Mad House

”Meirda!”

Halloween slapped her hands over her mouth, cutting her voice off hard, as she proceeded to dance around the floor while the mouse horde scattered. Fucking mice, god damn it. They were always popping up back at her house growing up, creepy little things skittering in the walls and poking their heads out through the walls and waltzing into the kitchen like they owned the place. They were all over the place, and one of the nice things, she thought, about moving out here was not having to deal with them anymore.  Japan was one of the cleanest cities on earth. But nope, nope there they were, with their beady little eyes and their whiskers and that smell and uuuuuuuuugh.

Calm down, calm down, calm the fuck down. Halloween got her shit together once the rats were clear, held her breath, cursed in her throat. She’d hissed that word out more than anything, not too loud, it might have been covered by the scampering...but then again, it might not have. She wasn’t sure who was here, if there was anyone around. The place was quiet, but that didn’t mean too much - with its size, there could be all sorts of noises that weren’t reaching her. But then, that would work in her favor, too, right?

Instead of dwelling on it too much and wasting more time, she slipped her way inside and looked around at the room, taking stock of all it had to offer. First thought? The cage. Why was there a cage? A big one, too, way too big for a big, but it was hanging from the ceiling, or at least it was supposed to be, so what was the deal? She didn’t have the first clue.

Strange as it was, it wasn’t what caught her eye the most. No, that would have to be the light coming from behind the dresser. She moved over, closer, taking care to avoid all the presents the rat’s left behind. Sure enough, there was a door hidden there. For what reason? Why have a hidden door in your own house?

Either way, it was worth checking out. She moved over to the side of the chest and pushed against it, shoving it inch by inch to make the least noise possible. Just a little more and a little more, bit by bit, step by step, don’t tip over, nice and steady...