The Attic....Part 2

The children ran into their mother's arms, nearly knocking her down the stairs. Tears streamed down the children's faces.

''Where have you two been all day? I've turned the house upside down searching for you.''

Her face was dirtied up from her eyeliner. It was clear she had cried. What a caring mother she was. But she had not known about what the children had gone through.

She carried both of them down the steps and locked the door behind her.

''Please don't go up there again, you can get seriously hurt.''

She put them down and instructed them to go downstairs to the dinning room where food will be served.

The kids ran at the words of their mother saying they ordered take away.

As she was about to exit the room scratching sounds came from the door that was just locked. She paid no mind as she thought it was just the house settling and walked down the steps.

But we all know who it was. Or better said… what it was.

They all sat down at the table, at this hour their father had finished work also. They picked up their utensils and dug in. The children laughed at the parents whenever they made a mistake.

As soon as they finished their meal the children were sent up to their bedroom. They both shared a bedroom until all the other furniture arrived. A bunk bed. The boy took the top bunk while the girl took the bottom.

''Hey, what was that upstairs?'' asked the little sister who had not forgotten their earlier experience.

''I am sure it was just a raccoon, you know how they like to sneak into people's homes, right?'' The boy said that to try not scare her younger sister. But in reality the boy was just as curious and scared as her.

Who wouldn't be scared of such a creature. With red empty eyes that glow in the dark. Claws that scratch the ground. And when it runs at you at full speed, those haunting red eyes just make you tremble and feel like you are about to be eaten up.

They both rolled over and fell asleep. Nothing happened for the first hour. Nothing happened in the second hour. But as the clock struck three the scratching sounds began. But something was different. They were like before. No. It was louder. Not just louder but also quicker. The creature was digging down at the roof of the children. It was as if it was starving. Going after the prey it lost earlier.

The scratching continued until morning.

The birds chirped loudly in their nests. The sun rays penetrated the cloth that the curtains were made of. Their mother ran in the room to wake the children up.

''Wake up you little buttercups, we have a long day ahead of us.'' The mother had a wide smile on her face. Today they had to unpack everything. But their dad was home also to help out.

They got up and started to get dressed. While they dressed the mother looked around the new room of the children. It was spacious with a high ceiling. She spotted a small hole from the roof.

''Hey, did you guys do tha-'' She hesitated to ask, realizing that they couldn't have.

So what could have caused this? She asked herself. The attic door was locked and I was the only person with the key. Could it have been a raccoon? No no. Simply not possible, raccoons can't climb this high.

So what could it be?

She stared up at the hole, deep in thought. She stared directly at the darkness.

A chill suddenly ran down her spine. She may have been staring at the darkness. But the darkness was staring at her back.