The Current - The Rivers School

Past midnight, we, The Four Musketeers, dressed in chain mail and with swords wielded, walk through the shadow of the valley of hell in search of foul beasts and hidden
wonders. Gray, Conor, Benj and I are the Four Musketeers, and together we are a legion. During the day we are just ordinary school children, but this Friday is not like most
other Fridays because tonight we are having a sleepover.
The clock is nearing midnight, and nothing stirs within the house except in the basement. At Conor’s house, we always have to sleep in the basement because we tend
to be noisy during the nights. However, this basement is not like any ordinary basement. Divided by good and evil, the basement is. We fearless four sleep on the outskirts of a
labyrinth; the evil within the basement. We lie on the rugged ground near the staircase and we are safe here. But if we wander too far past our territory, we enter the realm of the
oil room. This oil room looks like a maze, and it is filled with giant furnaces and oil tanks that take up sixty percent of the basement. Most of its secrets remain a mystery to us, but
we do not care to know what darkness dwells in that area. No soul has dared to venture there before. I think it is the scariest, creepiest, monster infested dungeon on the planet. I
am sure that a plethora of evil creatures and beings lives there.
As we all lie on the carpeted floor in the bleak basement, I look out the tiny window in the upper corner of the room and I see darkness outside. We are playing a peaceful
game of cards to help us fall asleep, but little do I know that our night is only just beginning.
Out of nowhere, a slow and soft slithering sound is heard from the oil room. It is as if something is moving across the floor. We all gasp simultaneously and look into the
half open door to the dreaded room, then back at each other, fear in each person’s eyes.
“Did you hear that” I ask out loud.
“Uh-huh” I hear from someone else.
We wait for a moment, each of us holding our breath. After a second sound is not heard, our shoulders drop and we relax for the moment. We continue our card game,
everyone silent.
Every few minutes, I glance over my shoulder, beyond the carpeted area and into the cement floored oil room. I can only see about ten feet into the room because
everything past this is consumed by black night. All the territory out of our sight remains un-chartered by mankind.
Our card game carries on, quietly, and I decide to eat some of the food we brought down earlier that day. I rummage through the remains of our Fritos supply, and
salvage whatever scraps are left. I stuff the salty chip crumbs in my mouth and scatter the fallen crumbs around the carpet. I hear and feel the loud crunch in my mouth, and as I
am chewing, I slow down because a louder sound overpowers me.
This time it is a creaking. My chewing slows to a halt as we seem to hear a rusted door within the realm of the oil room open or close. As the creaking stops, I swallow
the chips and gulp. There’s not going to be any sleeping tonight, I conclude.
“Guys, what was that” Benj asks.
Nobody knows what to do, but after a moment, Gray stands up and begins suiting up. I watch as he puts a pillow under his shirt as armor. I stand up and do the same.
I find a small flashlight and put it in my belt loop, then I scavenge for a plastic sword, and I grip it tight in my hand. I swing it left and right while maneuvering my feet in complex
motions.
It is now just past midnight, and all plump from our pillowed armor, we meet in the back of the basement and huddle in a circle.
“Okay guys, time to see what’s out there” Gray says.
“We are the Four Musketeers!” Conor shouts as he raises his sword to the heavens.
“We have no fear!” Benj says with a trembling in his voice.
I take a deep breath and then after making eye contact with each of my three comrades, I nod and we walk forward.
As we make our way across the floor, I check my peripherals, and
stare into the face of the oil room. We pause briefly at the half open door,
and quietly crack it fully open. I turn on my flashlight, and my eyes widen
at the mystery. All I can see are two doors and lots of crevices and nooks
around me. I swing the flashlight around and view the ceiling chipping with
ancient paint. I decide we must split up into groups. Conor and I go into the
left door while Gray and Benj go right.
Conor and I silently salute our comrades, and we watch as they
disappear into the abyss. I hear myself swallow and my mouth dries up as
I take my first step through the foreboding doorway. I look around and see
that thousands of oil furnaces the size of skyscrapers are surrounding us.
A reeking stench of mildew and cement pierces my nostrils. One furnace
grumbles quietly, and we go to investigate. Our swords are fully brandished,
and we walk side by side up to it. The furnace towers over me, and I am
amazed by its vast age. The furnace emits a subtle heat that only makes me
sweat more and become more nervous. I turn quickly with a gasp as I hear a
mouse scurry across the floor and with a feint squeal hide within the wall.
I start breathing heavily and Conor and I turn and we both see
the shadow of a blob standing seven feet beside us.
Andy Gelb
The four Musketeers
Casey Sunderland
Polo PLayers
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