Eliza and the Hungry House Guests

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Eliza pressed her nose against the cool window glass, watching her parents' car disappear around the corner. At eight years old, she was finally old enough to stay home alone for a whole afternoon! Her heart drummed with excitement as she spun around in the empty living room. "I'm in charge now!" she announced to the quiet house, her voice echoing off the walls. She had promised to be responsible, to keep the doors locked, and to call if anything went wrong. But right now, all she felt was the delicious thrill of independence. The old Victorian house seemed bigger somehow, full of possibilities she'd never noticed before.

She decided to explore every corner of her domain, starting with the kitchen. Eliza climbed onto the counter to reach the special cookies her mom kept on the highest shelf – the ones saved for guests. "Well, I'm the boss today," she reasoned, taking just one. As she munched, a strange sound drifted from above. THUMP. RUSTLE. THUMP. She froze, cookie halfway to her mouth. The attic? But nobody ever went up there except to store Christmas decorations. Another series of thumps made the ceiling lamp sway gently. Her parents had been gone exactly seven minutes, and already something mysterious was happening.