I made my way through the crowded faire ground. The sights and sounds overwhelming the senses, but welcomed all the same. Since a child, I had walked these grounds, every fall when it arrived. Every corner, every ride, every smell a welcoming to a second home. Now unfortunately with time, the once glorious rides, now screamed out protest through squeaky rails. Some buildings needed paint, others probably could do to be retired, that didn't stop the people from coming.

Every step felt familiar as I made my way through. It wasn't until I reached the outskirts, the bones of the faire, that I realized I was somewhere new. A new building stood at the farthest reach, new paint, screaming against the dullness of the old booths around it. Like a child to a new toy, or a moth to a flame, my feet led me to it.

"Hello! Hello!" Came a satin voice as I turned to see the keeper.

"Hello"

"Step right up! Do I have something for you to see"

"Is that so?"

I made my way closer, standing in front of the newest addition. An empty little table, with a strange looking man, but behind it lay a door. On the table one simple sign. 'Oh the places you'll go! 5¢'
"Step right up! Don't be shy! For one nickel, you can see something so beyond words, you'll never be the same!"

"Like what?" I asked innocently to the charlatan who sat at his table. Finally paying attention to who was before me. He was strange to say the least. Dressed so outlandish I really wondered if this was a Renaissance Festival and not just some common carnival. A man so out of time, yet looked like he belonged nonetheless.

"Anything! Anywhere! Maybe Nowhere! That's the fun! Want to try it little lady?" He asked, a Cheshire cat grin on his lips.

"For a nickel?" I asked a little unsure of the price, in an age where even the most mundane thing was a couple of dollars.

"Best price in town!"

"Sure why not"

"Ok. Now let me give you the rules."

"there are rules to this?"

"But of course! All the best games must have rules. No rules cause chaos after all!"

"Ok. I understand. What are the rules"

"Simple. Number One. You go through the door and you shut the door behind you. No halfsies! Number Two. You cannot touch, you won't be able to anyways, but still don't try it. Number three. No matter what it is, just keep moving, it will hurt less"

"HURT LESS?!!" I cried out in surprise
"Will this game hurt!?"

"Interrupting is rude little one!" He called out "But not physically! You will not be harmed at all! Not one bit! Not a hair on that little head of yours will be moved."

"Then how will it hurt?"

"There are more ways than one to be hurt child. Now may I continue?"

"Yes" I finally spoke, still unsure why I was going along with the rambles of a mad gypsy.

"Number four! Don't wander off, you can get lost and that isn't good, it's best you follow the doors."

"Doors? Is this like a maze?"

"What did I say about interrupting?" he chastised.

"Sorry."

"You'll find them, it will take you from one place to another. Follow the doors, you'll know which ones! And number five! Try to learn something! Ready?"

"Not really" I muttered out, my nerves and my brain finally on the same page.

"Time waits for no man! Nor scared little girls!"

"I'm not a little girl! I am 24!"

"24 or 42 still just a spec of sand based on who you ask. Now are you ready?" He asked again.

Not sure why, but too intrigued to walk away, I fished out a nickel and placed it in his gloved palm.

"Now step up to the door. Open it and step through!"

I did as instructed and made my way to the door. I paid a little more attention and noted it was just that. A plain door. No frame, nothing, just a useless door leaned against the structure of his booth. Clearly this was why this game was a nickel. And even then, now it seemed a nickel too high for the task.

"And this will take me somewhere?" I asked with a tone of doubt. What a waste of my time. "Where exactly?"

"Child. Those who ask for direction seldom ever find somewhere new"

"Well. I just feel this is a trick. Can I even get a hint? I feel I will walk through an empty door and have lost a nickel"

"A nickel lost, but a world to see! Pay attention! You know what they those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it!"

I rolled my eyes. Why bother with mad men, all I would do is lose. I reached out and grabbed the cold door knob and pulled it empty. Just as I suspected, I could see the empty wall at which it leaned upon. Still. Humoring him, I took a step through and turned back to face him.

"I went through the door! Such a trip! Thank you. Definitely eye opening" I muttered, words dripping in sarcasm.

"Rule number one!" was all he yelled out.

I thought back to what he had said. I grabbed the door knob again and pulled it shut "Done!" I yelled out at the door in front of me. "So amazing!" more sarcasm.

"Alle Juden auf der linken Seite! "Came an angry scream from behind as I spun to look, losing my breath at what stood in front.

