Antek finds a tiny golden door in his room, and when he opens it, a strange whisper rises from the glowing space beyond.
Antek loved his room. It was full of books, blocks, and Edek, his teddy bear, who sat on the bed and seemed to listen to every secret.
One rainy afternoon, Antek was building a tall tower under his desk when he stopped short. On the wall, where the plaster had always been smooth and plain, there was now a tiny round door. It was no bigger than a school notebook. In the middle was a little golden key.
Antek hugged Edek close.
"Look," he whispered. "Did you see that?"
Edek only stared back with his stitched smile. The room felt very still. Rain tapped at the window. The tower of blocks tilted a little. Antek could hear his own breathing.
He reached for the key. It was cold in his hand. Slowly, very slowly, he put it into the lock.
Click.
The tiny door swung open with a soft creak. Warm light spilled out, pale and shimmering, like colours hiding inside fog. A strange smell drifted into the room, sweet and dusty at the same time.
Then, from somewhere just beyond the glowing opening, a whisper slipped into the silence.
"Shh. Stay very quiet."
Antek stared into the light. The space behind the door seemed to move, as if something on the other side had just turned toward him.