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Any World You Choose
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10
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The light was beginning to envelope Peter again, and Richard knew that
his time of choosing had come. Peter stretched out his hand for him to
take.
"Choose Richard, I can't decide for you. Choose your world." There was
a smile on Peter's face, simple and caring. Behind him lay the door to
all the possible worlds Richard could imagine.
He took a step forward to grasp Peter's hand, and then he caught the
scent of lavender. The smell of her shampoo and the feel of Susan's
breathing on the back of his neck. Ice blue eyes that seemed to glow in
the light and were framed by chestnut ringlets. He remembered his
other friends, he remembered all those he knew past and present. In an
instant that seemed to stretch forever he remembered his life, his
world.
"There aren't any guarentees Rich, nothing's certain in the real world.
But if you're happy than that's the place that's heaven." Peter had
dropped his arm as a sudden realization came over Richard.
"I don't think I'm going Pete. I want to but...maybe I can stay here.
Maybe running away isn't right...maybe I don't have to. Maybe, just
maybe I can be happy here too. That's what you lost isn't it? The
chance that life, real life offers, all those possibilites that you
gave up. You can live your dreams, but there's really no risk to it is
there? You can fly, but can't fall, that's what you miss isn't it? "
Peter smiled, though it was a bit of a sad smile. He raised his hand in
a salute as he stepped backward into the light of the doorway.
"You can still choose the world you want to live in Richard. Even here,
in the real world. It's all a matter of perception. Maybe you won't be
happy, maybe you won't get the girl, maybe you won't have the
adventure, but maybe...just maybe you will."
Peter's clothing changed and he stood before the doorway in what looked
like an outlandish pirate's costume. His devil's grin was back again,
and he drew the rapier with a flourish.
"Another adventure awaits Rich! A thousand damsels to rescue! No limit
to my dreams Rich! Good luck, you won't forget me and I never you! See
you in your dreams!"
"In my dreams Pete, always." The light blinded Richard as it exploded
from the doorway and enveloped Peter,taking him away again to whatever
adventure awaited him. The music from the doorway lingered a moment,
and Richard waited until the echo of the last notes died away to begin
walking back to his car.
The sun had returned within a few moments, scattering the clouds and
leaving a wide open, blue sky as Richard walked from the forest to his
car. He drove back to the main road and took it up to the hill that
overlooked the river where he had been found all those years ago.
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11