I had a small group of friends back in high school who would all go sewer exploring with me. My house was up against against a wash that ran through the center of the valley and so it was easy to access the tunnels any time we wanted. We always wore our black and white converse shoes (they air-dried easy and had decent grip and flexibility), flannels tied around our waist (we could use them for warmth or arm covering), hats (protection from dangling cobwebs and low ceilings), and jeans (durable). We carried flashlights with us, skateboards (help with maneuvering), food (for lunch breaks), knives (for protection), and paper & pen (to map the place out). We mapped out at least three cities in that valley over the course of a couple years and laughed our asses off a few times with false scares. To dry off, we'd lay in the hot sun on the slanted concrete walls of the wash just outside of a tunnel entrance. We were lucky never to be seen, caught, or attacked, but it was one of the best moments of my life. And yeah...I kept hoping that maybe we'd bump into a ninja turtle or two down there. Maybe one day... ;)
So, here you go, the start of what I hope to be a fun story based on my experience and dreams.
I hope you enjoy it!
Much love, Falruza Black
The Underground Explorers
Chapter 1 - "The Gang"
"So, right after 4th period?" Adrian asked, his hands in the pockets of his relaxed, faded jeans.
"Yeah." Michelle smiled back, and turned to go head to her class, the school bell's 2 minute warning beckoning.
Popping the last of his lunch in his mouth, the crumbs left from a bag of Sun Chips, Adrian ran off in the opposite direction, waving to her as she threw him one last grinning nod over her shoulder.
High school was a blast and an early day was always icing on the cake. Three fights during lunch and new graffiti on the north quad lockers gave the students something to talk about excitedly as their teacher attempted to quiet them down.
Michelle set her backpack down by her desk and dropped her heavy Economics book onto it, opening it to some place in the middle, unsure of where they'd be in it today.
Something hit the back of her dangling hand.
The teacher's back to her, focused on the board and itinerary, Michelle leaned down to the ground and picked up the note that had been chucked at her.
"T.U.E. meetup at 3pm - your house as start & gear up point - and can you help me with my math homework today?" It was written all in a code made up of picture symbols that would make a stick man proud, signed "The best person in the world who wants to hire you as the second best, Jennifer."
Michelle laughed once out loud, then shut her mouth, glancing up at the teacher for a sign that she was heard. Luckily, the teacher was now across the room talking with another student who'd had a question.
She pulled out a pen and flipped the paper over, writing in code on the back. "Yeah, bring the usual. I'll have the food for everyone this time. We'll do your math work afterwards." She signed it, "Already has the job of best person in the galaxy but willing to offer you better pay for second best, Michelle-A-Mondo."
Rolling the note back across the ground to her friend Jennifer, who sat behind her by a few seats. She re-focused on the teacher, glancing at the clock as she wished for time to fly.
Behind her, she heard the low guffaw of her friend as she had obviously read the note's signature.
With the teacher back at her own desk, head down going over paperwork, Michelle dared to steal a glance over her shoulder, giving Jennifer a beaming, wicked grin and wink, nodding slowly to verify that yes, she had indeed one-upped her friend's title.
Going back to their work, Michelle could hear the sound of paper tearing softly behind her, as a new note was started. Chuckling quietly to herself, eagerly awaiting what her friend would send her next in their new game of titles, she tried to focus on the rest of her class work.
The bell sounded!
"We're free! We're free!" Michelle and Jennifer jumped up, throwing their books and notes back into their backpacks, and ran out from between the rows of desks toward the door.
The bright, warm sun and cool, late winter breeze made their smiles enormous as they laughed, running down the grassy dip toward the main quad, where most of the students met up before leaving for home or making plans to go elsewhere.
They skidded to a halt beneath their favorite tree and meeting spot, dead center of the social area.
"So, who else is going with us? Same as before? Anyone new?" Jennifer asked, dropping her heavy backpack and pulling out a pack of bubble gum from one of its zipper pockets.
"The usual, Adrian, Matt and Aaron. But Adrian said he had some interest from a couple others, so we'll see. He'll be here in a sec."
In the distance, a familiar profile with shoulder-length, soft dark-brown hair and a pale green, fitted shirt was bouncing down the shallow hill heading for the girls with someone else following him.
Adrian slowed his pace before reaching them and brushed his long bangs away from his eyes, giving a charming smile. He held his sporty blue backpack in one hand, letting it dangle. It apparently didn't have anything too heavy in it at the moment.
"You guys don't know Joey. He's from my Shakespeare class but he's totally into this kind of thing."
