A chill went down my spine despite the heat of the day. Why would a forgotten hatch on an abandoned property have a new lock?
I went to the garage and grabbed a pair of bolt cutters. With a loud snap, the metal gave way.
I grabbed the rusted ring handle and heaved with all my strength. The hatch groaned and swung open, revealing pitch blackness below.
A smell immediately wafted up—a disgusting mix of stale earth, rotting food, and unwashed human sweat.
I grabbed my flashlight and shined it down the hole. It wasn’t a sewer or a septic tank.
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