The Great Adventure WC 298

The Great Adventure
WC 298

It was a kids’ adventure. I was one of the kids. How could we possibly know as ten-year-old boys that we could be in danger?

“Looks like the power’s still on," I said to my buddy, Tony. “The elevator’s working.”

“Press the button for the top floor,” he said.

“Yeah, press the button,” my other buddy, Frankie, said.

“Do you think it’s safe?” I asked.

We were in an abandoned resort complex that was about to be demolished; Chateau Louise had been there forever and was about to become history. My friends decided we should check it out. I wasn’t too sure it was a good idea.

“We can brag about being the last people in the building before it was torn down,” Tony said.

He did have a point.

Once we got in (through a broken window) I was happy to wander around the main floor and check out the health club and the swimming pool. But no, Tony thought it would be fun to take the elevator to the top floor and look out over our town from the penthouse suite.

Against my better judgment, I pressed the button. The door opened.

“Get in!” Tony said from the elevator.

Frankie joined him. I didn't.

“Pauly, are you chicken?” Frankie made chicken sounds and flapped his wings.

I got on the elevator, and just before the doors closed, I heard my dad’s voice.

“Get out of there, now!”

I got off the elevator. Frankie and Tony didn’t.

I went home with my dad to face the consequences. My buddies had to be rescued by the fire department from the penthouse suite. They made the front page of the West Dundee Chronicle.

We were all grounded forever.

Now, years later, I regret not staying in the great adventure.