The Trunk in the Attic

 by Makayla Dawn age 12

Macy Taylor was stuck in the house painting while the rain beat down on the windows. She’d much rather be outside riding her horse, Thunder.

She sighed. Why was it that whenever she wanted to do something fun, it had to rain? After a while she finished it. Macy was just finished putting away her paints when her Mother called.

“Macy, come here a minute.’’

“Coming.” She ran down the steps. Her Mother stood at the bottom. “Yes, Mother what do you need?’’

“Could you please go to the attic and get me a vase? I picked some flowers and the vase I want is up there. It’s on the trunk all the way in the back.’’

“Sure, Mother,” Macy replied. She skipped back up the stairs and down the hall. At the end of the hall, there was a door. Macy opened it up and went up more steps. Finally she reached the attic. It was dark except for the window at the far end. There was a lantern on the on a trunk right inside the door. She lighted it and went on in the attic.

Macy went straight to the end where Mother had said the vase would be. She did not see it. Macy rummaged through some old chests but could not find anything. She was just turning to leave when something caught her eye. It was a trap door and it looked like it was built into the wall! She set the lantern down on a chest and tried to pry it open with her finger nails. It would not budge so she pried it with a hammer. Then it popped open.

She crawled in and saw a chest pushed up against the wall. It was locked. Macy still had the hammer in her hand so she broke the lock in two. The lid creaked rather loudly. She peered inside and saw a photograph of a lady and a red velvet ring box.

She grabbed the lantern off the chest and held it closer and realized that there was also a diary in there. She picked it up.

Suddenly a voice boomed out “Leave those things alone.’’

Macy whirled around “who’s there? She asked in a shaky voice.

“I said drop those things!’’ the man yelled.

Macy saw a shadow of a man looming by the doorway of the hidden room. She shivered. She would have to go past him to get out. Suddenly the steps creaked and the shadow disappeared and a light appeared.

“Sis, you are supposed to get a vase!” John yelled.

“I know, but come here,” Macy said.

He crouched down beside her. “What is it?”

“Look, it’s a diary and a photograph of a pretty lady and a ring. There’s a date carved on it.”

Her brother looked at the stuff. “That's Grandma. She and Grandpa were married on July 21,1769. This stuff is like 80 years old.”

“I’m going to put this stuff in my room.” Macy did not dare tell her brother about the shadow. She was sure it was her imagination.

“Suppertime,” their Mother called.

They all sat around the table. Her brothers looked worn out.

“How was the cattle drive?” Macy asked.

Her brothers looked up. “You don’t want to know.’’ Mark, the oldest stood up. “Sis, I think you should go to bed.”

“Why? It’s not my bedtime yet.’’

“Well you look tired.”

“I guess I am. Goodnight.” She stood up and walked out and soon hopped into bed. Her mind drifted back to this afternoon. Was that shadow really my imagination? She cuddled underneath her covers. Sometime at midnight she woke to footsteps outside her door, they stopped and someone messed with her lock, then they disappeared. She tip toed to her brother’s room.

“Brother, come here,” She whispered loudly.

John opened the door. “What do you want?’’ he asked in a tired voice.

She grabbed his hand. “Come on. I think someone is looking for the belongings that were in the trunk.”

John became awake at once.

“You guard the bottom of the steps.” Macy ran up the steps and into the attic. She opened the trap door. The skylight let in a lot of moon light. She looked at the place where the trunk was. It was gone! She was just running to get John when a man’s body started to come down through the open skylight. Macy froze. A man dropped to his feet.

“What are you doing here you doing here?’’ he asked sternly

Macy breathed hard. “Why are you here?”

“I need my belongings,” the man said.

“What belongings?” Macy asked.

“The belongings you stole,” the man shouted.

“I did not steal them,” Macy shouted back.

“She was supposed to be my Mother. Father ran away and took me with him. I never saw her again! Now give me my belongings and I’ll go.’’

“No you won’t.’’ John stood there with the lantern. “Sis, everyone is up downstairs.” He turned to the man. “You came into this house without permission.”

“I used to live here,’’ the man said softly. “Until my Father took me away from my Mother.’’

John loosened his grip on the man’s arm. “Grandma used to talk about her little boy Caleb.”

“Yes, that’s my name,” the man exclaimed.

“Well, Caleb, I want you to meet my Mother.” They walked down and her Mother hugged Macy and looked at the man. “Who is this fine gentleman with you?’’

“Caleb Taylor. My Mother’s name was Catherine Taylor and my Father’s name was Jed Hunt. I always went by my Mother’s name.”

Macy’s Mother gasped. “Caleb! I can’t believe it. Mother used to talk about you so much. She loved you a whole lot.”

“I know. My Father stole me away. Then he died and I heard that my Mother got married again to a man named Charles Taylor.”

“Charles was my Father. I never dreamed that I’d really find my half-brother.” Macy’s Mother looked so happy.

Macy had one question for him. “Did you mess around in the hall before going to the attic?”

Caleb looked a little sheepish. “Yes, I was making sure everyone was in bed. Then I went around the back and up on the roof. Sorry I yelled at you. You just startled me.”

“That’s alright,” Macy smiled.

“Well, Caleb, lets go into the kitchen. I can brew some coffee and you tell me your life story.” Mother and Caleb went off into the kitchen together.

Macy had a smile on her face. Mark hugged her. “You did well. But I am tired. Goodnight.”

She turned to John. He put his arm around her. “All’s well that ends well. Father would be so proud.”