A Faltering self (Distorted Reality book 2)

Chapter 24- Whispers and Bad Things

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(Kalston's POV)

Iris is taking a nap. One I'm sure she needed. It took some convincing and a promise to sleep in the bed with her tonight instead of the floor for her to actually take the time to. I love her, but she's stubborn. I don't blame her though because I don't care for naps either if it means I'm missing out, but it's my job to make sure Iris is okay. I almost fell asleep next to her.

Actually, I did, and I'm not sure for how long. But now that I'm up, I slip out as quietly as possible. Iris tends to be a light sleeper most of the time. There are times though like now that I assume she's sleeping hard. I always have a habit of doing that. So any noise tends to overlap me, but the slightest shift of things will wake her up when she's not.

I'm carefully out of the door and headed to our attack to grab my bag. It has a new book in it that I forgot to show Iris. Treasure Island. She loves it when I read to her, so I brought it to see if it's one she'd want me to.

Heading up the stairs, I notice someone standing in the corner of the attic. I can't make out who they are, but I have a bad feeling. If I was with Iris, I'd put on a brave face, but with her not, I step backwards down the stairs again. I want anything to close my eyes and pray that they're playing tricks on me, they can at times, but I'm too afraid that if I take my eyes off them, they'll get me. Like simply knowing where they are is enough to keep them there.

With one step landing wrong, I stumble to my knees, hitting my right one pretty hard. I want to cry from the pain, but my attention is brought back to the person. Or where they were as they are no longer standing there.

See, just another trick. Stop being such a baby and be brave!

I take a few breaths like Abba teaches to calm my nerves and stand back up. My knee still hurts as the pain radiates on and off from the hit. I still want to cry about it.

You're fine, just push past it, and stop crying like a baby.

I want to turn back down the stairs, but to prove to myself I'm brave, I go back up them instead. My eyes race around the room to see if the person is up here. I almost rather them to be and find out that they were only actually one of our parents. They usually leave the attic alone, but there are occasions when they do come up here.

Maybe they came to get the Hanukkah and Christmas decorations?

Maybe... but my gut tells me I'm fooling myself. I know that wasn't anybody, but something. I still try otherwise to convince myself. Knowing that Iris talks about monsters here, and even though I don't believe in them, she wouldn't tell me about them if she wasn't actually seeing them. She likes to play, but she doesn't lie to me. Not with things like that.

My feet inch across the wooden floor, each creak I'm so familiar sends tension through my body. The person is gone, but the bad feeling still sits at the bottom of my tummy.

Stop being so scared. There's nothing here, you're just imagining things. You're fine.

I spot my bag near the piano, but stop because the piano is near where the person was standing.