thoughts on quitting blogging

Things That Go Bump In the Night

Remember our attic-dwelling “visitor” of last year? The one who made noises in the walls and went on a chewin’ spree among the bags of old clothes and other junk up there?

No, we didn’t either. We’d had the best of intentions about calling the council and asking them to come and investigate our “visitor”, but it happened right before we went on holiday, and then by the time we got back, and had Christmas, and then New Year, and the snow came, and blah,blah, blah, we’d forgotten all about the Madthing in the Attic. And there were no more noises to remind us, either.

Until this week.

On Tuesday night I went to bed as normal, only to be rudely awoken a few hours later by what sounded like a large animal trying to scratch its way through the ceiling and get me. “Uh-oh, Shaggy!” I thought, “It’s grown! It’s been up there all the time, feeding on my old clothes, and growing fat and wicked. OMG!”

I woke Terry, so he could lie awake and listen to the giant creature slithering along the ceiling too. “You know,” he said after a while. “I’m not so sure that IS a giant creature. I think it could just be snow falling off the roof.”

I wasn’t totally convinced by this. I was sure I’d heard the “snow” making scratching noises. And whispering, “Amber! Amber! I’m coming to get yoooooouuuu!” But then again, was I sure? It was late. I was sleepy. Maybe it WAS just snow sliding off the roof after all? I drifted off to sleep, to dream of… well, to dream of being trapped inside an airplane that was driving along the motorway in the snow, actually, but the point is, by the time morning came, I’d forgotten all about our mysterious visitor/snow.

Until last night.

Last night we got into bed and I was just drifting off to sleep when Terry spoke. “You know,” he said. “I’ve been thinking. I’m not so sure those noises last night WERE snow.” He paused. “In fact,” he said, “I don’t know WHAT the hell those noises were. Maybe a demon, though?”

Well, that was it for me. Because last weekend? Last weekend we watched Paranormal Activity. And as anyone who’s seen the movie will probably understand, the LAST THING you want after that is to start hearing strange noises in your house in the middle of the night. Especially when you were just about to get up and use the bathroom, but now you can’t, because your husband has just suggested that, hey, there may be a DEMON lurking in your home!

Sadly for me, I’d actually managed to fulfill my “drink two litres of water per day” resolution for once. I’d drunk most of this water before bed, though, in a stupid-ass “whoops, I forgot to drink my two litres of water again, I will just do it now!” move. I had to visit the bathroom more than once last night. And every time I did, I stood trembling behind the door for a few seconds, convinced that when I opened it, I would see something coming up the stairs. Or just hear it, which would possibly be worse, although I’d prefer not to put that theory to the test. Then I’d have to do that “run to the bedroom with your eyes closed, and pull the covers over your head instantly, because if you can’t see it, it can’t scare you!” thing. Ah, scary movies, how I love you!

Anyway. In the cold light of day we are once again convinced that our Tuesday night visitor was either:

a) a member of the animal kingdom, whether it be rat, mouse or squirrel. A bit annoying, but unlikely to steal our souls while we’re asleep.

b) snow falling off the roof. This doesn’t explain the earlier occurrences, obviously, because there was no snow then, but these noises were a little different from the first ones, so perhaps our animal visitor has left us, and now we’re just hearing snow.

Or it could be Nigel.

More news as we have it, folks…

P.S. I write a weekly diary which goes out every Friday to my subscribers. Sign up below to get on the list...

I also write books
COMMENTS
  • I don't know if you every enjoy reading children's books, but there's a deeply appropriate one for this occasion: A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound.

    It's John Irving (it started out life as a book written by one of his characters within A Widow for One Year).

    …and don't worry. It doesn't turn out to be a demon. 😉
    .-= Alex´s last blog ..Community management skills: growing a thick skin =-.

    January 14, 2010
  • This is why I don't watch horror films! Too much material for a fertile imagination 😉
    .-= Anne-Marie´s last blog ..Lovely Find: Rob Ryan =-.

    January 14, 2010
  • Maybe wise just to get the council in, stat! This is why I've not yet seen Paranormal Activity.. I'm afraid it will make me lie in bed at night being afraid of noises that can be rationally explained during the daylight hours.
    .-= Gemma´s last blog ..Daily Giveaway: Bath & Body Works Fresh & Floral Products =-.

