The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Chapter 9

It was hot, smelly and stuffy down below in the Cypress sewer system where Deputy Mayor Mrs. Colleen Henderson, a black lady. Land surveyor Ron Nichols and County Treasurer Leonard Fulton, both white men, all carefully trekked along the slimy and slippery walkway that led towards a large light just a few yards up ahead.

With his lamplight leading the way, Ron made sure that his two cohorts were steadily behind him as he stepped over a large, dead rat that was lying on the ground.

Leonard remained close to Mrs. Henderson as though her life depended upon him while Henderson herself, in a pair of high heels, no less, remained stalwart through the thickness of the sludge that she dared to reluctantly plod through.

Sweating and partially covering her nose from the stench, Colleen complained, "If my husband knew that I was walking through the sewers with a couple of white men he'd have my black butt hung." Her voice echoed throughout the moldy cavern.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Henderson, the sewers are the last place on earth that your husband would ever suspect anyone to be prowling about." Ron sarcastically remarked.

"How much...further, is the end?" Leonard gasped for air amidst the stifling humidity.

"Not much further now." Ron stopped dead in his tracks to point his light upwards. "You see these up here? The more grates you see, that's the closer we're reaching the lake. And the closer we reach the lake, the closer we can get outta here."

"Thank God." Colleen exhaled. "I don't know how anyone can work down here, especially in all this heat."

"It's not so bad." Ron said. "My brother-in-law works down here year round, and he says it's like working in a literal shithouse!" Ron laughed out loud.

"Let's try and put a clamp on the color commentary, Mr. Nichols." Leonard rebuked.

"It's okay, Leonard, my husband cusses like there's no tomorrow." Colleen said as she stepped ahead of the two men and resumed the tour.

"If you don't mind me asking, Mrs. Henderson, why does Cypress need a subway system?" Ron asked as he made sure to keep the light ahead of everyone. "I mean, this city really isn't all that big to begin with."

"Mayor Findlay wants to raise people's spirits." Colleen explained. "This city is going through a depression, building a subway would give some kind of validation that we can improve under dire circumstances."

"Even if it further bankrupts this city into oblivion," Leonard bitterly muttered under his breath.

"He's right, I mean, it'll take at least a year to carve out these sewers, and another two years to set up the rail system itself." Ron added.

Sighing, Colleen said, "Tell that to our beloved Mayor who still thinks he can get three more Sears stores to come here."

"I'm telling you guys, these sewer systems were constructed way back in the 1910's." Ron contested. "Cities like New York, L.A, Chicago and Detroit were all built with rail systems in mind. From the electrical output, to the main roads, and—

"I'm sure the Mayor considered all these matters, Ron." Colleen stepped in.

"But he never considered the cost, now did he?" Leonard questioned with a snip in his tone.

"Look, I'm no fan of this either." Colleen said in a frustrated manner. "Not only will this bankrupt us, but we don't have the manpower to construct such a thing. It's one of the hottest summers on record and we're trolling through a rat infested sewer, for God's sake. So, gentlemen, let's do our best as city employees to make the old man as happy as a clam, just so we can show him how ridiculous this whole idea really is."

Both Ron and Leonard seemed to be caught off guard by Colleen's sudden, belligerent rant, but at least it let them know that they weren't the only pessimists in the sewers.

"I must admit that this is not how I envisioned this job." Colleen continued. "A forty-eight year old Deputy Mayor stepping through shit," she groaned.

"Don't worry, Colleen," Leonard remarked, nearly tripping over another dead rat, "this is Findley's last term. Hopefully we can stall on this idea of his long enough to see him walk out of office before it comes to fruition."

"Okay, guys, we got a problem." Ron all of the sudden came to an abrupt halt right in the middle of the tour.

All three individuals stopped and looked on in dread at the two forks in the middle of the sewer. Two corridors that were completely dark and foreboding to each person that stood before them.

"Well, where to?" Leonard questioned Ron.

But Ron just stood in place while shining his light back and forth down both caverns. "This is a real hum dinger." He scratched his face.

"What's a real hum dinger?" Colleen asked in sharp tone.

"When I studied the layout down here, I don't recall there being these two halls."

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Leonard dropped his arms in defeat. "I've got a meeting with the Governor at noon, for God's sake!"

"Just give me a second while I take a look at the dates on the walls." Ron persisted as he stepped close to one of the walls and began to read. "I do know that the older the dates the closer we get back to City Hall."

