LIGHT IN THE ATTIC: Re-written as of 8-2-08

This fanfiction was entirely inspired by a photo called "The man Upstairs" by girltripped on Deviant Art, and also the Davy Jones music box theme on the PotC soundtrack.

Summary- Sakura moves to an old manor with a dark history. While hiding from her teasing brother, she stumbles upon the upstairs attic… but she's not alone up there. After befriending the spirit of a child who died violently, Sakura learns that the truth isn't always what you want it to be. This is not a loli-fic. It takes place in present day.

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It was by far the creepiest house Sakura had ever seen. But being only eight, she'd never seen many creepy houses, and so didn't have many to compare it to anyway.

The old Ford Windstar moved slowly up the drive, and the unfamiliar sound of tire on gravel seemed ominous to Sakura. With a lurch, the car stopped and the driver leaned out the window. They had known it wouldn't be modern, but this was so..

"Old." The young boy next to Sakura groaned. "Daaad, Look at this place.. this is so crappy." Sakura's brother was a year older, much louder, more whiney, and meaner. Kirio had evolved from an adorable child to a brat the moment Sakura was born. Reason being, she was her mother's favorite. Was. Sakura's mom would have quieted the boys complaints with a mere smile, had she been in the car with them.. Or alive, for that matter. A car accident on an icy road. Drunk driver.

"This is a grand old house. Treat it with respect." Her dad said blandly, as they stared up at it. Sakura dully noted that his voice did not sound as if he thought the house deserved respect.

Four stories high, the Victorian manor was gray with peeling paint, it's dark shutters had long since turned from red to a dismal brown. Tall weeds grew in the front garden, and grime coated the windows. It faced the West, and the setting sun would have made the house look even creepier, had it not been for the fact that dark clouds were billowing overhead, which surely made it look as sinister as possible.

"Well, it could use a little paint.." Mr. Haruno smushed his cigarette in the ashtray beside him and eyed the house wearily. All three stepped out of the car and began unpacking the van, while Sakura eyed the house up and down.

That's when it caught her eye.

A glint of red, a tiny pinprick in the fourth floor attic window. Sakura's heart skipped a beat. A sudden feeling of exposure and fear washed over her... Someone was looking through the window, but they had vanished so quickly that she wondered if it was her imagination. She continued to stare, rooted to the spot.

"Sakura! Let's go, it's starting to rain!" Her father's voice snapped her out of her stupor, and she rushed to help unload boxes from the car. Carrying they're few belongings into the house, Sakura's could see the former splendor of the place, and that it had truly been beautiful once. Dust muffled their footsteps as she dragged a suitcase upstairs. It was times like these when Sakura longed for solitude. She knew her brother would try to argue with her over rooms or belongings, so she quickly searched the first, then second, and finally the third floor, looking for the perfect room.

And she found it. It faced the back of the house, towards the east, and it was for this reason that Sakura liked it. The morning sun would shine on the faded butterfly wallpaper and make the floor's polish seem a little less nonexistent. Peering out of the window, she could see nothing but a small field, and endless woods beyond it. She might have found a better room on the fourth floor, but the thought of those crimson eyes startled her. 'Not eyes. Just the light catching something…' She told herself. Being a child who though logically, Sakura decided not to let the thought of someone else in the house scare her. But it did..

With a sigh, she pulled the scrunchie out of her shoulder length hair and flopped unceremoniously onto the bed, which immediately poofed out copious amounts of dust. She sneezed loudly, and rolled off it at once onto the floor and laughing at her silly mistake.

…But somewhere, in a dark corner of the fourth floor attic, a figure sitting atop a crate stared at the floor beneath his feet and whispered softly.

"Bless you."

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Don't worry, the chapters gradually grow longer. I hope you liked it. I'd love to hear what you think!