Noises in the Closet - SCBWI Write This!

If you are a SCBWI member, you can participate in the new Write This! monthly prompt. Here's the details:

Write This! April Contest: This month, you have 100 words to portray a scene where your character hears a suspicious noise coming from the closet. Create a mood. Surprise us!

Deadline: April 20th

Guidelines:

• You must be a current SCBWI member to submit to Write This!
• Entries must be inspired by the prompt in some way.
• Please no italics or bold fonts. 12 point text size.
• E-mail subject line must be titled as follows: Write This_First name_Last name.
• Each member may only submit one entry per prompt word.
• E-mail your entry IN THE BODY OF THE E-MAIL, please no attachments to: scbwiwritethis@scbwi.org
• TIP: Tweet, Facebook and Instagram your submissions! #scbwiwritethis
           (this is not how you submit your writing, it's just an extra way to promote your work)
  
  
• My entry for April is a poem I've been working on for awhile, tightened up to the 100 word limit. This story is inspired by some freaky ghost hunting I did in my own house when I was little. I would use Dad's stress test scrap paper to graph the sounds I heard coming from our attic stairs closet. 

Attic Dwellers

By Lauri Meyers

Pressed against the door,

Father's stethoscope captures

The attic dwellers noise.

Thump, thump, whooooo, thump, screech.

I decode the message:

"We have what you seek." 

The skeleton key grinds in the rusty metal lock.

Hinges groan apart.

Cold air rushes past me.

Darkened stairway looms.

Creak.

Gulp my fear.

Creak.

Cobwebs tickle my nose.

Creak.

Reach through darkness.

Pull the cord.

Click.

Spirits shrink to the shadows.

I grab the treasure-

Father's army cap.

Breathe in his strength.

Shadows grow impatient.

Lights out.

Run.

Stumble into the light.

Turn the key.

Listen.

Thump, whoo, thump, whoo, creak.

"See you again."