The boathouse at dusk

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

At dusk, Ellen saw a pale movement behind the windows of the deserted boathouse. She stopped on the path and listened. The river was quiet except for the soft dip of water against the bank, and the last light made the empty building seem to watch her.

Taking a lantern, Ellen crossed the yard. The boathouse door stood ajar, although she remembered fastening it that morning. Inside, something tapped in the darkness. Tap. Silence. Tap. She lifted the lantern. A loose shutter swung above the water, striking the wall whenever the evening breeze reached it.

Ellen let out her breath and stepped towards the shutter. Then something knocked once from beneath the floorboards. The lantern flame trembled. She turned towards the dark water, but nothing moved.

Analyse the ways the passage makes Ellen's approach to the boathouse seem threatening and then leaves her uncertain. In your answer, consider:

• how words and images make the setting and sounds seem threatening
• how the order of events delays the first explanation
• how the final moment changes the suspense.

Support your answer with references to the passage.