With just a couple of hours of daylight left Hank decided the house should be investigated and searched. He told the others to stand back while he went closer to search around the outside of the house for any clues of life around. Upon reaching the front porch of the old gruesome looking house he noticed the house was much older than he had originally thought. Attached to the home was exterior, wooden doors on a latch that pulled up to enter possibly a basement, concrete steps leading down to it. Around the base of the house he saw very small windows. The roof was old and tattered, tiles missing over one complete section. It also appeared to have an attic as there was a window above the second floor. The front porch was long and the floor of it was wooden, mostly rotted now with boards missing. There were two pillars from the roof of it to the floor on the outer edges of the porch. The paint was peeling in most sections of the home. Upon the porch there was nothing to indicate that anyone lived here, no lawn furniture, no potted plants, nothing except weeds growing up between the cracks and the missing boards. The curtains in the windows were soiled with years of dirt and decay. But what caught Hank's eye most of all was that the house didn't appear to be secured to the ground. He could see large gaps around most of the front and side of the house. He moved in closer, bending down on his hands and knees looking into one of the gaps. The men watched him from where he had left them but what they saw on Hank's face when he stood and looked at them was something they did not expect...total shock. Hank motioned for the men to come and when they approached him, he began to tell them what he had found. "There's no foundation under this house." One of the men spoke, "How can that be? It would have blown away by now." Hank replied, "I'm telling you, there is nothing holding this house to the ground, take a look for yourself." Some of the men dropped to the ground and looked but Joe remained standing and said, "Are you suggesting that this house has stood here for God knows how many years, through wind storms, twisters and never blew away? Is that what your freaking suggesting? Have you completely lost every marble in that garbled head of yours?" Hank looked at Joe with seriousness, "Yes Joe, that's exactly what I'm suggesting." Joe threw his head back and laughed so hard he had tears spilling down his cheeks. "You're ignorant, stupider then I thought. There's no way in hell that can be even remotely possible Hank, good God man, think about what you're saying. Next thing you know you'll be suggesting the damn house has wings and flies." Without thinking Hank shoved Joe to the ground. "Look under the house Joe. Go on, take a look for yourself...then tell me there is no possible way." Joe laughed and shook his head but looked under the house. What he saw, even he could not comprehend. He could see light on the other end, indicating that what Hank had said could be true but there was no way he was going to admit he could be wrong. He stood up. "So there's a hole at the other end, so what?" he asked. He went on to say, "Probably a dog digging or something." Most of the men made hand gestures to Joe as they walked around to check out the other side of the house. Hank stayed and said, "There is something about this house that isn't right, this is no ordinary house and I don't believe anyone lives here. But there's only one way to find out, we're going in." Joe replied, "Be my guest. I'm not going in there. You can't just walk into someone's house Hank. Even if the damn, ugly thing is deserted, someone has to own it. Hell, maybe the city owns it or the cemetary but I tell you, it's gotta' have a damn owner and I'm NOT going in there." Hank glared and yelled, "You're pathetic. You sicken me. You're a poor excuse for a man and an even poorer excuse of a father. If our kids are found, I pray to God that Mindy is understanding of why her Father stayed behind, cowering behind the skirts of the women folk." With that said Joe drew his arm back making a fist and punched Hank in the nose, causing it to bleed. All the comotion caused the other men to run back to them, expecting to see a fight. Hank brought his hand to his nose, looking at the blood on his hand. He turned to the side and spit on the ground. "I ought to deck your sorry ass for that but you aren't worth it. Go on, return to the women, tell them we're going inside then we will send for them if all is clear." Hank started walking toward the porch then turned back to Joe. "And when they ask why you're miserable ass isn't with us you tell them you stayed behind to water a tree. I'm sure they'll be very amused." Hank joined the rest of the guys on the porch. Ollie, a little man of 50, the grandfather of one of the girls walked back to Hank and said, "The doors locked Hank. Should we try to break a window with a rock?" Hank always liked Ollie. He was a short, pudgy man with a red face, mostly bald but who parted his hair on the side, combing it over the top of his head to try and conceal the baldness. Hank often wondered why he went to so much trouble and didn't just wear a hat. Hank smiled and said, "I'll try the door again Ollie but go ahead and see if you can find a good strong rock just in case we can't get the door open." Ollie smiled back nodding and went out into the front yard, now on a quest. Hank pushed his way through the men to the front door trying the knob but as Ollie said, it appeared to be locked. He turned around to his friends to see who was closest to him. "Hey Frank, there's a cellar door around the side of the house, go try that door please." Frank nodded and walked around the side of the house as Hank turned back to the front door, shoving it with his shoulder several times. Much to his surprise the heavy wooden door gave way and creaked open. The men yelled for Ollie and Frank to come and they all stepped inside. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~