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The deed had been dealt with the moment the family heard the news. No one really wanted Aunt Kate’s house. It was a single story cookie-cutter from the 80s with attic space that spanned most of its width. Riley’s parents all but told Riley themselves to just sell the place. Kensdale was a middle of nowhere town with a population less than three thousand. No one would buy that house unless they were local, or a city slicker who didn’t know a good deal on a house or a scam.
Still, even after Aunt Kate’s funeral, Riley couldn’t just leave yet. The parents already flew back, but Riley wanted to spend just one more night in Aunt Kate’s home.
The first welcoming sight was how it didn’t change much. Pale blue siding greeted Riley the same way it did summers ago. It even looked like it had been recently powerwashed too. The key still got caught in the doorknob if you entered it at the wrong angle.
“Take your shoes off at the door,” Aunt Kate used to tell Riley. “I love you, but I don’t love mopping your muddy prints off my floor.”
‘Yes, Aunt Kate.’ Riley would sign back- various degrees of sarcasm added depending on their mood that day. Even now, just from muscle memory, Riley signed their reply- pausing only as they went over Kate’s name sign.
Good God. She was gone now.
Taking a breath, Riley moved forward.
The letter was resting on the kitchen table. And, admittedly, Riley dismissed it as junk mail until seeing their name on the envelope. The contents of the letter soon made them understand why.
There were whispers at the funeral that Aunt Kate had purposely killed herself. None of the police reports backed that up, of course, but everyone still talked. Riley almost threw up in finding it must be true. Had to be. They were reading Kate’s honest to god suicide note right now!
Right…?
The letter also mentioned something in the attic. A tape? Riley couldn’t remember the last time they had gone up to Aunt Kate’s attic. It had been (metaphorically) roped off since they were five- at the very least. Its trap door was in the center of the hallway, and with some careful prying, Riley was able to get the trap door open and the folding ladder came down with a creak.
For a moment, they just stared up. There was a flicker of light there. A small thing, like someone cracking an eye open before fully committing to being awake.
‘Alright Aunt Kate,’ Riley then signed to themselves, ‘I’m trusting you on this.’
And up Riley went into the attic.