The Room of Requirement

After dad left the house it stood uninhabited for one year. My brother checked in; he cut the grass to keep things from looking abandoned. Our across-the-road neighbour kept his eye out for anything odd. We drove back and forth from the city on the weekends we could. But even after we'd decided to take the place, there were considerations. We had jobs and commitment, so the house waited.

There was a smell when you opened the door, like a cottage after winter. Though we kept the furnace circulating, there was always a hint of rising damp. It was the smell of the dirt basement, stale air, and mice. I put sonic repellents in the outlets. Then, when you opened the door, there was a smell and a buzzing. And the house was full of stuff.
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