The scenery rushed by the car windows, little Jacob staring out in intrigue as the sedan rumbled down the road. Every so often, a towering house with a sprawling yard would start to come into view; he would clutch onto the arm rest and try to pull himself up higher, trying to catch all the detail. His heart would soon sink though as the house passed by, and he chewed on his lip while resisting the urge to ask for the seventh time that day, "Are we there yet?"

He could hear his mother and sister in the front of the car talking about something- to be honest he wasn't paying a whole lot of attention- but every so often his mother would glance in the rear view mirror from behind her large, amber sunglasses just to make sure he was still there. This time her gaze lingered on him a little longer, and he looked back at her.

"What's got you so interested out there honey?" Chloe's voice drifted between the front seats, and he watched as his sister turned from the passenger side, watching him intently with a cocked eyebrow.

"Probably wondering why he can't join his animal family in the wild."

Clicking her tongue, Chloe snapped her head to meet her daughter's eyes, the girl now slinking back to face the road even as a small smirk remained on her lips.

"Lillian Mitchell!"

Jacob snickered under his breath, chewing on the inside of his cheek to help suppress a snort he knew just wanted to make its way out. He and his sister both knew the use of your full name in that tone of voice was just the start of their parents' impending wrath; luckily for his sister, Chloe was too busy focussing on the road to dish out a full on lecture.

The red-head settled for shaking her head instead, pursing her lips and the centre of her eyebrows crinkling in that way that they did when she was either deep in thought or on the edge of entering a very bad mood.

"You're just like your mother sometimes baby," sighing softly, she adjusted her sunglasses. "Lilly please try not to upset your brother today, at least wait until we've moved in okay?"

Unable to resist it any longer, Jacob sat up a little straighter in his seat, leaning forwards and using his hands to hold onto the back of his mother's chair. He could see the road narrowing, a thin layer of clay and gravel blowing across its surface. He inhaled a slow breath, his eyes brightening and lips parting before it finally escaped.

"Are we there yet?"

"Oh my god Jakey, quit being such an annoying turd!"

Lillian's face snapped to meet his, and his face set into a stern glare, staring straight back into her hazel eyes. His little eyebrows crinkled together and he prepared to unleash his response, not noticing his mother's hands tighten on the steering wheel.

"Shut up Lillian! I'm allowed to ask questions-"

"Not when it's the same dumb question you've already asked like fifty times today-"

"Both of you!" Chloe snapped, her lips tightening into a scowl, blue eyes turning acidic from behind her glasses.

Jacob shrunk back into his chair. That look was reminiscent of the time when he was younger and accidentally broke one of his sister's dolls, snapping her arm off at the elbow. It was Lilly's favourite doll, and she had shoved him so hard that he fell backwards and cracked his head on the corner of the coffee table, resulting in the need to be rushed to the hospital where he promptly received ten stitches and a free lollipop. Blueberry flavoured.

On the other hand, his sister had received a lengthy yelling at from both parents, and had been banished to her bedroom to 'think about what you've done'. Computer privilege and friend visits had also been suspended for the rest of that week.

Chloe let out a sharp, strained breath, concentrating on the road but not sparing Lillian and Jacob a warning glare from her peripheral vision.

"We're almost there, but I swear if you two don't stop arguing right this minute I will stop this car right now and you can walk the rest of the way."

The two children went deathly silent, Jacob pushing back even further into his seat, and Lillian crossing her arms over her chest while a rosy colouring formed on her cheeks. Unsatisfied with their silence, Chloe gave them both one more piercing stare.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, mum," they both echoed in unison.

The car fell into silence once more, bar the soft rumbling of the engine and the crackling of the road underneath the tires. Jacob returned to watching out the windows, his eyes flickering from side to side as the trees flew past his vision. It felt like it had only been a minute in passing before there was a break in the tree line, and his vision began to follow the line of a rustic iron fence encasing the yard of a run down old house.