    January 14, 2010
  • Hel Cruse

    REPLY

    Bats…. One wee bat could scratch and drag. That's what i decided with our scratching / dragging friend in attic! Have you not sent HIM upstairs to find out?

    January 14, 2010
  • Maz aka MallyMon

    REPLY

    I think it's a family of wild cats. A pregnant female somehow found her way into your attic from the outside (they are fantastic climbers, cats!) Then she had kittens and well, the rest is history. They grew and they're all still semi-living in your attic. Rumour is that cats are nocturnal so that would explain the visits back to their temporary home. (I think that's an excellent explanation and very comforting indeed!) They feel really safe there and don't know that they disturb you. Bless 'em.

    January 14, 2010
  • Rock Hyrax

    REPLY

    The first odd thing that happens in The Exorcist is weird scrapy noises from the attic…

    January 14, 2010
  • Do you want me to buy a Ouija board so I can check if there really is a demon in our attic?

    January 14, 2010
  • Well, we have noises in our roof too.

    One of our cats killed a weasel before Christmas, and I expect its mates are having a party in between the downstairs ceiling and the upstairs floor – that's where the heating pipes go.

    The (five) cats much prefer lazing around on top of the hot water cylinder, or curled up beside the dog in its bed to serious weasel hunting – they know that weasels are very nasty indeed, and that the outcome of a cat/weasel fight is not certain.
    .-= david´s last blog ..Curling – The Grand Match =-.

    January 14, 2010
  • Mandi B

    REPLY

    Where is Rubin while these noises are happening? 🙂

    January 14, 2010
  • God I hope it's Nigel! How exciting would that be?
    .-= Tracey´s last blog ..The sparkle =-.

    January 15, 2010
  • Cookie

    REPLY

    Well you know.. it could be worse.

    You could, for instance, hear your neighbor hammering or pounding something around 10-11 pm in the apartment next to yours. Very, very often. And run your fingers over the wall and SWEAR that he managed to break through the wall and there is a tip of a nail pushing under the plaster… through a thick solid brick wall.

    It could be the same neighbor that decided to chat you up at the elevator, introducing himself, asking more questions than you are comfortable with, getting in rather close and offering you a ride to town. He could also be some good 30 years your senior and have the general aura of someone who shocked neighbors lately comment on with the following words (after the police took him away, naturally): But he was always so quiet…. *shudders*

    Yea, I'll take weird scratchy noises any day!

    January 15, 2010
  • Madeline

    REPLY

    Boy, that "Paranormal activity" movie sure does things to you brain! I watched it a couple of weeks ago as well. Now, mind you, I don't usually (*cough* never) get scared by horrors, thrillers but this one wrigled it's way into my mind and hasn't left since. Just to make things worse, I woke up last night at 4 A.M. to notice that my computer has somehow misteriously woken up from sleep too. The monitor was on as well, even though i distinctly remember closing it. My dad says the power might have crashed during the night and that when it came back the computer turned on. But I find that hard to believe since, usually, when that happens, the tv turns on. It didn't happen last night, though. So, yeah, i might have a demon in my house 😛

    January 15, 2010
  • It's a snow-demon that has taken the form of a squirrel, the better to burrow in your attic!

    …Okay, not helpful, I know. But at least that's something easily vanquished by a space heater or an electric blanket.

    January 17, 2010
  • I did warn you about Paranormal Activity. Oh and The Eccentric English Boyfriend (who has seen it because he's much braver than I am) says to get Terry back for scaring you with that remark you need to stand beside he bed while he sleeps and stare at him until he wakes up. Bwahahahahaha!
    .-= Selina´s last blog ..Your daily dose of pretty: Uralla shoe by Nina for Novo =-.

    January 17, 2010
  • feike

    REPLY

    Its probably field mice. Nasty critters. They come inside when it gets too cold out in their underground burrows and live in the walls or, in your case, ceilings. They're worse than demons, actually. You can find a priest to exorcise a demon but the only way to really get rid of field mice is to burn your house down and pour concrete over the whole neighbourhood so not a single millimeter is left uncovered.

    Fortunately, they usually just leave in the spring/summer.

    January 18, 2010
POST A COMMENT