The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

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

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,

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

not how I envisioned this job." Colleen continued. "A forty-eight year old Deputy Mayor stepping

we can stall on this idea of his

problem." Ron all of the sudden came to an abrupt halt right

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

where to?" Leonard

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

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

layout down here, I don't recall there being these two

kidding me!" Leonard dropped his arms in defeat. "I've

close to one of the walls and began to read. "I do know that the older the dates the closer we get back to

only rolled her eyes and brushed her hair clean of cobwebs before walking over and

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

why we call it a pipe dream, Colleen." Leonard paced back and forth. "Hey,

"I don't believe so. You

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

doing at that very second. All they could do was just

"Would someone like to tell me just what in the

find out." Leonard spun around to

by then, its roar seemed to

one!" Ron pointed to his right before taking off

man, only Colleen was having a hard time keeping up

I don't see any grates!" Leonard exclaimed in

to outrun whatever was lurking

The roar only intensified, making it sound as though the thing was angry and hungry all at once. Colleen could hear the

is

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

more and harder they ran that was all the more virulent the animal's roars

"Could it be a wild