Katie McCory (Panic In the Attic)

 Panic in Grams’ Attic
By Cathy Collar

Halloween night had finally arrived. Katie stole a quick glance at the Knight in the unusual stained glass window in their Grandmas’ attic.  She saw nothing different than the many times she had looked at it before.  The golden knight sat proudly on his pearl white horse, his golden lance stately pointed toward the deep blue sky.  She was still perplexed by her unusual dream. Hopefully it had been just that, only a dream.  It really wouldn’t matter as long as she got all of them out of the attic before midnight.

The Halloween Party was going pretty well so far.  Her brother, Billy had spent every spare minute in the attic preparing for the party.  He had set an old wooden table in one corner of the room and surrounded it by four rather rickety wooden chairs.  In the middle of the table was a weird shaped object covered in a velvet cloth.   In another corner, yellow eyes from a fake skull glued to an old candelabra glowed on Tarot cards that were spread on a small round gypsy’s table.  Two lopsided overstuffed chairs sat opposite each other awaiting their occupants.  Billy had placed candles everywhere giving the attic an eerie glow.

The four kids moved over to the large, wooden table.  Billy, the mystic, sat at one end.  Donnie was seated at the other end, with the two girls, Ariel and Katie in between.  Billy yanked the velvet cloth off. There in the middle of the table stood an old lamp globe glowing blue from a glow stick Billy had taped inside.  He moved the ball closer causing an eerie shadow on his face.  Pushing his turban out of his eyes, and flinging his purple cape off of his shoulders, he pressed his eyebrows together and stared into the ball. 

            “Ahhhhh,” he said,  “I’ve seen a vision.”  Billy placed the ball back on the table. “Everyone now concentrate. I am only the medium here.  I will need your help.”

“You need a lot more help than we can give you.”  Katie laughed.  “Have you ever thought of acting lessons?”

Billy shot an annoyed look at Katie, then continued.  “Spirit who dwells in the ball, come out, come out, show one, show all!”

“I feel a strange being in the room, a cold current,” Billy continued.  “Make your presence known to us, oh spirit!” he shouted, causing the girls to jump in their seats.

            “Okay, maybe you don’t need acting lessons,” said Ariel, settling back into her chair. 

Katie giggled and stole a quick glance at Donnie.  He was so handsome, it was a shame his features were hidden in the darkness.  Donnie hadn’t said a word since the séance had begun.  He was probably wishing he hadn’t come. She knew he would rather be in town right now hanging out with his friends instead of being stuck in this attic with them. He would not have come if his sister, Ariel, hadn’t begged him.

            “Donnie, are you possessed? Katie chided. You’re being awful quiet.” 

            Donnie didn’t move.  Katie looked closer, she still couldn’t see his face.  Shoving her chair away from the table, she stomped over to Donnie’s seat.  She had her hands on her hips and was about to tell him that he could just leave right now if he thought he was too cool to hang out with them, then she heard Grams’ grandfather clock strike the last dong of midnight.  Oh! No!  She had completely forgotten about her dream.  She stopped suddenly and looked at Donnie’s face.  His charcoal eyes were staring at something.  Katie followed their path to the stained glass window.  There she gasped in disbelief.  The stained glass window had come to life!  The green knight had turned to face them.  His white horse’s eyes were blazing red.  His lance now pointed directly at the old, crusted chest that Katie had discovered earlier that week in the attic.  A shimmering beam shot from the lance encompassing the chest with a golden ray and giving it a lustrous radiant glow. The chest levitated then shook, causing the crusted edges to sail through the air.  Soon it glistened like a precious jewel.  The knight slowly lowered it back to the floor then lifting his lance upright he turned his horse back to its original position.  The light faded from the window and the room was now lit only by the glowing amber of the chest.

            Ariel and Billy were also staring at the sight.  Katie yelled at them to follow her downstairs.  They all continued to stare at the chest.  She grabbed Donnie’s arm and pleaded for him to come with her, but Donnie didn’t budge. She ran to Billy and Ariel and tried to push them toward the door.  It was as if their feet were cemented to the attic floor.  Then looking at their transfixed eyes, Katie realized it was too late. 

Warily, her eyes turned toward the beautiful chest, a large hairy brown hand grabbed the side.  Katie held her breath.  What on earth was that?  Another gross hand followed the first.  Gnarled brown fingers with long curved claws now held onto the  glowing chest.  Katie gasped.  Her dream had been real and now because of her they were all doomed.  Should she put her faith, and their lives into a message sent to her in her a dream? Did she really have a choice?