Chapter 5: Strange Things

"Next time you two decide to go to a fortune teller, I'm not going in, no matter how cheap it is." Simon sighed as he bent over his math problems for that evening. It was after dinner, and after Dave had given them a long talk about what it means to take information with 'a grain of salt'. Simon didn't need the lecture, but it seemed like Dave had been trying to make sure Alvin and Theodore understood the point.

But as Simon noted Alvin building a few things on his bed that night - Alvin hadn't learned anything at all.

"Alvin, are you sure this is a good idea? Miss Melina did say there were some really...weird things in the attic. You really shouldn't go up there alone, especially if you think it's after you. What if it's a really vicious monster or something?"

"We won't know for sure until after midnight, Theodore. Just in case, I'm planning to lay a few traps. If anything, they'll realize they've tangled with the wrong chipmunk!"

"For the last time, Alvin, I think you're overdoing it. There's nothing in that attic. I mean, Dave just cleaned up there two weeks ago. We might not be in there that often, but there's really nothing up there that we shouldn't know about."

"No, but there could be something that we're overlooking. Some kind of history, whether it might be the house or something in the house, am I wrong?"

"You're really into this, aren't you?" Simon seemed surprised, as he turned from working on his math problems in his swivel chair and faced Alvin as he tied together a few empty pillowcases, forming something resembling a net. "Usually when we talk about anything history related, you pass out with boredom."

"Not when it's actually interesting, Simon." Alvin said enthusiastically. "Not only that, it's my neck that's on the line."

"So you say, but you don't really have much of a neck."

Alvin self-consciously pulled down the collar of his pajamas. "Neither do you or Theodore. Anyway, I'm going to start setting up. Dave's probably still working in his office, so I should be done by the time he finishes."

"Now? It's only 8:30."

"It's the best time. I already have some of the lanterns and stuff up there, so that way, if anything happens tonight - which I think it will - I can catch the culprit. And I'll prove once and for all that my fortune IS coming true."

"Fine, have it your way. Just so you don't end up doing something stupid like you did last night with Dave, I'll go up there with you."

"Can I come up there too? We can have smores to snack on since we had dinner already. I feel a little safer knowing at least Alvin's monster-proofing the attic."

"Actually Theodore, bringing smores is a great idea. While you're at it, bring a few magazines and books too. Because when nothing actually happens, I think we'll need something to entertain us while we're in Alvin's company." Simon noted, shaking his head.

"You know, Simon, Miss Melina was right. You've gotta work on that skeptic attitude of yours. It's really cramping your style." Alvin said as he carried his monster-proofing materials out of the room.

***

"Finally, I never thought Dave would go to sleep. Looks like we're all set, and we can expect our monster in about 30 minutes."

Alvin, Simon and Theodore sat in a semi circle between some stacked crates within the center of the attic, with flashlights, lanterns, and some books and prepared smores while waiting for midnight to come around. It was 11:30 sharp, and Simon read one of the popular science magazines, while Theodore bit on a gooey smore, seemingly content. Alvin used his vision and flashlight to make sure that all of the traps were still in place, and felt a little more at ease with the preparation. He slipped into his sleeping back, lying on his stomach and folding his arms to rest his chin upon them as he read through his magazine "Guide to Monster-Proofing Your Attic or Basement".

"I'm jumping for joy." Simon said while reading his magazine.

"Seriously, Simon, cut it out. I know you're a little less than overjoyed that we're here, but it's not even midnight yet."

"I'm completely convinced we won't see or hear anything while we're here. If I don't see anything by 12:05 AM sharp, I'm going back to our room."

"You wanna take a bet on that? I bet $20 we'll see something happen before then."

"Alvin, I'm pretty sure that you don't have $20."

"I know I don't, but I know that you do." Alvin grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Fine, it's a deal, but if I win, you have to pay for my next ticket to the Art and Science Museum exhibit opening next month."

"But that's $45! It's going to take out of my next several allowances to pay for that."

"Well, I never said I came cheaply, you know."

"Oh, brother." Alvin groaned. "Fine, you're on."

A long thirty minutes passed, and by that time, the boys were dozing. All of them awoke at the sound of Alvin's watch alarm, which beeped loudly before Alvin turned it off.

"Well, it's that time Alvin. And so far, nothing's happened."

"Okay, it just turned midnight. We still have five minutes."

Suddenly, the light of the lanterns seemed to go dim all at once in the room.

"Okay, Simon, you mind qualifying that as 'something'?" Alvin raised a brow and met Simon with annoyance in his tone.

