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The Man in the Attic
1940, German-occupied CzechoslovakiaA dark shadow lurks near Jacob's village, one dressed in tall black boots and carrying guns. He should listen to his grandfather, give up his childish games and possessions. But when two boys try to take his prize marble, he runs away to his synagogue and hides in the forbidden attic. There Jacob uncrates a huge, dusty clay man. Could it be the creature from his grandfather's stories, the Maharal's earthen defender of the Jews of Prague? If such legends were true, no one would dare come for his marble—or his village. Legends taught that the statue could be brought to life with a single word to do its master’s bidding. But that was a childish thought, and he should give up childish thoughts. And even if it were true, the legends also told of unintended horrors once that word was spoken to the creature, that word he should not say...“Awaken.”
19 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2014
4 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Cantrell
61 books541 followersA few years ago Rebecca Cantrell quit her job, sold her house, and moved to Hawaii to write a novel because, at seven, she decided that she would be a writer. Now she writes the award-winning Hannah Vogel mystery series set in Berlin in the 1930s. “A Trace of Smoke,” "A Night of Long Knives," "A Game of Lies," and "A City of Broken Glass." She also co-writes the Order of Sanguines series with James Rollins, starting with the upcoming book 1: "The Blood Gospel." And she writes the iMonster series as Bekka Black, including "iDrakula" and "iFrankenstein."
A faded pink triangle pasted on the wall of Dachau Concentration Camp and time in Berlin, Germany in the 1980s inspired “A Trace of Smoke.” Fluent in German, she received her high school diploma from the John F. Kennedy Schule in Berlin and studied at the Freie Universität in Berlin and the Georg August Universität in Göttingen.
When she visited Berlin in the summer of 2006, she was astounded to discover that many locations in her novel have been rebuilt and reopened in the last few years, including the gay bar El Dorado and the Mosse House publishing house.
Her short story “Coffee” will appear in the “Missing” anthology in February 2009.
Her screenplay “The Humanitarian” was a finalist at Shriekfest 2008: The Los Angeles Horror/Sci-fi Film Festival. Her screenplay “A Taste For Blood” was a finalist at the Shriekfest 2007: The Los Angeles Horror/Sci-fi Film Festival.
As of this writing, she lives in Berlin with her Ironman husband and son.
A faded pink triangle pasted on the wall of Dachau Concentration Camp and time in Berlin, Germany in the 1980s inspired “A Trace of Smoke.” Fluent in German, she received her high school diploma from the John F. Kennedy Schule in Berlin and studied at the Freie Universität in Berlin and the Georg August Universität in Göttingen.
When she visited Berlin in the summer of 2006, she was astounded to discover that many locations in her novel have been rebuilt and reopened in the last few years, including the gay bar El Dorado and the Mosse House publishing house.
Her short story “Coffee” will appear in the “Missing” anthology in February 2009.
Her screenplay “The Humanitarian” was a finalist at Shriekfest 2008: The Los Angeles Horror/Sci-fi Film Festival. Her screenplay “A Taste For Blood” was a finalist at the Shriekfest 2007: The Los Angeles Horror/Sci-fi Film Festival.
As of this writing, she lives in Berlin with her Ironman husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 6, 2014
A great short story by Rebecca Cantrell! It isn't Halloween yet - but it doesn't have to be to enjoy this frightening tale! Rich with Jewish culture, you won't want to miss what happens to Jacob when he visits the attic. Just a warning: read the ending carefully or you'll miss the AWESOME twist!
June 1, 2023
Wow what a great short story. I stumbled across two eBook stories by Cantrell while doing research for a different review. I picked up both this one and On the Trail, without reading anything about them. I grabbed them just as a fan of the works of Cantrell I had already read. I could tell based on the covers that they were related and likely related to WWII events. The description of this story states:
“1940, German-occupied Czechoslovakia
A dark shadow lurks near Jacob's village, one dressed in tall black boots and carrying guns. He should listen to his grandfather, give up his childish games and possessions. But when two boys try to take his prize marble, he runs away to his synagogue and hides in the forbidden attic.
There Jacob uncrates a huge, dusty clay man. Could it be the creature from his grandfather's stories, the Maharal's earthen defender of the Jews of Prague? If such legends were true, no one would dare come for his marble—or his village. Legends taught that the statue could be brought to life with a single word to do its master’s bidding. But that was a childish thought, and he should give up childish thoughts. And even if it were true, the legends also told of unintended horrors once that word was spoken to the creature, that word he should not say...”
As soon as the creature in the box was described I recognized it from the St Tommy NYPD books by Declan Finn. A golem is a terrible thing to consider, it is mindless and intent on completing a most literal interpretation of its instructions. In St Tommy they are used for good, in this one things go sideways really quick. In this one a young boy, Jacob, finds one and does now really know what the consequences of his awakening it will be.
Cantrell does an amazing job building tension, creating terror, and capturing horror in this masterfully written short story. Cantrell was looking for help renaming an older story called iFrankenstein on social media, I had suggested iGolem without even being aware of this story.
