“Mommy, be careful,” Tad called up to her.

“Don’t worry, I will sweetie.” Balancing precariously on a chair, Keira pushed open the attic hatch. A shower of dust fell down, covering her arms and shoulders. Inside the attic, a grey haze floated in the gloom.

At least it was daytime; faint sunlight crept through the attic window, burying everything in a soft fog.

“Are there any bugs?”

“I don’t know yet.” Taking a deep breath, Keira popped her head through the attic hatch. Dust and cobwebs covered the floor, thick enough to be a greyish snowfall. Cardboard boxes sat stacked in corners, some burst open, crumpled newspaper spilled out.

“Spiders?”

“Maybe,” her chest tightened.

Cobwebs spanned floor to ceiling,...

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