With every step Bobbi took, his heart raced a little faster; his palms turned a little clammier, and his back hunched a little slighter. Creak! The flashlight in his hand flickered along with his faltering courage. Walking down the hallway, he shone the flashlight towards the deep darkness of the one-room he vowed never to enter. His hand trembled like the last thing that represented life: the leaf that dangled on the end of the tree branch outside his house.
As he walked closer to the room, he heard peals of laughter and objects hitting the ground. His heart skipped a beat and his breathing started to become heavy. If I die, please God, tell Mom how much I loved her and how I will be reunited with Dad in the heavens, Bobbi whispered a silent prayer to himself. Mustering all the courage he had in his tiny body, his hands travelled to the door handle of the sacred room. Before he was even able to push the handle down, he heard the thud of footsteps behind him and a familiar voice bellowed:
"BOBBI SAMUEL RICHARDSON! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THIS ROOM?" Mom stood in the doorway, arms akimbo. Just then, the laughter coming from the room had halted. All that was left was the silence and tension that lingered in the air.
Bobbi stood-rooted to the ground, bracing himself for the dressing-down he was about to receive from Mom.
Tick tock, tick-tock... The Grandfather Clock ticked, displaying the time:
3 a.m.
The mother and son stood like this for a while, just the ticking filling the atmosphere. Abruptly, Mom shook her head and bent to Bobbi's height, caressing his cheek. "Sweetie, I have told you this countless times, do not go into that room. I just want you to be safe, okay? I love you, now go back to bed."
Bobbi reluctantly nodded his head, while making a mental note to try and enter the room again when he had the opportunity. He had been dead set to find out what exactly was in that room. Every night he would hear the creaks of the old wooden stairs, which were followed by the crashing of vases and bangings in the wall. However, Bobbi always found it strange. How was it that his mother couldn't hear it despite being a priest but he could? Why was he able to hear things that others couldn't? The only answer to that was: The room.