I wasn't where I should have been. I wasn't sure where 'where' even was now. Hustled streets flooded with people. Angry soldiers waving guns in the air. Germany. Nazis. That's what I saw. How? I turned back to reach of the door. Eager to ask the man at the table what this was. There was no door.
I saw what stood before me again. People being pushed, screaming. Children crying for their mamas. Mama's screaming for their babies. I didn't understand a word, but I could understand the pain. This was the Holocaust.

A frightened boy ran through me. THROUGH ME. As I gasped myself back into this weird reality. An angry soldier in front of me, his gun pointed straight to my chest.

"Halt! Halt!" he spat out as I froze in place.

"I'm not moving!" I screamed.

"Halt!" another scream, and the pull of the trigger. I shut my eyes and held my breath, waiting for a pain that never came. I opened them again, the soldier inches from me. Walked straight through, I spun around, the little boy lay on the floor. Dead.

I started to run, not sure where, but didn't want to be here. I ran until my throat burned, and the tears from my eyes stopped. I reached an edge where I could no longer move. I reached out and saw my skin turning gray, a tinge of pain slinking up my skin. I remembered his fourth rule. Don't get lost.

Unwillingly, I made my way back. Find a door. Find a door. I reminded myself searching for a sign. The ghetto filled with buildings, had hundreds of doors, how could I find my way out? I wandered like a lost child, the streets painted in blood, bodies forgotten littered the way. I found the body of the little boy once more. His poor little eyes dulled, but remained open, staring off into a nothing. No. Not a nothing, the door. I made my way through it, and threw myself inside, slamming it shut behind me.

I turned slowly, begging to see the table, almost cried when I did not.
A new place. A box. A giant box, filled to the brim with people. I could move through them, but even my freedom left me gasping for air. Humans packed like sardines ready to be eaten, or in their case, ready to die. The floor jerked underneath me, a collection of groans as the bodies collided against one another. A box car driving somewhere, I knew where it was going. I moved towards the edge of the train car, closer to the only window, begging for air. A little woman beside it held her baby to her chest.

"Vergib mir. Vergib mir" She chanted over and over to the crying bundle in her arms. She lifted the little child to the window. I watched in horror as she pushed it out from the moving train. Screamed even though all the living corpses beside me would never hear.
Outside at a distance a vaguely familiar metal sign stood announcing the place.

'Arbeit macht Frei'

'Work sets you free'.

The train stopped, the doors slid open, the bodies moved. I stayed frozen, watching. I knew where we were, I knew where they were going. A soldier barked out orders, another slammed shut the door, I stood frozen. The sound of sporadic bullets could be heard.

It was a couple of moments before I moved again, I reached out for the box car door sliding it open and walking through, I pulled it shut just in case. I was right.

I turned around once more. This time, another box. Yet this one was different. A collection of women and children surrounded me, all without clothes. No. No. NO. I cried out.

"You need to leave! Don't come in here! Please!" I screamed out into nothingness, even if they could hear me, there was nowhere to go. The door into the 'showers' closed. The squeaks of the pipes came on as the cattle of people walked towards the spouts. I moved towards the doors and slammed my fists, and when that failed, my entire body against it.

"Open the door! Please! I can't! I get it! Please Let me out!" I screamed. Behind me, it had started.

A thick gas filled the air, as the people inside finally understood. Coughing and choking as they scrambled away. I wasn't truly there, but I could feel the smoke inside my lungs, feel the bodies push against mine. Heard the pain in their voices. I saw the mothers try to cover their children's mouth. Heard the children cry out 'mama' when they finally fell. Saw the bodies begin to drop against the floor. Saw the blood on the hands of those scratching at the metal doors that kept them inside. There are more ways than one to be hurt. I remembered.

"Please" I begged out. "Please"

It was too long, when the gas finally stopped. Everyone. Gone. I stood alone amongst a sea of bodies, the gas had no prejudice who it killed, unlike the monsters who stood outside. My body shook as I held back whatever screams could possibly remain in my lungs.

A click could be heard amongst the silence of the dead. The door that had trapped all these people inside was open. I reached for it, and when it was open, I threw myself into the darkness.
I landed harshly on the dirt as I looked up into bright lights. The laughter of children filled the air. The faire! I scrambled to my feet and looked around. I was home. How? I spun around searching for something unknown, the man! The man! I needed to find the man! I turned back and found nothing. There was no booth, no crazy man from another time. Just an empty little table. And a small sign that read:

'Oh the places you'll go'