At first, it was small, barely noticeable to anyone visiting my home. The square in the corner of my living room wall showed up nearly 11 years ago, no bigger than a quarter-inch square. For a long time, I gave the mysterious anomaly little regard, occasionally checking to see if it was still there. As time went on, it began to appear larger. Sure-enough it grew to one-inch square, white, and opaque. Same location, just larger. What is this about?
Because there was no easily understandable way to explain it, rather than talk about it at all I simply covered it up with a painting. Don’t get me wrong, I was more than fascinated, it looked benign, no big deal, but what was it? Was this some kind of mark left by a ghost or something? Was there some kind of cosmic purpose, something which one day would make sense? Or maybe like a Stephen King novel, the true reason will become clear in the light of something far more dramatic happening.
Years on, the square grew to become a window, nicely crafted, and functional to where I was able to open it from the inside, it allowed me control. Still, I kept it covered, spoke of it seldomly, and only to people who I could trust wouldn’t think me crazy. There must be some kind of purpose behind this, but what was it?
The earthquake that just struck my home was the largest in over 300 years, the damage is widespread, and no one was spared. Immediately after the shaking stopped, I tried to get out of the house for fear it would collapse, but all doors were stuck, nothing opened, there was no exit. The ceiling was beginning to bow, weakened walls were leaning inward. We’re trapped! Then I remembered the window, it was solid, and it worked. Immediately it made sense; I had an option.
There was an escape.
