Another late night in the Observatory
by Mike Hewitt
There I was again, sitting in the computer room, spinning around in my chair just to stay awake. I knew it was late because Dana just left, and I was all alone. Being alone in this old spooky building had a strange effect on me. I began to feel scared and nervous. The hairs on my neck pricked up and I got that Sixth Sense feeling all around. I tried to remain calm though and chug away at my paper due later in the day. I heard a noise other than the click-click-clack of my fingers whirling over the keyboard. It started as a low rattling and become louder. The thunderous clumpy clatter of the furnace shook the room and my heart shot up to my throat as I started to panic.
I immediately began speculating that it was not in fact the old heating system, but a beast in the basement, struggling to get free. I thought back to before I entered the building and the mysterious light emanating from the basement window. I shut the door and felt like I was in an episode of Scooby Doo. I then remembered the story Dr. Steinhauer told us about the crazy old honors director who spent long hours in this very room and may indeed haunt the observatory! I no longer felt safe and ran downstairs to meet what I thought to be my doom. Waiting for me was a foggy honors classroom. The lights began to flicker and the thudding from the pipes became deafening. I fainted then and there.
I awoke to find myself in a poorly lit room that smelled of
earth. I was bound to a set of pipes with heavy rope and I could hear
whispering voices. I was not able to make out what they said but I construed it
to be of my looming destruction. I found a convenient shard of glass and began
cutting my bonds. Footsteps began tracing their way toward me and I will never
forget what I saw. It was Dr. Steinhauer dressed as an evil clown. He menaced
toward me with what can only be described as a boutonnière of fiery death. I
had never been so scared in my entire life. I run past him up a dilapidated set
of stairs, banging my head on the cellar door, to what I thought would be sweet
freedom. The blow from the door, however, rendered me unconscious.
I awoke again to find myself asleep at my computer. Perhaps I dreamed the whole thing. Perhaps Dana spiked my hot chocolate with some chemicals. Perhaps the giant bump on my head will go away and I can forget the whole incident, although I do have a paper due tomorrow…
Great Issues in Honors is a product of the Albion College Honors Institute. We are a group of dedicated students interested in reporting on events and issues pertinent to us as Honors students, Albion College students, and people in the world today. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of any greater body. No articles or photos may be reused without the consent of the author or the webmaster. Backgrounds courtesy of Absolutely Free Backgrounds.