The Attic

It was weird,but it always happened when it rained. And not in the basement,as one one would expect,but in the attic. He had made a point to stay clear of the basement,anyway. His"basement-phobia" was a family joke for so long now.

 But as he was standing in the attic,rain lashing against the windows,the memories were all encompassing. He held his breath,his head buzzing,dropped to his knees and squeezed his eyes shut. But the images kept haunting him. The blood,her eyes pleeding for life,one last chance,one last breath. And the rain. Always the rain.

 She thought she could get away from him. Fool him. He made sure none of that happened. It had been so easy afterwards. Nobody really missed her. The run away bride,who got cold feet at the last minute and disappeared . Nobody doubted him. Sad for him,they felt. Caring even. And as the years went by,he ended up believing his own story. Except when there was rain. In the attic. It was weird. Always in the attic.

 He pictured his family sitting around the dining table,waiting for him for dinner. His sweet,gulible wife,ever-trusting,always-obeying. Poor soul. Couldn't even built up the nerve to look him in the eye. As good a wife as one could expect. Gave him solid boys,too.

 He could hardly breathe now,his fists blue from clenching. Images of the bloody shovel,the dirty hair,the ragged clothes as he was plastering her inside the basement walls. And the eyes,pleeding. For life. One last chance. One last breath. Always in the attic. In the lashing rain.

 The thud resonated in the dining room. The family looked around. Where did it come from? Was it from the attic? Or was it the basement?

                                                                                     Written by Ms Paragon