There was something in the basement of that old, wooden house. It lurked in shadows and behind walls shrouded with cobwebs and dust, but it made itself known in small ways - a blanket pulled from a bed, a whispering when none were present.
There was something in the basement of that old, black house, and Sam was quite determined to meet it.
They'd bought the house just last month - nice neighborhood, shops within walking distance, and close to work - for a unbelievable price. They didn't know if that was because of the eldritch horror in the basement or a far, far worse nightmare, the area's strict HOA.
Their first day, they found a list of rules nailed to the door - not taped, or glued, nailed.
It seemed everything was forbidden - from planting trees in the yard to parking more than one car outside the building.
When they had come that morning to yell at Sam, they made one fatal mistake.
It was five in the morning, Sam hadn't had their coffee, and they'd told Sam to call a exorcist to get rid of the nameless god of the sightless realm that had apparently messed up a few people's yards.
Anyways, they were soon driven from the property, and Sam stomped down the rickety steps.
"Hey! I know you're down here!"
"Mortal. Leave," whispered the walls
"Look, you can co-operate with me, or the HOA'll have you sent back to the Sightless Realm."
"They could not, I am too powerful," whispered the ancient copper pipes.
"Look. I'll get kicked out. They'll hire some expensive person to come deal with you at my expense, and we'll both be out of a home."
"This 'HOA', you speak of - is it the one that banned the ice-cream truck."
"Yep."
The shadows twisted and writhed around Sam, and they could swear they could hear breathing. The air grew mustier and ancient and something crept from the corner.
"Yards," it mused. "So obsessed with the neatness of yards, they are. So obsessed with keeping children quiet and the ice-cream truck away."
"Yeah, so go destroy some landscaping!" Sam gestured broadly at the crumbling brick walls of the basement. "Heck, even go cave in their basements!"
"I would rise up in a tangle of shadow and horror and smite them all! There is, however, one issue."
"What? Surely-"
"I need you to carry something to create shadow. I cannot exist, without shadow, and those damn folks have spotlights in their yards."
Sam pulled a umbrella from their bag.
"Let's get em'"