These be first two

1/15

    As I sit in bed on this Thursday morning, it is usnusally quiet for this basement, in fact the only sound I hear is the mid frequenecy electrical hum. It is one of those noises that exist everywhere, and you only notice when you stop it listen, while being slightly annoying, it fade to the background easily.

    A few seconds later the heater kicks on , first with a sinister hiss as the gas escapes and build the flame. Followed by a jarring rumble, with just a hint of trembling metal as the unit starts to intake air. In total this sound should have been a wee bit disconcerting, instead only draws my attention for a the few seconds of its start, after which it faded into white noise.

    Quite a few more seconds pass and a pair solid wooden bang above me would indicate someone is home, at this time of day, it is most likely Alex. The floor creaks and groans as he crosses above me towards kitchen, in a old and tired wooden groan. Seven rather even spaced groans later, the steps stop, and are followed by a muffled thumps The creaking footstep resume for three steps, follow by a change to a far harder sound, with less of the creaking and a harder wooden sound. These step come closer and lower, and very soon change into the smack of flesh on stone, but in an interesting manner as the first contact is quieter than the second. These footset are shortly followed by the metallic click as a doorknob in turn, and then the click as a door closes.

A minute or so passes, during which I realize that the heater turned off at some point, but I was distracted by the movement. After this time, there is a pair of door noises, with a three footsteps in between. A minute or so later, I hear the beat of water on the plastic tub. This lasts for a few seconds until the water heater starts on with the hiss and then the rush of water. Between this and the shower most quieter noises are obscured, and I spend the remaining few minutes cozily in bed before I must leave bed and start the day.

1/18

As I sit in my living room, I hear foot steps up, mostly wandering towards the back of house. In that creaking groaning of an old wooden house. This was followed footsteps off to my right, on the outside of building, like footsteps on wood, but far more hollow that when walking on the floor above. This is followed by a sharp knock, of hand on wood. A creaking patter of feet leads to the metallic thump of a door unlocking, a creak as it opens. A word hear and there pierces the distance, creating an interesting texture Behind and below me I hear the low rumble as the furnace starts up. It raises in pitch.

Back to the top floor, there are move creaking footsteps, but one is far more pronounced than the other. There is a scrap of wood on what sounds like tile. More chatter, a word through, a really loud “I can’t believe it”. More footsteps, the closing of a door, and then a rushing water up through the walls. More footsteps towards the back of the house, the chatter picks up, and the clang of metal on metal comes through the dim. The heater cuts out and the chatter continues for several minutes. And then there is the more clanging. And chattering. And then I had to leave.