The Lady Or The Tiger?By Joanna

Without hesitation, he walked toward the door onthe right. When he was right in front of the right door, hehesitated and took one last look at the princess. Heartpounding, head spinning, he turns toward the door. Helooks at it and thinks of all of the time that he spent withthe princess. He wonders if the princess truly did lovehim, and had guided him to the door with the lady behindit. He imagines the priest and the dancing, happy peoplewhen the lady comes out.

Then he remembers her barbaric side. He wonderswhat it would be like to be torn apart by a tiger. He thinksof the orange and black beast that may be the last thinghe ever sees. But then he banishes these thoughts fromhis mind, the audience is getting restless, shouting forhim to make his decision.

He lifts his hand up to the handle of the door andswings it open. It crashes loudly as the chains and hingeson it protest against the force of his push. He sees thelady and his face brightens. The priest and the happypeople walk out! But the door, which he threw open a littletoo forcefully, swings back and whacks him, throwing himto the wall in the back of the chamber. He falls from thewall, right onto his head. There is a sound something likea wettish crack, and his body goes totally limp. He isdead. The lady in the room quickly exits through the backpassage, looking horrified.

The princess’s anguished cry is hidden in a largeaudience’s worth of gasps. They did not expect this oncehe chose the door with the lady behind it. Neither did theprincess. The priest and the happy people stop, becomered with embarrassment, and scamper back to the doorunder the king. The mourners wails pierce the air. Theaudience slowly filters out of the arena, heads down,dragging their feet, mourning for the man who died justwhen he was offered a brand new life.