PROMPT:

It came from under the stairs ….

The Winner

The Space Beneath

By E.E. Levine

Pulling up to the unfamiliar curb, I flipped off the engine and looked up from under my windshield. The late century tenement towered three stories above my car, and I noticed the numbers matched the listing even if there was no sign. As luck would have it this second floor apartment, only ten minutes away from my job downtown, was in need of a new tenant. And I was here to see it. Getwinn, the elderly gentleman renting the apartment, met me on the landing. The moment I walked through the door, I fell in love with the place. The price was half of what every other landlord was asking, and the utilities were included at no additional cost. Even better, all the rooms had been redone with new appliances. Never in my life had I seen an apartment so spacious, well lit, and comfortable. There was only one condition: I was to stay out of the cupboard beneath the stairs. An unusual request perhaps, but one which I could easily live with. I signed the paperwork and gave him a deposit, then started packing for my move at the end of the month. When moving day came, I parked the rented box truck on the same curb as my first visit, then lugged my boxes and bedroom furniture up the lone flight of stairs. Each time I passed, the odd little door under the stairwell caught my eye before Getwinn's words echoed in my memory. "You're never to open the door to the cupboard under the stairs. Never. Understood?" His crinkled features had frowned in warning. I quickly forgot about the cupboard as I went about my business moving in. Soon, a pile of boxes and crates sat in my living room along with an unassembled bedframe and bed, drawerless desk, nightstand, and chair. I decided to clean up first, then put away my sparse belongings after letting things air out and returning the truck. After everything had been thoroughly cleaned, the apartment was beginning to feel like my own. I opened a window and left to return the rental, then did a little shopping. I got takeout for dinner, and walked through the entrance looking forward to enjoying my first night in the new place. The odd little door beneath the stairs watched me silently as I struggled with my bags and keys, but I pretended not to notice it in my hurry. When I was finally up the stairs and in my new home, I breathed a sigh of relief. After eating, I got to work putting away the first box, starting with my kitchen stuff. Plates, bowls, tupperware, and cups all found their place on one shelf or another. And it was while looking for a drawer for the cutlery that I found a little key, pushed to the back like it had been forgotten. I put it aside, and finished unpacking. When my new place was finally set up, I collapsed into bed, exhausted from the move but happy nonetheless. The time was a mystery, but it must have been sometime in the late hours of the night when I found myself suddenly awake. The room was dark, but an undulating light filtered in through the gaps around my bedroom door. I sat up, confused, and flipped on the lamp beside my bed. But even with it on, the unnatural illumination continued to pulse, changing hues as it splayed across my floor and walls. Throwing off the sheets, I went to my bedroom door and threw it open, not knowing what I'd find. To my surprise, the living room was bathed in the same surreal light, only brighter, which was now coming from under my apartment's front door. "Weird..." I muttered and scratched myself while walking to the peephole. The waves of dancing light were coming from the bottom of the stairs. Curious, I slid on my shoes and cautiously opened the door. From the top of the landing, I could see the dazzling light engulfing the entranceway. I crept down the stairs, shielding my eyes against the glow, until I stood in front of the oddly sized door. Amazingly, it too was closed against the flickering rays of luminescence that burned around the edges of its frame. I stood transfixed, and noticed for the first time the ancient padlock clasping it shut. I remembered the key, then Getwinn's rule forbidding me entry. The light pulsed brighter as I brushed the lock, but in the end, I crept back upstairs and shut myself away in my apartment. I barricaded every gap with as many towels and sheets as I could, yet still my room was awash in kaleidoscopic waves. I don't know when I passed out, but when I awoke the next morning everything was back to normal. I called out of work to spend the day watching the door under the stairs, but not a light or sound stirred within. When night fell, I returned to my apartment to wait. An hour after midnight the first lights began. Retrieving the little key I had found, I hurried downstairs and once again confronted the blinding glow seeping around the doorframe. Shakily, I slotted the key and turned. The lock snapped open, and with breath held, I cast open the door. At first, the light was overwhelming. I shielded my eyes with a hand and bent to look inside. When I could stand to open my eyes, I was surprised to find myself looking down into an apartment that looked exactly like my own. As I looked closer, I noticed the furniture was also an exact copy of my own, and it was even set up in the same positions! I was still staring down in mute bewilderment when the door that would have been my front door swung in, and a man with my face walked inside. My twin locked me in his gaze. Then, I screamed.