The Attic

“Rin c’mon, help me carry the TV inside.” Corey snapped me out of my thoughts as I was staring at our newly purchased living space. In other words we just bought our very first house! “Coming!” I squealed excitedly.

He shook his head as he watched me run to the truck to help. We carried the TV in and set it down on the table in the living room. “Looks like that’s everything.” Lian wiped the sweat from his forehead as he came in from the back. “It’s hot in here, let's turn on the air.”  

“Who wants pizza?” I asked sitting down on the couch. “I do, I do!” Lian jumped up and down excitedly, for a 20 year old he acts like a little kid half the time. Then Corey is 23, he’s the serious one. I’m 22, I’m a mixture of both to be honest. We’re best friends from school. 

“Here,” I handed Corey my phone. “You call. I’m gonna explore.” I headed up the stairs and came across the attic. “I wonder what’s up here.” As I got closer I noticed a note stuck to the door. 

WARNING

STAY OUT

“As if I’m gonna listen to that. It’s probably just some prank from the last owners.” I chuckled to myself taking the note off the door. I pulled the cord lowering the ladder. All of a sudden out of nowhere I got a real bad chill and my body shivered. 

“Jeesh, it was just hot now it’s cold? Weather make up your mind.”  Ilaughed at my dumb joke as I climbed into the attic. “Wow.” I coughed. “It’s really dusty up here.” I swiped at some cobwebs. “Lots of webs too.” I shuddered. I have a fear of spiders. 

“Alright,” I wiped the dust from my pants and stood up examining the room. It was empty except for a single door. “Hey guys, I found a door in the attic. Y’all wanna check it out with me or nah?” I stuck my head out the attic door. “Nah you go ahead.” Corey yelled back. “We’re waiting on the pizza.”

“Looks like I’m going on this adventure alone. Oh well.” I said to myself as I made my way to the door. “I wonder what’s in here.” I slowly turned the doorknob and pulled it open. I quickly shut the door. “Holy pickles did I just see what I think I saw?”

I opened the door again to confirm. It was a forest. “Hello? Is anyone there?” I heard fluttering as I entered the forest. “She’s here, she’s here! It’s time, It’s time!” I heard little voices all around me. “Who are you? What’s happening?” The door shut behind me as I moved further into the forest. I looked down as I felt something tug on my shirt to see what looked like a small fairy. 

I knelt down as more came up to me. “Hi there.” I smiled at them. “What’s your name?” They asked me. “My name? I was always told to never give a fairy my name.”

“Very smart..very smart.” A woman dressed in all white came out of the trees. “Who taught you these things child?” I stood up to greet this mysterious woman. “It was my grandmother, before she died. She loved fairies and the like.” I laughed softly at the memories of her talking to me about them. 

“You must have been close to her. Come, let us go to my cabin and talk.” She turned around and started walking into the forest, further away from the door. “Well,” I said, kinda nervous. “I really shouldn’t be gone too much longer, we were ordering a pizza and they will worry if I’m gone too long.”

“Don’t worry this won’t take long dear.” She smiled at me reassuringly. I felt kinda fuzzy but I followed her anyway. Deeper and deeper into the forest, further and further from the door. I’m not sure how much time passed before we reached her cabin but by this time, I couldn’t tell where I was anymore. 

“Where are we?” I asked looking around. “We are in the heart of the forest my child.” The lady said holding open the door for me to go through. I entered the cabin. “Thank you.” She nodded smiling and closed the door behind us. “Have a seat.” She gestured to the table. “I’ll make some tea.” I sat down with an uneasy feeling growing stronger and stronger. 

“Your grandmother sounds very wise. I am sorry for your loss dear.” She said sitting down across from me.” I nodded my head. “Thank you ma’am. She was a fantastic person.” I shook my head trying to clear it as it kept getting fuzzier and fuzzier. 

“Oh, the tea is done.” She got up and grabbed the whistling teapot.  “Oh that was fast.” I chuckled nervously. “Here, drink this.” She handed me a cup. Everything was starting to sway back and forth slightly at this point. “Drink, drink, no worries.” I could hear the fairies say quietly from all around. I tipped the cup to my lips and drank. All of it. Then, everything went black.

 I awoke to Corey and Lian standing over me with fearful expressions. “Guys? What happened? Where am I?” I clenched my hands pulling up grass from the ground. “What? Why are we outside?” I sat up and became light headed. 

“It’s the house.” I heard an unfamiliar voice from behind the guys panting. “The pizza guy?” I was confused. “What do you mean it’s the house?” He sat down on the ground. “It’s best y’all get out of this house immediately. Everyone around here knows about the curse but the realtors didn’t believe us. Ordinarily it wouldn’t have been rented out but the realtor's place is under new management.”

“Explain what just happened to me.” I demanded. “Fine, but you have to leave. Today. You can’t stay here, go to the hotel tonight. This house is under a curse, didn’t you see the note on the attic door? Once the door in the attic is opened, the house will cause you to hallucinate, so it can eat you without you knowing. We pulled you out of the little room and got out just in time.”

“Thank you.” I said quietly. “No problem.” He waved me off. “ I resealed the attic so you can get your stuff tomorrow but for now just leave.” He got up ,gave us our pizza and left. 

The guys helped me up, we got into our vehicle and drove to the hotel.