It certainly didn't have the grandeur that some of the other places in this town had, but just in pure size it was majestic and breath taking. He pressed a hand against the window, edging as close as he could, and he felt a little well of excitement rise up in his stomach as the sensation of the car slowing and beginning to turn into the driveway vibrated through him.

Approaching the front of the house, he could see a large moving truck with its rear doors open, and two men in orange and blue uniforms carefully lowering their sofa down until it was able to be carried to the front porch. He was just able to make out a small brunette standing in the doorway, waving her hands around and mouthing words, the movers following her said directions and disappearing into the house carrying the couch.

Jacob had barely waited for the car to come to a complete stop, his face almost breaking in two he was smiling so brightly. He unclipped his seatbelt and pulled the door open before Chloe even had time to apply the handbrake, running at lightning speed towards the brunette woman across the yard. His Nike's slapped against the ground and the breeze whipped his ear length blonde hair about his eyes; yet as clear as day he could still see Beca, her face breaking out into a huge grin to match his own.

Beca barely had time to open her arms as the boy launched himself against her, wrapping his arms around her waist and clinging to her tightly, instantly relieved as he inhaled the scent of fabric softener on her shirt and an earthy scent that was just so recognisably her.

"Mama B!"

He felt the sensation of her peppering the top of his head with kisses, the warmth of her arms surrounding him, and even though his chest was burning from the run from the car he still managed to find enough breath to look up and exclaim: "I missed you!"

"Missed you too baby, did you two behave for grandma and grandpa?"

Nodding exuberantly, Jacob turned so that his cheek was smushed into his mother's stomach, and saw his sister and their other mother approaching from the car. Despite the fact that she would have had everyone believe she wasn't thrilled at all, Lillian's lips turned up into the smallest of smiles, and her steps turned to a light jog until she too was nestled in the warmth of a parental snuggle.

"You know us mama B, always so well behaved," Lilly teased, receiving her share of head kisses.

Beca leant over the two children as her red-headed angel approached, capturing the woman's lips in a tender kiss; the two parents shared a few unspoken words, before Beca's mouth cracked into a crooked smile and her nose crinkled.

"Oh I'm sure you did," she gave one last kiss to their foreheads before pulling away, pressing her hands into their backs and directing them towards the house. "I'll be calling grandma later to corroborate that story."

As Jacob and his sister headed into the house, he was sure he heard his mum call out after them to "don't run in the house", but of course it only took crossing the threshold before he broke out into a sprint, almost running into the movers in the process. He barely uttered out an apology, slipping past the men and beginning upstairs with Lilly in tow.

"First one upstairs gets to pick their own room!"

The sound of the children's footsteps clattered up the stairs, and Jacob could hear the sound of his sister's breath right behind him. Reaching out, he grabbed the thick, wooden railing and hauled himself up the last few steps, looking back at Lilly with a triumphant grin. His sister rolled her eyes and pushed past him, only turning back to cock an eyebrow at him with a mischievous smile playing at her lips.

"I'm older than you, I'll get the bigger room anyway you know."

Jacob scrunched up his brow, setting his lips in a pout as he watched his sister make her way down the hall. As she disappeared into one of the rooms, he heard a scratching sound in the wall beside him, tapping and clicking as if something was crawling around behind the brickwork.

Rather than be left alone here where a wild rat could chew its way through the wall and consume him for an afternoon snack, he took off in a jog after Lilly.

He skidded to a halt at the doorway she had passed through, leaning on the door jamb and peering into the empty room. The floor was covered in a thin layer of dust, the wooden floorboards wide and patterned with intricate lines and knots as though they had been carved from a tree older than both of his parents and grandparents combined. A rectangular window took up most of the wall adjacent to the door, its panes cracked open and the midday breeze playing with the lace curtains.

Sniffing, he noted a light scent of paint; it wasn't overpowering but the smell made his nose crinkle up and he wondered how long it would take before it was gone.