Joey was all grins and energy, matching Adrian's height, honey skin tone, slender physique, and unique character. His short, black hair was parted in the center, styled similarly to Adrian's; his bangs falling occasionally into his eyes. He was only a few inches taller than Adrian (who was something over 5 and half feet tall himself), Michelle surmised.
The long, black trench coat seemed a bit too big for him. He reminded Jennifer of a little boy who'd discovered his dad's favorite stylish coat and wore it for fun, rather than for intimidation.
"I love exploring!" Joey nodded, his hands holding onto the straps of his backpack casually, which he didn't seem to be ready to set down any time soon.
"Have you ever been inside the sewer system?" Michelle asked, raising a brow.
"No! And it sounds like so much fun!" Joey piped.
"Well, let's get going!" Jennifer offered a piece of gum to each of them before stuffing it back in her backpack and slinging it back over her shoulders.
"Didn't you say there were others coming too?" Joey asked, eyes wide, his trench coat swirling at his ankles.
"Yeah, they'll meet us at the gate. They've been hanging around this one chick who just got her classic Mustang revamped by her parents for her birthday a few days ago. They like to drool over the engine.", Michelle chuckled beginning to walk alongside Jennifer, Adrian and Joey following.
Birds chirped from the branches above them, coming from the trees planted at intervals along the campus walkways. Jennifer was thankful that they didn't go to the new high-school that had been built over the hill. It look liked like a prison with it's high-end fence and lack of nature. Who cared about the cool campus television broadcasting system it had when all around you was asphalt and barrack-looking classrooms.
"There they are." Adrian pointed to the parking lot as they neared the gate.
Passing through the open gate, they stepped out into a musical dance club of sorts. Students hung out around cars socializing or cheering as they listened to the radio sports announcers giving the latest scores. Others danced and skated near the open doors of vehicles with their speakers blasting the latest punk or rave music. A few sat inside their vehicle passing around illegal substances and glancing around with fearless eyes. Some students just bolted to their cars without a word, taking off.
"Hey, Michelle! Hey guys!" Aaron shouted over the engine of the newly painted, red and black, 1965 Ford Mustang convertible that he and Matt were hovering over.
"Heya! So what's new?" Jennifer yelled back walking up to the open hood to crowd around it with the others.
"Not much, just the usual." Matt responded, then swung around to the car's owner. "Man! I love this car. You are so lucky!" The owner just nodded slowly, smiling as if she'd heard it a million times, which she probably had from these two. At least she was patient and understanding, aside from the tinge of pride she couldn't help but show on her face whenever people complimented her vehicle. Yeah, she liked the attention.
"The engine is just...awwwwww..." Aaron purred, eyes rolling back as he leaned down to hug the car's fender.
"Right, well while he's doing that?" Michelle laughed. "What say we head out before it gets too late?"
Aaron jumped up recovering, "Sorry! Yeah! I'm good for it. Ready to go, Matt?"
"I'm ready." They grabbed their backpacks.
"Let's do it then." Michelle and Jennifer turned to start walking, when a soft voice behind them made them turn back.
"Can I come?" It was the car's owner.
"Uh..." Aaron and Matt had never really talked or hung out with her before when it wasn't car related and they stared like they had just seen a cat fly.
"Maybe. Do you mind being in a sewer?" Michelle asked bluntly with a smirk.
The car's owner shook her head. "I dunno. What are you guys gonna do?"
Jennifer started to reply when Joey interrupted, "Explore! It's gonna be awesome!"
"Oh. Well, I've never done it before. Doesn't it smell down there? Aren't there dangerous homeless people or gangsters down there? Dead bodies?"
Aaron and Matt kept staring.
"Well, it doesn't really smell all that bad, actually. More like metallic, musty, water with a hint of soggy lettuce. Occasionally a bad smell passes by, but it doesn't last long." Michelle answered with a shrug.
"There might be people down there too. That's why we bring knives and Jennifer brings a can of mace too. A Swiss Army knife works good, if you have one." Adrian added.
"If we see a dead body, we can totally tell the cops!" Joey chimed in. "We'd be heroes! So there's nothing to worry about." His grin seemed to be exploding on his face.
"Oh. But what about animals?"
"Naw, there's only rodents down there and the occasional raccoon, but they run from us before we even get near them." Michelle answered.
"Do I need anything in particular, aside from a knife?"
They were all a bit pleasantly surprised that she seemed cool with it so far.
Michelle peered into the back of her mustang, checking to see if she had any gear with her but couldn't tell. The black interior looked clean. "Well, bring a hat, a light jacket, like a flannel, if you have one, shoes you don't care too much about, cuz they'll get wet, and a flashlight. I'm the one providing the food this time."
"Okay. I have that stuff under my seat actually. I don't care about the boots I'm wearing that much too. I mean, I can dry them off when we're done."
