Justin wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead as he continued pushing boxes around in the attic. Even though it was nearly winter it was excruciatingly hot up there and he wasn’t helping things by working so hard. Still, he had to go through all of the junk the previous owners had left behind to make room for his and Brian’s things.

He wanted to surprise Brian with it all done by the time he got back from his business trip – he knew the man had been dreading it and really it was the least he could do after Brian bought the manor for them. He’d already managed to clear out the front half and had a good selection to give or sell so he was pleased with his progress.

He scanned the remaining piles of junk and then turned and surveyed the cleared area with a pleased smile. “I need a break.” He announced in the empty attic. “And a fan.” He added as he wiped at his forehead again.

He started walking to the lowered staircase to leave the attic until a chill suddenly went up his spine. He stilled and then laughed a bit before continuing to the stairs again.

“Justin…”

He stopped once more and turned to look around the attic. It looked the same as always. But now the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up. He gave a shiver as the chill persisted, and then walked deeper into the attic towards the area he hadn’t tackled yet.

“Justin…”

He furrowed his brow in confusion and apprehension. “Bri?” He asked carefully – perhaps he had come home early and was waiting for a chance to surprise him. No one answered.

He stepped over a low ottoman and passed a tall pile of boxes. Once on the other side he saw what used to be a white sheet, but was now covered in so many webs and dust that it looked gray. He couldn’t recognize the form of whatever it was covering, so he slowly reached out and took a hold of the fabric.

“Justin.”

He hesitated. It almost sounded as if the voice was coming from the sheet. He let go of it and took a step away as his apprehension began to turn to fear. He had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach and it only continued to get stronger and stronger the longer he stayed there. He began breathing faster and faster.

Something wasn’t right.

He had to get away.

“Justin!”

He spun to flee from the attic and ended up tripping over the boxes, sending them toppling to the ground. He heard loud thumps and he knew that something was going to reach out to grab him. He pushed himself up and raced for the stairs, only to hit something warm and solid. He and whatever it was he hit ended up tumbling down the stairs until they landed in the hallway below.

“God Justin! What the hell is going on?”

Justin, sore but unhurt, paused when he realized that he recognized the voice. “Michael?” He asked carefully and turned to find that the warm and solid body was in fact his friend.

“Yeah, who did you think it was?” Michael scooted over to the wall where he rubbed his head and grimaced.

“What are you doing all the way out here?” Justin ignored his question and demanded as he struggled to catch his breath. The adrenaline was going away, but he was still slightly panicked.

“Ma gave me food to give to you and Bri while you’re moving in. I heard you upstairs and was calling you but you never answered.” Michael explained and Justin frowned as he blinked a few times.

“You were calling me.”   Justin repeated slowly and then nodded. “Of course.” He laughed a bit, realizing how silly he’d been acting. “Are you ok?” He asked as he looked over at the man and Michael just smiled and nodded.

“Yeah. How do you like it here?” Michael asked as they stood and started walking downstairs to the kitchen. Justin began putting the tuber-ware filled food into the fridge with Michael’s help.

“It’s great. Amazing, actually. When I went to New York I assumed that Brian sold it. So when I finally came back home and he brought me here I was…Well, let’s just say it was one of Brian’s best surprises.” Justin commented with a red tinge to his cheeks.

“He always did them big, didn’t he?” Michael joked as he eyed the expansive kitchen.

Justin glanced around as well with a broad smile and nodded. “Yeah. He does.” He said contently and then motioned to a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge. “Want some?” He offered and Michael shook his head.

“Naw. I got to get going. Just came over to drop those off and see the place.” Michael declined and turned to leave. Justin followed him to the door.

“Alright. Have a safe drive back – and tell Deb thanks for me.” He gave Michael a brief hug and then he left. When he was alone in the house once more he felt the feeling in his stomach slowly creep back.

His smile faded and he looked up the stairs. He felt like he was being watched.

He then rolled his eyes at himself and walked back to the kitchen where he got himself a glass of wine and laughed at his own superstition.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was a loud thump that woke him. He jumped awake and shot up from the bed to look around him. He scanned the room but it was too dark to make out anything, so he leaned over and flipped on the switch of his lamp. He then looked around again and there was still nothing. He shook his head slowly and laid back on the pillow as he put a hand to his forehead.

“God you are so pathetic.” He told himself in a soft voice. “Getting all paranoid since Brian isn’t here.” He rolled over onto his side, keeping the light on, and surveyed the empty half of the bed. Ironically, even though he moved in a week before, he and Brian hadn’t actually shared it yet. As soon as he came back home, Brian had to take a last minute trip to Florida to stop a client from jumping ship.

He reached out and touched the cold sheets with a wistful smile. “One more day, Justin. One more day.” He repeated to himself and then shifted until he was comfortable again and closed his eyes tried to get back to sleep.

But then he heard it again.

Immediately his eyes shot open and he looked up to the ceiling where the thump had come from.

He slowly sat up and kept his eyes trained up above him. He actually jumped when he heard it again – and then a loud clang followed immediately after, as if something shattered.

He kicked the covers off and darted out of the room in only his boxers. Justin looked down the dark hallway to the even darker outline of the attic stairs protruding from the ceiling. He reached down the hall and found the light switch then flicked it on. He jumped as it almost appeared as if a shadow had darted up into the attic just as he turned them on.

He tightened his gaze and the wrapped his arms around his bare chest before moving closer to the stairs. He stopped abruptly when the lights suddenly tuned off. He turned back, reached for the switch, and toggled it on and off a few times but nothing happened.

