The Farm House

As Eric neared the staircase, turning on every light within his reach, he saw that Elsa's fur was standing on end and that her growling grew louder. When he got to within a few feet of the stairwell, Elsa started to back away, spitting. It suddenly grew very cold in the hallway and Eric sensed something else; it was a feeling very hard to describe; the bottom of his stomach started to twinge and his heart began to beat faster. He felt the presence of evil and it seemed to be coming from the staircase in waves. It took every ounce of strength his body could muster, to go those last few feet.
As he looked up the curving stairway, he heard the sound of a creaking floorboard from above him. Elsa, always helpful, took off and headed for the laundry room at the other side of the house. Something was upstairs, yet he knew that no one else was in the house.