The girl in the attic

(3) The girl in the attic

The girl in the attic

Chapter 3

Preston's POV

If I wasn't a realist I would swear I had just seen a ghost but I don't believe in all that nonsense so instead I closed the window and headed back to my room. I put on another jacket, grabbed my flashlight and set off to find the intruder. I switched on the lights as I made my way through the creepy old house and to the back door.

"Where are you going?" I heard a voice ask from behind me, almost giving me a heart attack. I turned around to see Lina standing in the kitchen door with a worried look on her face.  

"I thought I saw something, I'm just going to check it out quickly," I replied turning my back on her and starting to make my way out the door.  

"It's probably just a wild animal or something," Lina said with and edge to her voice. She sounded nervous and I got this strange desperate feeling from her, like she really didn't want me to go. I shook my head wondering if all the people living in this town were crazy. I didn't bother talking any further, instead I turned on my flashlight and started walking in the direction of the barn.

It was icy cold outside and I could feel my body starting to pain through the thick jacket. I let out a string of profanities but continued on anyway. The ground was uneven and combined with the pitch black night I almost fell more than once but I eventually made it to the barn.

It was old and falling apart in some places. I threw open the door hoping it would be warmer inside but had no such luck. The wind howled through the areas where there were missing panels and I could feel the cold air stinging my body.

"Is anybody here?" I shouted not wanting to spend any more time in this cold rotten place then absolutely necessary. There was no answer. I walked in a bit further and yelled again.  

"Is there anybody in here?" Nothing again. I was about to give up and call it a night when I heard a soft moan from above. The barn had an open second level at the back which they obviously used to use for storage or something.

"Got you," I whispered to myself as I quickly made my way over to the old rusty ladder that led to the little second level. I tested it with my foot making sure I wasn't going to fall myself to death if I used it and then made my way up the ladder. I heard the wood creak under my feet as I pulled myself up onto the second level and wondered why everything was so old and creepy around this place.

I scanned the area with my flashlight but didn't see anything except bunches of stacked hay.  

"I know you're in here," I said out loud walking to the back where there was some space between the stacks of hay and the wall.  

"Why don't you make it easier for yourself and just come out?" I questioned feeling a little bit afraid, what if it was some creepy serial killer or something. I mean I'm no chicken but I really don't feel like dying just yet. I had a lot of things I still needed to do, one of which was getting my hands on Becky. I swear I will not die before I have that girl.

Oh well here we go, I thought to myself as I took the last step and shone my torch in behind the haystack. I had to look twice to make sure my eyes weren't lying to me. There in the corner of the barn sat a fragile looking girl curled up and looking petrified. She had on a white long sleeved night dress and her leg was covered in blood. This is really not what I had expected to find and it took me a few seconds before I came to my senses.

"Are you ok?" I asked as I quickly started making my way over to her.  

"Stay away from me!" She yelled in a soft voice. I didn't understand why she would want me to stay away when she so obviously needed help but I stopped in my tracks. The look on her face was pained and cut right through my heart. She was scared of someone or something and I had the feeling that, that someone was me.