A lesson of life-Chapter 3 Monster am I?

“Wake up, wake up and face me my little marionette” I could faintly hear the call in my ear. My vision was still slightly blurred almost as if the surroundings had been pixelated. I tried to move: first my feet with no success, then my legs, arms, then fingers but it was no use all the limbs still seemed to be so heavy almost as if lead weights had been placed on each one, even moving my eyelids and lips was a task. Ok this was starting to look bad; so many questions started flying through my head, why can’t I move? How am I going to get out of here? More importantly where is here? Well I’m still breathing, and I still have my senses more or less so I can’t be . . . “Dead” the voice had stated again, louder and more menacing than when I first heard it. “No Sam you’re not dead, not yet anyway, so I’ll ask again stand up and face me.” No sooner had the sentence been finished everything came flooding back, my arms were free to move once more and the legs that had been so lifeless could support my weight again. As vision and speech returned I managed to stagger to my feet and survey the room around me, that’s all it was a room. Four pure white walls with a matching ceiling and tilled floor. In three of the walls were set jet black doors, no handles or windows just a single, gold, blank plaque gleaming away in the centre. A desk and chair had been set out in the middle of the floor with some papers and an old fashioned quill on the top; it was all just so bland. “Good your awake, I thought you had given up already, Sam” the voice seemed to coming from all around me, or maybe it was just the rooms echo, turning frantically I tried to find the source. “Where are you? Show yourself”
“I’m right here” a cold shiver ran back down my spine as the echo had stopped and the source of the words appeared right behind me. Turning my head to the desk that was once empty, I found a tall, skinny figure sitting there. His hands clasped together and what felt like an all too familiar grin on his face. I looked quizzically at the figure before me “Eli? Eli Gerosa is that you?” it must have been, the suit, the glasses it could only be Eli. Unclasping his hands the man carefully placed them on the desk, “Eli? Ah yes my name, so sorry, you know after a while you change that many times it’s hard to keep track of who you really are, but you know all about that don’t you Sam? .” this through me back a little especially as his grin had started to widen further revealing a set of pearl white teeth. “But Eli…” if his name really was Eli “… I don’t understand, we have never met before so what makes you think you know anything about me?” I could feel my nerves start to subside a little and a small amount of anger combined with frustration starting to creep into my tone, “Oh Sam, that’s a little cruel I’m hurt, of course I know you. I’ve always been here waiting for the day you would need my …” there was a slight pause as if he was trying to choose his next words very carefully, “… shall we say, help”. Never before has the word help sounded so forced into a sentence. “Well Eli that’s very kind of you, but I’m afraid I was always taught never to except help from strangers, so if you would point me to the way out I’ll be going now” I turned my back to the desk hoping one of the three doors would open up for me. “She’s waiting you know.” It took a few seconds for the phrase to sink in but I got it loud and clear, turning back to the desk the anger that was somewhat settled deep in the pit of my stomach start to groan, begging to be let loose on the weasel faced creature. Placing both hands firmly on the table, looming over the man with flames in my eyes I had to ask “Say that to me one more time.” Tilting his head back a little and the grin still bold on his face, with the slightest of chuckles he repeated “Grace” a playful giggle filled the room with a beautiful feminine voice breaking through the walls “come on Sam play the game and if you win you get your heart back, it’s as simple as that” it had to be her, after all none else could have made it sound as if the angels themselves were calling my name. I couldn’t stop my heart from racing, all sense of my surroundings left me as at the top of my voice I shouted “Grace!, Grace where are you! Let me find you please just, just let me find you.” After a few minutes of waiting it was clear that I wasn’t going to get a response. As I turned back to face Eli, those flames that quietly burned now turned into a raging inferno, and my hands planted firmly down had clenched so tightly into a fist that before I had time to think they had sent a punch aiming to shatter bone straight towards the man’s jaw.
He’d vanished, just disappeared as my punch met nothing but cold air. I scanned the room looking for any sign of life but nothing caught my eye; “Eli, you coward show yourself!” every word seemed to be filled with more rage than the last. My breathing was fast and feet placed expecting some sort of counter attack. Instead I got nothing but an echoing stream of laughter, “You know you can be so trigger happy sometimes Sam? But I suppose it’s only fair I explain what the purpose of me being here is. Many people in the world often wish for a second chance in life, either to right a wrong, to change things for the better you know that sort of stuff? Well it is my job to give some lucky people that second chance, if they’re willing to make a deal that is.” My temper had started to calm now, with the fist relaxing back down to my side leaving the hands a pale white colour. Although my mind was telling me to get out of there as quick as possible inquisition got the better of me “So tell me then, what does this deal involve? More importantly what’s the catch?”
“Dear me Sam you’re so suspicious. Very well I’ll tell you, the deal is so simple all you have to do is get through three rounds, three little rounds, in order to make the final where you could win our grand prize. Now you’re a bright lad I have no doubt you’ll have noticed doors, three doors in fact, three doors for three rounds specifically designed for you my friend, once you pass through said doors you’ll be put through a little trial and I just want to know what emotion each one is trying to eke out of you. Guess right and you progress to the next door. After, sorry I mean if you manage to complete all three trials you get a shot at the final test. Have you got all that?” It was so far fetch it bordered on the unbelievable but I wasn’t dreaming and I think hallucinating could be ruled out so it must be real. “Yeah I got it, but what are the prizes?”
“Well you see even though you have been nothing but critical of me since the moment we met I’m still willing to offer you that second chance you so desperately crave, with Grace.” The booming echo returned down to nothing more than a whisper, a tempting teasing whisper. “Look Samuel on the desk a contract, sign it, think about it Samuel you could hold her in your arms again, feel her warm kiss on your lips, hear her speak once more, sign it, Isn’t that all you’ve ever wanted? Did you not promise her happiness?” Lost for words, normally I would have something clever to say back but not this time, no words could describe the strange mix of joy and disbelief at what I was hearing.
“I’ll do it”
Taking the quill from its holster I began to sign on the dotted line. “That’s all well and good Sam but don’t you want to hear what happens if you lose a challenge” putting the quill back in its holster I looked at each door individually, trying to decide which to go for first. “Sam, did you hear me I said- “
“Yes I heard you loud and clear and no I don’t really want to know because I’m not going to lose.” For the first time since arriving in this place my confidence had made an appearance and it had come back stronger than ever. I could tell that this type of determination from contestants was not the norm as Eli seemed somewhat more disgruntled now, as if an actor had been interrupted in the middle of his big scene. “Well you know there are two sides to every deal, so if you lose any of these challenges let’s just say those gorgeous eyes you loved so much, they will never be opened again. How does that sound Samuel hey? You like that deal?” A blood curdling laugh filled the room shaking the quill back onto the table before hitting the floor. “I’m sorry Eli but I think you are the one mishearing me, I said I will not lose, for her I will never loss especially to a monster like you. Now if your quiet finished ranting please tell me which door is the first test” I could finally make a little smile of my own, there was once more a reason to fight, all I could think about is getting back my angel.
“A monster am I? We shall see! how about the door on the left first.”