The River of Choice

By Sarah De Caen

She came to the river every morning, drawn to its quiet hum. No one else seemed to notice it — the curve of the water, the way the sun caught the ripples like liquid gold.

One morning, she saw a boat waiting on the bank. Small, simple, carved from dark wood. A man sat inside, waiting. “Which way will you go?” he asked, voice soft, yet urgent.

She hesitated. The river split ahead — one path shadowed, winding, the other bright, calm, yet uncertain. She felt the weight of years in her chest, all the choices she had postponed, all the doors she had ignored.

“Step in,” he said. “The river knows.”

Her feet touched the boat. It rocked gently under her weight. The current pulled them forward, water whispering secrets she almost understood. Memories of dreams she’d forgotten surfaced, fears she had buried, joys she had left unclaimed.

At the fork, the boat slowed, waiting. Her heart raced. She closed her eyes, listening to the river. The choice was hers — and somehow, already made.

When she opened her eyes, the river narrowed, and the sunlight fractured into strange, shimmering patterns. Ahead, a curtain of mist stretched across the water, glowing faintly with gold and silver. The boat drifted forward, almost of its own accord.

She felt a thrill of fear and awe. The mist pulsed like a heartbeat, and as the boat passed through it, the world changed. Stars, water, and light folded around her, stretching and twisting, yet somehow familiar. Time itself felt fluid, pliable.

The man beside her smiled, his amber eyes steady. “This is not the end,” he said. “It is the beginning of understanding what you carry inside.”

She reached forward instinctively, feeling the current flow beneath her hands, and for the first time, she sensed the true weight of choice — not as a burden, but as a liberation. Every ripple carried possibility. Every reflection showed her courage she hadn’t yet known she possessed.

And then, silently, the river carried her onward, through the portal of light, leaving the ordinary world behind. She did not know what lay ahead, and for the first time, she did not need to. She was moving, alive in the current, exactly where she was meant to be.

Author Note:

This story explores the mystical nature of choice, transformation, and destiny. It reflects the belief that guidance often comes not from the outside world, but from the courage and insight we already carry within ourselves. The portal represents both change and the ongoing journey of self-discovery.

By Sarah De Caen