Tap tap tapping

The following is a a rough first draft of a short story attempt, not great, not horrible, just getting back into writing. I used to live on my own in a studio style flat and would hear some strange sounds. Probably innocent but the mind wonders and creates. There is a lose inspiration from my dislike of ladders (unknown reasons, never had an incident with one). Thanks for the read, tips are appreciated. Enjoy, or not.

TAP TAP TAP

I heard it again this morning. Tapping around the ceiling. I had another look in the loft and checked the mouse traps, nothing. They had been up there now for 2 weeks and caught nothing. I knew it wasn't mice. Mice don't tap.

It went on for 4 minutes and 23 seconds today, 10 seconds longer than yesterday. I made a note in my log book I purposely bought to record this. I wanted to have something to show whoever would come round to sort it out. I called the housing association, was on hold, 5 minutes and 12 seconds, I asked for a handyman to come out and check my flat. They went through all my details again; this was the fifteenth issue report I had made on the tapping. The lady said they would get someone out to me by Friday, it was Wednesday.

Tapping started at 6am, lasted for 4 minutes and 28 seconds. I've started going to bed earlier so I can get up to listen. I don't like being awoken by the tapping because I don't know when it started. I make myself a coffee and wait for it to start, when it does, I begin the stop watch on my phone and follow the tapping around. It starts from the bedroom and moves around, ending up in the kitchen. It gets a little louder towards the end. Made another call to see when the handyman would come, by Friday she said again. I got a call soon after I hung up, it was the handyman, he called himself Phil, said he could get to me at around 4 this afternoon. That's fine, I said, but I'd prefer it in the morning.

He knocked at 4:15, Phil started checking the boiler and pipes, rule them out first, I guess. I didn't like that he took my up on my offer of a cup of tea. I don't know why I asked. After slurping his drink around my flat, telling me about his last house he'd come from, something about the tenants bending the pipes, Phil pointed to the loft hatch. “Best take a look, get a lot of mice this time of year” He put the cup down on the coffee table. I gave him the key to the loft hatch and he pulled down the built-in ladder. I offered him my torch but he had his own, huge yellow dirty one. “Just you living here?” He asked as he twisted around at the top of the ladder, darting his torch around. I would have said if I lived with someone. Just me, why, I asked. Phil made his way down the ladder and pushed it back in its place, closed the hatched, locked it and walked over to my kitchen counter and placed the key down. So, what do you think it is, I asked? He turned slowly and our eyes locked, it was the first time I had had a proper look at his face, red and blotchy, probably his diet, I bet he drinks when he gets home. “You know what's up there” he threw his torch into his maintenance bag and looked back at me. What did he mean by that, if I knew why would I of wanted him to come and find out? “What do you mean?” I asked “Mice? I put mice traps up there like two weeks ago and nothing has been caught? Or rats? Wouldn't rats go for the same traps though?” I had started to ramble because he wouldn't stop staring at me, what's wrong with him, can't he do his job, maybe that's it, he didn't find anything and now would have to do more investigations and he can't be bothered, wouldn't surprise me. We spent a few more seconds just looking at each other. “Look, I'm going to go ok, I will log my report and go from there” as he said this, he began to get his things together, he walked over to my dining table where he had left his log book. He really can't be bothered! It would take him just a bit of extra time and he's going? I walked over to his bag and picked up his torch, he had just began turning around with his log book when I smacked him over the head with the torch. I gave it my all and he was out cold. I picked up his log book, he had only written the date, my details and a few things about old fittings that needed replacing, not the cause of the issue that had been reported by resident, no shit.

Phil started stirring around 5:20. I had my dinner after moving him and tied his hands and feet up. I then had a sleep as I wanted to wake early. “What the fuck, what is wrong with you?” He was awake now and saw me walking around the kitchen, I had made us both a coffee. “You weren't going to do anything about it, I've been asking for this to be looked at for weeks and when you finally bother to come round you can't be bothered! I just want you to listen, investigate like you are meant to, then sort it out, ok? I've put a sugar in your coffee, make you feel better” I had got him on the sofa so he was sat up, he just eyeballed me as I attempted to give him some coffee, I had let it sit out so it wasn't burning hot. He took a long sip. “Look, mate, I told you, you know what's up there, what more can I do?” he spoke with a slightly husky voice, hope the blow to his head hadn't caused that. “No, you didn't, you were just trying to get out as quickly as you could, tell me what is up there then, I want to know, tell me and then it can be sorted out and all is ok again” I finished my coffee with him staring at me. And then

tap tap tap

“5:30? earliest yet, I wonder because you're here it's changed? Where's my log book?” I darted out the kitchen and into the bedroom to get the log book from my bedside table. As I came back in, pen in hand I could see Phil wriggling around on the sofa. “Phil....listen”

tap tap tap

It was getting louder quicker this time. It started in the bedroom and quickly made its way to the bathroom which was next door. Tap tap tap, it circled around the bathroom a bit, tap tap tap.

