217 Babel Street | Stairwell
Alicia reached the second floor. She peered down the empty corridor past apartment number 5. All was quiet. She had heard the story of the ghost on the stairs, but of course she didn't believe in anything like that, not outside of books. She was about to set off once more when a sudden noise startled her; it was the sound of a gunshot coming from number 5: CRACK! Gunshots, a scream, music. It was the television, that was all. Yes, that was all.
Half way up the stairs she heard a door closing from above. Alicia stopped and waited, until silence settled back into place. Perhaps it would be best to turn back now? How would she ever reach the top floor? But no, she had to be strong, strong and brave.
At the next landing she rested a while, thinking she could maybe have a little something from her backpack, an apple perhaps, or even the chocolate bar. Her hand pressed against the wall and came back stained a bright red. Alicia shuddered as darkness fell over the stairwell.
Something sparkled in the shadows. What was it? She bent down and pulled the object out from beneath the radiator. It was a magic box, a puzzle of some kind. A lovely thing, a treasure. The light caught once more, urging the young girl to continue.
She climbed up towards the next floor.