Short Story: The Basement

As a child Andie used to play in the forbidden basement, landing herself in trouble on countless times and covering for her brother and cousin whenever she was caught. As she grew up the crates and boxes down there where no longer great hiding places but important to her father's import and export business and a haven of peace and tranquilty for her parents. This was until Andie discovered something horrific in the room her parents had forbade her from entering for years. Just a youngster celebrating her academic successes Andie had bounced through the open door. Andie hasn't stepped foot on those stairs since she was carried from the room and away from her parents, covered in their blood, and traumatised.

Five years later, her parents murderer is still at large, her brother and cousin have died in a car accident in Andie's car, Andie has a security entourage worthy of royalty, and the only place she knows she is safe is within the four walls of her childhood home. Until Andie finds herself reliving these events as she steps down the stairs into the basement and the answers she finds at the bottom was something she never expected.

Writing has always a hobby for me, something to lose myself in whilst the world outside passed by and The Basement originally started out as a novella that I wrote at the age of 16. I was working on the project before I was set a creative writing coursework task for which I also used the poem Seasons of Love. With guidance from my tutor I was able to reduce the novella right down into just a few thousands words. Until I wrote this, I didn't think that I had the talent to become a writer. Yes, it was a dream. But I never that it could be reality for me.

Read Erin's thriller The Basement and other Short-Stories written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk

Short-Story: The Visit

One bitter and blustery winter night as the rain batters against the window pane Sophie is awoken from a deep slumber and a pleasant dream by the urge of nature calling. Sophie burrows back beneath the bed covers intent of falling back to sleep. But something is stopping her; the exhilaration of the incredible events from day before. The emergency of being a substitute birthing partner and the birth of her twin nephews begin to dance through her mind.

As Sophie relives the events of her extraordinary day she hears something, a jingle. The noise is come the office above her. Someone has triggered her personal computer from its sleepy standby mode. Sophie listens, there's no one up there. As the extraordinary events unfold before her eyes, Sophie is left wondering who, or what, has visited her office.

The Visit was a coursework project for my English A Level. I had planned to create my creative writing piece based on what is now my first novel, but due to the limitations on the word count I was unable to write what I wanted, and I had to come up with a completely fresh and new idea. Sophie's experience, is something that actually happened to me. I've always believed in life-after death but when electrical appliances begin to have a mind of their own, as mine and my sister's do, it makes you wonder if you're actually on to something, is there really life after death? But I also believe that the answer to this question we'll never truly find out until we get there. I happy not to get the answer to this particular mystery in life.

Read Erin's paranormal suspense The Visit and other Short Stories by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.