"This is awesome, this place is so huge I'll have room for my own computer desk. Maybe even a bookshelf!" Lilly exclaimed, arms out wide as she span around and looked like she was already planning out where exactly everything she owned would go.

Jacob nodded, his fingers tapping on the door jamb as he watched his sister in what he now assumed was her 'claimed space'. Pushing off, he looked down the hallway to the next room down, its wooden door closed and an air of mystery emanating off of it.

His curiosity was piqued, and he found himself being drawn towards the room. Head tilted at an angle, he put one foot in front of the other, the floor cracking underneath with every step. A chill came over him, his body shivering involuntarily; he clasped his hands over his upper arms and rubbed in order to bring some warmth back to his skin.

Edging closer still, he gingerly reached out with an open palm, stopping momentarily. Taking a steady breath, he chewed his lower lip with his teeth and pressed forward with his hand.

The door whined in protest as it was shoved inwards on its hinges, and Jacob found himself being met with a cold blast of air. It tussled his hair and caused a sharp intake of breath before dissipating into the depths of the house. Leaning forwards and into the room, he peered around.

Painted a pale shade of pastel blue, the room had a coolness to it that the rest of the home did not seem to have. The chill bit at the nape of his neck and caused goosebumps to prickle along his forearms. Fluttering softly, the curtains over the open window seemed to dance and flick, tempting him further into the room.

Edging forwards, Jacob let his eyes flit around his surroundings. The rubber soles of his sneakers squeaked against the hardwood floor, the high pitch noise bouncing off the walls and echoing throughout. His gaze finally settled on what appeared to be a walk in closet to his left, white doors with slats peering back at him, nothing but darkness laying behind.

Rattle, rattle, click.

The doors appeared to move on their own, though the movement itself was so small that he couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't just his imagination; if not, maybe it was the rats he'd heard scattering in the wall before. If it was rats, he should probably open the closet and check, at least that way he'd be able to tell his parents. Even if that meant risking his life at the claws of said wild creatures hiding out in the shadows.

A tiny hand reached out for the handles, two dusty metal knobs with all manner of scratches and even a few paint droplets on them. Jacob sucked in a deep breath, steeling his nerves, then moving his hand forward and grasping the knob. He pulled the closet door open in one swift movement, bouncing on his toes in the case that he needed to run, but despite his fears nothing jumped out of the darkness and latched onto him.

That's when something firm slapped down onto his shoulder and gripped him, spinning him around.

His mouth opened as he prepared to let loose a cry of surprise, when his eyes fell on the face of his sister, her lips tightened into a grin and her irises sparkling with amusement.

"Hey Jakey, you gotta' come check this out!"

Cheeks flushing momentarily, he shrugged his shoulders and scrubbed at his chest with his fingers as though chasing an itch. Obviously she hadn't intended to scare him, but it had startled him regardless, all he could do was pretend as best as he could that it didn't bother him.

Following after his sister, he took a few long strides to catch up as she strolled purposefully into the hallway.

"What is it?"

They continued down past his room until they came to a stop almost at the end of the hall. It confused him at first, looking around there wasn't anything there, just an empty hallway. That was until, Lilly reached up with an arm nearly twice as long as one of his own, and his neck craned upwards to see her fingers wrap around a string and give a sharp tug.

A section of the ceiling began falling away. Jakey took a single step backwards, watching as it was followed by a wooden ladder that folded out from the ceiling, its hinges whining at the pressure and a thin cloud of dust falling down and sprinkling onto the two of them.

Jacob squinted, waving the dust out of his face and stepping closer once again so that he could peer up into the shady space beyond the ceiling. He had to admit, there was something intriguing about it, and it could have just been his childhood curiosity or something more but as his sister turned and grinned at him he knew there was no way they wouldn't be going up there.

"C'mon, let's check it out."

Licking his lips, he spun his head around, listening to the sound of their parents and the movers shuffling around downstairs, as well as inaudible conversations echoing along the hallway.

