Wow, I really liked this! I'm a fan of short little horror stories that are more creepy and suspenseful than they are actually scary. You did a good job at capturing all of that.

Still...there's the mystery of the sounds of stuff moving across the floor behind Pat. It makes you wonder what was really in there. Ghosts, perhaps, trapped there from the previous families who lingered on in the attic where they probably left this world.

Whatever is up there, it doesn't just take kids, obviously. It's like a sort of black hole...taking every living thing that enters. I like it. I like it a lot.

If you get the itch, write some more of these! -OBP

Author's Response: Thanks. Half the fun was keeping it mysterious. I originally tried to write a couple sequels, but, like most horror stories, it just kept getting cheesier with each one, so I decided to quit while I was ahead. I have a couple other short stories that I plan to trot out between installments of Tradewinds, so keep an eye out. :P