The Thing in the Attic

Something very tall and strange had been kept enchained in the Slade mansion attic

Nobody could be exactly certain how  long it had lurked, in the attic of the old Slade mansion on Feldspar Lane. They had heard it scream and howl like a giant wolf, but nobody either saw it or dared to look. Those interviewed by both local police and the Paranormal Research Institute believed that it was some sort of demon or monster (such as those supposedly summoned at Miskatonic University, Arkham, Massachusetts) and they all were fairly certain that it was of abnormal size. The ensuing investigation warranted joint effort between the police and the Research Institute.

Regarding the Slade mansion, the joint team of investigators learned that it was almost sixty years old when Edwin Slade had lived there and suddenly abandoned it. Slade had a keen interest in such places, apparently. His neighbors believed that the thing in the attic had forced Slade and his family to leave the mansion. It fell into disarray after that. However, evidence to this effect had yet to be found. While the team searched the premises for evidence, they looked throughout it for the key to the attic, which had been locked from without. Finally, after they failed to find a key, they broke the door open.

The interior of the attic was musty and dusty and exuded a lingering stench that made the team cover their noses and mouths. They almost vomited. It seemed to be from both decay/decomposition and ageing.

"Someone or something had been in here for sure," one man exclaimed.
"It seems to be very old, judging from this odor."

They cleared the dust from the air in ten minutes and searched the attic. After ten minutes more, they found a heap of bones and fragments which bore scanty resemblance to a human skeleton. It appeared to be erect like a primate but that seemed to be the only identity. It was also very tall, perhaps about eight feet. Near one leg, they found a length of old iron chain with a heavy brace around the ankle, and they realized instantly that someone had chained the creature in the attic and locked the door after leaving it. The Institute's scholars photographed it for further study. Then the team left the attic and returned to Feldspar Lane to learn more.  Only one resident from about twenty interviewed could tell them.

"Sir, one evening, I had taken a stroll along the lane and I passed by the house. One neighbor, who I believe was equal in age to Edwin Slade, told me that he heard the thing screech from the attic window. It must have been talking to Slade then. He said the thing warned thus,
 'Enchain me and break me, but your nightmares will always sate me!'"