Turning back to the ladder creaking under the weight, he watched as Lilly ascended, waiting until she was far enough up before stepping onto the bottom rung; the last thing he wanted was for her to accidentally- or purposefully- kick him in the face.

Once she was up, he followed, holding tightly onto the rungs for all the support they offered even as they felt as though they might crack underneath his weight. Reaching the top, Lilly extended a hand and he wrapped his fingers around it, allowing himself to be helped up into the space above the ceiling.

Letting go of her hand, Jacob began to turn, taking in all the silent, forgotten artifacts around them. His lips parted just a little bit, tongue snaking out to lick his lower lip. The first thing he noticed was that everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, and in the dim lighting it was hard to really make out the shape of anything.

Lilly walked over to the large window that overlooked the front yard, reaching out with a hand and streaking a finger through the dirt and dust caked onto the glass.

"Ugh, it's like no one's been up here in years," she noted, shaking her head and wiping the dust off on the side of her jeans.

Jacob was about to agree, taking a step towards her but feeling the floorboards crunch underneath his shoe, he looked down to see that where he had stepped had crumbled and cracked. It was obvious the wood had rotted out and was continuing to flake off in spots even as he pulled his sneakers away from where splinters tried hold him down.

Being up here, away from the world and away from the touch of sunlight was like being in a completely different universe. Every particle of dust could be seen floating in an almost solid haze, hovering in place until someone walked through it or waved a hand to disperse it. Everything seemed so old, a musty odour and something else he couldn't put his finger on, the stench filled the air and made his nose tickle.

He had lost track of Lilly, assuming she was somewhere behind him as he had wandered through the attic, running his fingers along the surface of boxes and furniture in disrepair, taking care and looking down every few feet to make sure he wasn't treading on more rotting floorboards. It probably wasn't the safest place to be, but since when do kids prioritise safety over adventure?

scratch, scratch

There it was again, rats, or something. Possums, maybe? This time he was determined to catch the creatures out, just to make sure it was rats, and so he crouched down and began taking cautious, slow steps towards the direction of the sound. It was getting darker with every step, his shoulder brushing against a stack of boxes with worn texta written labels, and as he made his way around them he could have sworn he saw a shape disappear behind a trunk near the corner of the attic.

Jacob grunted, reaching out to steady himself along the beams of the sloping roof, creeping down the side and towards the corner until he was only a few steps away from the crate. It was at that moment, that he saw the shadow move once again, shuffling and shuddering from where it was hidden and suddenly appearing much larger than it had in his peripheral vision. Almost as large as... a person?

His breath caught in his throat, the sound coming out in a barely audible puff of air. Surely it was Lilly pulling a prank on him, just trying to scare him. It wouldn't be the first time, and it definitely wouldn't be the last.

Plucking up some courage, he swallowed a lump of dryness in his throat and took a steady step forwards, leaning towards the shadow and making sure his footing was steady in case she tried to lunge out at him and knock him off his feet.

"Come on Lilly, I can see you behind the crate! Stop fooling around!"

The shape stopped moving at the sound of his voice, and for a moment he thought he'd caught her by surprise and felt a welling up of self satisfaction, the corner of his lip twitching as the shadow began to move once more. It let out a low rumble, unfurling from where it was twisted into a ball, the dust around it parting and swirling in a frenzy.

Jacob's face instantly dropped and he felt a lump of fear form in the very pit of his stomach, his eyes flitting as he watched the shape unfold, long spindly arms with clawed fingers that were easily the length of his skull alone. It had no discernible features, it was simply a mass of darkness, like someone draped in a sheer black curtain that twisted and floated with every movement of their body.

A sensation came over his chest as a clawed hand extended towards him, like a vice grip curling and crushing around his rib cage, squeezing tighter and tighter. His eyes began to well up with tears, lips beginning to pale as his chest heaved and wheezed, his lungs struggling to draw oxygen.

