The Cabinet Under the Stairs

A Visitor

There was a sort of scratching sound coming from downstairs, a skittering sound as if something with nails were having trouble making it across the hardwood floor. It lasted only a few moments before it stopped. Everyone who was supposed to be in the house was in my bedroom with me. The scratching and skittering started again closer to the bedroom door. Jack's ears perked up and he started to growl. Guess I wasn't hearing things after all.

I got out of bed and grabbed the metal bat I kept by my nightstand before making my way to the door. I could hear the skittering sound right outside. I listened as closely as I could through Jack's growling. The sound made its way back and forth in front of the door before heading down the hallway. A light turned on followed by sounds in my bathroom. I heard the cabinets open and slam shut. A bottle hit the floor scattering pills around. My vitamins, no doubt. The toilet lid opened and closed a few times. Then, I heard the back of it slide off followed by a loud breaking noise from downstairs.

Jack barked. I placed my hand on his muzzle and whispered for him to be quiet. Something crawled along the wall and dropped in front of the bedroom door. I could see some of its shadow. There was a long, light scrape down the door.

Jack's ears flew back as he barked ferociously, digging his paws at the shadows. The door started to shake. Something started to turn the doorknob. I gripped the bat and stood up ready to strike, but the door never opened. I looked down, but the shadows had disappeared.

Was I alone?

I looked at Jack and held my hand out while whispering "stay."

He groaned but did as he was told. I carefully opened the door and peeked out. The bathroom light was on. I poked my head out further to see the entire hallway but didn't see anything too out of the ordinary. Some of my vitamins had spilled out of the bathroom, but other than that, nothing was different.

As the door widened, Jack ran out. He stood ready between me and the unknown. His head lowered as he stared at the back of the hallway. I tried to whisper him back to me, but he had other plans. Slowly, he took deliberate steps toward the shadows and the other bedroom. I tentatively followed behind him, bat at the ready.

He stopped just outside of the bedroom and started growling louder. He took a cautious step towards the door followed by another. I stood behind him watching the shadows carefully. The moon was bright and had found an opening in the curtains in shine through. I looked around concentrating on the brighter areas when I saw eyes reflect back to me. It was only for a moment. My only experience with such a phenomenon was getting spooked by a cat while taking out the trash at night, so naturally I wondered how a cat got in the house.

I rolled my eyes letting the bat fall and pushed by Jack to turn on the lights in the room. He dashed in just as something lunged at my face. They slid into the darkness. I heard ferocious sounds that I'd never heard him make before that scared me more than I thought it should. I also heard squeals and loud chittering that I couldn't place. Cats don't sound like that. 

Jack yelped. Instantly I lifted the bat again and turned on the light ready to defend my dog. As soon as the room was bright, the thing lunged at me again. This time, I swung hitting it into the hallway and down the staircase. Jack ran out of the room after it.

I chased after Jack and found the shattered lid to the toilet back at the base of the stairs. I rounded the bottom step and stopped. The cabinet door was open. It was just a crack, but it was open. When did that happen?

"Jack?" I called for him while looking around. I didn't see or hear him anywhere.

I felt an icy breeze blow in from the open cabinet door. Where was that coming from? I slowly approached the door. The hinges creaked loudly as I pulled it open further. My heart was beating quickly in my throat, and I had to swallow trying to force it back down. Just as the door was open enough for me to peek through, something large shot out of it knocking me to the ground.

"Jack! Where have you been?"

He was panting and whining as he sniffed me. I grabbed his collar so I could look him over. There was sludge all over his face, he was missing a few patches of fur on his back, and there was what looked like a bite mark on his back leg. He whimpered when I touched it.

"What happened? Where did you go?"

He looked back at the door and a low grumble left his chest. I followed his gaze looking at the once again shut cabinet.

I stood and reached up to try to open it again, but then thought maybe it's better if I didn't.

"C'mon boy, let's get you cleaned up."