The Attic Essay, Research Paper

He knew that there would be a time when she would switch

on the light too late but there was nothing he could do about that. So

silently, watching, he crouched in the corner of the attic? ? Happily Veronica

skipped up the stairs to the attic. Switching on the light she went in. How she

loved this attic with its many rooms and the many corners, playing hide and

seek was brilliant. That reminded her, she had to have another party soon so

that all her friends could admire her lovely attic again. Suddenly she

stumbled. ?Ouch!? she exclaimed. ?Why on earth did Daddy insist on re-roofing

this place? There are things everywhere I can?t find anything. Mind you?

all of these boxes? we could make play houses and hide and seek, how amazing it

would be, no one would ever be found!? ? Why wouldn?t she

go? It was obvious that she had had an idea about something or other by the

expression on her face. Intense, thoughtful, so flipping innocent. Why wouldn?t

she just go? ? ??And then we could

have a sleepover up here.? She sighed with content. With a jolt she came back

to earth, now what was she looking for again? Oh yes, a screwdriver, one with a

flat end. Dashing from room to room she searched. ?Why does Daddy have to hide

everything? WHERE IS THAT SREWDRIVER????

Her cry echoed around the attic, through all the rooms, bouncing back to

her. Frantically she started looking behind boxes scattering them everywhere

flinging things over her head and into the neat empty spaces. ? What on earth

was she doing now? There was no logical reason why she should be throwing

things around. He went further back into the shadows and glared, hating the

determined little face. ? With a final

stamp of her foot she gave up and stormed out of the attic, slamming the door

behind her and switching the light off. Piles of clothes were left messily

lying around each room. Had she looked back, she would have noticed the glow of

his eyes in the corner staring at her, following her every movement. ? Peace at last

from the little brat. Quickly he darted out of his hiding place behind the

screen supporting the rafters and carefully placed the screwdriver on the

nearest pile. It lay there shining as the moon caught the bright silver from

through the window. Silently he dashed back, sitting there watching, waiting? ? ?Daddy!? But

he was not home yet. She jumped as the phone let out a shrill cry. ?He..hello??

?Veronica, its daddy here. Are you ok? You?re breathing

rather heavily.? ?No, I?m fine Daddy, the phone just gave me a shock.? ?I?ll be home in about half an hour, is that ok?? ?Yes that?s fine. About that screwdriver?? ?You found it, oh thank you Ronny. You?ve no idea how

helpful it?ll be. See you soon.? ?See you..? But he was gone. Taking the portable phone with

her, she ventured back to the attic for the second time that night. ? The door opened

again and that maddening face entered. He laughed menacingly as she picked up

the screwdriver with an astonished look on her face. Putting it in her pocket

she looked around. Looking straight at him but seeing nothing. She seemed to

sense something for she suddenly looked nervous. An evil smile crossed his

face. She came closer, peering into the darkness under the rafters, so close

that he could feel her breath. Suddenly she seemed to lose courage and she

charged for the door. Abruptly she looked back as she switched the light off.

With a piercing scream, she ran. ? Did she really see

eyes, or was it just her imagination? Desperately she tried to recall moments

to prove the latter explanation. She had always had an active imagination, all

of her teachers said so. She loved making up stories in her head and she had

entered several creative writing pieces for the school paper. That settled it;

her imagination was working overtime at the moment. Shaking her head, she tried

to get the image out of it, but she could still see the two glowing circles in

the attic staring at her. She ran to the sitting room and switched the

television on. Turning the volume up as loud as she dared, she began to flick through

the channels. As she looked she paused seeing a long line of cars on the

screen. ?There are long queues on the M25 following a road accident.

The drivers are being taken to hospital as we speak. Luckily no one has

suffered any major injuries ?? Veronica turned pale as she recognised her dad?s

car being towed away and the realisation that she was alone sunk in. ? Thanks to

Veronica, he was able to hear quite clearly that she was alone and would be for

a while yet. The smile crept back onto his face as he moved silently to the

door and let himself out into the house.Veronica shot up in bed fully awake and breaking out in cold

sweat. As she managed to calm herself she realised that the sound that had

managed to awaken her was the ringing phone next to her ear. ?Hello?? she said quietly and groggily. ?Veronica! Oh thank goodness you?re ok!? ?What?? ?It?s Daddy here.? ?I know? with just a hint of sarcasm in her voice. ?Well, around our house there?s been?? ?What Daddy, what?? ?No, I?m not sure you should know, you?re too young.? ?Tell me!!? ?No. It would only scare you.? ?I?m sure it wouldn?t? then an inspiration came to her.

