In the middle of October, 2006, the Grade Seven students at Brewer Middle School took a field trip to a building that they had seen from a distance for most of their lives, but had never visited up close. The tour guides were various city officials and the future developers of the old paper mill. It was raining quite hard and the students were poorly equipped with flashlight, which added to the overall effect of the visit. What follows are the essays, as written, by roughly half of the students. The essays are presented as written by the students, hoping to preserve their turns of phrase, their usages and their idiosyncrasies as writers.

Anthony Jackson
As I walked towards the old mill I had no idea that I would be walking into a disgusting, damp, creepy, yet interesting mansion.  The mill is a gigantic brick building that just happens to have smokes stacks.  After taking a second to stare at the antique mill, I was so excited to go into a dilapidated structure.

We finally got to the door of the enormous building, the door opened with a creaking sound and the first thing I saw was grime and debris all over the floor.  As I looked around I saw dripping pipes, puddles of brown water, and an old sink. When the former mill workers took us to walk around the ancient building, I felt a drip on my head when I looked up I saw water dripping from a crack in the ceiling.  I looked in the opposite direction and I saw water rushing into the building like a herd of elephants running from a mouse. There was also a very disturbing smell, it smelled like a dead animal and to my surprise; I saw a dead pigeon just laying there.

We were going down the stairs and I suddenly smelled a smelly smell.  It was worse then the dead bird, it was Worse then rotten milk and it was a lot worse then the time my sister didn't put deodorant on for five days. It was the smell of really old mold and blood

As I looked around more I noticed that the blood was actually rust.  Evan though they told us it was just rust I still was freaked out.  Probably the coolest thing that I saw in that mansion was the rusted red door, with the names of workers from a long time ago. I think that it is cool that someone from 100 years ago can still be remembered, just because they scratched their name on that one door.

The second coolest thing was the ten foot droop in the middle of the room.  It was like a nuclear testing was done right there in the middle of the room. There was also water filling it up like a swimming pool.  It was like a giant cave that no one had ever explored.   I wanted to just dive in and investigate the cave that has never been explored. It was full of sharp edges and rocky sides and pipes sticking out so it was too dangerous to go down and explore so I had to stick with standing on a chair and looking at the cave with a flash light.

When we were on our way out I notice something very interesting.  There was a pile of clothes and a shoe.  I thought had someone been living here and if so are they still here.  I also remember thinking who would live in a place filled with cockroach's rats and ten foot drops.

We finally got out of that discussing, damp, creepy, yet interesting building. We said our good byes right before we walked out of the mill.   As I took my last look at the mill water dripped on my head.  When we finally walked out of the mill I could smell the fresh air, and not the smell of mold, dead birds, wet clothes, and BLOOD!!!!!!!        

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