Free Terror Town by James Roy Daley

His parents had a cottage next door.
    “Well look who it is,” Dan said, answering the door with a smile. “Patrick! What’s shakin’ buddy?
    The two men slapped hands and embraced with a hug.
    Pat said, “Hey man, I saw the lights on and came over to say hi!”
    “Good to see you!”
    “Yeah, you too! I’m doing the cottage thing all week long. Couple pals are coming up on Wednesday, a couple more on Thursday, and a whole gang of them are coming on Friday night.”
    “Where are your parents in all of this? Do they know you’re having a weeklong party?”
    Pat smirked. “First of all, it’s not a weeklong party. It’s a week end party, and yes––they know. They gave me the cottage for the week, said I could do what I wanted.”
    Daniel laughed. “Why did they do that?”
    “Because I finished college and I am a respectable adult now… duh . What do you think?”
    “Daniel laughed again, saying, “A respectable adult? You wish, man.”
    “It’s true. Believe it or not I’m done school, and this is my week to celebrate. My parents have been very cool lately. They took me out to diner, gave me a thousand bucks. They even helped me finance a car.”
    Dan embellished a look of astonishment, but in truth he didn’t need to embellish much. He was impressed. Patrick was constantly impressing Dan in one way or another. “You have a car now?”
    “How else could I get here, fly?”
    “I don’t know. You alone?”
    “Yeah. How about you? Where’s Sandra?”
    “Sandra’s home. She’s coming on Friday.”
    “Hey! That’s just in time for my party!”
    “I guess it is.”
    “Sweet. So you’re alone too?”
    “Actually––” Daniel stepped back and held the door open. “Come on in. I’ve got people in the basement.”
    Pat stepped inside and closed the door. “In the basement? Why? I’ve seen your basement, Dan… it’s awful. Looks like Mordor down there. All you need is the Great Eye and a bunch of hairy Orcs .”
    “Not any more.”
    “No?”
    Dan walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and handed Pat a beer. “I’m renovating,” he said. “And I found a… shit. I don’t know what to call it. A pit?”
    “A pit? You found a pit in your basement? What are you, high?”
    Dan smiled. “Come look.”
     
     
    13
     
    They entered in the basement, Dan first, then Pat.
    Patrick smiled at Roger, who was sitting at the base of the trapdoor. They knew each other from the restaurant.
    Roger nodded.
    Pat said, “Hey.”
    “Who’s this?” Cameron asked, trying to look cute.
    “This is Patrick Love, a good friend of mine. He’s got a cottage a couple doors down. Patrick, meet Cameron.”
    “Hi.”
    “Hi.”
    As an afterthought, Daniel said, “Patrick’s single.”
    Cameron shot Daniel a dirty look as she clamped her flashlight to a belt loop.
    Patrick said, “I’m not single.”
    Daniel looked at Cameron and shrugged, playing the fool. Turning to Pat, he said, “No?”
    “No.”
    “But you’re always single.”
    “No I’m not.”
    “Every summer, you’re single. True or false?”
    “I don’t know… but I’m not single now and I haven’t been single for six or seven months.”
    Daniel shook his head in mock disgust. “Oh yeah, what’s her name?”
    Pat took a swing of beer. “Her name is ‘shut up.’ You’ll meet her on Friday.”
    “Yeah Dan,” Roger said, growing impatient. “Are we investigating or what?”

Pat made his way across the room and looked down the hole. “Holy shit… you weren’t kidding. You have a pit in your basement.”
    Dan nodded. “It’s deep alright. We’re about to explore, wanna come?”
    “Hell ya.”
    “Then let’s do it.”
    “Finally.” Roger made his way down several rungs. “You sure the ladder will hold?”
    Dan sat his bottle down, pulled a book of matches from his pocket, and lit one. With the match, he lit the lantern. “As sure as I can be. I went down a couple hours ago. I think it’ll hold.”
    “Good