It was 8:35 in the morning. I waited on the bus stop for the bus. I stared at the creepy old house across the street. I live in a small city called Baltimore. As usual after school me and my best buds Mark and Rodney shoot some hoops. Mark would always play me and Rodney “2 on 1” as he called it. The ball was out of bounds, it rolled into the yard of the creepy, old house. I ran to go get the ball but it was too late…it rolled under its deck.
          I turned around and looked at Mark. I am so upset, that’s my autographed ball and it was stuck under that deck. I got down on my knees to try to get it, I see two little green looking balls they looked likes eyes of some sort. I screamed and ran back as fast as I could.
                            “Leave!” said Chris  

         Mark and Rodney darted down the street. I ran into the house and stumped up the stairs. I was very upset; I was never going to get my ball back. I said to myself, “Mark is going to pay.” The next day at school I see Mark, he apologized I act like I couldn’t hear or see him.
                          “I tried.” said Mark
       I see a group of boys they all pointed and laughed at me.
                 “What’s so funny?” I ran up to them with rage.
                 “Oh nothing.” said Derrick
        The most popular kid in school, he pushed me to the ground.
                 “Get out of my face.” he said
         I got up and with all my might; I punched him over and over and over and over again.
                  “Break it up!” said Mr. Crowzer
     He pulled me off of him, as I stood up I kicked him right in the-
                                  !CRACK!
            I was taken to the office, I wrote a statement about what happened. I saw Derrick walk into the doors. He had a bloody eye and its purplish around. I didn’t feel at all. He deserved that bloody gush on the side of his face. He deserved that blackened eye.  On his shirt it was a big spot of blood. It looked like someone spilled a tub of ketchup all over him.
                 “Chris?” I hear someone say
         I turned around it was dad; I put my head down and shook my head.
                 “Hey dad.” I said
         Me and my dad don’t have the best relationship. I wish it was how it used to be, mom and dad have “problems” and ever since we don’t do things we used to do. Like, play ball or go to baseball games, nothing at all.
       We got into the car and here comes the lecture; he says the same thing every time I’m in trouble. I even mock the words he says when he isn’t looking. I get it, I know I’m wrong but its time for me to stick up for myself and he doesn’t understand that.
                “Work on your anger son.” he said
               We pull into the driveway and I saw Mark and Rodney sitting on my porch. I sat in the car until dad walked in the house. I opened the car door and slammed it shut.
                          “Why did you do that?” said Mark
                  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said
          As I walked into the house I felt someone grab my arm.
                           “Let go!” I said
                  Mark punched me in my back and I hit my face on the front door. I turned around and balled my fist up ready to punch. Then, Rodney began to run up on me. I dodged his punch.
                            “Are they trying to jump me?” I said to myself
                They trapped me in the corner by my garage.
                       “Some “friends” you guys are.” I said
        From left to right I felt punches in my stomach. I tried to run but I realized I can handle this.
          “You better not run either you little punk.” said Mark
         I punched Rodney right in his nose as hard as I could.
                                !BOOM!
                “Mark it’s your turn” I said
        I pushed him against the back of my house. He slapped me and I fell to the ground once again. I got right back up I felt myself lift my hand up and I punched him right in his jaw. I looked over and there is blood all on Rodney’s face.
                     “What’s all that noi-“mom said?
           It was too late mom saw it all.
”Get in the house…NOW!” said mom
     As I looked out the window I see she put Mark and Rodney in the car. She took them home I assumed. I went upstairs in my room to think about what happened. I feel very guilty, because they are my “friends.”
                                   !SLAM!
        “Mom is home.” I said to myself
        “CHRISTOPHER GET DOWN HERE.” said mom
            I ran down the stairs I nearly tripped and fell.
                  “Yes?” I said
             “What happened today?”
              I explained the situation.
    “Rodney is in the hospital with a broken nose and a concussion.”
                “But mo-“she cut me off
             All I could say was “I’m sorry.”
                 The Brown’s wanted to press charges on me. I don’t deserve to be in trouble he attacked me first. A few days later, I as a twelve-year-old child showed up in court. I was so scared I thought I was going to jail. I shook in my seat; I was sweating in my good suit. My lawyer said he was going to “handle” it. The verdict was done. I had to apologize and I had to also have to write a statement to his family.
                    “At least it wasn’t jail time.” I said
         After we came from court we went home. The whole car ride there and back mom was just yelling. Every time we pull in the driveway for some odd reason my eyes land on that house across the street. Everything around it is dark and spooky.
          I could see my ball under the old, rugged, creepy wooded deck from my porch. I just watched it for hours and hours. I finally got up, and said to myself, “You can do it.” I ran over to the yard I bent down and looked. I still say the green “eyes.” I didn’t know what it was. I just stared at it. Three seconds later it goes away. I put my am out to try and touch it. It was so dark under there. It was like I was trapped in a closet or something. I began to slide my body up under there.
                                         “I see it.” I paused
                                                               “My ball!” I said 
       
