In My Own Backyard

Strange noises rouse you from your bed. You follow them through your house to the door you keep locked. The attic door suddenly swings open, and golden light floods the stairs before you.

I hear a strange noise; a soft scuffling followed by the pitter patter of tiny feet. “Great, mice,” I grumble to myself as I get up. As I pad barefoot across the cold wooden floor, a chill sweeps through me. Shivering, I press my ear to the wall, and hold my breath so I can really listen. Everything is quiet. 

I climb back into my bed and burrow in; pulling the covers around me, and twisting into them snugly. Relaxing, I sink into the foam mattress and begin to drift off when I hear a small bang reverberate within my walls. 

Instantly, I’m awake. I fling off my covers and spring out of bed. Tentatively, I creep over to the wall, a little afraid to investigate the source of the sound. My heart is hammering so violently it’s all I can hear. I take a few deep breaths to quiet my pounding heart. That’s when the soft sounds come in clear: a gentle bumping in a strange rhythm almost akin to a song. 

Drawn to the beat, I move in closer to wall. Before I know it, I’m pressed against the wall; embracing it like an old friend. My foot begins tapping along to the rhythm like it has a mind of its own. For a minute, I am frozen that way: pressed against the wall, my body thrumming to the unusual drumming from the other side. I feel giddy, and my thoughts become a little foggy.

Abruptly, everything goes quiet. My mind clears, and I’m left feeling bereft and confused. What could have been making that noise? Certainly not a mouse or any other animal would be inside my wall tapping out a song for entertainment. 

The silence is deafening, and I feel like I stand there forever, waiting. After a few minutes I suddenly snap; I can’t take the silence anymore. I start banging on the wall. My violent outburst drains me rather quickly, and I cease my wild wall beating.

I regain my composure, and sidle back up to the wall, tapping lightly with my fingertips. The rhythm comes easily, and I begin tapping faster and faster. I was really getting into it, when I suddenly felt silly. Abruptly, I stopped, but the beat continued on without me. 

I know I should be freaked out, but I am actually delighted, elated even. The tempo had picked up with my eager tapping, and my arms and legs twitched to join in as I did my best to remain motionless.

After several minutes, the sound begins to recede. Panic overwhelms me and scramble along the wall trying to stay with it. I follow it around my room, out the door, and down the hallway. I lose it at the end of the hall, behind the only door I kept closed and locked. With a groan, I turn to fetch the skeleton key that would unlock the attic door. As soon as my back is turned, I hear a soft click and the unmistakable squeak of an unoiled hinge. 

My heart jumps into my throat, and a chill covers me like a wet blanket. That was definitely creepy, and for a moment I am nearly paralyzed in fear. Turning around slowly, I peer into the stairwell. It isn’t pitch black, there is a faint glow spilling across the opening in the floor above. 

I swallow thickly, and begin to ascend. The stairs open up facing the sloping roof, so I know that my back will be turned to the room when I cross the threshold. As soon as my head is above floor level, I swivel it around to get a better look. 

The light is coming from the only window. It’s a warm orange glow like the early morning sun, which is impossible at this hour. I cross the floor toward the eerily glowing window. The round window is in the center of a small alcove where two adjoining parts of the roof meet.

There are several pieces of doll furniture arranged below the window, and a small hammock hung in one corner. The whole scene gave me the creeps, which is why after I stored my boxes up here I securely locked the door behind me. 

As I approach, a small creature moves from the shadows into the light. I recoil in shock. It did look quite a bit like a mouse, only it was wearing clothes and walking on two feet. It was dressed in pants and a natty vest, so I assumed it was male. The face sloped considerably, ending in a pointy nose complete with whisker, and its whole body was covered in silver fur that shone in the light. 

He didn’t react to my shock, but just stood there, waiting. 

“Uh, hello,” I stuttered.

“Hello,” a deep, commanding voice replied.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said to me, his dark eyes shining. 

“You have?” 

“Yes. Ever since you moved in, I’ve been waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”

“For you to be ready,” he said simply.

“Ready for what?”

“To see,” he answered conspiratorially. 

“See what?”

“Everything,” he whispered furtively. 

“Ok,” I mumbled awkwardly.

“Come to the window,” he instructed. Nimbly, he hopped up to the windowsill and gestured for me to look outside. So, I joined him and peered out the window. 

It was not my backyard. I mean it was, but there was so much more. I knew it was around midnight, but somehow the sun was streaming across my yard in golden rays illuminating things I had never seen before. 

I saw strange little people working in my garden. Glowing fairies were flitting back and forth among the trees. Some of the trees were moving, not just swaying; they were creeping along the forest floor on writhing roots. Then, a beautiful white horse emerged from the forest, and spread out a pair of massive wings covered in opalescent feathers. 

I gasped in amazement.

“Do you see?” he asked with a knowing smirk. 

Reviews

[Alexis Rose]

This is very descriptive! I love your grammar usage as well. Keep writing!