My wife’s scream echoed down the hall.

Panicked, I sprinted into the nursery. “What happened?”

Alyssa was on her back, covered in plaster dust and laughing hysterically. “Look …” More laughter. “In the wall.”

I recoiled as I saw the child-sized skeleton wedged between the studs. “Holy shit.”

“The previous owner had one sick sense of humor.”

“You’re telling me.”

She smiled mischievously. “Should we leave it?”

I examined the plasterboard Alyssa had removed from the wall, then slipped it into a trash bag before she could see the bloody fingernail marks clawed on the inside.

“Yeah.” I smiled. “Let’s.”

---

Looking for more? Check out all the free stories, drabbles, and podcasts. And be sure to follow @warrenbenedetto on Twitter.

---