Lena was not one of those people who get bored easily. Accustomed to daily walks through the winding streets of the old town, she was always looking for something to break the routine. But that June afternoon, as the sun was lazily sifting through the chestnut leaves, she found something that was definitely out of the ordinary. It started innocently enough - she accidentally lost her favourite earphone as she walked through a familiar alleyway next to an antique shop. As she searched for it, she noticed a microscopic gap in the wall between two buildings that she had previously been unaware of. She moved her hand over the faded bricks and the cool stone trembled under her fingers. The crack was wider than it appeared. Thinking little, Lena slipped inside. The new place immediately surprised her. The narrow corridor, barely illuminated by the rays of sunlight coming in from above, stretched into the depths, surrounded by the smell of old paper and herbs. Lena's footsteps echoed as she passed rusty lanterns and multi-coloured doors with puzzling crests. Each door had a different symbol: a silver key, an owl's eye, a rose flower, a writhing dragon. Lena felt a thrill of excitement. At one point, a figure loomed up in front of her. A boy about her age, with a storm of dark, slightly too long hair and a smile that balanced between confidence and insolence. He leaned loosely against the doorframe behind which was a black diamond door. - Are you lost? - He asked, raising one eyebrow. Lena hesitated. - 'More like... I found something I shouldn't have. The boy laughed quietly, and the echo bounced off the bricks in an unexpected way. - No one gets here by accident. Do you have a name? - Lena. And you? - They call me Quinn. - He smiled more broadly. - Emerald Alley welcomes you, Lena. Before you move on, you must choose a door. But remember, each one leads somewhere else, and what you choose - stays chosen forever. Lena felt her heart beating faster. With each passing moment, the alley seemed to throb with a strange energy, as if it was just waiting for her decision. Quinn leaned towards her and added in a whisper: - You only have one question before you make your choice. Just one. Lena tightened her hands on the strap of her backpack, suspending her gaze on the dragon motif door. She wanted to ask so many things, but she had to decide what she really wanted to know the answer to. At that moment, she heard a quiet rustle behind the farthest door. The air thickened and the light in the alley began to pulsate. Lena still had a few seconds to choose a question - and decide which door she would go through.