The Cabinet Under the Stairs

Some New Information

I wasn't sure what I needed to do to capture this thing. I mean, I really didn't have any information about it other than it only shows up once every thirty years or so and it's quick. I wasn't even sure if it could be harmed. I know Jack did something, but it might've just been teasing him, luring him to his death.

I kept going back and forth on if this thing was evil or not, but the assumption around the neighborhood was that it was most definitely not good. I wanted to find the people who supposedly survived and came back, but how many of them would still be alive now? Thirty years is a long span of time. Three cycles and there's a good chance that any survivor would be dead if they were even old enough to remember when it happened.

I sat at the desk in my room and opened my laptop, Jack laying on his bed by the desk. I found the article I intended on reading when Nes interrupted me. I wondered if he could help me. He at least seemed to believe me about the thing in the house, but how would I even approach the question. "Hey, Nes, I know we just met but would you be interested in jumping into a cabinet and fighting a dangerous monster?" Sure. That didn't sound crazy at all.

I started to read the article about the boy who was found. There were two people in the picture of the boy and his parents who looked very familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place why. The article said:

Sandy B. Halworth, who went missing a year ago from his home in the middle of the night, has been found in his own bed. Police conducted a thorough investigation at the time of his disappearance and concluded that he must have run away.

Sandy's mother, Alice Halworth, never thought he ran away.

"He was afraid of something under the stairs," she told police at the time.

Thomas Halworth refused to comment on the situation.

"I think he's just in denial," says Mrs. Halworth. "He loves his son very much."

Sandy is currently undergoing counseling to find out what happened and where he's been these past fourteen months. The family is asking for privacy during this difficult time.

I stared at the screen. Halworth? As is Hal? I enlarged the image and looked again. There were fewer wrinkles, less grey hair, and his left eye looked freshly injured, but that was definitely Hal, but why did Sandy look familiar? Perhaps it was just his resemblance to his dad.

As I contemplated who he was, Jack lifted his head, ears forward, his attention fixated on the door. I looked at him. Before I could ask him what was going on, I heard noises downstairs.

"It's probably just Mom," I said.

There was another shuffle. Jack stood up and went to the door. He sniffed around the bottom of the door before jumping up to paw at the doorknob. If the doorknob was a handle instead of round, he would've let himself out and checked out the noise by now.

I grabbed my bat before opening the door. I followed as he walked to the top of the stairs. I glanced over at Mom's room. The door to her room was still closed. It was entirely possible for her to close her bedroom door before going downstairs for a snack or something, but not likely.

Jack let out a low growl and quietly made his way downstairs. I followed. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and slowly made his way around to the source of the sound. I peeked my head around the corner. The kitchen light was on. It could still be Mom.

Jack crept up to the kitchen entryway. I slid my back along the wall ready to strike. Suddenly, Jack dashed into the kitchen. I could hear him whining and making a fuss. I started to rush in, bat at the ready.