“You know what it is, stop it, let me go!” Phil raised his tied hands up at me, I was standing in front of him waiting for the next tapping.

Tap tap tap

“You hear it, it gets louder the more it moves around the flat” I pointed my pen up to the ceiling. “I can hear it” Phil's voice shook, his eyes welling up. “It just gets louder Phil, why is that?”

Tap tap tap

It was now in the kitchen, tap tap tap. This had been going on now for 6 minutes, the longest yet. “Can you please untie me” Phil raised his hands again, I did, I felt this was different now, the tapping was different, it had gone on too long and was too loud, maybe Phil could help.

Tap tap tap

“Tell me what you saw Phil, what was it?” I pleaded with him

“You KNOW what it is, for god's sake, just...please” he rubbed his head and face, I could see the stress pumping into his face.

“You went up there Phil, I've looked and saw nothing, you went up and saw something, why would you say I know, how can I know?” I felt my voice quiver, I was getting scared, I hadn't felt scared about the noise for some time, the first few nights I was, but I had gotten used to it.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

“Phil please, I'm scared, I'm not joking around, help me” I held his hand, his wrists were red from the ties, my eyes began burning with tears. Phil's face was already wet, he gave my hand a squeeze, a mutual recognition of the fear we both felt. The taps were now banging, heavy, purposeful bangs.

Bang bang bang bang bang

The lamp shade was shaking, I could see the few pictures I had up on the walls vibrating with each bang.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang

It was right above where we stood, we looked up and then back at each other, too afraid to look away now, maybe if we kept looking at each other it would stop, we could will it to stop.

“Do you believe Phil? Believe that it will stop with me Phil” I took his other hands and put them together in prayer, his eyes closed tightly for a moment, fresh tears cascaded straight off his round cheeks.

bang bang bang bang bang bang bang

Phil opened his eyes and looked at me again. I wish it would stop

BANG BANG BANG

It was banging in the same place now, over and over again, to the point we looked up and saw cracks appearing, flecks of plaster falling with each bang. We looked at the loft hatch then back at each other.

“Phil, it has to stop, what was it?” I spoke in almost a whisper. Phil's mouth opened, his face confused and panicked. “The hatch...” Phil whimpered. I turned round, the hatch lock was turning, the hatch door swung down.

BANG

The bang was so loud I covered my head with my hands. Then silence again. I opened my eyes, why did I shut them? Phil was about to say something, but Phil was gone, the hatch was now shut, the flat felt light again.

I must of fell asleep soon after, I remember checking the front door, I even opened it to see if anything was different on the other side, it wasn't. I sat on the sofa where Phil had been, closed my eyes and when I opened them again it was 2pm. I washed my face and examined my puffy eyes; had I been crying all that time?

I wasn't sure what to do next, I searched round the flat to see if anything had changed. I remember Phil had bought a bag in with him when he arrived, his maintenance bag, and he had a log book, I had read it. I walked over to the coffee table I had left the log book on, it wasn't there. Time seemed to disappear, before I knew it it was the next day, I had slept right through to 9am, I've not done that for months. I must admit it was nice to sleep through for once. But the first thought that came to mind when I woke was, Phil. He did come over, I know he did, but where did his stuff go. I tried going over the events of that early morning, he must have left and slammed the door, that's what caused that huge bang. Maybe I was so tired I remembered things differently. I hadn't been sleeping well for weeks since all the banging started. Yes, he must have fixed the problem and left, I must have been exhausted and simply don't remember him leaving. No one has called, so no one is worrying. He must be fine.

After coming to that conclusion, I found the next few weeks some of the best of my life. I was sleeping through the night, getting up and going out, I hadn't been out for so long, since the banging started. I worked a few days in the office, didn't need to, I had been working from home for years. It's amazing, knowing the issue was fixed, no more noise keeping me up at stupid hours. I feel like a new person, I found myself each day saying thanks to Phil in my head, I even thought about calling up my housing people to get in touch with Phil to thank him. But I thought best not to, I didn't want to impose.

It was Tuesday morning, I had just had my morning shower and got dressed. I said my thanks for this glorious day, I had my whole day planned out, lunch with my neighbour, bit of food shopping, call mum in the afternoon, then watch the shows I had recorded last night. It was sunny out, as I pulled back the curtains in the living room, I could see leaves blowing around, pretty windy out. I was half way through putting my coat on.

...Tap tap tap.

THE END

If you made it this far thank you for reading.