I had no idea just what I was in for that day

that I decided to run a little contest - challenging the imaginative powers of all you fabulous steemsters and steemstresses out in Steem Land. Here's a link to that challenge:
https://steemit.com/contest/@onceuponatime/the-end-of-the-road-and-behind-the-mystery-door-contest

Just how many budding talents

would give my contest a try?

I was completely overwhelmed!!!!

I have described that in my last post. If you like,
you can read all about it here before we go on with the awards:
https://steemit.com/contest/@onceuponatime/and-the-winners-are-but-first-a-25-sbd-bounty

Let's face it,

if you take the time, effort and trouble "to try"

in Steemit, you are already a WINNER!

Because eventually your efforts will pay off!!!!!

Long story short..........

So many super creative steemers

replied with so many super creative stories and ideas
as to what might lie behind this mystery door:

photo credit: @twiceuponatime

That I was completely blown away!

And,

Now......

you followers of these posts of mine (bots excluded)

know that, being of at least semi-sound mind,
and strong will (stop your snickering @twiceuponatime!!),
I was quite ready to tackle the arduous and near impossible task of deciding on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entries (me being the sole member of the Distinguished Panel of Judge - although @twiceuponatime does try to grab my chair every time I go for a coffee or piss break)

But I faced a conundrum!

It was:

By the time I had read through all the entries,
I could no longer access them under the #behindmysterydoor tag!

They seemed to be gone!!!

Swallowing my pride,

I asked for help, and offered a bounty:

"Twenty-five SBD (steem backed dollars) to the FIRST person who is able to help me get the list of all entry posts under the "behindmysterydoor" tag up until this, my contest post, paid out 7 days after it was posted"

and,

"In the interests of fairness,
I also offer a 25 SBD bounty to any suggestion...of an alternative and more fair solution (as judged by me) to my conundrum."

And so, the FIRST AWARD of 25 SBD goes out to:

@aamirijaz

who was first to present a viable solution to my conundrum!

And I have decided to split the 2nd bounty of 25 SBD

between two other hard working, clever, and good looking steemians who did a lot of research and hard work to go above and beyond the call of duty and present refinements that helped in my quest for a solution!

12.5 SBD goes out to @diebitch

and

12.5 SBD goes out to that notorious bounty hunter @awakeningartist, who even did his own post on a solution!!!

https://steemit.com/behindthemysterydoor/@awakeningartist/a-list-of-entries-for-the-behind-the-mystery-door-contest-hosted-by-onceuponatime

Thanks guys!

As I said in my last post,

This is soul wrenching!
(Trying to choose winners in a contest that has received quite literally HUNDREDS of magnificent entries! How will I do it without tearing myself apart? - pulled in divergent directions by fabulous responses incorporating countless variant themes?)

So many super creative steemers
have replied with so many super creative stories and ideas
as to what could lie behind the mystery door.

And so

in order to lessen my burden of rewarding only 3 entries, when so many of you fabulous steemers had put in the extra effort to write their own post with tag "behindmysterydoor" as a reponse, I decided to send 10 SBD to the authors of every post done under that tag up until my contest post paid had paid out. (entries on my original post almost always got an upvote, but here I am awarding the extra effort of those who created their own post in response). (And, not to spoil the suspense, but the first place winner, as you will find out soon enough below, is actually being awarded to quite a short comment on my original contest post!)

HERE WE GO!

10 SBD each is going out to:

1: @jet-line 2: @rlt47 3: @intelliguy 4: @alexandraioana26 5: @mindtrap 6: @zizymena 7: @elisea 8: @anna-mi 9: @evimeria 10: @diamondrich 11: @roselyn208 12: @vanessahampton 13: @mumin007 14: @unshakeable 15: @xabi 16: @jemmanuel 17: @nsbachurin 18: @obaidb2 19: @nikosnitza 20: @aafra 21: @johnartist 22: @jelumanao 23: @tiempoyesp 24: @princefizzy 25: @bluemoon 26: @diebitch 27: @morbyjohn 28: @chinyerevivian29: @ruth-girl 30: @josediccus 31: @francisk 32: @geke 33: @kamchore 34: @salmanbukhari54 35: @rjunaid12 36: @seesladen 37: @hrissm 38: @sakura1012 39: @alinak15 40: @skapaneas 41: @lordneroo 42: @wiralhoekeesumawe 43: @skiponline 44: @karenmckersie 45: @djoi 46: @awakeningartist 47: @pricasso 48: @old-guy-photos 49: @olivia08 50: @iz zynaveda 51: @allesia 52: @madushanka 53: @tkappa

That's 530 SBD folks!!!

(now a word from our sponsor)

Please upvote and follow @onceuponatime!

photo credit: @twiceuponatime

OK - The Big Moment Has Arrived

But first let me say that there were so many really good entries that this is more of a lottery than anything else!

And choosing winners has been soul wrenching indeed!

Believe me,

I know all the effort and creativity some of you
have put in to your entries!

But, decisions have to be made

to bring potentiality in to actuality!

The impossible must be done!

And winners must be chosen!

So, in no particular order.............

3RD Prize of 15 Steem goes to:

@elisea gets 15 Steem!

For her entry entitled "The Door"
https://steemit.com/behindmysterydoor/@elisea/the-door

And for the absolutely absurd reason that these words from her post:
"The woman is sitting in a pool of treasure: silver, gold and gems. Jonathan smiles at her."

triggered in my mind, what would not go away all day,
Bob Dylan's
Subterranean Homesick Blues

Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues
.

Johnny's in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I'm on the pavement
Thinking about the government
The man in the trench coat
Badge out, laid off
Says he's got a bad cough
Wants to get it paid off
Look out kid
It's somethin' you did
God knows when
But you're doing it again
You better duck down the alley way
Lookin' for a new friend
A man in the coonskin cap, in the pig pen
Wants eleven dollar bills, you only got ten

Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin' that the heat put
Plants in the bed but
The phone's tapped anyway
Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early May
Orders from the D.A. Look out kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't tie no bows
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

Oh, get sick, get well
Hang around a ink well
Hang bail, hard to tell
If anything is goin' to sell
Try hard, get barred
Get back, write braille
Get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you fail
Look out kid
You're gonna get hit
But losers, cheaters
Six-time users
Hang around the theaters
.

(READY FOR IT?)

.
Girl by the whirlpool
Lookin' for a new fool
.
Don't follow leaders, watch the parkin' meters

Oh, get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance
Learn to dance, get dressed, get blessed
Try to be a success
Please her, please him, buy gifts
Don't steal, don't lift
Twenty years of schoolin'
And they put you on the day shift
Look out kid
They keep it all hid
Better jump down a manhole
Light yourself a candle
Don't wear sandals
Try to avoid the scandals
Don't want to be a bum
You better chew gum
The pump don't work
'Cause the vandals took the handles

Thanks @elisea!

2ND Prize of 25 Steem goes to:

@vanessahampton gets 25 Steem!

For her entry entitled Unclad: Behind The Mystery Door
https://steemit.com/behindmysterydoor/@vanessahampton/unclad-behind-the-mystery-door

Because I really enjoy good writing

and because I was reminded of a classic, this oldie and goldie:
Escape (The pina colada song)

Thanks @vanessahampton!

And the Grand (1ST) Prize of 50 Steem goes to:

@lordneroo gets 50 Steem!

for his brilliant comment:

[-]lordneroo (59) · 17 days ago
I believe that @twiceuponatime is hiding behind that closed door. Just sayin' :P

[-]onceuponatime (71) · 17 days ago
Oh my God! That's frightening!

Because it so perfectly illustrates the undeniable fact that............

.

..............wherever you go, there you are!

A strartled @twiceuponatime caught in a mirror by @onceuponatime

.
@lordneroo also made a long post entry, but because only one entry per contestant was allowed, it was disqualified from consideration :-)

Thanks @lordneroo!

Thanks to everyone for playing with me.

ouzo and out,
@onceuponatime

photo: @twiceuponattime

• all images are from https://pixabay.com except those specifically attributed to @twiceuponatime
• as (almost) always, no animals were harmed in the production of this post.

Your upvote and follow helps encourage these posts!

( 90 Steem and 580 SBD are being given away in this contest)

Disclaimer by @twiceuponatime: I disavow any responsibility in the choosing of the winners. My criteria would have been entirely different!