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were not wanted?
    After slapping some money on the counter, Nicolas pushed his glasses high upon his nose and marched out the front door, cursing under his breath.
    Roger, ignoring Nicolas, said, “Great to see you, Dan.”
    “You too, brother. Where’s Will?”
    “Ah, he’s around. Said he might pop by later. Can I buy you a beer?”
    “You sure can. You can buy me two beers if you want.”
    “Yeah well… just ‘cause I own the place doesn’t mean you can’t buy me a drink now and again.”
    Dan smiled. “Want me to buy you a beer?”
    “Sure.”
    Both men laughed and Cameron stepped out from the kitchen. “Hey Roger,” she said. “How ya doing?”
    Roger slapped his hands together; his eyes were wide and cheerful. “Cameron, you met Daniel yet?”
    Cameron adjusted her belt and lifted Nicolas’ money from the table. “Why yes I did. He was telling me all kinds of terrible things about you.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure.”
    “No it’s true. He was telling me how cheap you are and how you’re a stud with the ladies…”
    Roger rolled his eyes. “Pfft. Now I know you’re lying. Hey Cam, set us up, will ya?”
    “Bud?”
    Roger nodded. “Bud.”
    “Another Corona, Dan?”
    Daniel took a good-sized drink from the bottle. “Another Corona would be just great.”
    The two men sat down and started in on a long conversation about nothing, making good-natured jokes along the way.
    Stanley Rosenstein entered the restaurant looking twenty years older than he did on the day he was in the car accident, the day the teenagers died, the day he saw the thing on the road and his life was damaged beyond repair. He ordered take-out without making eye contact with anybody, speaking with a soft and nervous tone. Life had become hard for the man; it was easy to see. He appeared to be hanging onto his sanity with his fingernails.
    The steak sandwich came and Roger ordered another round.
    Stanley Rosenstein received his take-out and left without saying a word, keeping his head low.
    Jay Hopper and Emily paid their bill and left the restaurant, leaving a three fifty tip. And as strange as it may seem, Jay Hopper leaving the restaurant is somewhat of a turning point in this tale. Fact is, if Jay knew about Daniel’s discovery he may of said something worth considering, and the hours ahead might have played out differently. He didn’t say anything though, and the hours ahead played out worse than most people could possibly imagine.
     
    ∞∞Θ∞∞
     
    When Jay Hopper was just an orange haired kid with a face full of freckles, he worked construction for a man named Lester Long. It was Lester’s company that built Daniel’s house and the monstrosity that was beneath it. In fact, it was the last job Lester ever worked on. Once the job was completed he moved as far away from Cloven Rock that his wife would allow, and died a few years later in his sleep.
    Long story short: Lizzy Backstrom and Stanley Rosenstein weren’t the only ones that believed there were monsters living in Cloven Rock. Some of the old-timers did too. They just didn’t talk about it.
     
    ∞∞Θ∞∞
     
    When Dan finished eating, Roger closed the kitchen for the night and sent the cook home. The cook was a man named Azul Bunta; he’d been working there for five years.
    After Azul left the building, Cameron cracked a Corona for herself, counted her cash, finished her paperwork, and closed the restaurant. Sitting on a bar stool between Roger and Dan, she joined the conversation.
    Dan said, “So listen guys, I found something today that’s a little bit peculiar. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
    Roger lifted an eyebrow. “Really? That sounds interesting. Tell us more.”
    “Yeah Daniel. Let’s hear it.”
    Dan adjusted the stool beneath him, took a sip from his bottle, and wiped a drop of beer from his chin. He said, “I came into town last night, alone. Sandra stayed home.”
    “Sandra?” Cameron asked.
    “That Dan’s wife,” Roger