             I was thinking why was I so scared it’s just a deck. I can’t see my own hands it’s so dark under here. I place my head on my ball and just lay under there. I can see my house from under the deck. I felt something wet splash on my leg, it startled me. I began to look around and I see something move.
             ‘Who’s there?” I said
            I start feeling around, I was getting creeped out. I felt it once again. I tried to crawl my way out from under there, but it’s like I can’t move. I opened my mouth and I tried to scream but nothing came out. It’s like I’m there but I’m not actually alive.
           “I finally get my autographed ball back and now I couldn’t use it.” I said
        I felt myself drift off to sleep. I don’t know what time it was, but all I heard was sirens. I tried to see what happened. Its police cars parked everywhere across the street.
            “THAT’S MY HOUSE!” I said
              “HELP!” I screamed to the top of my lungs
        I can’t hear my own voice. I tried with all my might to get out from where I was but I couldn’t move. I see mom and dad talking to the officers. All I heard was, “his name is Chris.” I’m so confused. Did they think I was missing? Or dead? I just thought of all the possible scenarios’.
        A few hours later I saw someone walk past. I tried to scream once again but nothing worked. He’s a male, he had stacks of paper in his hands and they all fell. He bends down to pick them up.
           “That’s dad!” I said
     One of the papers flew in the yard in front of me. It’s a picture of me. It said in bolded letters “MISSING”, at this point I’m highly confused. So dad put missing signs up around town with my face on it?
         “I’m under this deck couldn’t get out, the police were at my house, and I left the house without telling mom or dad.” I said
         “They didn’t know where I was this explains a lot.” I told myself
         I tried to get dad’s attention, so I rolled the ball from under the deck. I watched it hit dad’s foot.
     “Hey! This is Chris’ ball” he said
       He picked it up and walked away.
         “Epic fail.” I said 
      Another day rolled around and I was still under here. I started to get a headache from the strong odor. It smelled like cow manure under here. I sat under here for hours and hours, day by day.
      “I should have never crawled under here.” I said
       Days go by and I was still under here, I didn’t know what else to do. I came up with a plan in my head. I tried to hype myself up and get mad so I can get out. All I thought about was how Mark and Rodney betrayed me. I started to cry and thought about how my “friends” treated me. I heard a noise; it was like something flopped down on the ground.
     “Who’s that?” I said 
              I placed my hand out to feel, there was nothing.
                               “Chris?” I heard
              It sounded as if someone called from far out, but I still poked my head to see what was in front of me, no one. I feel someone pull my leg, I began to scream.
                    “I can hear myself again.” I said quietly
           I tried to move a little and I could. I kept moving and I finally got myself out.
                      “YAY!”
           I looked down at myself. My good suit was covered with dirt and dried mud. I ran home as fast as I could.
                       “Mom?” I shouted
         I ran up the stairs checked in every room. I couldn’t find mom or dad. I heard sobbing coming from the kitchen.
                             “Mom?” I said again
                 She wiped her eyes then looked up at me.
                             “Chris?” she said
                I started to smile and ran over to hug her.
                        “Where were you?” she asked
        I told her about everything. She didn’t believe me at all. I always talked about the creepy house across the street but she never paid me any mind.
          “Mom look at my suit all of the dirt from under that houses’ deck did that.” I said
       She still didn’t believe me. I waited until dad got home to prove my point.
           “Dad where’s my ball?” I asked
               “It’s in the bas-.” he paused
          He turned around and grinned so hard, that’s the happiest he’s been in months.
               “Chris your home! Where were you?”
                  I explained everything to dad.
         “Do you remember when you were putting up the missing flier?” I asked
                “Yes what about it?” he said
         “Well the house across the street I was under its deck and I was trying to get your attention but it didn’t work.” I said
               “Okay, okay Chris I believe you.” mom said from the other room.
                              I knew she was eavesdropping.
                 “So what now?” I said
     “First we go to the police station, second we go visit Mark and Rodney.” said dad
            We got into the car and drove to the police station. My dad got out the car and didn’t come back for two whole hours. I just waited and waited and waited.
      “I guess this is what he has to do to clear my name.” I said
          We pulled up to Mark’s house first; I unbuckled my seat belt and got out the car. I knocked on the door, unfortunately Mark answered.
                            “Wassup bruh.” I said 
                   “Why are you here?” he asked
                “Look man I need to talk to you.” I said
                      We walked in and went upstairs in his room. I told him everything that happened.
              “So I heard you went missing.” He said
              “I just told you the story.” I said
                          I told him I got my ball back and everything about what happened in court.
                 “So can we get back to our place, I said I was sorry about your ball.” he said
                  “I mean I guess but you and Rodney did me wrong.” I said
                  “So we coo?” he said
                   “Yea we coo.” I said
             We shook hands and he walked me out.
                            “What happened?” said dad
                              “We’re good.” I said
              I went back to school the next day. I saw Rodney so I decided I was going to speak.
                     “I’m sorry about your nose.” I said
                     “It’s ok, I’m also sorry about me and Mark’s actions.” He said
                    “It’s ok, coo?” I said
                      “Coo.” he said          
           Rodney, Mark, and I were all back friends again. We sat at lunch together, hung out on the weekends just like we used to.
                “Aye.” Derrick said
                “Yea?” I said
               “You damaged my eye.” He said
               “I don’t care.” I said
          As I walked away I heard him mumble something under his breath, but I ignored it. Nobody would mess with me now. I got my boys back and my life is back to normal. After school as we usually did, we played “2on1.” We played with my ball good thing it didn’t land in the yard of the house across the street.
                                            
                                                          THE END