A mystery that has been hidden from the school for years has finally been unearthed. Recently, Brekkyn Ayres was sitting in the high school office when she noticed something strange. Madison Olsen walked in the teacher’s bathroom, and without exiting, more teachers walked in. Too many teachers to all fit into that small bathroom. Around forty-five minutes later, the teachers all exited the bathroom together, carrying shopping bags from places such as Nike, American Eagle, and Lululemon. An official investigation was conducted, and what was uncovered would change everything for the students and teachers of Cannon Falls.
Ayres reported this suspicious behavior to authorities, and a secret stairwell that leads down to a newly-found basement was uncovered. The basement was “extraordinary,” as stated by Isla Harrison. When entering the basement, the private investigators, curious students, and embarrassed teachers looked around in awe. What met their eyes was a full-sized mall, exactly like one people might see in Bloomington, Minneapolis, or any other large city. Complete with a full-sized food court, mirror maze, and even a hotel, in which some speculate it’s where the teachers stay every night.
An investigation is underway, for many people wonder how this mysterious place could have been kept secret all this time. The investigation is being led by the Cannon Falls Police Department. No jail time will be issued for the teachers involved in this scandal; however, the teachers of Cannon Falls are not only being held for thorough questioning, but the community could press charges for deceptive behavior.
Tucker Nobach was one of the first students to visit the basement, and he says; “The stairwell was really dingy and dark, but when I pushed open the door separating the mall from the stairwell, a blast of bright light hit my eyes. There was an Auntie Annies, Starbucks; there was even a laser tag room.”
Not many of the teachers have come forth and confessed anything yet, but sixth grade teacher Renae Otto did suggest that the mall is relatively new, but the basement itself isn’t. “None of the teachers meant for any of this to happen, we didn’t mean for any harm to come of this. We needed a place to decompress after a hard class period, and this was the perfect spot. Not only is it a calming environment, but it’s also fun to be able to walk around and shop with my coworkers,” Otto comments.
So far, it seems unlikely that any charges will be filed, but nothing is certain yet. Some people speculate the mall will be renovated and turned into something else, something more beneficial to the school, such as a storage unit, science lab, or simply more classrooms. Though people aren’t quite sure what may become of the underground mall, one thing is certain; this enigma will continue to intrigue the citizens of Cannon Falls for the years to come.
