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The Basement Drainage
Ever since I can remember, I have been terrified of the basement. I know I know; this is common… but hear me out on this. My parent’s basement never seemed right, always giving off this odd vibe of being foreign, almost dangerous. There was a sleepover I had when I was little that solidified how otherworldly that basement truly was.
The year was 1992, my 10th birthday was fast approaching, and I decided to have a sleepover with my best friend to celebrate it. It was a Saturday night, and like any other little kid’s we stayed up late watching scary movies. One of the movies was titled, “Attack of The Killer Amoeba!” Which made us chuckle just from how silly the green Jell-O monster looked as it wiggled around.
“This is so dumb! Who would be scared of silly puddy?” I said as I rolled on the floor with laughter.
“It ate those people though! Getting eaten would be super scary!” My friend anxiously said as he hid under a blanket that draped over him like a hood.
“Doesn’t scare me at all! I’m not afraid of anything!” Confidence radiated from me as I bellowed this out while standing up on the couch.
“If you’re so tough, then I dare you to go sleep in the basement!” My friend shouted to me as he pointed to the basement door by the kitchen.
“Fine! I will! But you gotta keep a walkie-talkie with you so we can talk.” My response had a hint of hesitancy in it as I grabbed two walkie-talkie’s and handed one to my friend.
“Fine. Have fun down there! I hope you don’t get eaten!” Giggles erupted from my friend as he said this.
Walking up to the white basement door, I realized how little time I had spent in the basement. Upon turning the doorknob opening the entry way, fear rushed over me as my gaze focused on the dark stairway leading into what looked like an abyss. Flicking the light switch I started my trek into the dark unknown room.
Reaching the foot of the stairs, I began to survey the dark space before me. Red brick walls, two tiny windows along the top of the ceiling at the back that seeped in rays of moonlight, a washer & dryer in the corner complete with a basin tub sink next to them, and pipes running along the ceiling and walls connecting it all. Something seemed so normal, yet so unnerving about this place.
Walking towards the middle of the room, I finally found the hanging chain connected to a single lightbulb on the ceiling. My fingers pulled the brittle connector causing the bulb to come on only to emit a very dim light. This only illuminated the basement enough to cast odd shadows off all of the pipes in the room, creating a cavalcade of shadows that almost seemed to dance around the walls.
Looking down to analyze the now visible concrete floor, I immediately narrowed in on the single drain in the middle of it all. Something was off about the drain though as there was a green algae-like substance coating the rim of it. Upon closer inspection I realized the green goop was… pulsating? No, that can’t be right.
Holding my walkie-talkie up to speak, I clicked the button, “H-hey… there’s green stuff that’s moving around the drain. It’s really weird” I said with a hint of anxious pride in my voice.
No response. I clicked the button again only to hear raging static over the walkie-talkie in my hand. I spoke again only to receive another response of static silence. Looking back down to the green drain goo I realized something, there was more of it now! At least twice what there was before! Yet I couldn’t leave, otherwise my friend would think I’m a coward, a coward on my birthday no less!
Suddenly, the single light made a loud pop! Causing the room to flood with darkness, only slightly illuminated by the trails of moonlight seeping in. Quickly, I looked over to the tall workers shelf next to the stairs which was stocked full of tools and utensils. Finding a flashlight, I hastily turned it on and surveyed the dark room. Something felt off, a feeling of dread washed over me as I looked at the drain again only to discover the goo had grown in size again!
What started as a slim ring circling the drain had now grown into a pile the size of a basketball. That’s when I realized as my flashlight scanned over the pipes that the mystery goo was leaking from all of them! My heart started pounding as I hurriedly ran to the stairs leading up to the door.
Running up the first few steps I slipped and hit my chin on the hard wooden surface. Tasting the blood slowly filling my mouth, I looked down to see the pulsating goop coating every step. Pure fear filled every fiber of my being as I looked up to see the living goo slowly coating the door, as though it was trying to devour prey. That’s when I heard a strange sloshing sound coming from behind me.
Turning around, I felt my soul leave my body as what looked like a giant amoeba slowly dragged its way toward me from the drain in the middle of the room. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tried to scream and call for help, but the blood that filled my mouth only silenced my helpless pleas. Slowly the amorphous green creature inched closer to me as I tried to get up and run. Fight or flight kicked in as I evaded the amoeba creature with precision in my mad dash towards the sink on the other side of the room. With urgency I found a bucket and filled it with water, hoping to splash this thing out of existence. Unfortunately, my tactless idea failed as the liquid splashed onto the creature only to cause it to split down the middle into two amorphous beings.
Realization kicked in as I finally let out a scream that this was it for me. This birthday would be my last. As the creature slithered only a few inches from me, I struck a fist forward as a last-ditch effort, only for it to go inside of the creature’s translucent figure. My body lurched forward as the goo forcefully pulled me in. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe anymore. It was as though I was inside of a gigantic bowl of warm Jell-O.
My vision started to fade, only the shadow of the approaching drain was visible. Everything went dark…
“AHH! No! Stop!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as my body flung itself up off the cold concrete floor.
“Huh? W-what? Where’s the g-goo? And the creature? Was it a dream?” My words were filled with panic as I realized I was drenched in sweat as I surveyed the room.
No sign of any green goo, only an empty dark basement. Did I really just fall asleep, and it was all a dream? There’s no way, it felt all too real. Death itself became too personal as though I was truly about to move on.
Noticing the flashlight next to me, I quickly picked it up and slowly scooted towards the drain. Peering down it with the light, I saw nothing. Looking at the pipes, nothing. Heading up the stairs, I turned the doorknob and opened it to a bright light… it felt peaceful. It felt like I was home, as though I was at peace.
