Free Terror Town by James Roy Daley Page B

the ground! It’s not too much farther. Maybe another sixty feet.”
    “Hey Pat,” Dan said, talking loudly. “Change of plan. I’m going to drop this stuff down to you first. The sweater is for Cameron.”
    “Yeah, okay.”
    “Be careful. If you catch it, great, but if not, let it fall. You can put it on at the bottom. Ready?”
    “Ready.”
    Dan dropped the sweater and the blue hoodie together. They floated and tumbled and slid along a wall. Patrick caught them with ease.
    “Nicely done,” Dan said. “Hey Roger! Are you ready for the jacket?”
    “Drop it!”
    “Okay! Here it comes!”
    Daniel dropped the jacket, making sure it wouldn’t hit Pat or Cameron. It didn’t. The jacket hugged the wall on the far side and went right past, looking like an oversized broken balloon, plummeting and rolling. Roger put his hand out, hoping to catch it. The 500-watt light put a glare in his eye and as a result he couldn’t see the jacket coming. It cuffed his elbow and kept moving, bouncing and tumbling off the wall again. It hit the ground next to the flashlight with an empty thump, darkening the area below.
    “Damn,” Roger mumbled. “Missed it.”
    Daniel yelled, “You okay?”
    Stepping down two more rungs, Roger shouted, “It went past me! No worries… see you at the bottom!”
    “Great! Be with you in a minute!” Daniel pulled the black hoodie over his head and stepped onto the ladder. He started climbing down fast. Knowing the bottom was reasonably close energized him.
    Pat dropped a sweater to Cameron.
    Cameron caught it and pulled it over her head. A moment later Pat and Cameron continued their descent to the sound of Daniel’s excited voice saying, “I’m catching up!”
    Feeling the ladder shake in her hands, Cameron climbed faster, ignoring the fact that small pieces of dirt were falling from the bottom of Patrick’s shoes. Nervous tension tickled her senses. Her stomach started to feel funny. It wasn’t the height bothering her, but she was never a fan of tight spaces and falling debris. Still, she felt some level of comfort knowing Daniel had joined them once again. Not wanting Patrick on top of her, she said, “Slow down, I’m moving as fast as I can.”
    Pat slowed, mindful of the situation.
    Daniel slowed too. “Be careful Cameron. I didn’t mean to rush you. The last thing we need is an accident.”
    “Don’t worry. I’m being careful.” Cameron reached the work light, which was bright to a point of blinding. Once she passed it the temperature seemed to plunge.
    Roger reached the bottom and felt an unexpected rush of energy. The air was filled with a damp, musty smell that reminded him of being inside an old barn. He dismissed the foul scent, even though it was strong and unpleasant. The hammer and the crowbar were on the ground, along with the flashlight and the jacket. He pushed the tools towards the nearest wall with his feet and lifted the jacket off the concrete floor. As he slid an arm into the jacket sleeve, he looked left and right. He couldn’t see much; the place was a darkened mystery. With the jacket on he lifted the flashlight off the ground, ripped the sponges and the duct tape free, and dropped the unwanted material next to the hammer. He moved the light in a sweeping motion, slowly stepping into the shadows. The area around him seemed big, though it was nearly impossible to tell for sure.
    “Hey Roger?” It was Cameron.
    “Yeah?”
    “Point the light this way, would you? I can’t see anything.”
    Roger directed the flashlight’s beam up the shaft.
    Cameron began climbing again, faster now than before. When she reached the bottom she was glad to be off the ladder. Her arms and legs were tired, her back was sore, her heart was thumping quickly and her fingers were beginning to ache. “Thanks.”
    “No problem.” Roger pointed his flashlight up the shaft again, guiding Pat through his last few steps. He did the same for Daniel.
    “Thanks man,” Dan said as he