“Hey Mom, what happened to the neighbors living in that house?” I asked staring at the closed house.

“I don’t know sweetheart, now help carry those bags okay”

“Yeah sure Mom”

As long as I can remember that house has always been closed, all the windows shut with hardwood and all the doors locked with metal doors in front of them. And I have never seen anybody getting inside, ever since the family that was living there disappeared, or I have never seen them again. I asked everyone in this neighborhood and they always gave me the same answers, that they don’t know, and that I shouldn’t go there. But that’s not enough I need to know what happened.

“Hey, do you want to hang out outside” I asked my brother Martin. “No, you go, I gotta finish, this homework”

“Okay, if Mom calls me to tell her I’m playing outside”

“And Charlie don’t go there, okay”

“But why?” I asked hoping he would give me an answer besides no you can’t go there.

“Mom doesn’t want us near that place, so stay away.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, just don’t go there okay, I don’t want my brother to…”

“Finish what you’re saying,” I said frustrated.

“If you keep arguing with me, you might as well just stay inside and don’t go anywhere, okay”

“Bye” And I left his room leaving the door open, cause I knew he didn’t like it. But this time instead of yelling at me, to close it, he got up and did it himself. “That’s weird,” I thought to myself.

Then I brushed off what happened as got out of the house, feeling free cause I’m no longer stuck in that box I call home. But then I saw two kids that looked my age, standing in front of the house, and I ran to them, to see if they were going inside. But then when they saw me they just ran, as if I was a monster or something.

“Wait don’t go, I wanna ask you guys something.”

They didn’t even turn, they just left me standing in front of the abandoned house. But then realization kicked in, I was in front of the house with no one around me that could stop me.

“I should go in there”

“Nop you shouldn’t” my brain replied.

“There’s no one here, and nothing is going to happen to me”

“How do you know that”

“I just feel it”

I looked like a mad person arguing with myself, then I heard a noise, it was as if a door was opening. So I ran to it, expecting to see someone or something, but there was nothing, just the iron bars covering the doors.

“Little Charlie what are you doing there, a male voice asked me”

“Nothing, Carlos”

“So come back home, I brought gifts”

Carlos was my mom's boyfriend, they had been dating since my dad went to prison, for not paying enough child support and some other robberies. So Carlos has been the one taking care of us since then.

I ran back to the house and sat down in a chair close to the wooden table we normally use for homework, or I normally use for homework, cause Martin, now does his homework in his room.

“Look what I got you, buddy”

“It’s a 3D model of our house, that’s awesome”

Carlos is an engineer so he always makes us gifts.

“Babe, that’s for you”

“Awe,” Mom said as she was graving a puppy.

“Wait what, where did it come from?” I asked confused, because I hadn’t seen it before.

“Jajajaja, you should have looked under the table,” Carlos said with a grin.

Then Martin came out of the room, he was looking at the dog with disgust.

“Who is going to take care of that dog.”

“Me” Mom answered with belief.

“And when you’re at work?” Martin strikes again.

“I can help.” I quickly said.

“Alright, so I don’t what y’all bothering me with that thing”

“It’s a dog, not a thing,” Carlos said mad.

“Whatever” Then he turned back to his room.

Carlos and Martin, have never gotten along, Martin blames him for everything that had happened to Dad, but in reality, the divorce hit him hard and he puts all that anger on Poor Carlos.

“Teenagers, they are always rude, I hope you stay just like you are Charlie” Mom said avoiding a fight between Carlos and Martin.

“Don’t worry Mom” if it comes to that I rather die” I said jokingly.

But I caught them both by surprise.

“Don’t say stuff like that okay buddy” Carlos intervened with his sweet voice.

It’s so funny, that Carlos is so big and strong, but has a sweet and calming voice.

“Now that we received our gifts it’s time to go to bed”

“Alring mom”

“Tell your brother to go to bed, he can finish his homework tomorrow after church.”

“Okay Mom, good night”

“That kid is perfect,” Carlos said with proud fullness.

“Hey Martin, Mom said lights off, you can finish your homework tomorrow.”

“Yeah sure” Then he turned off his laptop.

And I finally was in my bed, so comfortable and nice.

But the mood changed; as I was running from room to room, trying to find a way to escape all the doors and windows were closed and I was stuck. I finally gave up and sat on a chair surrounded by ruins and ugliness, that place was horrible it was full of trash, living and dead animals around, and the lights were closing and opening in a rather scary way. Then a man came out of nowhere and started calling my name.

“Little Charlie”

“Little Charlie c’mon”

“Little Charlie, stay right there”

“Don’t move, Charlie”

Then I ran as fast as I could and hid inside a cabinet.

“Charlie stop hiding”

“Hey Charlie come out please”

“U should stop hiding Charlie”

“Charlie!” He shouted.

