CHAPTER 1


“Watch out!” screamed a voice, unrecognized. “Ahhh.” I replied with a shriek of fright. Crash! Wait, I’m getting ahead to myself.

It was a beautiful, October day. The wind was blowing, the leaves were falling, everything seemed perfect! My family and I were invited over my aunt and uncle’s house for dinner. Around 5:00, we started our drive to our cousins. About twenty minutes later, our car pulls up into their black, ongoing driveway. As I look around, excited to see my cousins again, I imagine what we will be doing this evening. The thoughts overlapped each other, “Maybe we will play man-hunt!” “Or, we will play on the trampoline!” Finally, the time came to break out of my daydream and enter their house. The smell of their house always reminds me of my childhood. Being there, playing with my cousins, just having a good time! I took my shoes off with excitement, waiting for the fun to begin, and met my family in the kitchen. I said my “Hello’s,” and afterwards, well, that’s where it all began!

CHAPTER 2


I sat down on my aunt and uncle’s fluffy, grey, cloud-like couches, waiting for my cousin Lexie to come down. Lexie is the same age as me, so we enjoy some interests! Anyway, I heard the clatter of her footsteps on the hardwood staircase, and started to grow in excitement. I couldn’t hold all of it in! She came over to me and said in a calm voice “Hey Em!” I replied with a simple “Hey Lex!” She suggested some things we could do for the night: go on the trampoline, play on the swing set, play tag. The list went on and on. We started with the swing set, then moved on to the trampoline. By the time we were down bouncing around, we were called in for dinner. As I sat there, trying to catch my breath, I relived the past moments we had outside. I was anxious to get back out! We finished dinner, then proceeded to get our shoes and jackets on. We played for about a half and hour more, before my uncle called us over to the front. I wondered what he had in store for us!

He rounded up all of the kids, making sure to get every last one. After counting, he explained his reasoning for calling us over. “Do you guys want to go on the four wheelers?” He questioned. All of the kids replied with an energetic “Yes!” There were four mini four wheeler’s, and three regular sized four wheelers. I jumped on one of the mini wheelers(I was young and didn’t know how to control one) and was taught how to ride. “I don’t want to learn, I want to ride!” I thought to myself. After the teaching session had been over, I was able to ride freely around the yard. “This is amazing!” I exclaimed, over the roar of the bike. After about seven minutes of riding, I rode down into the woods. Thinking there was a path I could follow to get out of the woods, I continued riding, still trying to cope with all of the excitement. I reached the starting line of the woods and continued to ride into the tall giants, with no second thoughts. I had made it in.

CHAPTER THREE


Finally, I’m in about three yards from the edge of the woods, and I make a left to exit. Little did I know that there was no exit. I was surrounded by shrubs, trees, and the babbling brook. I was going to fast, I couldn’t register what the ending of my thrill ride would be! Before I knew it, a bush was approaching with...thorns! “Watch out!” screamed a voice, unrecognized. “Ah!” I replied with a shriek of fright. Crash! When I registered what scene had just taken place, I was in a thorn bush, screaming with excrutiating pain! I couldn’t move! Every place on my body was covered in thorns, with blood rushing down. I heard the thumping of footsteps on the grass, waiting for a figure to appear. As I turned ever so slowly to avoid the pain, my uncle and father were coming to rescue me from the needles digging into my skin. “Give me your hand” said my uncle. I replied with a shakey “OK.” After I exited the bush, my father picked me up and carried me until we got to the edge of the driveway(a five minute walk). My uncle ran inside, readying his tweezers, neosporn, and bandaids. My father let me down so carefully, knowing how much pain I was in. I limped until I was at the foot of the stairs, beginning to ready myself for the worst part of it all! One foot, two foot, one foot, two foot. The pattern continued until I had reach the top of the mountain. I turned the handle on the door, swung it open, and continued to limp until I reached the island in the center of the kitchen. There was where my uncle was waiting. He picked me up, put me on the counter, and began to explain what he was planning to do. “Don’t be scared Emily” he stated. “How is that possible!” I thought to myself. I have needles piercing my skin, tears filling up my eyes, and blood everywhere, how can I be calm? After my freak attack, he began to take out the needles. Every pinch of the needle being taken out, led to another tear that streamed down my face. I looked to the left, and saw sitting on the counter, the thorns that had been taken out. I counted. One, two, three, four, five! “Only five!” I thought, “How many more before I have a meltdown?” Ten minutes had gone by before all of the needles were removed, and after my body was checked for more. I sat there, still trying to cope with all of the recent events. How could this have happened? I was paying attention, and knew how to ride the bike. The thoughts slipped back into my mind. After recalling my nightmare, my uncle called me over so I could be treated with neosporn. The pain I went through was excruciating! Every spot covered with neosporn stung like a bee sting. After the cream was applied, it was time for the bandaids. “Finally!” I thought to myself, “The least painful part!” The bandaids were applied, but I couldn’t help but laugh at my appearance after being coated. Bandaids everywhere, from head to toe! My uncle looked at me and had the same reaction. My parents came up to the house to see how I was, but they had to laugh too! It was humorous, and I couldn’t deny it, but it was still painful. I hopped off from the counter top and tried walking. Like a stick figure I walked down the stairs and to the driveway. My family rushed over to see if I was OK. I responded with “Yes, I’m fine.” But I wasn’t.






CHAPTER FOUR


After my little accident with the thorn bush, my parents decided it would be best if we left. My siblings and I begged them to stay, even though I was still recovering from what had happened. All my parents did was shake their heads. They said “Emily, you’re hurt and can not play with your cousins anymore, so why do you want to stay? Besides it is getting late.” It was a good question, why did I want to stay? I was about to plea my case, but decided to keep my mouth shut. I ran upstairs to gather my belongings and say my goodbyes to my family. As I opened up the door, I heard the yell of my father’s voice, “Let’s go Emily.”

I was sad to go, but knew I was hurt and could use the rest. As I made my way inside the car, my cousin came down screaming for my family and I. “Come quick!” she screamed. “Josh, in the basement!” As my parents peered over their shoulders, they saw the missing body in the seat. My parents, sister and I rushed up the stairs and down into the basement to see what image awaited us. As we turned the corner to go into the basement, we couldn’t believe our eyes when...