Just another Walton Storyline story, this time taking place sometime within The face We Never Forgot.
There´s however, no gripping plot, it was just a nother idea i had while writing another story of mine.
Hope you like it and enjoy the reading.
Brigitta10, thanks for the fixes.
FOOTSTEPS IN THE ATTIC
The night was dark on Walton's Mountain, and rain was pouring. A lonely and wet man found himself wandering around, looking for somewhere to hide. After what seemed like hours or stumbling up a muddy dirt road, he spotted a house, with only one window lit up with light. Maybe he could hide there until the rain stopped.
Frozen, the man waited for what seemed like eternity before the light switched off. He crouched still for another few minutes, making sure all residents of the house were asleep, before he moved to climb the nearest tree. To his relief, from the top of the tall tree, he could sneak inside the attic's window.
Amongst the family's sentimental belongings, he found an old blanket and curled up against a wooden trunk to sleep.
_/_
It was John Boy's turn to milk the cow, and he was relieved that the rain had stopped during the night, so he wouldn't be wet as well as tired. As he reached the top of the stairs, his heart jolted at the sound of footsteps echoing nearby.
"Hello?" He called softly, hoping to hear a response or a hand on his shoulder. When no one answered, he made his way downstairs and outside to the barn.
When John Boy returned to the kitchen with the milk, laughter and voices told him that his family was up as well. Olivia and Grandma were at the stove, John and Grandpa were sitting at the table, and his three brothers and two sisters were chatting about their plans for the day.
"Did someone try to prank me earlier?" John Boy questioned with a smile.
Ben grinned. "I think you were the only one awake 'earlier'."
Thirteen-year-old Jim Bob glanced at Elizabeth and widened his eyes. "Maybe John Boy heard the ghost that lives in the attic!"
Olivia looked her youngest son with a grown. Since they had lost Mary Ellen a year before, she had forbidden any of her children to speak about things like ghosts or spirits. Even so, sometimes Jim Bob forgot. "James Robert, how many times must I tell you to stop scaring your sister with your stories?"
"Sorry, Mama."
Elizabeth, very mature at her wise age of ten, stuck her tongue out at her brother.
"Elizabeth!" Grandma scolded.
John raised his hand before Erin could boss her little sister around. "That's enough. John Boy, you probably heard one of your siblings or your Mama getting out of bed. Don't worry about it." He glanced towards his father. "Pa, I need your help at the mill, please."
And so the family set off on their different paths. Grandpa and John left for a long day of hard work, Jason left for his music academy and dropped John Boy off at the telegraph, and Ben, Erin, Jim Bob and Elizabeth set off for school.
_/_
The rest of the day went smoothly for the family. Olivia visited the cemetery before her children arrived home, and silently mourned the loss of her strong, loud eldest daughter. Grandma baked a pie that evening with Erin and Elizabeth's help while Ben and Jim Bob planned some mischief. Jason practiced his guitar, and John Boy helped his grandfather and father at the mill, despite his blindness.
None of them knew who was in the attic. The stranger heard the family go about their lives. Despite being grateful for the shelter, he began to feel guilty. He had invaded their house without asking and he would certainly be sent to jail if caught. He decided to leave, but only when the house became completely silent once more.
_/_
After a long day at the mill, John Walton returned home to see his oldest son sitting on the couch with a deep frown on his face. He couldn't help laughing at John Boy's expression.
"No such thing as hard work anymore, son?"
John Boy chuckled a lot less enthusiastically than normal. "I was helping Grandpa load the truck and I came in for a glass of water. I heard the sound again and decided to stop and listen more intently. They're footsteps, like someone is walking upstairs. In the attic, maybe?"
"Sometimes I forget you have better hearing than me." John smiled. "Why don't you and go help Jason and Ben fix that fence and later we'll investigate the noise you heard?"
John Boy agreed and left, eager to have something to do before supper.
_/_
All throughout supper, John Boy didn't mention the noise anymore and John decided to let the whole thing be. Perhaps it was just Ben playing a prank on his blind brother. As much as it sounds unfair, he didn't scold the obvious perpetrator, as the teenager deserved to play around after losing one of his closest friends. John Boy often liked to prank his brother as well, so there was nothing to complain about.
As they cleared the dishes, however, the footsteps sounded again. This time, everyone heard them.
"Good Lord, what's that noise?" Grandma exclaimed.
Jim Bob smirked. "It's the ghost, Grandma, it's coming after Elizabeth!"
Elizabeth dramatically looked towards her parents. "Jim Bob is teasing me again!"
Olivia glared at her son in frustration. "James Robert, how many times!"
"Mama is right, Jim Bob." Jason said gently. "Your joke isn't even funny."
"Sorry Mama, it was just a prank."
Elizabeth jumped up from her seat unsteadily. "I'm not afraid of ghosts, Jim Bob! I'll prove it!"
Ignoring the order to stay at the table, she raced upstairs and into the attic only to come face to face with the stranger. The family jumped when they heard her scream. Without any second thoughts, everyone except Grandma and John Boy ran upstairs to see what was happening.
Elizabeth was in shock, and the stranger was trying to calm her down. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" John barked, taking his baby girl's hand and bringing her away from the stranger.
The very frightened stranger told them about the storm and his idea to hide in the attic.
Erin's eyes brightened in realization. "So you are the noise John Boy heard."
The stranger, Paul Giard, stared at the fifteen-year-old in confusion.
"Our eldest son is blind, so he heard you walking around in our attic." Olivia explained softly. "You gave us quite a scare."
Paul apologized profusely and was ushered by Grandpa downstairs to tell Grandma and John Boy the story. He explained that he had got himself lost when the rain started and couldn't get back home. The family forgave the stranger and invited him to spend the night.
When morning came, Paul thanked the family for their hospitality and left, but not before promising to return under more pleasant circumstances. In return, John Boy promised that he would write about a mysterious traveler who took shelter in a family's house on a rainy evening.
THE END