In 2004 Brett was in the eighth grade and his baseball team dominated at the semifinal game and they were off the finals.
“Finals!” Brett says to his dad.
His team wasn’t very good in the past but had worked and worked all year in hope to make it to the championship game this year.
“Guess what?” his dad asks. “We’re going to New York to visit your cousins!”
“Bonus!” Brett says.
“We leave tomorrow.”
“What? Finals are tomorrow.”
So they’re off. Considering that Brett isn’t thrilled about missing the championship game, he does his best to give his dad the silent treatment. Half way there and…he speaks.
“How much longer?”
From then on he loosened up and accepted that there was nothing he could do about missing the game. Now they were close and Brett was excited to see his cousins that he hadn’t seen in a year. Woods surrounded them and seeing cars on the road was becoming scarce. They pull into the driveway, Brett dashes out of the car, and the kids disappear into the back woods within seconds. Parents don’t expect to see them back for hours.
“Exploring the unknown was my favorite part of going to New York,” Brett says. “There was always something new to find.”
After inching around, climbing trees, and digging under rocks they stumble upon a two story, concrete building.
“Woah!” Brett says. “What’s that? Let’s check it out!”
All four of them walk around the outside trying to find a way in but the first floor was blocked with gates.
“Probably because no one was supposed to be in there.” Brett says
His cousin, Andy, looks up and sees one open window on the second story. The problem is getting up there to get in. A tree. That’s the only way. Only the boys head up the closest tree to try to get in, the girls stay on the ground and watch. Brett’s in first, then Andy.
“There’s nothing here.” Brett’s voice echoes to his sister Marissa and cousin Kylie.
But of course they keep looking around. It is obvious that the building hasn’t been used in many years and was abandoned. Inside walls were dented and discolored, floors were creaky, and the ceiling was destroyed from water damage.
“Ahhh!” Brett says. “Help Andy help!”
Brett’s lower half of his body fell through the floor and he was doing his best to hold himself up and not fall all the way down. Andy never came to help. Instead the other kids ran back to the house.
“Thanks a lot guys.” He thinks to himself.
Knowing that he has no choice but to pull himself up, Brett uses all of his strength and luckily was able to pull himself up. Starting at his elbow and extending to his wrist was a gash. Almost as deep to the bone, his arm was cut wide open. Brett made his way back to the house by himself, ran to the bathroom, and tried to wrap it up without any adults noticing.
“Brett? Where are you?” His dad says.
They found Brett passed out on the bathroom floor because of blood loss. He wakes up and absolutely refuses to be taken to the hospital. So they wrap him back up tightly and make him rest.
“Brett? Go to the hospital? Yeah right.”