The Attic Above Us

5

Beatrice sat there, just glancing at the black blob standing in her doorway.
"Hmmmmmmm," the blob just made word grunting noises and stood there. Never looking away from Beatrice.
"W-who are y-you?" she asked. She was scared. Her heart beat raced a thousand miles. Sweat began to drip from her face and onto her arms.
"Uhmmmmmmhmmm," the blob kept staring the same yellow eyes as Henry. But how could that be? He was a human, right? Or something?
"Umm, c-can I help y-you?" Beatrice asked and tried not to sound shaken up.
"Guuuuuh hmmmm," It sounded like a "Hmm hmm" as a way of saying yes, but she was still very confused.
"Do you need any help?" she moved Henry over to her right, which he'd been on the left of her. "I-I'm Beatrice..." She stood before the tall, black figure. Even up close he looked like a shadow.
She moved closer and closer to the figure. Every inch she moved a shock went down her little spine. Of course she was scared, but she couldn't just let a shadow stare at her all night as she slept.
Beatrice came close enough to the figure that of he bent down, they could touch noses. She took two more steps, and was out of her room. But how could that be? She'd just gone through him. Like he was a ghost...
Beatrice's mouth gaped.
"But you're a gh-"
"Shhh," the blob held his black finger to her tiny lips "Me just a little ghost, here to help you, dats all." He could speak? Was this all a joke? Her crazy imagination?
"What?" Beatrice asked, confused about everything.
"I here to help you."
"But help me with what?"
"Search." The blob stood very very still, and even though he was talking, Beatrice couldn't see his lips moving.
"But I'm not searching for anything." Beatrice's mind wandered. What was he talking about?
"Search for the key," he answered. "The key that leads you out of here."
"But I'm perfectly fine here, why do I need to leave? And what's this key for?" What is he saying? Beatrice thought.
"Goodbye." The blob disappeared into thin air.
"But wait! You need to tell me everything!" But he'd already left.
"Sorry, what did I miss?" Henry waddled over. He just woke up and was probably still tired. Beatrice was surprised that he didn't wake up at all.
"Do you know anything about a key?" She asked. He'd lived here for a very long time, so how could he not know?
"A key? I know nothing of a key. Are you sick?" Henry tilted his head, and Beatrice knew that he was being sarcastic.
"Henry, please don't lie."
"Okay, okay." he finally confessed. "There is a key hidden in this house. Nobody has ever found it. Not many people know about it. The builders of this place left a key somewhere. But over time, it possessed some sort of magic. It can open every door in the world. That's the reason nobody ever tells anyone about it. Some people can use it for bad things."
"But why did a black figure show up in my doorway?" Her mind thumped with anticipation.
"A black figure? Oh, that's just Seven." Henry said. "He's part of the Feelkens."
"The what?"
"The Feelkens. They are like your feelings, not you specifically. Seven is Helpful. He helps everybody."
"Seven...why the number seven?" What is wrong with this town? Beatrice wondered.
"He's the seventh one to be made. There are ten Feelkens in all." Henry explained. "There's Courageous One, Angry Two, Happy Three, Saddened Four, Excited Five, Unusual Six, Helpful Seven, in whom you met, Lucky Eight, Anxious Nine, and Wise Ten.
"Go get Seven." Henry demanded.
"But he-" Beatrice started.
"Go get Seven."