Alice

The candles were spread all over the place. Wax was dripping onto the carpet and all the while he ran around in this stupid raincoat. Don’t worry about the fact that it was my house or that I didn’t know this old man from Adam. He smelled like a wet dog, and I wasn’t entirely sure I was awake.

I watched from the hallway, more confused than angry. When he lifted the lid to the piano I came stomping in.

"What are you doing? It's three in the morning. I've got work tomorrow, I've got..."

"Shush, I'm almost there." He mumbled into his beard, crouched inches above the carpet, looking, looking. He seemed to be all wrinkles and white hair. Any semblance of a face had long since disappeared into old age.

He stuck his arm into the upright, grunting at the effort of reaching past strings and hammers. I had to move a candle to keep him from kicking it over as he stuck his head in the piano, searching. He brought it back out and seemed to be thinking.

"What are you looking for?"

"Shush, young lady. I'm afraid something followed me into the house, and I'm trying to find it. Now if you'll excuse me," his wet house shoes sqooshed in the hallway.

“But why are you here? And where did all these candles come from?” My questions came out as a weak protest. The truth is, curiosity was getting the best of me. Maybe it was sleep depravation, or maybe that five-year-old in my head just had to know.
Whatever the case, I quieted down and just watched him. I followed him into the study. He stiffened when he reached the old roll-top desk.

"There."

He grabbed a jar out of his coat and in one deft motion scooped up air. He held it tight, like it was trying to get away.

"What is it?"

"Shush."

I was about to protest. I'd been shushed for about the last time, but I saw something move in the jar.

It was a blur more than anything, something neon green. I looked hard, drug the old geezer over to the light and turned it. There it was. It didn't have a nose, eyes, face anything that would denote a living thing, yet it moved. And looked at me, I just knew it. Like an animated gel with fuzzy feet.

The old man snatched the jar back before I got a good look.

"Time to go, time to go." He scurried for the door. I grabbed onto his shirt sleeve for dear life.

"Wait! What is that?"

"None of your business, young lady. I've got to go take it back now."

He ran fast for an old man. I chased him about a block and barely made it to his house -- which I swore I had never seen -- before the door closed. He was still hurrying when I entered.

In one corner was an old mirror. He said a few words as he approached it and the thing burst inward to reveal a long passage. As the mirror started to reform, I was in a quandry. Chase after the old man, or stay where it's safe. Where mirrors didn't reveal passageways and nothing living looked like that green thing.

What the hell...

Down the rabbit hole I went.