. see his pictures ..

    life is a tricky place .. but we need to live it ..

    Your post title says it all – the Freedom of an Open Door .. to opportunites all around you .. you will not be lost in the maelstrom of city life .. you will be there for all to see ..

    Interesting thoughts .. Hilary

  2. Hi Hilary,

    I've been writing sad stories lately, haven't I?

    You are right though. It is time to move on. That's what the character in this story did, quite literally.

    Thanks for you comments,

    Chase

  3. it is an interesting story because the man did move on and the woman kind of went back in time and revisited.
    sometimes we lose more then we gain going into a new relationship.

    Beginnings are sweet and awesome, but there is usually always trouble in paradise after a while, all we need to do is wait up for the hurricane to move out and clean up the mess, well, sometimes that is true.. and sometimes it is really better to move on,

    and that is the individuals decision.

    Life is full of emotions.
    swing up
    and down
    swing up
    and down..
    damn it!
    🙂

  4. Hi Braveheart,

    Thanks for reading!

    I am still a hopeless romantic or, as some other commenter once called me, a "hopeful romantic."

    Your comment makes a lot of sense. Thanks!