The year has ended once again. The Aqua tree looks strong after it's another year of surviving in the harsh environment of the land. The people were satisfied since they couldn't do anything about the situation they are in.
However, the annual celebration of sacrifice will happen the next day.
The Sphere will rotate, commemorating another year of survival. This will also trigger the door to open once again. For the past 100 years, no one has ever tried going through the door due to fear of the unknown. But they also learned that the wall will never close unless something is to be brought inside. So for years, they have been preparing one fat cow as a token to the door for it to close. It's like a ceremony given to the Gods, an offering ceremony.
Everyone gathered to the place where the door was supposed to stop after the rotation. Slowly, the giant door flung open revealing a dark and cold other side of the sphere. It was normal to see it every year but the experience is never normal. The locals then prepared the cow. They lead its way to the inside of the door until it was long gone, totally out of their sight. They waited for the door to close just like it always does after they sent the offering.
But this time, it didn't close at all.
The rest of the crowd panicked. Maybe one cow is never enough anymore, one polar mentioned. They send yet another two cows inside but still, the door didn't move. The whole crowd were in commotion. No one knows what to feed the door just to close it. They haven't had this kind of problem anymore and, if they will leave the door open for the rest of the year, who knows what would come from the other side of the land.
Everyone argued for an answer but no one seems to hit the nail, until one mentioned the suggestion that anyone can think but can hardly be spoken.
"Maybe, it needs a person."
The whole place was filled with the heaviest atmosphere. No one would dare to go through that door. Until the leader looked towards a child being held by its mother, he had the nastiest look as he suggested.
We can send a child, he spoke.
The woman refused to give the child. No mother would allow her child to be taken to the door.
With a command, the woman in the orphanage brought a baby wrapped in white cloth. She was hesitant to give the child but he can't refuse at all. The child was only few months old, it was found under the Aqua tree when a patroller heard it cry. No one knew who the mother of the child was so he was the perfect candidate to be offered to the door.
The child was then laid on the other side of the door. Slowly, the door closed taking the child to the other side of the sphere.
Since then, no one knew what happened to the child. As long as they are safe from the unknown, they wouldn't care.