As all went on a mission to find candles for lights it was Ryan with his penlite that headed for the basement. It was easy to find the basement door as in most old houses the door was beneath and to one side the grand stairway.
Ryan being cautious left the basement door ajar for a quick exit if that was needed. Peering down the dark blackness into the basement his nose picked up a strange odor.
At the base of the steps he leaned against the wall, his elbow wacking a sharp corner made him whirl around in pain. As the elbow ached his penlite brought a spot onto an electric light switch. A click of the switch brought illumination and what was to be deadly for some.
Standing in rows to the right and left were hideous statues of men and women looking at the moment of surprise, death, or absolute terror. A closer look found them to be a casting as mould markings could be seen along their sides.
Men and women, some naked most clothed but all in some sort of horrible pose. As Ryan walked the hallway he counted more than seventy figures in all. At last the hall lead to a steel door with a round push button latch like a commercial freezer might have. Pushing on the button his eyes saw a stairway down to the sub-basement. There taking a lot of space was some big machine.
Large eight foot tall three foot square cannisters stood on a conveyor belt. It ran in a big circle from the landing at the stairway then proceeding to enter the machine and exit the far side. This section too was lighted now as Ryan propped open the thick steel door.
Standing on the landing he had a fair view of the total machine. It would seem the statues were cast here as the floor was littered with chips and dust of the casting material. To one far back side the cannisters could be diverted to a stand where the mould would be opened offering the finished object.
Suddenly the machine came alive as motors whirled and the conveyor started to move. Ryan, stunned and facinated watched as a cannister moved down the line. The conveyor belt stopped as the upper part of the machine started to churn. "Odd thought Ryan that such a machine needs periodic tending, oiling, greased, for the total sound it made was little when he thought of it's size."
Out of a shute came a white pudding consistancy. Ryan leaned out to see the cannister fill with it's load and begin a whobbling trip down the belt past Ryan and again into the machine.
Thinking to get a better look Ryan turned from his perch to walk down the stairs. Suddenly standing behind him was a six foot tall man with a toothless smile. As Ryan saw him he screamed out "HEY GUYS!" as the man gave him a push.