On wednesday 25th October, the Young Leaders of the 55th Scout group, codenamed Club 55th, set out on a great adventure. Their mission: to arrive safely at the Cinema with nothing but a map and a compass to guide them. This is their story.

The weather was bleak. The sun hid behind an uncaring blanket of clouds, and rain trickled irratically upon the cold ground. And so the journey began. At 9:45, we left the safe comforts of The House and ventured into the unknown realms of the cycle track. Equipped with our map and two packets of Haribo, we set upon our path. Little did we know that the innocent looking compass that we had unwittingly brought with us held a deadly secret!

We trekked along the cycle track for at least a mile before coming upon a most peculiar sight. There, before us, completely untended, was...a suitcase! It stood alone on the ground, and we were drawn towards it for this was no ordinary suitcase. Our efforts to move it proved unsuccesful, as were our efforts to discover what lay inside. It was as if the suitcase were fixed to the ground!

As we took out our compass, the shadows seemed to darken around us. The suitcase seemed to shiver and pulsate the closer the compass came to it. Suddenly, the realisation dawned: this compass was evil!

We hastily packed it away and left the scene of the suitcase as far behind as we could. So perturbed were we that we did not dare speak as we walked sullenly down the long, cold road. It seemed as if the world had become a much darker place.

It was not long before the next obstacle presented itself: a dark, dangerous-looking tunnel. All light seemed to falter and vanish around it, and the air inside seemed fearful constricting. We found that we could not go on, and we came to a halt outside the tunnel's gloomy entrance. Chewing slowly on Haribo, we realised that the object we were sat against was not a wall, as we had thought. Instead, a great musical instrument rose before us! It was old and worn, and parts were chipped and broken, but we knew that it was not random chance that had placed it there.

With newfound hope we played upon it, and at once our spirits were lifted. Suddenly, we found we had the strength to confront the tunnel. So, with fear in our hearts and a last piece of Haribo, we stepped into the tunnel.

It was a hard journey through the darkness. Water dripped in, echoing eerily off the walls. More than once, strangers passed us and we had to hide, fearing that they knew of the compass. More than once we almost faltered, but our resolve stayed true and we finally made it out of the tunnel into the light beyond. Here, our journey on the cycle track came to an end as we left it to join the main road.

Here, our path was blocked by roundabouts. With careful deliberation and incredible cunning, we traversed the roundabouts, but found ourselves in more unknown territory. The road was quiet and small, and one wrong turn would find us lost forever!

We carefully consulted the map once more, taking absolute care on finding our route. When we were all agreed, we set off once more into the unknown, praying that we had chosen the right path. We were in luck. The path led us straight to the next leg of our journey. Unfortunately, this was not a part we had prepared for because, in front of us lay two fields that boded ill for any who dared cross them without walking boots. Naturally, this included us, but through a great act of heroism and courage, cross them we did!

More roads awaited us on the other side, which we traversed easily with our new-found confidence at having safely passed the fields of doom. Before we knew it we had reached a pub, where we sat and ate a delicious meal of chips!

Reluctantly, we left the safe confines of the pub and ventured once again into the dangerous lands of the unknown. But this time, we prepared to face it with the greatest weapon known to man: cookies! While cookies were in our possession, we knew that no force would dare oppose us on our quest!

So once more we set out upon the journey across roads, grass and bridges. As we came closer to the cinema, the compass became a gradually heavier burden, until it became laborous for any one of us to carry it. But not even this could stop us! We toiled on across a last bridge with steep steps, across a rolling hill and through a narrow, treacherous valley until finally, our destination faced us!

As we walked through the doors of the cinema, the weight of the compass vanished! A strange black mist floated from it, never to be seen again. Not only had we arrived safely, we had vanquished the evil that inhabited the compass!

With excited anticipation we consulted the list of films, but soon realised, with growing surprise, that there was, nothing at all we wanted to watch. It occurred to us then that we had walked at least eight miles to reach the cinema, only to turn back and go home. What a waste of time!

But we did not waste our time! No! Instead, we caught a bus straight to one of our houses, and wiled away the remaining hours playing Super Smash Bros. Melee and other fantastic games on both Gamecube and Playstation 2. Then, the hour arrived when it was time to depart, and we left each other with heavy hearts and fuller stomachs.

And so ends the harrowing tale of the expedition! A tale of great courage, nobility and adventure! Remember, as you read this, that I am lucky to be alive to recount the tale!