The scratching was constant. Why was it always persistent? I could slowly feel my mind slipping as annoyance made itself present. This was a new house it had good reviews, and was cheap and affordable. What had my luck finally run of the road and into a ditch.

It always came from the basement. The skittering scrape on concrete. It could be heard from my room like the sound came from right below me.

I couldn’t take it anymore so Tuesday night with a few to many beers clouding my mind I grabbed the flashlight. It would be my torch in the night. My guiding light.

Creaking the chipping teal green door open I stare down the void of the basement. I hadn’t dared go farther then the bottom step in which my retailer and my friends were with me. From what I had obtained it was a sad dingy normal basement. Now it didn’t feel anywhere near as normal as before.

I debated the importance of this. For my sanity I should check down there, but for my safety my body protest. My body rightfully stood on edge. It didn’t like it as much as my mind didn’t.

Swallow the sudden nerves I try the light switch. Like the first time I went down there it flickered on. The crackling sound that followed was a little like a final decision. A judge letting his hammer hit the wood. Though my mind assured me it was just the old bulb that needed to be changed.

The stairs looked unsafe and beyond unstable. Last time I had hobbled my way down avoiding the uneven or threatening to break boards. This time it looked even more daunting.

So one step at a time I move down thankful for my night slippers in the form of a monster so I could avoid splinters. My slippers were a sky blue with vibrant neon green spikes monster. It was ugly shoe but I had been given them at Christmas by my niece. I was a sucker for that little girl. I had named my monster Larry. What a name right? Now it was just me and Larry against the house.

Slipping past the haderous stairs my feet meet concrete. Fuck was it to late to go back. It was flooded in some areas puddles of water built up. It smelled of mold. Nothing you want in your lungs.

Moving around was more of a obstacle course then I would have liked. Nothing of mine down here it was just a maze of pipes and pillars. The scratching has stopped the farther I moved down the stairs and I could feel the clammy sweat accumulate on my palms.

I should have texted someone about my late night adventure so if I didn’t ever come back then someone would know I was dumb enough and deserved what I got.

“This is fine. Just a basement. Your no kid” I croak to myself moving past the pillars like a serpent avoiding touching one in case it decides to just give up. Would the house fall if one pillar broke was I that close to death? Hope not.

I move forward my search has begun. This was not a treasure hunt I wanted. Nor did I need it. I have work tomorrow at my normal shitty clerk job. I should be asleep. But thanks to the noise I was finding less and less sleep each night.

The screech made me spin on my heels my evergreen eyes searching wide, alert. The force knocks me back and gravity does the rest with my fumbling steps. Water seeping into my blue night shirt cold and invasive.

Though my chest is warm as the…fluffy goblin curls agaisnt it. The creatures was a bright sky blue with neon green spikes. What the fuck.

It looked up with huge yellow eyes and a tooth dog like muzzled smile. Kinda wanted to pet it. What I was a weaklen for cute creatures. They had some charm. Appealed to my animal

Lover side.

But how did my monster inspired shoes becomes a full on creature. Was it even friendly. Well by the purring it was. Though was that just for now or was I gonna learn the hard way.

Raising a hesitant hand I nudge at it. It coos but allows me to remove it from my chest. Pushing up to my significantly larger height I glance around. Now that I look the basement seemed to never end. Like a empty car lot at night some lights showing the distance but there was a good distance of just pitch black to get to them.

This looked much bigger then just my basement. The house was no more then a small farm house. This defiantly went farther. Curiosity had me walking. The creature followed like a dog follows his master.

Cute. 10 minutes go by of just walking. Nothing in sight. Stopping I turn back. I had gone as far as I was safely assured I could. The stairs case up to my house was were I left it. Nice to know I had a escape.

“What is this place?” plopping down crossed legged the creature crawls into my lap. This had to be a dream. That or I just happen to have a magic basement. That seemed unlikely, though what other answer did I have.

My hands unconsciously pet at the creature who snuggles close. I had so many dogs in my life anything in my lap was bound to have its hair tousled. It was a comfort throughout my life. Breakups were met with a movie night and skipper ,my old Pittbull, snuggled in my lap as I cry over heartbreak my trembling hands running though spiked short bristles.

This was bound to be a long mystery. I’d end up here tommorow after work. I wouldn’t find anything out I’m sure of that. This was a anomaly no human could comprehend. What more did this basement have to offer besides a fluffy monster?