I have now read a few stories by Cantrell over the last few months, prior to that it had been seven years since I read a book by her. Back in 2015 I read a few of the Order of the Sanguines series co-written with James Rollins, that was shortly before a major work project and then a switch in jobs and her works fell off my radar. After reading her excellent collection, Yuletide Thrills, short stories I picked up this and 2 of her other volumes. I now plan to read all of her published works, both those under this name and the two under the pen name, Bekka Black. This is an excellent short story, wonderful written. So I encourage you to pick this up and give it a try, but be warned you might become addicted to Cantrell’s stories and end up with many of her books on your wish list or ‘to be read’ pile.
“1940, German-occupied Czechoslovakia
A dark shadow lurks near Jacob's village, one dressed in tall black boots and carrying guns. He should listen to his grandfather, give up his childish games and possessions. But when two boys try to take his prize marble, he runs away to his synagogue and hides in the forbidden attic.
There Jacob uncrates a huge, dusty clay man. Could it be the creature from his grandfather's stories, the Maharal's earthen defender of the Jews of Prague? If such legends were true, no one would dare come for his marble—or his village. Legends taught that the statue could be brought to life with a single word to do its master’s bidding. But that was a childish thought, and he should give up childish thoughts. And even if it were true, the legends also told of unintended horrors once that word was spoken to the creature, that word he should not say...”
As soon as the creature in the box was described I recognized it from the St Tommy NYPD books by Declan Finn. A golem is a terrible thing to consider, it is mindless and intent on completing a most literal interpretation of its instructions. In St Tommy they are used for good, in this one things go sideways really quick. In this one a young boy, Jacob, finds one and does now really know what the consequences of his awakening it will be.
Cantrell does an amazing job building tension, creating terror, and capturing horror in this masterfully written short story. Cantrell was looking for help renaming an older story called iFrankenstein on social media, I had suggested iGolem without even being aware of this story.
I have now read a few stories by Cantrell over the last few months, prior to that it had been seven years since I read a book by her. Back in 2015 I read a few of the Order of the Sanguines series co-written with James Rollins, that was shortly before a major work project and then a switch in jobs and her works fell off my radar. After reading her excellent collection, Yuletide Thrills, short stories I picked up this and 2 of her other volumes. I now plan to read all of her published works, both those under this name and the two under the pen name, Bekka Black. This is an excellent short story, wonderful written. So I encourage you to pick this up and give it a try, but be warned you might become addicted to Cantrell’s stories and end up with many of her books on your wish list or ‘to be read’ pile.
April 1, 2014
The Man in the Attic is a short novella but carries a huge punch. Set in 1940 in German occupied Czechoslovakia. Jacob, runs and hids in the Synagogue from boys chasing him. While there he ventures into a room reserved only for the Rabbi. There he finds and awaken a Golem, a man made of clay. Golams are often found in Jewish stories. Golem are constructed from clay while certain prayers are said by the Rabbis.
And then we have the Nazis there to create more problems.
Action packed an fast pace from the beginning to the end.
And then we have the Nazis there to create more problems.
Action packed an fast pace from the beginning to the end.
April 2, 2014
Really don't know how Rebecca does it. Even with a short story she builds characters you fall in love with and places you can almost feel as you breathe. I hope she follows it up with another story soon!!!
January 15, 2018
Fabulously frightening novella by one of my favorite authors.
I decided to read this while waiting for the next Hannah Vogel story, and was not disappointed.
There is a lot of punch here, packed into a short story!
I decided to read this while waiting for the next Hannah Vogel story, and was not disappointed.
There is a lot of punch here, packed into a short story!
February 8, 2024
Read as part of the collection Cigarette Boy and Other Stories.
It took me a while before I can get my hands on a copy of Cigarette Boy and Other Stories. This story made it worthwhile.
It took me a while before I can get my hands on a copy of Cigarette Boy and Other Stories. This story made it worthwhile.
February 12, 2015
I've long heard good things about Rebecca Cantrell's writing, and when I saw that this digital short story was available I thought I'd go for a test drive. If I liked this story, then I'd make a point to read her books. What's the verdict? I'll be reading a Rebecca Cantrell novel in the near future.
This short story is so good that I wished there were more to it. Jacob is a very annoying little boy who seems to go out of his way to not pay attention to what he's been told. He's oblivious to the danger all around him. As far as Jacob is concerned, he's bulletproof. He is invincible. But the reader isn't oblivious. To the reader, the very atmosphere seems filled with dread.
Cantrell uses the Jewish legend of the golem not only to build suspense and foreboding, she uses it to provide a wonderful little twist at the end that I really enjoyed. Here's yet another example of a digital short story helping me find a new author to read!
This short story is so good that I wished there were more to it. Jacob is a very annoying little boy who seems to go out of his way to not pay attention to what he's been told. He's oblivious to the danger all around him. As far as Jacob is concerned, he's bulletproof. He is invincible. But the reader isn't oblivious. To the reader, the very atmosphere seems filled with dread.
Cantrell uses the Jewish legend of the golem not only to build suspense and foreboding, she uses it to provide a wonderful little twist at the end that I really enjoyed. Here's yet another example of a digital short story helping me find a new author to read!
September 28, 2014
The man in the attic
Love Rebecca Cantrell's work and with James Rollins they are a force to be reckoned with. Waiting for the next!
Love Rebecca Cantrell's work and with James Rollins they are a force to be reckoned with. Waiting for the next!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews