“She dragged a stepstool around to stand on and climbed up to inspect the tape.” (Dessen, 103)


We looked up to the ceiling corner. Along the edge was a fragment of yellowed masking tape; torn a little at the edges. The new house was seemingly full of secrets... Ones that were yet to be discovered with its belfries and massive fireplaces. I was unpacking, this was to be my room. My sister, Claire was helping me, we had dragged countless boxes of mine into the room, and I was exhausted. Claire was 2 years older than me, I was fifteen, she was seventeen. I was closer to her than to anyone else. The tape was yellowed and faded in places. It too contained secrets. On the tape was writing. Claire was curious, as was I. She dragged a stepstool around to stand on and climbed up to inspect the tape. It read: “DO NOT REMOVE”. Naturally, because Claire was Claire, she began to peel back the tape just as I said; “Claire I’m not so sure... What if the house collapses or something like that?” She shrugged me off; “Oh Anne, don’t be such a baby. A house could not simply be held up by a piece of tape!” With that she finished the job. Behind the tape was an opening about an inch deep and three inches wide. In the opening was a key hole. Under the whole was a key. The key was brass, and had the appearance that it could be over two hundred years old. “See silly, the house didn’t fall apart.” Claire told me. She picked up the key and slid it through the hole. It fit, a perfect match. I was scared, I’m not sure why, but I was. I had goosebumps up and down my arms. She gently turned the key, and my stomach churned. I suddenly felt sick. “CREEEEEEK! WHAM!” A door banged open on the other side of my room.