Death is Only the Beginning

The Attic

The next day the rest of the girls were pale, dark circles under their eyes from lack of sleep and endless stomach trouble. Casey saw them as they headed to the kitchen, Sandy and Candy clad in robes with slippers on their feet, Rihanna clad in basic sweatpants and short top. There was no sign of Kenneth and Casey presumed he was sleeping after a long night of helping his poor wife. That is if he had even helped her, for all she knew he'd slept in another room or on the couch away from her. So that was something to wonder about as well. Geez this group was so full of drama, it was like being in a soap opera but in real life. Much more interesting as well she admitted to herself with a large degree of amusement. 

There was no one in the kitchen, no sign of Isabelle or anyone else for that matter. Casey wondering if she started later. Maybe she only made lunch or dinner? After all it wasn't hard to grab a bowl of cereal or make a sandwich. There was also plenty of fruit and milk etc in the refrigerator. 

"Anyone else come to the conclusion that it's just us for the remainder of the week" Rihanna snarled in a bad temper "someone clearly stuffed the damn dates up on our invites. I'm not making a second trip out here" she muttered under her breath, plopping down on the bar stool and sitting at the bench, head in her hands. 

"Well there's plenty of food" Casey murmured peering in the fridge and spotting the large amounts of fruit, vegetables, meat, different milks and juices and yoghurts. A quick look through the kitchen cabinets yielded various cereals, basic staples, granola bars, water bottles and all sorts to keep them fed for the next month if they wanted. Well at least they wouldn't starve thought Casey optimistically having seen all of the food last night as she washed the dishes, just not taking note of the variety or actual amount. There was enough staples and food to feed an army at the very least. Well if they ended up stranded for whatever reason there was plenty to be able to eat well for probably two months or more. She chuckled at the thought of being stranded while zombies approached. She had definitely been watching too many horror movies lately, she might have to dial it down a little. 

Casey grabbed some juice, a banana and yoghurt as well as made several pieces of toast. There was stunned silence in the kitchen as she sat at the dining table.

"Are you really going to eat all that" Sandy said finally, eyeing the food as though it was poison as Casey began to eat with enthusiasm. 

"Yep" she said drily "I'm starving and might go for a hike or something later. Need to eat to keep up my strength: she said cheerfully while inwardly rolling her eyes. Somehow she was not surprised to find them all grabbing a single piece of fruit and a coffee as their breakfast. Although it could be their stomach's still affecting them she somehow very much doubted it. 

Casey finished up, her stomach pleasantly full as she washed her dishes and put them in the rack. The others just left theirs on the table and walked away. Did they think Casey was their personal maid for heavens sake? How would these people cope if they had to live the lifestyle she lived. She was willing to bet they didn't just have one maid either but several. What did you do all day if you had everyone doing all of your jobs? Wouldn't it get boring and tedious?

She just sighed and shook her head. She wasn't cleaning up after these people, they could clean their own damn mess she decided. Now what to do she pondered. She had already showered and dressed but the dark clouds forming meant possible rain which wouldn't exactly be wise to for a hike in. She walked upstairs, a small dangling chord from the ceiling catching her eye. It must be for the attic thought Casey in surprise, she hadn't thought the house had one but clearly she had been mistaken. She wondered how she had missed the string yesterday and decided between the trip and the girl's all arguing amongst each other she just had missed it. She loved exploring new places and to be honest if she went up she'd be away from these people even if it was only for a short period of time. 

Why not have a look she thought with a shrug. Casey had nothing better to do and it would at least give her something to occupy her. The worst that could happen is that the attic was empty in which case she would just come back down. Before she could change her mind she pulled the string a ladder coming down for her to climb up. She didn't waste time, scrambling in and using her phone as a torch as she crawled onto her knees and looked around. She could of cheered when she saw it contained all sorts of interesting stuff. Another person's junk was always another person's treasure. Besides she loved wondering what kind of life the people who had lived her before and making all sorts of fanciful stories up in her imagination. Just think of how much the past could show you, their lives and everything important to them. It was fascinating. 

It was dark and dusty, the smell of mildew in the air and the scent of staleness from being closed up. However her eyes were able to adjust, a skylight in the ceiling letting light shine through as she turned off the torch feature on her phone. The skylight must be well back as none of them had spotted it as they walked to the house, but why not have it further to the front so that people knew an attic was there? It boggled the mind and she was confused as to the impracticality.

Boxes were stacked haphazardly, various bits of furniture covered in sheets. A large standalone mirror atop a dressing table sat there, Casey making her way to it and looking at her reflection. She sat on the small velvet chair beside it and began to open the small drawers, looking for who knows what, curious about who this holiday house belonged to or whether she might find something interesting. She'd just opened the last drawer when she spotted a lone photograph tucked at the back of it, gingerly grasping it and bringing it closer to her face.

It was a stunning photo of a girl who couldn't be much older than a teenager. She had a wide smile on her face, big blue eyes and long blonde hair that went down her back. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top, sitting on an old wooden swing tied around a large tree. The girl was smiling directly at where the camera must have been, completely carefree. Had she lived in this house wondered Casey? She turned the photo over, a small name written in cursive at the bottom. Misty. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. 

Casey reverently put the photograph back, it was not hers to keep or to take. She looked around a bit more taking in some old porcelain dolls and a music box which she gently opened, the sound of music haunting and strangely sad as it tinkled in the air. There was not much there, an old locket which had a picture of an older man and woman in it, possibly the mother and father, misty inscribed on the front. A small signet ring sat in the corner and was that a bangle. She lifted it out and took in the inscription to M from K. Who was K thought Casey intrigued even as she put the items back and closed the lid. Why hadn't Misty taken the music box with her when she moved out? Surely that was a common thing girl's took with them? Especially a solid gold bangle from someone who clearly cared for her? It was a mystery decided Casey. 

She was just heading back to the ladder, aware that several hours had passed now when she swore she could hear heavy breathing. Her head snapped back around, eyes sweeping over everything as she began to get Goosebumps all over. Was someone there? "Kenneth is that you" she called out in a shaky voice "or Rihanna, Candy or Sandy?" she tried, her fear beginning to climb as no one answered. Why had she come up alone in the first place she scolded herself. She was scaring herself, clearly no one else had come up the ladder while she had explored. She was letting the spooky dark attic get to her. Her legs moved faster and she gripped the ladder, descending in record time and closing the attic up in a sigh of relief. What silly nonsense she had just taken part in, scaring herself stupid like a child who was afraid of the dark. She shook her head at herself and her silliness, going back to her room and deciding that there must be a book that was interesting enough to read and get lost in for now. 

The woman who had hid as she heard the distinct sound of someone coming up the ladder,  stepped out of the shadows all covered in black as the attic closed. She'd almost given himself away before it was time. But she'd watched the girl be respectful as she wandered around, touching things gently and with care. She was perplexed though. This was not one she had been expecting, she was certain of it. This meant that someone who shouldn't be here would be forced to play the game. She scowled. She had not anticipated an innocent person messing up her carefully laid plans, not when she was so close. Nor did she like hurting a person for something they had no knowledge or part in. She would have to rethink her plans, perhaps change the game. She cursed her bad luck even as she acknowledged the necessity of more surveillance to find out who was missing. She would have to increase the number of cameras around the house and on the grounds during the night while they slept. She opened the door hidden in the side of the house and vanished, locking the door securely behind her.