They glanced down seeing partially hidden combat boots from beneath the legs of her jeans.
"Cool!", Jennifer and Michelle nodded to each other and then to Adrian who also approved.
"So, what's your name?" Michelle asked.
"Sarah. And you guys are?..." She extended her hand to each of them who in turn gave their own names.
"Adrian. Cool to meet you!"
"Joey! This is gonna be so great! I'm totally new too and-" He was cut off.
"Aaron. Nice to meet you...uh...Sarah, right?" Aaron grinned, looking at her with blue eyes framed in shoulder-length blond hair.
"Yeah." She chuckled.
"You never got her name?" Michelle smacked the back of Aaron's head who gave her a sheepish glance and shrugged in admittance.
Michelle glared at Matt who was in the process of shaking Sarah's hand. "Matt, I-"
"You didn't either, did you." Michelle stated, shaking her head at both of them. "All this time you guys give her hell hanging around her car every day and you never even introduced yourselves. Sheesh!"
Everyone started laughing except for Aaron and Matt, who just smiled awkwardly.
"Do you guys want a drive to wherever we're going?" Sarah asked with a smile.
"Gggg-uh-uh-" Aaron stammered.
"Y-you can DO that?" Matt squeeled, excitement building.
"That's so frickin' cool!" Aaron suddenly blurted out, startling her.
"That would be so awesome of you, Sarah." Michelle smiled.
"Yeah, thanks! It's a mile walk and time lost without your offer." Jennifer added and then turned her head as she heard the sound of the car doors opening, blinking as she noticed the sudden addition of two new people inside the car.
Sitting in the back seat with huge grins, Aaron and Matt waited like dogs for their owner to take them to the beach.
"I guess we'd better get going before those two die of excitement." Sarah laughed.
Everyone moved toward the doors, sliding in, packing in tight. Joey stood on the outside of the car whimpering, trying to figure out how to fit himself in before Jennifer grabbed him by his shirt and pulled, making him fall over the laps of the back-seaters. "Stay down." She ordered him.
Aaron and Matt wiggled their knees, trying to get comfortably and failing.
"Ouch! Guys stop- Hey!" Joey squirmed as their knees hit him in the face.
Sarah was last to enter the vehicle, closing her door. "Alright guys. Seat belts on and doors closed." She was squished next to Michelle and Adrian in the front.
"Good thing I didn't buy a two seater sport edition of this car." Sarah mumbled incredulously, peering at the crowded back seat from her rearview mirror. Matt met her glance for a moment with big green eyes, grinning from beneath his dyed, red, spikey hair.
Sighing, her engine already ready to go, she put the car in first gear, shifting her feet from clutch to gas.
At the first sign of motion, Aaron and Matt melted, gripping the door handle or their own legs, whichever was closer. "Dude!" They shouted in unison. "We're moving!"
Jennifer and Michelle laughed at them; their excitement having an addictive quality on all the car's occupants.
Joey said something, but it was muffled by the jolt of the car over a speed bump as it left the parking lot.
"What was that, Joey?" Jennifer asked, peering down at his hip, which was her only good view of him at the moment, barely making out the side of his face which was pressed between the driver's seat and the crazy guys' shins.
"I said...err...this is cool."
Jennifer threw her head back, laughing. "You rock, Joey. Just hold on my friend. We'll be there soon." She grinned down at him, patting his hip assuredly.
As the houses and trees flew by, only a few traffic lights stopping them, they cheerfully and thankfully made the best time in their history of school escapes. Granted it had been an early day, and no one had ditched this time (which they all occasionally had the habit of doing), it still made them feel the brisk slap of promising adventure more-so than ever before.
"Thanks again for the ride, Sarah." Michelle said as they pulled up in front of her house at last, Sarah having taken her directions without a hitch.
"Yeah, thanks! That was SO awesome!" The others added, spilling like clowns out of her car.
Joey fell over after attempting to stand once he was out of the car.
"Are you okay, Joey?" Jennifer helped him up, chuckling at her dizzy friend.
"Yeah, heh, I'm good!" He stumbled a bit as he waited to follow Adrian and the others as they made their way to the door.
"Is your mom home, Michelle?" Adrian asked, standing by the entrance.
"Not yet. She won't be home for another hour, so I'll leave her a note saying we went to go hang out at the park to study across the street until sundown.
"She's okay with that?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, I'm never late on a school night. Well..." She chuckled. "I've got awesome grades in all my classes. I'll just put it like that."
Sarah grinned and nodded. "Cool."
"So! Time to gear up and get the heck out of here, eh guys?" Michelle opened the front door leading them all inside.
NEXT UP : "Down the Sewer Hole"