Storyline/Plot - detailed

1902

In the very early 1900's, a wealthy couple called Mr and Mrs Durlock built a house on the top of Ports Down Hill and moved in with their five children, Elsie, Edwin, Clara, Patricia and James. As the years passed, the Durlock's eldest daughter, Elsie, abruptly developed mental health problems and no one could work out why. Having someone with a mental illness within the family back in the Victorian times was seen as shameful and so a lot of families would either admit family members to an asylum or banish them into the attic or cellar because they were seen as being a child of the devil. In this case, the Durlocks locked Elsie away in the attic at the age of just 9 years old. Her parents didn't understand her illness and neither did she, Elsie was always excluded within family activities for being 'odd' and so felt isolated as well as unloved compared to the rest of her siblings.

Her parents would take her up food and water once a day but without making any conversation as they no longer saw her as their daughter. Her siblings were forbidden to enter the attic and other family members or friends were told that Elsie had been sent away to a posh boarding school because her behaviour was not as it should be. 

The only furniture in the attic for Elsie's comfort was a wooden chair, an old wooden toy box with a family photo inside as well as her music box. There was no chamber pot so she had to go to toilet in the corner of the attic, causing her to become ill due to the horrendous smell and lack of hygiene. 

Years passed and at the age of 16, Elsie killed herself and after this there are no further records of the Durlock family. 

Present

The Paige family weren't the first to move into Durlock House. Numerous families had lived there previously but within a month they would move out without any explanation, not that this worried the Paiges. There was Mr and Mrs Paige, with their 16 year old daughter Anna and 8 year old son Alex. Mr and Mrs Paige worked late hours and so Anna and Alex were quite often alone in the house. Anna found it very difficult to settle in due to her father's job forcing them to move every few years, and so she didn't really have any friends. She was very protective of Alex as she was frequently babysitting him and they had a very close relationship. 

One day whilst her parents were at work, Anna decided to explore the house to see what she could find, and she came across a trap door that led to a dark, unused attic that contained only a chair and a wooden box. 

Since discovering the attic and these objects, as well as the music box, Anna has noticed differences in Alex's behaviour. He will suddenly become distant and angry if Anna ever tried to interact with him, it didn't make any sense.

As weeks passed, more strange things were happening at Durlock House, but only ever when Mr and Mrs Paige were absent. Loud thudding was heard from upstairs and then sudden padding of footsteps would be heard beside Anna, as well as a cold gush of air. It wasn't this that frightened Anna, but the actions of Alex. Since entering that attic, something in the house had changed. Something in the house, and something in Alex...