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Description
Large droplets of water slid down my windowpane. My room was cold and dark. It was a wet and gloomy October day, with nothing to look forward to. What could the day possibly bring? I wrapped a blanket around my freezing body and crawled out of my bed. A haze fell over my brain and eyes as I walked down the long creaky hall to the small dimly lit kitchen.
I opened a squeaky cupboard and took out a bowl, opened a drawer and retrieved a metal spoon, and opened the refrigerator to get a carton of milk. I sat myself down at the table and poured a box of Honey Nut Cheerios that was already on the table into my empty bowl.
I learned over my breakfast, tired. My hair fell into my face and cereal bowl, so I straightened up. The whole house was dark, except for the lamp I had turned on. The silence was already unbearable and spooky.
I checked to make sure the doors were locked and the curtains were closed. As I looked out of the back door window, I couldn't help but notice an odd dark shape. It moved. I ducked and clutched my heart, frightened. Calm down, Ashlyn, I whispered to myself. I peeked out of the window again. The figure was closer to the door. It was a boy. I hid again. He was walking closer and closer to my home. What was I to do?
There was suddenly a soft knock at my back door. I gasped. Should I open it? I wasn't sure what to do. I pretended to ignore it, and sat back down at the table to finish my small breakfast. But after only one bite, he knocked again. I rushed over to the door and slowly, soundlessly, opened it.
There, standing on my back deck was a boy about 14 years old, dripping with rain. He had breath-taking blue eyes, the color of the summer sky. His skin looked cold and pale. He shivered as he spoke, "Hi, um, I'm lost. Do you happen to know how to get to Einstein Junior High School?" For a moment I just stared, but finally answered with a, "yes."
"Could you give me directions?" he asked, flipping his wet hair like a dog. I wasn't sure how to answer. Here was this stranger who had intruded my yard without permission and now he was asking me questions?
"I'll give you directions on one condition." Was all I could come up with at that moment.
"Which is?" he raised one eyebrow at me suspiciously.
"You have to answer this question: why are you in my backyard." I put one hand on my hip to make me look somewhat confident.
The boy hesitated before answering my question. "…I told you, I'm lost."
"And that gives you a right to come into my yard, uninvited? Where are your parents anyway?"
"At home. We just moved in yesterday." He was obviously avoiding my question. But I was also beginning to ramble.
"Okay, whatever you say. Here come on in and I'll give you directions."
"That's okay, I would prefer to stay outside.
"What's your name?" I asked. The boy suddenly looked uncomfortable. He hesitated once more.
"R-r-r..." he didn't finish.
"What's your name? It's a simple question. Here, I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours." I was beginning to get impatient. I only had a certain amount of time before school started for the day.
"My name is Richard." He said, as though he had had to think so hard about it.

Description
Large droplets of water slid down my windowpane. My room was cold and dark. It was a wet and gloomy October day, with nothing to look forward to. What could the day possibly bring? I wrapped a blanket around my freezing body and crawled out of my bed. A haze fell over my brain and eyes as I walked down the long creaky hall to the small dimly lit kitchen.
I opened a squeaky cupboard and took out a bowl, opened a drawer and retrieved a metal spoon, and opened the refrigerator to get a carton of milk. I sat myself down at the table and poured a box of Honey Nut Cheerios that was already on the table into my empty bowl.
I learned over my breakfast, tired. My hair fell into my face and cereal bowl, so I straightened up. The whole house was dark, except for the lamp I had turned on. The silence was already unbearable and spooky.
I checked to make sure the doors were locked and the curtains were closed. As I looked out of the back door window, I couldn't help but notice an odd dark shape. It moved. I ducked and clutched my heart, frightened. Calm down, Ashlyn, I whispered to myself. I peeked out of the window again. The figure was closer to the door. It was a boy. I hid again. He was walking closer and closer to my home. What was I to do?
There was suddenly a soft knock at my back door. I gasped. Should I open it? I wasn't sure what to do. I pretended to ignore it, and sat back down at the table to finish my small breakfast. But after only one bite, he knocked again. I rushed over to the door and slowly, soundlessly, opened it.
There, standing on my back deck was a boy about 14 years old, dripping with rain. He had breath-taking blue eyes, the color of the summer sky. His skin looked cold and pale. He shivered as he spoke, "Hi, um, I'm lost. Do you happen to know how to get to Einstein Junior High School?" For a moment I just stared, but finally answered with a, "yes."
"Could you give me directions?" he asked, flipping his wet hair like a dog. I wasn't sure how to answer. Here was this stranger who had intruded my yard without permission and now he was asking me questions?
"I'll give you directions on one condition." Was all I could come up with at that moment.
"Which is?" he raised one eyebrow at me suspiciously.
"You have to answer this question: why are you in my backyard." I put one hand on my hip to make me look somewhat confident.
The boy hesitated before answering my question. "…I told you, I'm lost."
"And that gives you a right to come into my yard, uninvited? Where are your parents anyway?"
"At home. We just moved in yesterday." He was obviously avoiding my question. But I was also beginning to ramble.
"Okay, whatever you say. Here come on in and I'll give you directions."
"That's okay, I would prefer to stay outside.
"What's your name?" I asked. The boy suddenly looked uncomfortable. He hesitated once more.
"R-r-r..." he didn't finish.
"What's your name? It's a simple question. Here, I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours." I was beginning to get impatient. I only had a certain amount of time before school started for the day.
"My name is Richard." He said, as though he had had to think so hard about it.