And I felt my mind going crazy then I started shaking.

“Charlie, please come out”

While I was shaking a plate from the cabinet fell and broke into pieces, then the Spooky guy opened the door smiling weirdly at me then he started saying Charlie wake up, Charlie wakes up, Charlie wake up, each time louder and louder, his voice hit a high pitch, then I opened my eyes rapidly moving, then I was not alone Carlos was by my side with a small towel in his head.

“What happened?” I asked all confused.

“One minute ago I was in that house with the crook guy, now I’m here”

“You had a nightmare buddy, and I tried to wake up but you wouldn’t budge, so I started cleaning your face with this wet towel so you could stop sweating.”

“Omg I thought I was going to die, I had the worst nightmare”

“What was it about?”

“It was about the abandoned house, and some is inside, I know it.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, someone”

“Charlie, c’mon stop with your nonsense, and let’s go to church.”

“We’re going to be late because of you”

“Okey just give me a couple of minutes”

“Then hurry, and Charlie please stay away from that house, Look what is already causing you.”

“Yeah I will”

“You promise”

“Yes,” I said twisting my fingers.

I don’t like to lie, especially to him but I gotta figure out who or what is in there.

“Charlie, let’s go”

“I’m almost done give me a second.”

Record time, I showered, brushed my teeth, and put on my clothes, in just 7 minutes. Then I went downstairs where two pieces of bread with butter were waiting for me. “If” I sat on the chair and started eating my butter sandwich.

“Sweetie, did you put deodorant on?” She said interrupting me.

“Uppss I forgot” I ran back to my room and put on.

“You have to get used to it, you’re almost a teenager, you will not stay 10 forever.”

“Yeah Mom I know, now can I eat this in peace”

After we finished eating, I went to the car, everyone was already in, and I was the last one like always.

“Dude move” I demanded.

“There is enough space,” Martin replied.

“I want the middle seat, like always”

“Yeah sure, brat,” Martin said unnecessarily.

“Martin don’t call your brother a brat,” Mom said with a calming voice, indicating for him to chill. And so he did.

Our ride to church was pretty loud, Carlos put on Mexican songs for us, showing us his culture, then moved blash her Christian songs, but Martin rudely changed it and Chang it to rock. It started to give me headaches so I stopped the radio and looked for some chill songs with no bad words, in the bilingual section.

“Hup, we’re here,” Carlos said exited.

“After 20 Minutes, you drive slow,” Martin said, directly to Carlos's soul.

“At least I can drive and not be scared of some cones”

“Wait what, you told him.”

“Baby…”

“Guys stop it now let go.” I interrupted Mom.

“Yeah you're right let go,” Mom said, happy that I intervened.

Church service was long, Mom, Carlos, and Martin, were sleeping the whole almost the whole time, they only woke up for the worship.

“And I was the one who slept badly.”

“Shhh.” They said synchronized.

First time I’ve seen Martin and Carlos, being cute together, I hope it lasts longer. Service ended, and we said our goodbyes and started our way home, but we stopped for pizza, then we arrived home. After eating everyone was so tired that they went to sleep. 2:00 in the afternoon, and they all snoring, Martin even forgot to finish his homework. But that’s great, cause now that they all sleeping, will go to the house at the end of the street.

So I did…

I stepped into the dry grass trying to remember how I got into my nightmare. But the same noise happened again, this time I followed it faster and I got to it, a door was opening slowly and the bars were unlocked. It looked as if someone was in there. I got in and started to yell to see if someone get out, but no one answered, the place was so quiet, that I could hear the air and dust dancing around me. The house was not as bad as my dream, it was neat but full of dust, and the walls had beautiful paintings, and the floors had unique designs.

I kept on exploring, that house was nice, even if it was old, but then I entered a room, and that room had a picture of the neighbors that used to live there. A kid holding his mom and dad's hand, another guy holding a baby, and a woman with a daughter, and the daughter is holding a dog. And if my calculating were right I was in the parent's room.

While I was still checking some other things, a noise came from the other room next to me, it was a constant banging. Bow, Bow.

Who’s there I asked, no answer, I asked again who’s there, and again no one answered. I was getting a bit more curious and went to open my eyes the noise was coming. It was a medium door with the lock outside instead of inside. So probably that person got stuck.

“Who’s there” I asked once more.

Then this time I got an answer.

“Help me”

“Wait let me just turn this lock, it’s a bit rusty”

I made it a turned the lock then I twisted the door, and it opened, and from there a kind my age came out.

“What happened?”

“Some bullies locked me inside.”

“Oh I see, thank God, I came or you would have stayed here forever.”

“Yeah, thanks”

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Jeremiah”

“Cool name”

Since then Jeremiah become best friends, going on adventures together, and figuring cool things together.