Although it scared her still, she wanted to know about what she had seen.

?Daddy, I saw two glowing circles I saw in the attic, like eyes?? ?YOU SAW WHAT?? came the hysterical reply. ?Please tell me

you didn?t see anything, that you?re just trying to scare me!? ?W?.why?? she said in an almost inaudible whisper. ?Don?t worry Honey, just stay where you are and ? Veronica?? ?Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!? Veronica?s scream was loud and clear. ?Honey? What?s wrong?? ?Ahhhhhhh!? the scream grew fainter and the phone line went

dead. ? Her father felt a

surge of panic come over him. There was only one time when he had ever come

across this phenomena? ? He had been a happy

young schoolboy when he had lived in a house much like his now. Like Veronica

he had adored his attic and had spent many happy hours playing in it with

friends. The day had been a fairly normal one, after school he had come up into

the attic with friends ready to play a first-class game of hide and seek. By

the time he had reached the attic it was already dark, being winter, and while

he was hiding one his friends had switched off the light to make the game more

interesting. None of them had objected, they thought it would be much more fun

in the dark, clambering around through rooms and over boxes of old clothes.

None of them had objected, that was until they saw them. As James had chased

him into the entrance room there had been a strange glowing in the corner.

Being the inquisitive young lads they were, they had crept closer to see what

on earth could be glowing in such a dark attic. It wasn?t until they were close

that the one blur had become two circles, staring at them. ??He shivered an involuntary shiver. With all

of the memories pouring back as if it were yesterday? ? He and James had

not hung around for long; within two minutes him, James and the others were

downstairs in the sitting room trying desperately to make unrelated

conversation. Trying to forget those circles. After the clock struck seven the

other boys gladly left with only James trying to convince his mother that he

could stay. Unfortunately he had been unsuccessful and had had to leave too.

The radio was on and he turned it up loud comforting himself until his parents

returned. They had found him shaking on the rug in front of the unlit fire. ?What?s wrong son?? had been the first words that his father

had uttered. With frequent pauses he had managed to explain the entire story.

His father, being the man he was, had decided that it was utter nonsense.

Luckily he had managed to convince him and half an hour later his mother and

father ventured up to the attic leaving him to try and go to sleep. When he

awoke the next morning neither his mother nor father were anywhere to be seen.

They did not return the next day or the next. When a police officer came to

turn him over to a home, he had not offered any explanations. ? With a shake of his

head, he ran for the nearest phone to telephone a taxi. ? Now that was

something to be proud of, he had actually managed to capture that meddling

child. Although she had screamed her father would not be home for a while even

though he would be driving full speed. But hadn?t his car been damaged in the

accident? How would he get home? Poor little Ronny! He laughed a hysterical

laugh as he stared at the girl?s frightened face. ? ?What are

you going to do with me?? Veronica asked, squeezing her eyes shut, not really

wanting to know the answer. Silence. ?I said, what are you going to do with

me?!!!? Cautiously she opened first one eye and then the other, yes, they were

still there. The light was off so all she could see were the two eyes glowing

staring at her. Quickly she shut them again. ?What am I going to do with you? Well if you really want to

know.. I?m going to leave you here, no one ever comes in here do they? Without

any food or water…? ?Who are you?? ?That is something that you do not need to know? came the

short reply. Veronica decided to stay quiet from now on if she wanted to live

through this. As she opened one eye a fraction she could see the eyes coming

nearer and she couldn?t help herself a scream came out long and loud. ? He was very

impressed with himself. Now the father would be home soon and that stupid brat

of a girl had been dealt with. Everything was going to plan? ? The door slammed

behind him as he ran frantically into the house. He stood in the hallway for

what seemed an eternity. He called for her louder and louder hoping that she

was fooling around, but with every call his heart sank lower and he knew that

he had to go into the attic. He stared at the stairs with his heart in his

throat, he plucked up all the courage that he could muster and began the long

climb as fast as he could. As the door loomed closer his heart rate increased

and he could feel his hands becoming sweatier. He reached for the door and

switched on the light. ?Veronica!!? he ran anxiously around very room,

?Veronica!!? With a last surge of energy he grabbed her, ?Run as fast as you

can, don?t look back!? She took a last look at her father and ran for her life.

As she neared the stairs the light switched off but she continued to run as

fast as she could. That was the last the last time she ever saw her father. ? He knew that there would be a time when the light would be

switched on too late but there was nothing he could do about that. So silently,

watching, he crouched in the corner of the attic? ?