Hemp - Phut's Ombudsman (The Doors)

Steph: I would like you to write a short continuation of Stockton's story, not necessarily in Stockton's style, feel free to make it your own, of course. Perhaps reveal what happened when he opened the door, and where you think the story would go from there."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Stockton wrote a story that can be unjustly summarized as: A king punishes his daughter's lover. The lover will be forced to pick between two doors. Behind the first will be a ferocious man-eating tiger; behind the second will be a beautiful woman ordered to marry the lover. The princess knows which door contains which and as the lover is about to choose, she points to the door on the right.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Phut's Ombudsman"

Phut stared at the tiger’s orange eyes and the orange met his gaze. Phut could feel the urine trickling down his thigh, but he remained motionless in front of the open door. After a moment, the tiger arched its back with its hind high in the air and he knew his time had come. But just as he thought the beast would pounce, the tiger lowered itself to the ground and laid down on its stomach.

Phut slowly moved his hand towards the edge of the door; he wanted to slide the door closed without alarming the tiger. As luck would have it, his fear-induced paralysis kept him within close range. The crowd in the small arena gasped as Phut closed the door and he carefully stepped away from it.

Phut went to one knee as he attempted to calm himself down. He could barely hear the murmurs of the audience over his own heavy breathing. After a brief pause, he rose and walked across the sandy floor of the arena to the other door. He opened it and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had met her before and she smiled as she saw him. Perhaps she was relieved by the fact that this game was over, Phut thought. Or maybe, she was simply wanted to spite Li. As Phut stared at the ruby encrusted hair of his newly found fiancée, he had one thought: She picked the tiger.

Phut looked up to the royal box to see his lover, Li, sitting next to her father, the king’s first minister, and the king’s ombudsman While Phut couldn’t tell what their expressions were, he could tell that Li was upset, the king looked animated, and the first minister and ombudsman were both trying to maintain order. Then he heard the stomping: at first, only a few audience members were stomping. Before long, the entire crowd was stomping in unison. Phut looked to his prospective bride and shared in her surprise; this kind of outpouring from the crowd has never occurred. Although, the fact that Phut had picked both doors meant that, today, all the rules were to be broken.

“Seize him,” the first minister bellowed. Moment later, Phut was surrounded by the king’s guardsmen. As he was being shuffled along by the guards, Phut looked to the princess who met his gaze. Around her, Phut could see the king conferencing with his advisors and the advisors attempting to calm the ruler down.

Hours later, Phut still remained in the dungeon of the arena. He had not seen Li, his betrothed or any other person beyond the guards. In the darkness, he focused on a single thought: She picked the tiger.

When what seemed like days had passed, an older man walked through the archway into the room that contained Phut’s cell. Phut knew the king’s first minister from their chance encounters during his many rendezvous with Li. While he smelled of flowery perfumes and while jewels adorned his neck, one would still notice the contrast between his bushy grey mustache and bald head. The first minister quickly waved off the room’s only guard and stood a few feet away from the cell.

“Young man, you caused quite the stir today. I haven’t seen our king doubt the Gods this much since our queen died. He doesn’t understand what happened and he wants an answer,” the minister said.

“If you came for answer, you are wasting your time. I don’t know what happened. The tiger should have killed me,” Phut replied.

“Yes, it should have. But you see, it appears that we have been…overusing our tiger. Too many of our accused have picked the wrong door lately,” the first minister said with a feint touch of satisfaction. “I have come for two tasks. First, the princes would like to know you need anything."

“I don’t want anything from her. Tell her…tell her that I would rather die of thirst than drink a glass of water poured by her hand.”

“She will not be happy to hear that, but I will tell her.”

“So what will happen now?” Phut asked.

“That is an interesting question, my young friend. You see, the king’s priests are unsure about which door the Gods would consider to be your true choice. Some of them believe that the Gods intervened to save your life by pacifying that tiger. They wish to see you blessed and married,” the first minister said before pausing to take a breath and then sitting down on a bench attached to the wall. “The rest of them think that the Gods view a man’s first choice as his most divine. Consequently, they wish to see you executed and do not seem to care whether your death comes by the tiger’s claw or one of their own.”

“Great. I am back to the beginning; a death I don’t deserve or a love I don’t want,” Phut said.

“Not necessarily,” the first minister said as he stood up, walked to the bars, and leaned in towards Phut. “I believe I have found a solution that satisfies the Gods and more importantly, the king. You will be brought back into the arena and placed before both doors once more. Behind one door will be the king’s personal ombudsman. Behind the other will be the king’s fool. The one you pick shall present your case before the king and his council. If the argument is persuasive, your second choice will be honored and you will be free. If the argument fails, the first choice shall be honored and you will die along with your advocate.”

“This is crazy. Why can’t I just be exiled? I’ll leave. I’ll never talk to Li a…”

“Princess Li,”

“I will never talk to her again. I don’t even want to any more. I will apologize to the king and then go," Phut said. "Just let me leave."

“The king demands an answer and you will be the one to provide it,” the minister said. “Justice cannot be found until you have made a decision of your free will. The king will not allow you, or me, to offend the Gods this way.”

“I am not going to choose,” he said as he stared at the minister and thought about how his eyes didn’t seem all that different from the tiger's. “This is insane. I played this game last time. I won’t do it again.”

“You-will-do-it,” the minister said enunciating every word. The diplomacy from his voice had disappeared. “If you do not, we will find a new tiger that is not too fat to eat a criminal.”

“I don’t care. Kill me. At least, it will be over.”

“Perhaps you misunderstand. This trial helps us to understand the Gods’ justice. A crime occurred and the offender must be judged. But, unlike, say a murder, inter-class socializing requires two offenders,” the minister said. “If you will not open a door, the other sinner will.” The minister stepped away from the bars and started to walk towards the exit.

“The king wouldn’t do that to his own daughter,” Phut yelled to the minister’s back. The minister stopped and turned his head.

“You do not know the king,” said the minister before turning around and exiting through the door.

Two days later, Phut found himself in the arena in front of the doors once more. He looked up at Li and saw the king and his advisers sitting next to her. She picked the tiger, Phut thought to himself as he looked at the doors. He had no idea which door contained the ombudsman and which contained the fool. Like last time, he could not make out any distinguishing mark.

Phut picked the door on the left this time. He had trusted the door on the right last time and that choice had brought him back into the arena. As he pulled the door open, Phut felt the tiger’s claws slash through his throat. As his blood soaked into the sand, the dying man looked up and saw the first minister smiling as he shook hands with the king's ombudsman. She picked the tiger...