The Monster at the Attic

Author's note: Please do make sure to pray first whenever you try to enter any unfamiliar places.

The Diaz family bought a new house in Wailing Valley. With their three kids, Kathy, Jack, and Macy, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz arrived at the new place bringing with them a new glint of hope, a new beginning. The house was in between the two old, oak trees managed by the village chief. Though the house was rather old, it didn’t give off a usual eerie vibe like that in horror films, but rather it was euphoric as it was the month of May and the house was surrounded with the delightful white and pink petals of Carnation.

“Daddy, I wanna go see what’s inside and find a good place for my legos”, Macy pleaded. She’s hugging the right thigh of Mr. Diaz while pouting and everybody in the family finds it cute.

Jack clutched the doorknob and they were welcomed by the soothing smell of a scented candle. The house was empty, wood dusts were free-falling from the second floor, and there’s an unkept cabinet at the left-most corner.

“Welcome to Wailing Valley!”

The family were alarmed to hear an unexpected high-pitch voice coming from the main door. They immediately turned to see who it was and were relieved to witness the village chief in a somehow funny and elaborate costume.

“What’s the catch?”, asked the village chief in a mocking tone after he saw the confounded faces of the newcomers.

“We are throwing a welcome party for the new residents of Wailing Valley, and you are our main guests. I’ll escort you to the main hall at 7pm. For now, enjoy unpacking. Bye!”

Then he went off like someone who’s been running away from deadlines, leaving the family with astonishment and curiosity painted in their faces.

Moments after, the neighborhood gathered at the main hall for the event. All glances were glued on the newcomers as they marched through the entrance.

The village chief approached Mr. Diaz and offered the whole family the seats located at the center. As usual, dinner came, and they all partake what’s prepared. After a while of mixing with some other friendly people, they all decided to calm down for a moment.

Diaz family received gifts and applauses, but they also received a warning. It was a vague one and it was when they were all about to leave when an old woman grabbed Jack Diaz by the hand. Jack was surprised by such act but managed to retrieve himself a bit when the old woman patted his head.

“Young boy, do not easily trust anyone because evil can take many forms. The dark days are fast approaching, take care”, said the old woman.

The smile from Jack’s face faded and was immediately replaced with confusion.

Jack told his parents about it when they got home. But only got his mother’s infamous attack as a reply. Jack’s bewilderment vanished with just a pinch in the cheek.

Days after that confusing incident, the neighborhood seemed to be normal although the weather was felt to be the opposite. It rained so hard in the afternoon until dawn. The pink and white petals of carnation turned dull.

Morning came after that heavy rainfall and the Diaz residence was enveloped in a monotonous atmosphere. Also, children couldn't play outside as the ground went soft and mushy. Macy, the youngest daughter of the family begged his older brother Jack to come play with her, but Jack refused to be part of his little sister's game.

So, Macy went up to the attic feeling disappointed. While pacing back and forth, she found old eyeglasses just barely peeking underneath a ragged cloth. She tried the glasses on and was surprised to see her brother standing at the doorway smiling. She's so happy that her brother did come to play with her. Macy always liked his brother because whenever she's with him, she felt secured. To preserve that happiness, Macy would wear the eyeglasses every time they play at the attic.

One afternoon while playing tag, something got into Macy's eyes, so Macy had to take the glasses off for a moment. She wiped it clean but was interrupted when she heard her brother say, "Game over Macy, I've found you!" Macy turned to her back and was horrified to see a twitching figure in front of her. It wasn't her brother, and the figure was jerking involuntarily like it was possessed by some entity. "It's game over now Macy", repeated the figure. Macy ran as fast as she can and hid under her bed. This time she threw away the eyeglasses for good. The creaking sound of the door brought chills to her spine. She can hear the individual footsteps but can only see the damaged toes of the figure. The figure was about to peek under the bed when Jack's voice calling Macy to eat from downstairs reached them.

Seconds after, the feet disappeared.

Macy slowly crawled out of the bed and then saw her brother Jack with a tray of food. Jack apologized to Macy for being not able to play with her so as a reconciliation gift, he brought her to the attic, but Macy refused to enter. Jack was confused as he saw Macy's expression, staring at the old cabinet's mirror. Jack was mystified so he turned to see what her sister was staring at anxiously. Jack couldn't believe what he saw. In the mirror, there was a figure jerking and twisting its neck and arms. It would smirk every time it lurched. It was a disturbing sight and Jack couldn't handle it, so he turned to Macy to make sure her little sister was okay.

But Macy was out of sight.

He was about to run outside, but the door shut before him. Jack stepped back to kick the door open, but his leg felt abnormally stiff, then he was thrown back instead.

He heard a muffled cry and persistent poundings coming from the old cabinet. Still recovering from that fall, he hesitatingly crawled to reach the cabinet’s rusty knob. He opened it and was offered with the most unsettling sight in his life. Inside the cabinet was Macy’s crippled body. It was wrapped in a black rope, mouth was stretched open like it was desperately screaming for help, eyes were hollowed, and her face was skinned to bleed till death.

Jack pulled himself back still quivering. His eyes couldn’t produce tears as his mind was consumed by terror. He was kneeling on the floor still trying to comprehend what just happened. Jack was losing himself and his thoughts were all tangled up in a willow. He vigorously arched down and embraced himself as an attempt to protect a few rational pieces of his mind.

After a couple of minutes and a tear has been shed, he stood facing again the mirror, tilting his head to the left side, feeling defeated. But his reflection did the contrary, it tilted to the right side. Jack cried but the reflection laughed crazily. Jack couldn't understand what was happening. He felt deranged and unstable.

He started to touch his face like it was the strangest thing he ever witnessed. The last sane piece of his mind was on the point of extinction. And at his last moment, he thought to himself, “Doubt is there to be listened to.”

The reflection in the mirror was smiling and it stopped jerking as it was hanging suspended by a noose around the neck.