Emily’s attic wasn’t anything like Skylar expected from human media, either a whimsical extra bedroom, or a disorganized dusty mess. It was bright, from a window and the overhead light with fan. It wasn’t an extra room, there was no bed. Instead of cardboard boxes there were plastic containers labeled with marker and Braille neatly stacked along the walls. Some furniture, a couple chairs, an antique desk, and a couple large decorations, all wrapped in dusty sheets or plastic.
“Mom said the Halloween bins are on the right. But we can probably use just about anything.” Emily tapped her cane as she moved towards the nearest wall. Her fingers danced along the containers, slowing when she found the labels.
“Cool.” Skylar went to the corner where the furniture was. Peeking under sheets, marveling at the old furniture. “Why don’t you use some of this stuff?”
“A lot of it we got from my grandparents after they died.” Emily shrugged. “And it happened when I was still pretty little, so my parents didn’t want me to ruin any of it with the usual kid mishaps.”
“And now?”
“I don’t know.”
Skylar wiggled between a desk and a lamp, steadying the light before they looked down. A smaller bundle was under a chair. They pulled out the cylinder, wider at one end, carefully unwrapping it. The object dinged when Skylar gently rapped the side with their knuckles. “Can we use this vase?”
“Vase?” Emily paused. “I don’t think my mother ever mentioned putting a vase up here.”
Skylar described the object, the discolored metal due to age, the heavy bottom, the wide lip at the top and the hole.
“Oh!” Emily snapped her fingers. “I bet that’s my grandfather’s old spittoon!”
Skylar peered into the hole, but all they could see was darkness. “What would you even put in here if not flowers or plants?”
“It’s in the name.” Emily chuckled. “Spit. Like from chewing tobacco mostly… though I suppose it doesn’t necessarily have to have been chewing tobacco.”
“Gross.” Skylar drummed their fingers on the side of it. “Think your mom will let us use it? Fill it up some fake blood and entrails for the haunted house?”
“I don’t think she’ll mind, but we’ll check before we put in fake organs.”
“Did you find the Halloween bins?”
“Yeah.”
Skylar set the spittoon on top of the wrapped desk and made their way over to Emily. Together they picked through the costumes and decorations, separating anything scary from the more whimsical and child friendly.
Word count: 423
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