The Attic Above Us

2

Beatrice grabbed Mr. Stuffles and ran downstairs to see if her parents were home.
"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Her mother kissed her forehead and smiled. "Guess what we get to do today?"
"What?" Beatrice asked in with a confused face.
"We get to clean the attic today!" Her father answered. "I haven't been up there in ages, and I think it's time that we do something with all that useless junk up there." Beatrice gulped. What if they were going to throw away everything? Beatrice had been having the urge to just run to the attic and lock the door, so only her, Mr.Stuffles, and her eager hands searching for antique things. She wanted to take the golden necklace she'd found and just keep it in her room as a keepsake.
"And we need your help," her mother looked up at her from cutting watermelon for a snack. "All that stuff is quite heavy, and we know how strong you are."
"Well, I don't know..." Beatrice had a sudden idea. She knew her parents had a circus performance the next day, so she she could say for them to do it tomorrow. And she would do it all herself, just so she could discover all of the attic's hidden wonders. "Why don't we just do it tomorrow? I'm just really tired, and just want to relax today."
"But we have a circus performance tomorrow, honey. I don't think it will work." Her father said, wondering why Beatrice was suddenly extremely exhausted.
"I know, but I just want to do it myself."
"Okay, that's alright with me." Beatrice's mother handed her and her father two plates of freshly cut up watermelon.
For the rest of the day, Beatrice was tired on the outside, but so excited on the inside. She'd been wanting to get a chance to explore the attic since she first stepped into it, and now, she had the chance.
---
The next morning, Beatrice awoke and knew her parents were gone. She immediately grabbed Mr.Stuffles and headed to the attic door.
When she approached the door, she grabbed its golden, rusty doorknob and turned it to the right. She slowly opened the door and looked inside. She saw the same dark, pitch blackness it once had been. She climbed the stairway.
When Beatrice reached the top, she stood before everything, and it seemed, different. The attic was now longer, longer than it had been before. And the ceiling was shorter. It made it look like it had been stretched out by a giant.
"How is this even possible?" Beatrice's eyes searched for any signs of how this may be, but she found none.
Beatrice saw the necklace again, just as shiny and perfect. She went to touch it.
"Ouch!" she cried out in pain. The necklace stung her. "What the-" She grabbed the necklace, full hand. "Ow! That really hurt!" Her whole hand throbbed. She decided to never touch it again.
With the burning sensation in her hand, she looked at everything else around her. Beatrice took the desks and set them into three rows, four in each row. She placed the chalk-dusted chalkboard on the railing on the wall. She placed a pencil on each desk and an eraser. It took her almost a half an hour to move everything.
"Wow!" she exclaimed to herself. "I'm good!" A smile lurked upon her face as she sat down in a front desk.
" Should I tell mom and dad about this?" Beatrice asked, only talking to no one. "They deserve to know, but I just wanna keep the attic to myself. Maybe...even make it my bedroom? Or is that pushing it. I mean there's a window, a nightstand, a chalkboard to play and draw on..." She discussed what she would do that seemed like it took forever. Finally, she decided she was going to tell her parents and ask to make it her room.
At almost 5:00 pm, Beatrice took Mr. Stuffles and ran down the attic stairs.
"Hello honey! Where have you been the last hour or so?" her father asked.
" I've just been arranging the attic, that's all." Beatrice said with a smile.
---
They ate steak and mashed potatoes for dinner. Beatrice loved this dinner, so she gave none to Lucy. Plus, her parents probably fed her a lot on their circus tour.
"Goodnight sweetie," her mother said as she kissed the top of her forehead. "Sweet dreams,"
All she thought about was what she was going to ask them the next day, about the attic. She was scared at how they would react. She stayed up for the rest of the night. She was happy and scared all at the same time.