The Attic Adventure
by Sharoon Sunny
Muffled voices seemed to be coming from the upstairs attic. Sage, not knowing what to expect at the top, walked slowly up the stairs. Her brain seemed to be making some very complex calculations as she inched slowly towards it. The house was supposed to be empty except for her cat, Perky. Perky would normally run up the stairs, but today he seemed rather reluctant. This made her more nervous. The evening sun made the shadows appear larger than life. The lights were yet to be turned on, and in that muted light, she had the feeling of being transported into a nightmare.
Sage felt her heart beat with an accelerated intensity; intensity she hadn't felt in years. The last time she was this close to any kind of nervous excitement was six years ago, when she went bungee jumping in South Africa. Africa was a memory Sage wanted to cherish for the rest of her life. The safari tours, visiting the Zulu tribes, dancing in the night around a bonfire, eating with her fingers, and saying "ja" instead of "yeah" were things Sage knew she would never experience again. She left Africa having made some excellent friends and invited several of them to visit her in the United States. It was in Africa she learned that some friends are meant to be keepers. Her life went in directions she had not expected. A job, a house, and a family kept her eternally busy. As Sage walked up the stairs, she realized she had failed to stop and smell the roses.
As Sage got closer to the attic, the voices seemed to almost disappear. She strained her ears to listen to them. She sat down on the stairs with the phone in her hands and began debating whether to call the police or her husband. Deciding against both, she set out to face this on her own. She got up and began climbing the stairs, all along clutching the phone so hard that her nerves seemed on the verge of bursting through her pale white skin.
The attic was located up a small flight of stairs, next to a large open room that the family used for activities like reading, playing games, and sometimes just relaxing. It had large windows, which were open all the time. Sunlight and fresh air created a personality and character, quite unique to the room. There was no other space quite like it in the house. The wind pushed open the entrance to the attic, and as the door opened, it creaked. Perky jumped up in the hope of being carried, and this scared the life out of Sage. She regained her composure and walked up. The door was slightly ajar.
She initially peeked through a small gap in the attic door and could see nothing. Then, she moved closer to the attic door and pushed it open completely. The attic was dark, except for the light that streamed in through the small window above it. As the light streamed in, it made a small pool on the floor and dust particles rose, moving magically towards the sun. The right side of the room was mostly empty, with just a few boxes piled up in the corner. The view to the left was blocked by a giant bookshelf. She moved slowly towards what lay behind the shelf. Finally, as she walked past the shelf, she was astonished at what met her eyes. The muffled voices came from her Zulu friends from Africa.
4
Which of the following lines best summarizes the story?
A.
The story deals with a woman thinking about her life and realizing that she has been too busy to enjoy simple things.
B.
The story deals with solving a mystery. The lady of the house hears muffled voices upstairs and decides to investigate further.
C.
The story details an African vacation from a long time ago, in which Sage's adventures are described in great detail.
D.
The story details the architecture of an ancient house. The story focuses on the beauty, elegance, and construction of the house.