Sam and the Floorboard Gang, the First Adventure

Chapter 1

It’s the same sound every night. I scream and call my mom and dad to come and listen, but they never hear it. It’s there though, I know it.

Tonight will be different. I’ll investigate it myself! I’ll turn off all the lights. I’ll be very quiet. They won’t know I’ll be listening, watching, waiting…

Rat, tat, tat.

What was that?

I got up and looked at the clock. 3:09 a.m. Oh no! I fell asleep!

Mommmmmm…

No, wait. I don’t want her to come this time, I’m going to do this myself.

Rat, tata, tat tat.

Slowly, I creep out of bed, the floor creaking as I tip-toe towards the door, taking my light saber for protection. Who knows what it could be?

I’ll be right there, Sam, my mother finally answers.

Never mind mom, I’m okay. It was just a dream, I answer back, glancing around my room, every corner. I check my closet. I lift up my rug.

Rat, tat, tata tat tat.

What the.?

It’s a little louder now. It sounds like it’s coming from under my rug, under the floor! How can that be?

I lie down on the rug with one ear against the floor. I can hear it! Sounds like it’s coming from under my hardwood floor. What in the world could be under there? I go to the bathroom for a fingernail file. Maybe if I cut into the grooves of the floor, I can get underneath and see what it is.

I get my trusty flashlight out of my dresser. Luckily my mom keeps fresh batteries in it for me. Sometimes she tells me to sleep with it. She says it will make me feel safe.

I lay it on the floor over one of the grooves. I take the file and go up and down the groove, up and down, up and down, about a dozen times. Finally, I start to see light! Light under the floor? Now that’s just weird! I file a few more times and the two boards come apart ever so slightly. Now what? I need something bigger and it is starting to get light outside.

I look in my toy box, shuffling everything in and out. There are cars, action figures, comics, but nothing that will cut through the floor. I look at the clock. It’s 4:45 a.m. already. I decide to wait until later…tonight, when I go back to bed. I’ll start early and work all night if I have to. I have to know what’s under there.

Chapter 2

The day started out like every other day. Dad woke me up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for school. Usually I take my time and drift back off to sleep, but today I got up the first time he woke me. I was still excited from last night. This is going to be my little secret. Maybe I’ll tell my friend, Bobby, but no one else. He’ll believe me.

I ate my breakfast and quickly got dressed for school. Dad was already waiting for me in the car. He always drops me off at school instead of me having to take the school bus. I don’t mind the bus, but I’d rather sit in my dad’s new truck and listen to my favorite radio station. The school is about two miles from my house. It isn’t a long ride, and definitely doesn’t give me enough time to think about how I am going to get through those floorboards tonight!

Bobby was already at school when I got there.

Hey, whatcha doing? Bobby greeted me.

Nothing, what about you? I answered.

I have to talk to you, Bobby, I