It was a lovely, wooden cottage with leaves and flowers growing up the walls and around the windows. The door was half open, and without thinking, she stepped right inside. Her heart was beating quicker than ever, as she expected and it wouldn’t stop. The house had everything you could possibly imagine and want: a warm, welcoming sitting room with a sofa, that almost seemed as cozy as a bed, and a fireplace that was burning softly; a tight kitchen with red cutlery and pans; a table, that seemed to be ready and prepared for three people; and a big plate with a pile of freshly made toast.

“Hello,” called Poppy, as she waited for and wondered if she would get a reply. But it stayed silent. She quietly and slowly started walking up the creaky stairs. She checked all the rooms, but there was nothing, even though the beds were well made and everything seemed to be perfectly clean. The walls were a grey sort of blue color, and the bed sheets were a bright purple, and suddenly she started wondering if she had just stepped right into the story of the three bears.

When she was drawing and writing in the book, she secretly hid in something that she wished for most, but she didn’t expect it to come true. There was nothing to prove that a woman was living there. She had never met her Mum, but she was sure she wasn’t there. Something didn’t 

feel right, and she started to worry. And that was when she heard it.

A few minutes later, she heard that same sound again. Quickly turning around, she pushed open the bedroom door. Suddenly she heard it once again, but louder, loud tapping on the floor every few seconds. She peeked around the corner, looking down the stairs. She finally found the courage, and quietly went down the stairs step-by-step. Once she was finally down, she opened the first door she saw, which led to the sitting room. Nothing moved or made a sound. Except the loud, repetitive tapping on the floor.

The next moment, she heard it once again, but this time, it was slower. She spun around, and ran through the long sitting room, all the way to the kitchen. It was then that she saw it: a large silhouette trudging towards her;  huge brown eyes;  and razor sharp claws, stomping on the ground. She didn’t need to think about it, and she pulled the door open, and slammed it right after herself. 

She ran back up the pathway and through all the trees. But there was nothing except for trees, and then more trees. It felt like it would never end, and she was lost. She felt like all different types of shadows were following her. Until suddenly, she a whispering voice saying, “Come back!”