The Where House

Spencer

I leave out my back door. Hauling my bag behind me. Stepping lightly, careful not to leave footprints as my converse press into the dirt. I have no directions nor destination, i just walk, blindly.
                    •••••
I've been walking pointlessly for about two hours and I'm already exhausted. Where am I going, and why did I think this was a good idea. I reach a sign that reads 'welcome to grunsville'. I walk past it and the opposite side tells me to come back soon. I've left the city. But not the lanterns. I'll have to find somewhere to stay before night falls. Or else leaving will have been pointless.
                   •••••
I continue walking and reach a little abandoned street. There's a little grocery store with shopping carts crowded in front of the automatic doors. They look as if they're sealed shut with dust and grime. Further down the street there are little houses, chips of faded paint hanging onto them for dear life. This town was lively once, I don't even want to think about what killed it. Further down the street there are taller buildings. Most of them with broken down doors and busted windows. There's one that stands out to me, it doesn't look dead like the rest. It's shorter and bright with abnormally wide double doors. On the top of the building there's a sign that reads 'Bruner's Warehouse' next to a picture of a wooden chair. Without thinking I start to walk up to. Once I reach the door I try to open the doors. There's a rusty chain binding the handles together along with a combination lock. I don't have time to figure it out, it'll be dark soon. I walk around the building hoping that some part will be broken and serve as an entry way. In the very back of the building there's a few glass window. But no entry way. I start to walk away defeated my the sound of leaves crunching behind me stops me in my tracks. The sun will be setting in less than an hour, this is my best bet. I walk back to the middle window and widen my stance. I pull my fist back and strike the window. Cracks form in a million different places but it's still intact. I brush the tiny pieces of glass off my now purple knuckles and pull my fist back again. I throw it into the window again and the glass falls to the ground followed by drops of blood. I pull my jacket sleeve over my hand and break the glass from around the edges. I prop my knee up and pull myself through the broken window.
                    •••••
The walls and floors are almost completely covered with stray planks of wood. There's wooden furniture everywhere along with tools I assume were used to make them. On the wall to my right hangs saws and other sharp objects I don't recognize. There's a stairwell up against the wall to my left. I walk towards it and scope them out. There's no telling how old this warehouse is. I walk up a few stairs and they groan under pressure. I hesitate and then run up the rest. At the top of the stairs is a hallway with another set of stairs at the end. There's two bedrooms on one side with a jack and jill bedroom in between. On the other side there's one bigger room and a bathroom. All the rooms are fully furnished, this must have been where who ever worked here lived. Looks like they lived comfortably. I walk down the hallway and climb up the second set of stairs. It seems to be an attic, based on the way the ceiling rises and meets at a point in the middle. There's a window in the middle of the wall in front of me, the only window ive seen in the ware house. There's a wooden bench right in front of it, im sure someone spent a lot of time sitting there. Just like the other rooms it's fully furnished with a bed, nightstand,desk, and chairs, all made from the same kind of wood. The bed post are taller in this room. I brush my fingers up against the side of the bed and it greets them with dust. God this place is filthy. I go back downstairs, and grab a towel from the bathroom closet. I climb back up the stairs and start dusting. I don't know how long but I'm definitely staying here, so I guess ill make it a little more, livable.