Today's #flashfiction How Many Doors?

“Shotgun!”

Neil Armstrong* #quote

Today I fended off a clan of mysterious ninjas. Pesky fellows. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

How Many Doors?

         “Exactly fifteen doors my queen. Fifteen doors and we'll be dead.” The servant told his master.

         “We have guards at each one. They're all shut tight. We'll be safe right?” The queen said to her servant.

          “No my queen. We won't be safe. The entire country has revolted. Eventually they will get through. The fifteen doors between the front of the castle and your throne room will fall. The castle is only so big, and eventually the revolutionaries will flood it.” The servant went to his knees. He wanted to give her the comfort that at least one man in the country still wanted to follow her whim.

          “I shouldn't have asked how many doors there were. Even if they don't break through we would just starve in here.” The queen began to cry. “They're going to kill us. Torture me. I-I have tortured them. There has to be some way out.”

           “There is no way to escape the throne room my queen,” The servant responded.

            “There is!” She yelled, “The open window!”

             The servant shook his head. “It's a fifty foot drop. You would die.”

            “I'll commit suicide then. I won't let them torture me and give them the satisfaction.” The queen began to tremble in fear. “But I'm not brave enough to make the jump.”

            “My queen...” The servant frowned as he thought of the pitiful state of the once powerful ruler.

            The queen clenched her fist. “Push me!”

            “W-what?” The servant stuttered with disbelief.

            “Push me through the window. Save me from their wrath. But tell them I was attempting to escape and plan a counterattack. That's what I want the history books to say. You must do this.” She saw fear and hesitation in her servant's eyes. “I cannot face them.”

           “Yes my queen.”