The Dust~

The walk was an uneasy one, but my curiosity would not abate.  Too many stories were being told of this and that and I needed to know if what they said was true.  It had come to my knowledge that one room was not to be entered, however, the key, with its rather heavy chain, was given to me for safekeeping.

The room in question was and is located on the top floor or attic of an old house.  Unfortunately, there was no windows nor electricity to make out very much save for the small amount of light that flowed from the lower floor.  With an adjustment to darkness, I could see a hallway, a sconce, and a door.

Seemingly like forever, I had walked this dusty floor of another time and contemplated and debated opening that which they told me not to.  This scenario reminded me of Eve and the Tree of Knowledge or of that of a child left alone in a room with a toy they were told not to touch.  Ah, the gravity of it all.

Pace I did with the key dangling behind my back while my two hands fiddled with the solidity of its chain.  What could lay here that would thwart the opening of a door?  What contents could lie within?  Shall I be like Pandora?  Reaching for my match, I ignite the tiny timber and engage the sconce with light and head to the door.  Eager as a beaver to build a dam, I headed toward the door and held the knob in one hand while my other hand busied itself inserting the key into the key portal.  I met no resistance to its turn.

Ah, the feeling of a child at Christmas opening a present, however, as I knew not what to expect behind the door, there was a tad of caution.  The agreement of mind had it that this is not Christmas nor was this room a gift.

The door now laid unlocked before me and all I had to do was turn the knob and push.  I had been waiting for this.  This is what I wanted and it was right in front of me.  Slowly the door opened and the musty odor escaped only to assault and insult my nostrils and lungs with its repugnancy.  The small sconce within the hall did not offer much rays into that which was slowly being opened.  Upon the threshold, the creaking boards broke the silence so loudly that each step resonated what sounded like a house screaming in pain.  Yes, I the inquisitor heard the scream-like reverberations of an empty room.

With the door now wide open, I stood within the confines of the space and was dismayed at my discovery.  For all my curiosity, pondering, and pacing, the room laid as empty as my ears had told me.  If something were here, it was not big nor visible from where I was standing, then again, the room was shaped like a “U” and thus the only way to find anything would be through feeling it out on all fours.  Hell, I had come this far only to have to choose which side of the room I would feel first.  I suppose I could have played eenie meanie miney moe, but the game spirit was not within.  Choose the left is what I did as I scattered my body weight over the floor and sniffed around like a dog looking for a buried bone. That is the last thing I remember.

As if awoken from a dream, I heard voices and noted that everything had become dark.  From my point of view, there was no door to be seen and no issuance of light even if ever so dim from the lower floor.  Then again, who were the people in my house?  Thinking quickly, I figured if I can hear them, they too can hear me.  With all I could muster, I banged with hands and feet and my voice roared for them to find me.  When I heard someone approaching the top steps, joy filled me and I was pleased that someone was in fact there.   “IN HERE” I yelled, but another voice, a familiar voice from below yelled out “Child, get away from those stairs!  You were told never to go up there.  Now bring that key back to me.”

Tragically, the scolded child was I.  ~ Maggie ~ October 19, 2009 @ 11:10 p.m. EST 

On the morning of the 4th in the year of here
A rain cloud exploded and tore river banks