Once, there was a long and winding corridor. The corridor itself was not very interesting, it was dark and grey and a little dusty like many other corridors. What was interesting were the people that sometimes walked up and down the corridor, although they themselves did not notice because they were so busy walking up and down it.
Sometimes, out of boredom, anticipation, or sheer desperation, a person would try to leave the corridor. It was exactly with a combination of all three emotions that Sophie found the room full of goldfish.
It is difficult not to appreciate the room full of goldfish. It was a small room, octagonal in shape, covered in gilt from floor to ceiling. Coyly winding around the room in delicate brushstrokes were a blaze of large ivory lotuses with leaves the colour of deep jade that looked sagely and silently on, guardians of who knew what deep secrets. It’s floor was deep burgundy velvet, the centre of which contained a solitary stool covered in dark lacquer that was almost jet, with a cushioned seat of turquoise silk with gilt edging.
However, what was most intriguing were its live inhabitants- on dark lacquer shelves that lined every wall- filling every clear receptacle on each shelf were hundreds and hundreds of bright, gleaming goldfish. The light that somehow filled the room was reflected off their glittering bodies in a sequin fashion that danced and sparkled like a myriad mermaid treasures. In deep clear orb shaped bowls, bell shaped vases, teardrop shaped glasses, crystalline flutes. Light that seemed to fill the room almost seem to come from them as they turned and twisted and floated and raced each other.
Once she discovered the room she came to it whenever she could. She visited each glassy home in turn, and watched it’s tenants display their intricate unchoreographed movements. Sometimes she sat on the turquoise cushion and listened to the subtle lapping sound of the water in the bowls that was almost musical.
One day in the room, on the seat of the lacquered stool lay a note. It said simply ” Choose one of the doors”. She saw that on 3 walls the shelves had been replaced by 3 lacquered doors.
Through the door on her left she met a woman who promised her wisdom in exchange for her time, but as she rose to leave, she noticed the woman had stolen her shadow.
Through the door in the middle she encountered a man who promised her rubies in exchange for a portrait of her face. When he had finished, she realised he had stolen her youth. The portrait was a young, vigorous woman but she was no longer that.
Through the last door she saw there was a child who promised her an embrace in return for compassion. She would not embrace him as she had already lost so much by false promises that it seemed foolish to believe any more. And thus she lost her faith in humanity.
Each time she returned to the room full of goldfish after her journey through the door she noticed that with each choice that was made, some goldfish vanished, never to return. There were less each time, and on the last time, they were all gone. But on the last time, she never even noticed.
