[ hi ] h.s.

▒Chapter Four▒

▒Chapter Four▒

My breath catches in my throat, and I feel my eyes widen to an abnormal size at the sound of the voice. The voice radiates a sense of warmth and sincerity but fear collects inside me nonetheless.

There was definitley no one in here when I was looking out the window and I was pretty damn sure of that. There couldn't have been, I would have heard the floorboard squeak or at least the movement of feet shuffling across the icy floor.

Cautiously, I slowly turn my head around towards the voice but to my relief, confusion and somehow disappointment, there is nothing there. I feel my eyebrows pull themselves closer together.

I was sure I heard a voice and who the hell or what the hell closed the hatch? It may be old but it sure is stable enough not to close itself.

I shake my head, bringing my hands up to my face.

"I'm hallucinating" I say to myself, the words barely audible.

Just as the last sylable tumbles out of my shuddering lips, I hear a click followed by the thud of the steps on the carpet in the room below.

I gasp whilst running to the hatch and climb down the steps hurriedly. No one is at the bottom when I get down.

I stare up at the space, squinting my eyes at the view. Something is up there and I'm sure as hell going to find out what.

After incident #2 in the attic, I resume my chores as normal, helping out with furniture and organising things in my room. I mention nothing about the attic to my Grandparents - I don't want them to stress about something they shouldn't in their old age, especially when it could simply be the cruelty of my own mind playing unfair tricks on me.

Soon enough dinner comes around, garlic bread and home-made pizza. I should be jumping around like a mad idiot at the mere sight of the food but I find myself not hungry what so ever.

My Grandparents gossip about whatever it is old people gossip about whilst I find my self entangled in a maze of my own thoughts. The window, the Attic and the voice. Nothing adds up and nothing makes sense. I feel as though I should be terrifed of the attic but I'm only more intrigued by the strange, peculiar space.

It seems enchantingly haunted, minus the ghost...I hope.

I nibble on the edge of a butter-drenched piece of garlic bread mindlessly before realising I'm being spoken to.

"Adeline?" My Grandmother questions, both her gaze along with my Grandpa's fixed on myself intently, worry evident on their aged faces.

I set down the bread on the edge of my plate sure that it will go to waste.

"Do you want some lemon meringue?" She asks sweetly whilst standing to gather the plates, mine still half-full. I guess she's caught on to the fact that I'm not going to touch the rest tonight, however uncharacteristic that is.

I shake my head, 'No' and find myself instantly daydreaming again.

"You seem a little distant tonight" My Grandpa states whilst rubbing his stomach, an indication he is surely full.

"Is it boy troubles?" My Grandmother pipes in from the nearest kitchen counter. She has a cake cutter in hand, sliding it down a fraction of the pie with such grace and poise, traits from years of perfecting her skills in the kitchen.

"Shit! I'm suppose to meet Leo at seven. What time is it?" I frantically ask, running to the hook beside the backdoor where my navy raincoat hangs.

"Language" My Grandpa comments with little to no enthusiasm. I know he doesn't care about my swearing but he does it anyway - probably as a pat on the back to himself for parenting me or something.