The house, settling like an aging dowager, arthritic and frail, creaks and trembles. Cold spots materialize in odd corners as air cascades over transoms. Doors shut unbidden behind footfalls echoing down the halls.
A staircase leads upward to closed off rooms abandoned to the darkness. Treads groan with each step, slick from generations of use. A loose bannister makes the ascent even more treacherous.
Laughter flutters down, a child’s voice high and light. She calls the imp by his name, beseeching him to leave her in peace. Still he lingers.
She claims downstairs as her own, leaving him the attic.
The 100 Word Challenge, a writing prompt created by Velvet Verbosity, takes a single theme to tell a story in only 100 words ~ no more, no less. This week’s theme is ‘Imp.’
Thin spiral notebook 
Eeep! I just watched a horror movie the other night WHEN I WAS ALONE IN THE HOUSE. No, I don’t know what I was thinking either.
Great little spook.
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I love the imagery and poetic wordplay.
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creepy dark stairs!!
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“aging dowager, arthritic and frail”
but enough about ME! 🙂
Absolutely my favorite phrase in your piece. I love the whole premise. Thanks for sharing.
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I love nothing better than a spooky story – SUPER PIECE!! (*I used a form of arthritic in my 100 Words piece this week too – great minds 😉
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Great start to what could be a spooky story!
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Great post…I agree with Lance, I was along for the ride here.
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Well, fancy that! I’ve got a staircase, too, in my next post. Your words remind me a bit of Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes. Are you familiar with “Ireland” (downstairs) and “Italy” (upstairs)?
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Oooooo. spooky. Nicely told, oh Smith of Words.
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I’m a word nerd so extra points for dowager
I felt like I was riding along with the the main charcater. The words took me on a ride. So well done, Tara.
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