a halloween memory

we were at a local commercial haunted house.  with my friend p.  it was all my fault.  p. was the more rational one.  he asked me how can two middle-aged men find a haunted house not only scary but entertaining.  c'mon!  have an open mind, i said.  which led us to the parking lot of the local haunted house.  the usual things were there.  scary music.  crowds psyching themselves up.  scare actors roaming the parking lot.  we bought our tickets, p. & i for all four houses.  one was a carnival gone berserk.  another one was a mental hospital taken over by the inmates.  the usual array of scary things.  but the last one, i can't remember what it was called.  it was in the basement.  & it was a maze.  but there were no lights in that maze.  it was pitch black.  i mean dark!  you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.  i shit you not.  when it was our turn to enter p. & i held hands so we wouldn't get separated.  there were noises in that pitch dark maze.  subtle screaming.  whispering just above audible range.  we got turned around.  i lost grip with p.'s hand.  i was alone.  i could1n't figure out which way to go.  then, in the distance, i heard p. call out my name.  faintly, 'richaaaaaaaard!'  i made my way toward his voice.  i managed to get out.  be among the living.  the ticket paying public of a commercial haunted house.  but where was p.?  i looked & looked & looked.  people who saw me enter the haunted house didn't remember p.  he disappeared as if he were a figment of my imagination.  but surely he would emerge from that pitch black maze.  i waited at the exit & i waited unitl it was closing time.  reluctantly i found my car in the parking lot & i was the last vehicle to leave.  as for p. i never saw him again!