What a weird birthday..
© Andy P
The year was 1992, my 10th birthday was fast approaching, and I decided to have a sleepover with my best friend to celebrate it. It was a Saturday night, and like any other little kid’s we stayed up late watching scary movies. One of the movies was titled, “Attack of The Killer Amoeba!” Which made us chuckle just from how silly the green Jell-O monster looked as it wiggled around.
“This is so dumb! Who would be scared of silly puddy?” I said as I rolled on the floor with laughter.
“It ate those people though! Getting eaten would be super scary!” My friend anxiously said as he hid under a blanket that draped over him like a hood.
“Doesn’t scare me at all! I’m not afraid of anything!” Confidence radiated from me as I bellowed this out while standing up on the couch.
“If you’re so tough, then I dare you to go sleep in the basement!” My friend shouted to me as he pointed to the basement door by the kitchen.
“Fine! I will! But you gotta keep a walkie-talkie with you so we can talk.” My response had a hint of hesitancy in it as I grabbed two walkie-talkie’s and handed one to my friend.
“Fine. Have fun down there! I hope you don’t get eaten!” Giggles erupted from my friend as he said this.
Walking up to the white basement door, I realized how little time I had spent in the basement. Upon turning the doorknob opening the entry way, fear rushed over me as my gaze focused on the dark stairway leading into what looked like an abyss. Flicking the light switch I started my trek into the dark unknown room.
Reaching the foot of the stairs, I began to survey the dark space before me. Red brick walls, two tiny windows along the top of the ceiling at the back that seeped in rays of moonlight, a washer & dryer in the corner complete with a basin tub sink next to them, and pipes running along the ceiling and walls connecting it all. Something seemed so normal, yet so unnerving about this place.
Walking towards the middle of the room, I finally found the hanging chain connected to a single lightbulb on the ceiling. My fingers pulled the brittle connector causing the bulb to come on only to emit a very dim light. This only illuminated the basement enough to cast odd shadows off all of the pipes in the room, creating a cavalcade of shadows that almost seemed to dance around the walls.
Looking down to analyze the now visible concrete floor, I immediately narrowed in on the single drain in the middle of it all. Something was off about the drain though as there was a green algae-like substance coating the rim of it. Upon closer inspection I realized the green goop was… pulsating? No, that can’t be right.
Holding my walkie-talkie up to speak, I clicked the button, “H-hey… there’s green stuff that’s moving around the drain. It’s really weird” I said with a hint of anxious pride in my voice.
No response. I clicked the button again only to hear raging static over the walkie-talkie in my hand. I spoke again only to receive another response of static silence. Looking back down to the green drain goo I realized something, there was more of it now! At least twice what there was before! Yet I couldn’t leave, otherwise my friend would think I’m a coward, a coward on my birthday no less!
Suddenly, the single light made a loud pop! Causing the room to flood with darkness, only slightly illuminated by the trails of moonlight seeping in. Quickly, I looked over to the tall workers shelf next to the stairs which was stocked full of tools and utensils. Finding a flashlight, I hastily turned it on and surveyed the dark room. Something felt off, a feeling of dread washed over me as I looked at the drain again only to discover the goo had grown in size again!
What started as a slim ring circling the drain had now grown into a pile the size of a basketball. That’s when I realized as my flashlight scanned over the pipes that the mystery goo was leaking from all of them! My heart started pounding as I hurriedly ran to the stairs leading up to the door.
Running up the first few steps I slipped and hit my chin on the hard wooden surface. Tasting the blood slowly filling my mouth, I looked down to see the pulsating goop coating every step. Pure fear filled every fiber of my being as I looked up to see the living goo slowly coating the door, as though it was trying to devour prey. That’s when I heard a strange sloshing sound coming from behind me.
Turning around, I felt my soul leave my body as what looked like a giant amoeba slowly dragged its way toward me from the drain in the middle of the room. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tried to scream and call for help, but the blood that filled my mouth only silenced my helpless pleas. Slowly the amorphous green creature inched closer to me as I tried to get up and run. Fight or flight kicked in as I evaded the amoeba creature with precision in my mad dash towards the sink on the other side of the room. With urgency I found a bucket and filled it with water, hoping to splash this thing out of existence. Unfortunately, my tactless idea failed as the liquid splashed onto the creature only to cause it to split down the middle into two amorphous beings.
Realization kicked in as I finally let out a scream that this was it for me. This birthday would be my last. As the creature slithered only a few inches from me, I struck a fist forward as a last-ditch effort, only for it to go inside of the creature’s translucent figure. My body lurched forward as the goo forcefully pulled me in. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe anymore. It was as though I was inside of a gigantic bowl of warm Jell-O.
My vision started to fade, only the shadow of the approaching drain was visible. Everything went dark…
“AHH! No! Stop!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as my body flung itself up off the cold concrete floor.
“Huh? W-what? Where’s the g-goo? And the creature? Was it a dream?” My words were filled with panic as I realized I was drenched in sweat as I surveyed the room.
No sign of any green goo, only an empty dark basement. Did I really just fall asleep, and it was all a dream? There’s no way, it felt all too real. Death itself became too personal as though I was truly about to move on.
Noticing the flashlight next to me, I quickly picked it up and slowly scooted towards the drain. Peering down it with the light, I saw nothing. Looking at the pipes, nothing. Heading up the stairs, I turned the doorknob and opened it to a bright light… it felt peaceful. It felt like I was home, as though I was at peace.
What a weird birthday..
© Andy P
