Chapter 5: What Marcus Hid in the Attic
Nobody spoke.
The second Jordan stood at the top of the impossible staircase, smiling down at them.
The real Jordan was standing beside his sister.
His face was drained of color.
“Dad,” he whispered.
“What happened in the attic?””
Marcus bent to retrieve the flashlight.
His hands were shaking.
“Nothing.””
The figure upstairs laughed.
“That's not what you told me.””
Marcus aimed the flashlight toward it.
“Shut up.””
The figure leaned forward.
“You told me to stay quiet.””
Denise looked at her husband.
“Marcus, what is it talking about?””
He turned toward her.
“Not now.””
“Not now?”” Denise repeated.
“Our children are terrified, there's a doorway in our living room that shouldn't exist, and something wearing our son's face is talking about your attic. What do you mean, not now?””
The figure smiled wider.
“Tell her.””
Marcus raised the flashlight.
“I said shut up!””
The lights went out.
For two seconds, the house was completely black.
Then the flashlight flickered back on.
The impossible doorway was gone.
The second staircase had vanished.
Only the ordinary living room remained.
But the front door was now standing open.
Cold air moved through the hallway.
Marcus looked toward it.
“Everybody outside. Now.””
This time, nobody argued.
Denise grabbed Maya.
Jordan followed.
They stepped onto the porch.
The rain had stopped completely.
The street was back.
The neighbor's house stood across the road.
The streetlamp glowed.
A car passed in the distance.
For one brief moment, everything looked normal.
Then Jordan looked at his phone.
“Dad?””
“What?””
“It's 11:43.””
Marcus checked his watch.
It showed the same time.
Denise frowned.
“That's impossible. We've been in there for at least twenty minutes.””
Marcus looked at the house.
The windows were dark.
Every single one.
Then Maya pointed toward the upstairs window.
“Mom.””
A silhouette stood behind the glass.
A little girl.
Wearing a black hoodie.
Maya stepped backward.
The figure lifted one hand.
Then the upstairs curtains closed.
Marcus immediately ordered everyone into the car.
They climbed into the SUV.
He started the engine.
The dashboard lit up.
But before he could shift into reverse, the radio turned on.
Static filled the vehicle.
Then a little girl's voice emerged.
“Daddy?””
Marcus switched it off.
It turned back on.
“Daddy, don't leave me again.””
Marcus slammed his hand against the dashboard.
“Stop!””
The radio went silent.
Jordan stared at his father.
“Dad, who are you talking to?””
Marcus put the car into reverse.
“I'm getting you somewhere safe.””
But before the vehicle moved, the garage door opened by itself.
Behind it stood the attic access ladder.
It was hanging down.
The attic light was on.
Denise looked at her husband.
“Marcus, why is the attic open?””
He stared at it.
“I don't know.””
Jordan leaned forward.
“Dad, you said there was nothing up there.””
Marcus didn't answer.
Then a sound came from the garage.
A slow dragging noise.
Something heavy moving across the attic floor.
Maya grabbed her mother's hand.
“It's coming.””
Marcus put the car in drive.
But the engine died.
He tried again.
Nothing.
The radio clicked on.
This time, the voice sounded like Marcus himself.
“Denise, take the children upstairs.””
Marcus froze.
Denise looked at him.
“Did you hear that?””
He nodded.
Then the radio continued.
“Take them to the attic. That's where I left the first one.””
The sound cut out.
Jordan looked at his father.
“Dad... what did you leave in the attic?””
Marcus lowered his head.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he spoke.
“When I was ten, my parents bought this house.””
Denise frowned.
“What?””
“I grew up here.””
Jordan looked toward the garage.
“You never told us that.””
“I didn't want to.””
Marcus stared at the attic ladder.
“When I was twelve, my younger sister, Lily, disappeared.””
Denise's hand tightened around Maya's.
“Your sister?””
Marcus nodded.
“She was seven. One night, I heard her calling me from upstairs. She wanted me to come play with her.””
His voice cracked.
“My parents were asleep. I went up there.””
“What happened?”” Jordan asked.
Marcus swallowed.
“I found her standing in the attic.””
Maya whispered:
“Was she alone?””
Marcus shook his head.
“There was somebody standing behind her.””
The family went silent.
“It looked like Lily. Same clothes. Same face. But Lily was standing right in front of me.””
Denise covered her mouth.
Marcus continued.
“I ran downstairs and told my parents. My father went up to check. When he came back, he said there was nobody there.””
“And Lily?”” Jordan asked.
Marcus stared through the windshield.
“She was gone.””
“Did they find her?””
“No.””
A tear slipped down his cheek.
“Not until three days later.””
Denise whispered:
“Where?””
“In the attic.””
Jordan's face changed.
“What?””
“She was sitting in the corner. Alive. But she wouldn't speak. She kept looking at the ceiling.””
Marcus paused.
“Then, one night, my mother heard Lily talking to somebody.””
“Who?””
Marcus looked at the attic ladder.
“Me.””
Denise slowly turned toward him.
“But you were downstairs?””
“I was.””
He nodded.
“My mother opened the attic door. Lily was sitting beside the old trunk. She was talking to a boy who looked exactly like me.””
Maya began crying.
Marcus wiped his face.
“My father locked the attic. He told me never to go near it again. A week later, Lily disappeared for good.””
Jordan whispered:
“And you think the thing upstairs took her?””
Marcus nodded.
“I think it learned her voice first. Then mine.””
Denise looked at him.
“Why didn't you ever tell me?””
“Because I thought leaving this house would end it.””
He turned toward the family.
“I thought it couldn't follow us.””
The radio clicked again.
A soft voice whispered:
“Marcus.””
He shut his eyes.
Then the voice said something that made him look up.
“You forgot the box.””
Marcus went completely still.
“What box?”” Denise asked.
He opened the glove compartment.
Inside was an old brass key.
A key with a small red ribbon tied around it.
Marcus held it in his palm.
“I took this from my father's desk before he died.””
Jordan looked at the key.
“What does it open?””
“The attic trunk.””
Denise stared at him.
“You brought that key into this house?””
Marcus nodded.
“It's the only thing I have left from my father.””
Maya suddenly leaned forward.
“Dad, look.””
She was staring at the attic ladder.
Something had appeared at the top.
A small hand.
Then another.
Slowly, a little girl climbed down.
She wore a pale dress.
Her hair covered her face.
When her feet touched the garage floor, she stopped.
The family watched from inside the SUV.
The girl lifted her head.
And this time, her face was visible.
It was Lily.
The seven-year-old girl from Marcus's childhood.
She looked exactly as she had in the old family photographs.
She raised one hand.
“Marcus?””
He couldn't move.
The girl smiled sadly.
“Why did you leave me in the box?””
Marcus's hand began trembling.
Denise turned toward him.
“Marcus, what box?””
He stared at the little girl.
Then he whispered:
“The one my father told me never to open.””
May you like
The girl took one step closer.
And the garage door began closing behind her.