"Coincidence, much?" Simon's voice was equally cross, but he went silent as a strange scratching started growing louder in the room. Theodore was equally startled, clutching the back of Simon's nightie with one hand and hesitantly looking around with the flashlight in the other.

"Where exactly is that coming from, I don't see anything around here that could be making that noise." Simon aimed his flashlight around the room, looking in the corners and around the traps Alvin had placed earlier.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I heard it last night too. Just before I remember the shadow approaching me." Alvin noted, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Okay guys, let's stand in a circle, and look around the room. If we see anything strange, then we just say so, okay?"

"It's probably just a rat, Alvin. You're freaking out too much over it, and you're freaking out Theodore." Simon protested, but found himself standing back to back with Alvin and Theodore, aiming their flashlights, which seemed to flicker between bright and dim, to every corner of the room.

Just as sudden as it came, the scratching stopped. The room was silent, though the lights remained dim.

"See what I mean? It's gone now."

"Does anybody think that it suddenly got cold in here? My ankles are freezing." Theodore said, lowering his flashlight.

"You should've worn your other bedroom shoes."

"No, Simon, Theodore's right - it's a little cold in here. I definitely think something...Whoa!" Alvin suddenly felt himself pulled downward, sinking down into something he didn't recognize until he looked at his feet. The wooden floor just below him had become a dark circle that seemed to pull him under. Simon and Theodore noticed, turning around and each grabbing one of Alvin's hands just before he completely went into the circle.

"Alvin, hang on!" Theodore pulled as much as his tiny feet could move him, and Simon pulled with just as much intensity. But whatever was pulling against Alvin's feet seemed to just overtake their efforts by a slim margin, pulling Alvin further in the dark circle.

"Now do you believe me, Simon?!" Alvin shouted.

"I'm not arguing with you while I'm trying to save you, Alvin!"

"You owe me $20 by the way!"

"Will you cut it out and at least try to kick your way back up here from whatever's trying to pull you in?!"

"I'm trying!"

But just as soon as the force had pulled Alvin into the tiny black circle, it seemed to let him go just as abruptly, sending the three crashing into the opposite wall. Alvin landed upside down, while Simon and Theodore simply landed with their backs against the wall.

Alvin opened his eyes to see something emerging from the black circle. A tiny figure that didn't seem much bigger than Alvin or Theodore - but definitely not as tall as Simon - stepped out upon the wooden platforms.

"Guys...look."

"At what, Alvin? There's nothing there. Did you hit your head or something? Wait, dumb question, you're on your head." Simon said snidely.

Alvin ignored him as he took to his feet, slowly approaching the figure that seemed to dust itself off while standing close to the dimming lanterns.

"It's...a girl. She doesn't look much older than we are." Alvin found himself recognizing what the figure was, seemingly transparent, and looking very frantically around the room. She looked forward and saw Alvin, her hair braided into two long ponytails, and her eyes wide, brimming with tears. She was barefoot, and dressed in a knee-length skirt and shirt with frills on the sleeves. Her expression seemed to brighten as she realized Alvin could see her, and she ran over to him, taking his hand and shaking it vigorously.

"Uh, okay...hi...nice to meet you?" Alvin managed to get out the words, but the girl seemed to notice that he was a little freaked out, so she recoiled and put her tiny hands over her cheeks, as if she were embarrassed. He saw her try to speak, but no words came audibly, and she noticed that she couldn't speak, let alone that Alvin couldn't hear her. The tears in her eyes seemed to well again.

"Hey, it's okay. Don't cry. Try to calm down and speak again."

"Alvin, who are you talking to?"

"You can't see her, Theodore?"

"Now I know you hit your head. Really hard. See who?" Simon rose to his feet and started to walk towards Alvin, who looked away from the girl that stood before him briefly to give Simon a weird glance. The girl saw Simon approaching and took Alvin by the hand, pulling him, while running towards the dark circle from which she entered.

"Wait a minute! Hey!" Alvin didn't get a chance to say anything in edgewise as he found himself pulled towards the circle again.

"Alvin, stop! That circle tried to pull you in before and you're trying to go to it again?!" Simon scolded.

"I'm not doing this!" Alvin said, trying to pull against the girl's hand, but she didn't let go, and Alvin found himself yelling as the girl leapt into the circle, while holding his hand and pulling him into the dark void, and the dark circle disappeared, all while allowing the lights in the room to return to normal.

"I don't believe it..." Simon noted, trying to digest what had happened.

"...Alvin's gone...." Theodore finished Simon's thoughts verbally. "We've gotta wake up Dave!"