Justin wasn’t deterred and he continued onward to the stairs. He walked up them slowly and carefully, his hands reaching up for the hole in the ceiling and used it to steady himself as he got to the top. He reached blindly for the long strand that turned on the attic light, but he couldn’t find it.

Then, something ran past him.

He gasped and turned, but in the darkness he couldn’t tell what it was.

It ran behind him again.

He spun again and tried to see in the darkness but there was no hope.

“Who is it?!” He demanded angrily.

Again, it darted behind him. This time it was so close that he could feel the air rush by him. He spun so quickly that he ended up tripping over his feet. He fell onto the rough wood of the attic and scrambled backwards, trying to get to the stairs as his heart pounded in his chest.

Something grabbed his ankle and dragged him back.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“No!”

Justin sat up screaming and reaching out for the air in front of him. When he realized that he was in bed and had been dreaming he panted a few times to collect himself. That was when he realized that his phone was ringing.

He slowly looked over at the nightstand and saw it moving slightly as it vibrated and rang. He reached out and flipped it open, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he did so. “Hello?” He asked slowly, his voice cracking from sleep.

“Did I wake you up? Shit, Sunshine – it’s nearly noon.”

‘Brian.’ Justin thought with an immense sense of relief. “I guess I needed to sleep.” He commented, but was surprised because he didn’t remember going to sleep at all. “How’s it going? Getting all packed up?” Justin asked as he leaned back against the headboard and drew his knees up.

“Yeah, Justin…About that…”

Justin could hear the regret in Brian’s voice and knew exactly what was coming next.

“I have to stay here a few more days.” He finished and Justin sighed and frowned. “I know, I’m sorry.” Brian continued. “But they’re just not budging, and I have to keep them. No one’s ever left Kinnetik and I’m not going to let that start happening now.”

“No, its fine, Bri. I get it. I do.” Justin answered honestly. “So when do you think you’ll be done?” He asked as he struggled to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

 “I’m not sure. Just a few more days I hope. I’ll call you as soon as I know more.” Brian assured and Justin nodded a few times sadly.

“Alright. Good luck.” He wished and then added swiftly, “I love you.”

There was a pause on the other end, but Justin knew it was because Brian was smiling. “You too, Sunshine.”

They hung up and Justin sighed heavily. Another few days on his own – it wasn’t the worst thing. Though he missed Brian dearly and wished his homecoming had been a bit more romantic, he knew how important this was to his husband. He slowly put the phone back on the nightstand and slid off the bed.

As soon as he hung up he thought back to the nightmare he’d been having. It had felt so real – which wasn’t typical for him. Though there had been a brief period of time right after Hobbs had attacked him that all of his nightmares had felt real, that faded away less than a year after the incident. He looked to the door and walked there determinedly. He pulled it open and then looked down the hallway.

He gasped.

The stairs to the attic were still lowered even though he distinctly remembered putting them up after he finished working for the day. He frowned and walked over to them and swiftly put them up. There was a low clang as they connected with the ceiling but he didn’t care.

He looked up at it for a moment and then went downstairs to make some food. He was midway through making a sandwich when a loud clang made him jump. He looked up slowly and knew immediately what it was.

“What the hell is going on?” He demanded angrily before wiping his hands clean and going back upstairs. Sure enough the stairs to the attic were back down. He scowled.

Justin moved swiftly to the stairs and stomped up them with determination. He tugged on the light strand and surveyed the attic. He placed his hands on his hips and frowned when he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Everything was just how he left it the day before.

He remained still for some time, deciding to give the stillness and quiet a chance to reveal something. He was sure he stayed completely motionless for five minutes. Nothing happened. He was disappointed in himself more than anything, and he knew that he was letting his imagination get the best of him. If Brian were there he would tell him he was acting ridiculous. “The joints on the stairs must need to be changed.” He realized and mentally added that to the list of things that the house needed done.

He turned back to the stairs to examine them and came to a stop. His stomach clenched, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he shivered as something seemed to be in the attic with him. His breathing was shaky and his hands clenched at his sides as he struggled to maintain his composure.

He felt a breath on his neck.

He spun, but saw only the emptiness. His heart was pounding and his hands began to feel clammy. There was something there with him. He didn’t know what, but he wasn’t alone.

He scanned the items remaining in the attic and they fell on the white cloaked object he’d been intrigued by the day before. He felt drawn to it – as if it was calling to him.

Justin stepped closer to it slowly. He moved carefully, keeping still after each step in order to remain alert and aware. However, step after step brought him closer and closer until he was standing just in front of it. The pit in his stomach grew heavier and heavier. Part of him was yelling at him to run, but a much stronger part was determined to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

He ignored his body’s instincts and tore the cover from the object.

Before him, stood a tall mirror, standing on ornate legs and surrounded by intricately carved wood. It was an antique, and one that looked that it’d be of great value even to his untrained eye. It was beautiful, and the image in the glass was crystal clear.

He saw himself standing there and looked at his reflection for a moment. He seemed…off.

He turned his head to the side slowly, and it looked as if there was a split second of hesitation in the reflection. It was eerie and wrong.

He reached out to touch the mirror, but hesitated. His fingers hovered over the glass and he continued to stare hard at his reflection. After a moment, he took his hand away and shook his head.

Suddenly, his reflection in the mirror frowned and a low roar filled his ears. He took a frightened step back away from the mirror but was suddenly thrown backwards.

He felt something heavy press down on his chest and he struggled to breathe.

“You’re mine!”

That was the last thing he heard before his world went black.