Story teller

Once, not far from a little red church lived five children. Russel, Anne, James, Benjamin and Lou. One warm Sunday, the five children went out behind the church. There was an old building that used to be a store, but wasn’t used any longer. Also there was, beside the store, a cellar. The children wanted to go into the little cellar, so James went in first to see if it was safe. While he was down there, he found a shoe. It was a high-heeled shoe that was in good shape.

He called up to Anne, “Here is a shoe, try it on.”

“Oh,” squealed Anne. “I like that shoe. I will try it on.” Despite the fact that it was old Jane took off her own shoe and tried on the “pretty” shoe. While she tried it on, James came back out of the cellars hole. The sad part was the shoe was just a little too small for Anne’s foot. The shoe broke.

“That was a good shoe.” scolded Russel, James, and Benjamin.

“Yeah,” put in Benjamin, “we could’ve sold that on e-bay for big bucks!”

“No,” said James, “that was Cinderella’s shoe. Lou could’ve been Cinderella.”

“I broke the shoe and I’m not ashamed of it,” Anne said crossly.

“What would be good punishment for Anne?” James asked.

“Oh!” shouted Russel. “Send her into that building where ghosts and zombies live.”

“Yes, yes!” said Benjamin. “That will do her good.”

“No, I don’t think we should.” Little Lou said. “We don’t want her to die.

“Of course she won’t die.” replied James. “That place could hardly hurt a person bad enough to break their leg!”

“And,” added Anne herself, “I don’t believe in ghosts and zombies. Throw me into there, I don’t care!” And with that, James and Russel grabbed Anne each by an arm and began to tote her away to the old store. To their surprise the door was boarded shut, but a small window without a pane was nearby. They decided that would be good just the same. So in she went.

“Oh, James!” shouted Lou. “I will tell Mommy!”

“Oh, no, you will not.” James shouted back. “If you do that, I will put you in also.”

“Then I won’t tell,” Lou whispered.

“Oh, look here!” exclaimed Anne from inside. I found a Swiffer! It’s not old, it’s new!”

“Let me see!” cried the four outside. “We want to see it too!”

“You’ll have to come in here to see it,” she said back.

“Oh, I would like to,” James said excitedly.

“And me to,” added Russel and Benjamin.

“What about me?” asked Lou? “I don’t want to stay here by myself.”

“Then come in with us.” said Russel. “I’ll lift you up to the window and James will pull you in.”

“Oh, thank you!” she cried.

“No problem,” he said.

“Oh and here is a candy thing,” Anne said happily.

“I’d stay out of it if I were you,” said Russel who had come up behind her. “I’d bet there have been rats in there. Now where is that Swiffer?”

“Oh, it is right there, see?” Anne said

“It is new.” James said “It is blue. I bet someone put it there recently.”

“Who?” asked Lou with a scared look in her eyes.

“I don’t know, but I bet it was a ghost or zombie,” Benjamin said. They dismissed the conversation about the Swiffer and the five excited children scurried around looking at old toy tractors, dolls, candy machines, chairs and tables, and much more.

“Look!” shouted Lou. “It’s a staircase leading down!”

“Wait for us!” Anne screamed. Lou waited patiently until the others got there. Then they looked down the stairs. They didn’t see anything so down they went.

“Wow!” said James. “This place is huge!”

“And,” added Russel, “It’s completely empty.” The children explored some more and suddenly saw a light shining through a doorway. The children raced to get through. Benjamin was first to make it through the doorway. Then Russel, Lou, Anne and James was last. The floor was grass and dirt. The walls were narrow and concrete. Suddenly James realized where they were.

“This is the cellar that was outside. The one I found the shoe in. the shoe that Anne broke. Because she broke it, she was put into the house. The house that had the staircase leading to the basement. The basement that lead to here.”

“Yes!” shouted the others.

Then Russel exclaimed, “We should get back to church. Mom will be furious if we don’t arrive soon.”

“Yes,” said Benjamin, “But don’t tell about anything at all. Understood?” Everyone nodded, and they headed out. When they got to the church, there stood Dad and Mom.

“Where have you all been?” asked Mom. “We were supposed to leave a half hour ago!”

“We were exploring, Mom,” Benjamin said in his cool voice.

“Where?” asked Dad.

“By the house,” Russel answered.

“Did you go in?” Mom asked. They hesitated and finally said they had, asked for forgiveness, and promised not to ever go in there again… all that is except for Anne, who was known to be a rascal.

“But, Mom,” began Anne, “We found a new Swiffer in there.”

“No buts about it,” Mom said firmly.

“Mom, there is a mystery behind it. Please don’t make me promise that I won’t go in there again, because I will,” Anne said.

“I won’t make you promise, but don’t go in there. That was very naughty of you to go in there. Mr. Jacobson is moving things that he doesn’t want in his house into his store. That is why you found the Swiffer,” Mom said. The children were satisfied with that, and Anne decided she wouldn’t go in there again. Not only because her mom said, but because she decided she didn’t like being naughty any more.