I started hearing noises in the loft...

I live in a fairly old block of flats on the top floor.

A few weeks ago, I had started hearing noises in the night. At first, I thought it was just the usual sounds of a building shifting as if trying to settle for the night, but then it became a little too regular. Some nights I thought it must be pigeons nesting in some hole in the roof, but other times the sound moved as if something way too big to be a bird was crawling around. I reported the sounds, as a possible infestation, to the housing company that own the building. But in true corporate landlord fashion, nothing became of it. I don't own a ladder or have anything to climb on to look inside the loft from the access panel in the ceiling, so I decided to ignore it for the time being. I had other things to do. Then I heard the voice.

"Chicken"!

I jolted up from sleep and for a moment was convinced that I was dreaming and misinterpreted the yell of a passing drunk as coming from inside the flat. Then I heard it again, "chicken", muttered this time and followed by a quiet throaty chuckle. It was without a doubt coming from the loft space above me. Wide awake with adrenaline now, I grabbed my phone to call the police and made my way from my bedroom to the front door.

"Tastes like chicken".

The voice squawked behind me. Clear now, as if no walls were between me and whomever, whatever was speaking. I turned around and there, hanging upside down from the access hatch in the ceiling, was a face I still have nightmares about to this day. A wide grin above bright, hungry, amused eyes.

I didn't even have shoes on when I bolted down the stairs and into the car park.

I haven't been back to the place yet, the police didn't seem to take me seriously, but I'll be going back to the flat with them soon. Let's hope she's gone.