The Attic

On a normal street. In a normal looking home. There lived a family of four. A mother, a father, a daughter and a son. They had just moved in since they could afford a better home. Now their dad was home even less than he had been. And, as all children are, they wanted to explore and feel like little adventurers.

Of course, they got in the way

of the movers and their parents as they unpacked but that didn't stop them. As they neared the end of their little adventure they stumbled upon a stairwell. It ascended up in a spiral to the floor above them. They just realized that their adventure had only just begun. They ran and ran up the creaky old stair boards.

Once they reached the top of the stairwell they were in awe of how large the attic was. To them it felt like unexplored land. A land that they could claim as their own. No rules, no bedtimes. A place they could rule themselves.

They rummaged around, trying to make a path to navigate through the dimly lit attic.

Half an hour passed since they entered the attic, they found themselves sitting, leaning with their back against the wall.

Drowsiness fell over them like a warm blanket. Slowly their eyelids collapsed and they both slipped into subconsciousness.

Several hours pass before they wake up. Rubbing their eyes, they slowly got up to their feet. The attic was now pitch black. Too dark to see their own path back to the stairwell.

They clung to each other, trembling in fear. Everything was still. Nothing could be heard. Except a weird scratching sound coming from behind them.

No one else was there. The house was just bought and inspected three days before they had moved there. No person could be there.

And yet. There was scratching noise. Getting closer and closer to the children. Heavy panting, almost like a dog's, became louder and louder. Red, empty, eyes nearing slowly at a consistent pace. As it crawled closer, you could make out a grey outline of a human like creature.

As it neared, the two kids slowly backed off hoping the creature didn't notice them. They tried to make as little noise as possible.

One wrong move and they would both be caught. Slowly shifting through the paths they made. On either side of them stood a pile of clothes and stacked boxes.

No matter how much they tried to crawl away the scratching was just as loud. The creature could either be nearing or the scratching would be intensifying.

Forty-five seconds into their encounter, a growling noise emerged and echoed through the pathways that the children have created.

The girl tugged on the boy's shirt trying to make him look at the entrance to the stairwell. Everything was looking up for them. They had a chance of making it out.

Or so they thought. The girl may have spotted the exit. But the creature also spotted its targets. The pitter patter of the creature's limbs running across the floor of the attic. Tears swelled up and ran down the children's face. They got up in a last try to escape their chaser. If the creature caught up, they are done for.

A light appeared from the steps leading to the stairwell. Joy spread across their face through a wide smile. But the creature only ran faster.

Joy turned to despair as the pitter patter came closer and closer. A head slowly emerged from the stairs.

The pitter patter quickly faded into the back. They had escaped….. For now.