Colleen only rolled her eyes and brushed her hair clean of cobwebs before walking over and scraping her hand against the slime residue on the walls.

"These walls are so thin and decrepit that it makes me wonder if a rail system could sustain itself down here." She said. "I wouldn't be surprised if this entire sewer system collapsed the moment one rail car came rolling through."

"That's why we call it a pipe dream, Colleen." Leonard paced back and forth. "Hey, Ron, I don't see any grates anywhere anymore. Could we be near the lake already?"

"I don't believe so. You see—

But before Ron could even continue, there was something, something that growled within the sewer. Its grunt echoed throughout the caverns making it sound as if it were all around them.

Everyone stopped what they were doing at that very second. All they could do was just stand and allow their eyeballs to make the moves from left to right and up and down.

"Would someone like to tell me just what in the hell that was?" Colleen shivered in the gooey heat.

"Let's not stand around and find out." Leonard spun around to Ron. "Which one should we take?"

The unearthly growl ripped through the sewers once again, only by then, its roar seemed to be drawing closer to the three city officials that had no idea where they were.

"Uh...fuck it, let's take this one!" Ron pointed to his right before taking off down the sewer without looking behind him.

Colleen and Leonard gave chase behind the man, only Colleen was having a hard time keeping up due to her high heels that kept getting bogged down in the sludge that was layering the floor.

"Ron, I don't see any grates!" Leonard exclaimed in terror. "Does that mean anything?"

Ron, however, was too busy trying to outrun whatever was lurking in the sewers to stop and speak.

The roar only intensified, making it sound as though the thing was angry and hungry all at once. Colleen could hear the splashing of water along with something that sounded like heavy steps scampering around each corner behind them.

"Dear God, what is it?" She screamed. "Is someone back there?"

"Don't turn around, just keep running!" Leonard yelled as he took a hold of Colleen's hand and tried his best to keep her at his side.

The more and harder they ran that was all the more virulent the animal's roars seemed to intensify.

"Could it be a wild dog?" Leonard shouted in absolute fear.

Without notice, Colleen dropped to the ground screaming for her life. Frustrated and scared to death, Colleen ripped off her heels, tossed them and jumped right back up, racing for her life.

"I've never heard a wild dog sound like that!" Ron yelled.

They all ran while listening to the animal chase after them with such vigor that it made it seem like the three of them were invading its territory. It wouldn't relent in its chase. It sounded as though it were always only three steps behind them.

"Where the fuck are the grates?" Leonard shouted in anger.

"I don't...I don't know!" Ron huffed and puffed, nearly falling flat on his chubby face. "Just keep running!"

Colleen couldn't help but to keep turning around every other second to see if the animal were close on their heels. With every glance she could have sworn see saw two eyes glare right back at her in the blackness.

"Stop," Ron suddenly screamed before coming to an abrupt halt. "Climb this ladder!"

Immediately, both men let Colleen ahead of them on her way up the rusted ladder that eventually met with a round grate.

"You gotta push as hard as you can!" Ron shouted.

With every shred of energy and muscle she could gather Colleen pushed against the heavy, steel grate until it budged.

"I got it!" She cried out in elation before continuing to push until the thing was finally moved out of the way, allowing an explosion of sunlight to enter into the dark sewer.

Colleen climbed out before helping both Leonard and Ron up. Once all three were above ground they all stood and stared back down into the sewer. Ron shined his light down into the cavern while all three listened as the animal grunted and growled down below. It was there, dwelling within the darkness, but somehow managing to evade Ron's bright light.

Soaking wet from both sweat and sewer water, Leonard gasped, "Can someone please tell me just what in the hell is it?"

But all anyone could do was stare down into the sewer and hope above all else that the thing wasn't able to climb ladders.

"Let me put the lid back on here." Ron hurriedly stepped over and picked up the sewer's lid.

As Ron was sliding the lid back on, Colleen managed to catch sight of the animal's eyes once more, expect by then, she noticed them shining brighter at her than they once did back down below.

"I can assure you that it wasn't a wild dog." Ron wiped his sweaty forehead.

"That wasn't a dog." Colleen skittishly muttered. "That thing looked a lot bigger than a dog."

Leonard happened to turn around to find him and his two colleagues surrounded by a group of young Crips who appeared more perplexed than outraged at their appearance from out of the sewer.

"I think we'd better get back Downtown." Leonard stuttered. Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.