Leave This House

Day 2- Wire Cutters and a Hammer

Flint tumbled through the window, landing on his bleeding hand. He gasped at the sudden pain. But he knew he had no time to baby his injury. He staggered to his feet, left hand clutching the hammer.

Even though his body was being slow, his mind was as quick as ever. He needed to get the board off the door. And Corbin had mentioned the room in the attic was boarded up. That's where Flint would be heading. He ran to the front door, weaving between the table and broken glass in the kitchen.

The front door was covered in locks. The only one that was open was the one that Corbin had unlocked with the code. The door looked hopeless. But Flint could help some.

There were only two nails in the board and they weren't stuck in very far. Flint pried them up easily with the claw of the hammer. Half the board thudded to the ground. Then the other.

The backyard door opened and Flint knew his time was up down here. He sprinted up the stairs, rounding the corner and running up the attic stairs.

The room was boarded up with three boards. And they were in more tightly than the one downstairs.

He examined the doorway and decided he could probably fit through the doorway by taking only one board down. He reached up and began to work out a nail. It squeaked and the wood groaned. One nail clattered to the ground. Onto the next one. He wiggled it out slowly.

There were footsteps. Flint worked faster. The nail came out and the board fell down on his head. Stars flashed in his vision. And Granny appeared at the edge of it. He shook his head and squeezed through the boards. The room had a drawer and a cradle. He ducked behind the cradle. But he knew he was a goner.

Granny pulled down the boards with her spider-like fingers easily, like the boards were held down with no more than glue. She walked towards him, smiling.

Flint closed his eyes. "Good-bye, Skyla," he whispered. There was the whistle of the bat and then... nothing.

***

As soon as Granny began her pursuit of Flint, Corbin and Becca emerged from the chest.

"Now what?" Becca asked. Corbin pointed to the playhouse. "That."

"It's locked."

"We have a key."

Corbin knelt at the small door and pulled out the keys. Around the lock on the playhouse was a fading teal band. One of the keys matched. He slipped the key into the lock and turned. The top of the lock popped off.

Corbin opened the small door and looked inside. There was something on the wall in the back. He crawled in, trying hard to avoid the spider webs. He ran his hand against the contraption. There were two thin posts sticking up next to a larger cogwheel. Corbin smacked his head.

"What's wrong?" Becca asked, looking into the playhouse.

"We need those cogwheels," he said. "There's one in the shed but the other is in the other bedroom."

"Well, let's get them," Becca said. "I don't know where it is in the bedroom though."

Corbin crawled out while saying, "You distract Granny. Set off the bell then hide or something. I'll run up to the bedroom and get the wheel."

Becca nodded. "Right now." Corbin stood up and stood against the window Flint had disappeared through. Becca stood at the trip wire. Corbin counted down with his fingers. When he made a fist, Becca reached up and shook the wire near the bell. It rang out. Becca gave it another tug then ran to the chest. Corbin waited, heart thundering.

A thought occurred to him: how would he get back here?

"Becca!" he whispered. She looked out at him. "How do I get back here?"