Ryan Grubler is afraid of almost everything, which is why he never goes anywhere without his trusty baseball helmet and several backup plans. But when strange things begin happening at Breckenridge Middle School, Ryan may be braver than he thinks.

Here is a short piece that I wrote during my MFA studies. I had the idea in my head for a few years, and it finally came to fruition. It was published in the Penmen Review. Time didn’t pass in the attic. It curled, coiled, and even lashed out. It also maintained a dark silence that remembered everything. Filled with timeless dust and shadows, the air carried the awful scent of dread from the years that passed. A single window in the room exposed a portal to the outside world. Bent nails that resembled the crooked bones of gnarled fingers grasped and held the frame in place. No fresh air…

I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to study and earn this degree. 4.0 GPA!