Finish my story …

Here’s an exercise to give your imagination a workout. It’s simple and it’s fun so here’s how it works. Read the (very) short story which I have started below.  There’s something down in the basement and only you know what it is. Don’t leave us in the dark – add the final paragaph and finish my story …

Bang!

I wake up suddenly with a fright. This has been happening for the past two nights, down in the basement. I know what’s down there and even thinking about it sends shivers down my spine. But this has gone on too long, I have to go down there, I have to face my fears.

I creep down the staircase and light up a candle. Bang! There it goes again. I take a deep breath and keep going. Taking each step slowly one after the other. I can see the door at the bottom. The door which leads to the basement.

It is slightly open. I pause, I was sure I locked it.

Bang! There is goes again. My feet freeze on the spot and my back flattens against the wall. My breath is coming in short puffs and it is hard to catch. My heart is beating fast, I need to keep going but my feet are weighted to the floor.

Bang, bang, bang! I’m sure it knows I’m coming. It’s waiting for me in the dark. Waiting for me to open the door. I want to run back, back to my bedroom and hide. Instead, I force myself to move down another step.

The door creaks as it opens a little more. I check for a draft, anything to explain this, anything to make sense. The air is still.

My candle flickers, threatening to go out as I hold my hand around it. I am at the bottom of the stairs now. All is quiet except for my breath which is heavy as I try to calm myself. Bang! Bang!

“Come in it almost says, I’m down here, I’m ready for you.”

I tell myself not to be afraid. I am braver than that. I step into the basement and my candle hardly lights up the space in front of me but I can see the shadow of the large chest in the middle of the room. I feel for the key on the chain around my neck …