Little Doors Read Online Free PDF

stopped. Crawleigh did too. They seemed the only people in the world. Crawleigh felt ageless.
    Confronting Crawleigh, Audrey said, in a voice hushed with reverence, “It’s happening, Jerry, it’s really happening, isn’t it? The big, good thing I always wished for. I guess I finally wished hard enough, or was scared enough, or something …”
    Stupefied and fearful, Crawleigh could not bring himself to share Audrey’s delighted childlike awe.
    “Don’t be a fool, Audrey, it’s only some hallucination or delusion. I can’t explain what’s happening, but I know it’s not real. There’s no escape from this world. Stop running, and let’s confront this problem like adults.”
    Crawleigh felt insane and deceitful, arguing so prosaically in front of this magnificent apparition. But he didn’t know what else to do.
    His imagination had failed him.
    Ignoring her former lover’s advice, Audrey moved to the first step. She placed one foot delicately on the surface, testing its solidity. When it held her, she brought the other foot up too.
    She looked beseechingly back at Crawleigh, who averted his eyes.
    Slowly at first, then with more and more confidence, Audrey climbed all the stairs until she stood at the top.
    She gripped the golden knob.
    Crawleigh heard the click of her painted nails on its metal. He raised his eyes to watch whatever would come next.
    Audrey opened the little door.
    A world too marvelous to be trapped in words revealed itself beyond. Its sky seemed to be gloriously on fire, and the radiance that spilled out the door made Audrey lambent. Crawleigh winced, and flung up his hands as if blinded.
    Audrey turned to face Crawleigh. The sight had transfigured her plain features into something otherworldly.
    She spoke softly. “It’s so wonderful. Just what I always dreamed. Come with me, Jerry. Everything will be okay there.”
    Crawleigh shook his head, mute.
    Audrey stepped through—
    —and pulled the door shut. Crawleigh fainted then.
    And when he awoke, with the campus medics bending over him, he said: “Audrey—”
    But no one could tell him where she was.
     
     

 
    BILLY
     
     
    Billy’s father was in the delivery room when Billy was born. Billy’s father stood by his wife’s white-gowned left shoulder, holding her hand, as the Doctor and nurses worked to deliver the baby boy everyone expected. To Billy’s father, the operating room lights seemed those of another world, and the air smelled like the inside of a medicine cabinet. His wife’s face was covered with sweat. She seemed to be having a difficult time.
    The first moment Billy’s father suspected that something was wrong was when one of the nurses blanched and averted her face. Then the Doctor paled, and seemed to fumble between Billy’s mother’s legs. Recovering, the Doctor continued the delivery.
    Billy’s father wanted to ask what the matter was. But at the same time, he didn’t want to alarm his wife. So he kept quiet and only continued to squeeze his wife’s hand.
    In the next thirty seconds, his wife screamed, a young nurse retched and rushed off, clutching her stomach, the baby emerged, its cord was cut, and, inexplicably, before Billy’s father could get a good look at the infant, it was rushed from the room.
    Billy’s father leaned down to his wife’s ear and whispered, “You did wonderful, dear. I’ll be right with you. I’ve got to see the Doctor now though.”
    Billy’s father walked over in his green antistatic slippers to the Doctor.
    The Doctor said, “Please step outside with me for a moment.”
    In the corridor, his mask now dangling around his neck, the Doctor said, “I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. Your son exhibits a grave congenital deficiency.”
    Billy’s father nodded, not knowing what to say. The Doctor seemed to be having a difficult time finding words also.
    “He’s—anencephalic,” the Doctor finally managed to say.
    “I don’t understand,” said Billy’s