The Girl Behind the Green Door

Aya saw the green door behind the old community hall. It was smaller than the front door, and a blue line ran around its frame. Ken said it had not been there yesterday.

A girl's voice came from behind it. “I cannot find my way home,” she said. Hana asked, “Is there a safer place you can wait?” The girl answered, “Only if you all stay with me.”

The friends placed a bench near the door and spoke softly. The girl gave them a blue notebook. It was thinner than Aya's notebook, but every page had the same small circle.

Ken wanted to open the door wider, but Aya was more careful. She asked the girl to describe her street. The girl remembered a bakery, a white umbrella, and a clock that showed 7:13.

Hana recognized the bakery near the station. They called the girl's family and waited until an adult arrived. The green door looked darker when the girl finally left.

The hall manager thanked them and blamed an old storage door for the trouble. Aya accepted his explanation, but the blue line was gone. On the floor, a white thread pointed to a room with no number.