As the creature grew closer, he thought this was it, this was the end. He couldn't even find the breath to call out for Lilly or their parents, the only thing he could manage to do was take several quick steps backwards. It was as he did this that a pair of hands grasped tightly onto his shoulders, spinning him around as his mouth dropped open and prepared to release a blood curdling scream.

The scream never came.

"Jakey?"

His heart was almost pounding out of his chest, and his lungs were on fire as they struggled to suck in air. Wrestling against the grip on his arms, his eyes met his sister's, her pupils dilated and brow furrowed in concern.

Twisting in her hold, he turned his neck back as far as it would go, half expecting to see a monster with empty eyes like the void staring down at him and his sister. Blonde hair falling over his face, he looked all around the area only to see nothing but boxes of junk, the crate, and layers upon layers of dust still sitting undisturbed.

Hands shook at his shoulders, snapping him out of his panicked state and bringing him back to face his sister, who's face was now more etched with concern than it had been previously.

"Jakey you look like you've seen a ghost."

"I did!" he forced the words from his throat, but they came out dry and rushed, his chest heaving and his breaths squeaking with every inhale. Lillian was now looking at him like he was some kind of weirdo, or maybe she was just worried about him, either way a small sob erupted from his lips and he shoved past her- nearly tripping over a raised floorboard in the process- working his legs as hard as he could until he found his way back to the ceiling entrance.

It took less than five seconds for him to step down the ladder, his feet moving even faster than he had time to process the movements. He could hear Lilly behind him calling out his name which was soon followed by the sound of her shoes clapping against the steps.

Leaping off the bottom step, he hunched over for just long enough to suck heavy breaths into his lungs. His chest was heaving with every inhale and he felt as though his throat was closing, denying oxygen to his body and making his skin feel cold and clammy. To make matters worse, his parents were now just making their way up the last few steps, each carrying a box of household items. One labelled 'Jacob's toys', the other 'bathroom'.

As they made their way up the final steps and onto the landing, they both heard the commotion, Lilly descending the ladder at a rapid pace as she tried to catch up to her brother. Chloe's brow furrowed instantly as she observed the two children, her eyes lingering on Jacob before moving over to the open attic door and her lips pursing as she realised the two had been up to no good.

Jacob knew they were about to get a mouthful, but he was too busy struggling to catch his breath. He reached out for the railing over looking the lower floor, curling his finger around the bannister to support himself as he tried to suck breath after breath in.

"Jacob? Honey, are you okay?" Chloe's voice was full of only concern as she leant down, placing the box on the floor and rushing over to her son's side. She reached out with her hands, cupping his face in both of her palms and lifting it up so that she could see underneath his mop of hair. His skin was pale and lips losing a little of their pinkness, and she knew straight away he was having an asthma attack.

Turning back to Beca, who had now also put her box down and rushed over to her, she looked up from where she was kneeling.

"Baby could you get me his inhaler? It's in my handbag on the kitchen counter."

"Sure, I'll be right back."

With that, Beca took off down the stairs, her footsteps echoing along the wooden floorboards clearly audible even as she rushed down the hallway and to the kitchen.

Chloe rubbed her hand up and down Jacob's back, still worried for her son's health, her gaze now however turning to his sister. There was a burning fire lit behind Chloe's eyes as she stared at her and Beca's daughter, the girl shrinking under her scathing glare.

"Just what were you doing taking your brother up into the attic?"

Mouth moving, but no words coming out, Lilly stuttered and let out a few choice sounds before finally hanging her head in shame. Her brunette hair flopped over half her face, but she brushed it away. In that moment, Chloe's frown softened and the severity of the crinkles in her forehead lessened; she looked like a younger version of her mother, and she found it difficult to stay mad at her.

"W-we were just exploring. I wanted to know what was up there and Jakey wanted to come too," shuffling her feet where she stood, Lilly's voice was apologetic and she knew as she watched her little brother struggling for breath that she could have caused a much worse incident than just an asthma attack.

