A Student/Teacher Relationship

'Don't do it.'...... I have to!

'Why?'..........Because I just do.

'It's a bad idea.'............ Thank you, Captain Obvious.

I rolled my eyes and sat up out of bed. It's either two or three in the morning. I don't know. I hate wearing watches. Jimmy slept peacefully beside me, Evan and Andrea are on the other bed, and I'm sure if I open that door, Scott and Terry will be in plain sight passed out. I'm not going to waste my time on details when I snuck out of the apartment or how I thought I woke up Jimmy, nor my trip downstairs. I am going to dwell on my hours long obsession with that damn basement. It was all I could think about as we ran around town stopping at random places. I don't know why, but the story Jimmy told me didn't seem right. Not right at all. Something is going on, and I am finding out what.

No one was visible as I descended the last flight stepping into the pale glow of the 24 hour light near the front door. Crap, the hall is creepier at night. I was about to turn and run back upstairs, but my obsession came into view. He didn't lock the door. He can't from the outside.

'That doesn't mean open it!'

"I'll say this only once. Once ya hear me? I'm fucking scared shitless right now and I do not need any of your snide remarks popping in and stating what I already know so shut the hell up."......Silence.....Glad that's settled.

The basement door is scratched and menacing. It's like people were clawing to get in. I smiled at the thought and shrugged it away. Who knows what's behind it. A crippled rat? Maybe I should talk myself through this. Isn't that supposed to help?

"I am putting my hand on the door knob. Hand is on the door knob. I am now turning it." The hinges squeaked as the door opened. The light from behind me shot half way down the stairs and was absorbed into black. Just my luck, no light switch. Squeezing my eyes shut as I sometimes do to survive a Halloween driven haunted house to come off as fearless in the end, I slid each foot step after step down.

Before I knew it, stable concrete replaced the decaying wooden steps. It's colder down here. Lying Jimmy didn't fix anything.

'Perhaps he isn't that handy?'

Putting my hands on my hips, I whispered harshly, "Now what did I tell you?........Holy shit I really am nuts." I dropped my arms with a grin and rubbed my lips.

What was the point of opening my eyes?It's pitch dark except for the looming hall light above. The thought of turning back is so appealing. "Head towards the light!" as some might say.It's not that I hate the dark. On the contrary I'm quite fond of it; I revel in all it's glory. The look, the power, the mystery, it even has a feel to it. Not now though. It's entirely different.... Screw this, I need light.

There must be a chain around here somewhere.... Waving my hands in the air and taking a few steps forward, my hand brushed against the metal chain and grasped it.

'Come oooon.... What are you doing? After everything he has done for you, you still don't trust Jimmy?'

I smacked myself in the head. "Shut it."

A strained groan almost made me jump out of my skin. Whipping my head in different directions, the origin of the sound was unknown. Ok, ok, rats make noises like that, right? Yeah, of course they do..... I yanked down much harder than needed. The chain broke off in my palm, and the bulb flickered dimly. What I saw made me wish I had never turned the light on.