The Skylark Bell - Chapter 9, The Attic

Welcome Back! In today’s episode Magpie and Lucas finally get together to explore the secret attic Magpie discovered a few days prior. What secrets are hidden in the previously sealed-off room? Listen on to find out!

Music: Nightbridge by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

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Twitter: @melissaoliveri

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TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 8 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, Magpie’s alone time at Mirror Pond turned into a disturbing vision where a mysterious man and his unusual horse seemed to be trapped in a snowstorm.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 8 – The Attic, where Magpie and Lucas finally get together to explore the secret attic Magpie discovered a few days prior.

So get comfortable… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… are you read? Let’s get started...

“I’m home!” calls Magpie, walking in the door and hanging her backpack on the coat rack, leaving her sketchbook with the drawing of the mysterious man and his horse inside. The house remains completely silent.  Magpie, puzzled, walks to the kitchen. There is a note from her mother on the counter:

Magpie,

Ran out of supplies, driving to the city to get refills, they don’t have what I need at Pocket General Store.  Back by dinner time.

Love you!

Mom

A knock at the door makes her jump slightly. She walks through the dining room to the front door. “It’s just me!” says a familiar voice.

“Hi Lucas!  I thought you were coming over this afternoon!” she exclaims, swinging the door open and waving him in.

Lucas looks at her like she’s from outer space.  “Magpie, it’s 2pm,” he says.

“Oh… I must’ve lost track of time while I was sitting by mirror pond” she says, embarrassed.  Her visions have never made her lose track of time like this before; she finds it unnerving. 

“Who’s this?” he asks, noticing the cat sitting on the dining room table.

“This is Scarlet! She appeared at the back door one rainy day and I didn’t have the heart to leave her outside.  She’s very friendly,” answers Magpie, happy to change the subject.

 “That’s odd, I’ve never seen her in the area before.  I’m sure I’d remember, she’s so unique looking.  I wonder where she came from?” he says.

“I don’t know, but she was very thin.  I don’t think she’d eaten for a while,” explains Magpie. 

Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, Lucas excitedly asks, “So, the reason you invited me over today - you said something about a hidden room?  An attic?”

“Yeah!  I couldn’t believe it!” she says before launching into an explanation of how she accidentally discovered the trap door.  “It was so dark, I didn’t really stay in the attic very long.  I figured since you know so much about the town’s history maybe you could help me dig around up there!” she adds, skipping the part about the vision she had of the festivities at Meadow Lane.

“Wow, I can’t wait to check it out!” he says eagerly.  They make their way upstairs, to the back of the closet, through the trap door and up the creaky steps to the attic. Scarlet follows closely, never leaving Magpie out of her sight.

In the daylight, Magpie can see there are actually two round windows, one at each end of the vast, cluttered space.  She and Lucas make their separate ways to opposite ends of the room and clean off the windows to let in more light.  As their eyes adjust to the light, they are amazed by the quantity of belongings left behind by previous owners.

“Look at this mirror, it’s got to weigh two hundred pounds, how did they even get it up here?!” wonders Lucas, staring at a huge antique mirror