"You know that attics are full of dust and dirt," Chloe's eyes followed along the bannister over to the stairs as she heard her wife hurrying back up to them. "You or Jacob could have been seriously injured, fallen through the floor or had God only knows what fall on you."

Chloe reached out, her fingers clasping firmly around the inhaler as Beca handed it to her. The red-head mouthed a thank you and pressed a small smile into her lips, before giving the device a thorough shake.

Lifting Jacob's head by the chin, she held it up to his lips and waited for him to allow it into his mouth. Once it was in place, she depressed the cannister and waited for him to steadily inhale the chemicals that would slowly- but surely- relax his airways and allow him to breathe normally again.

"I don't want either of you going up into the attic like that ever again, understand?" Chloe asked, voice firm and sharp like pressed steel, turning to Lillian so that she especially received the message loud and clear. The girl was already shaking her head, twisting her fingers to deal with her nerves even as Jacob's breath began to enter his airways with reduced wheezing.

"Sorry mum," Jacob said meekly, his voice catching as he inhaled a short breath.

Snaking an arm around him, Chloe pulled him close and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"It's okay, just don't do it again, okay?"

Jacob nodded in response, his blonde hair tickling her nose and cheeks, so she lifted a hand up to smooth the hair back onto his head.

His chest expanded as he took in a deep breath, the air starting to come more freely now and the burning in his lungs beginning to sooth; as his airways relaxed more every minute, he felt his mum put pressure underneath his armpits and felt her coaxing him to his feet, so he obliged.

Her hands steadied him as he pulled himself up, and he was grateful. Mama B waved a hand in Lilly's direction, her lips tightened into a small frown but her eyes conveying affection regardless.

"C'mon you, you can help me unpack downstairs," Beca gave the brunette girl a small pat on the backside, Lilly double timing it in response and rushing down the stairs lest she receive more than just a light scolding.

Offering a sheepish smile, Jacob looked up at Chloe as the red-head guided him at a slow pace towards the staircase, making sure as they proceeded that he wasn't going to pass out or try to rush himself and make his asthma flare up again.

"I'll take him to rest on the sofa until his attack passes," Chloe spoke softly to Beca, her fingers clasping around the smaller ones belonging to her son, who grasped onto them tightly as she began to assist him down the steps.

Jacob missed the way Beca's hand brushed against Chloe's hip, her hand lingering there and her eyes training on the two, watching her wife and her child with a focussed gaze. Almost like a mother hawk guarding her nest of chirping chicks and not removing her eyes from them for a moment, except in the case a threat presented itself.

They made it to the sofa without incident, and even though he was starting to feel better already, he was grateful as his two mothers double teamed together to pull his sneakers off, prop him up with several pillows and tuck him up into a child-burrito. Not that he was complaining as the pink and purple crocheted blanket was wrapped around him, in fact he was already starting to feel drowsy from all the mothering.

He closed his eyes for just a moment, feeling warm lips brush his forehead- one, two, three times- and letting the world fall away from around him. The sounds of a house coming together, feet scuffling on floorboards and voices chattering about placement of furniture. It was all calming enough that after dozing in and out of sleep, his lungs finally settled into a steady rhythm and returned to breathing as normal.

Jacob had forgotten all about the incident in the attic, about what he had seen and felt that afternoon, the endless cold enveloping his body and the whispers lapping at his ears.

He had forgotten, but it would not be long before he would be reminded.

AN: Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out, have been pretty busy and distracted lately so progress was slow. Then I came down with a cold and that also put me a few days behind. Anyway, enjoy the slightly longer chapter!

Special thanks to my girlfriend as always, who encourages me when I feel unmotivated. Also thanks to special friends, Jess and Chloe, for being pretty much the coolest peeps ever.

Shoutout to everyone who has favourited and reviewed so far, you guys are awesome.