Alone

Chapter 1

“Wake up Michael!” called Mrs. Hartley, “Were leaving in fifteen minutes!”

Michael reluctantly crawled out of bed. He dressed and combed his hair.

Then he trudged downstairs, his eyes bloodshot and droopy. 

“Good morning Michael,” said David. 

David was Michael’s younger brother. David had ADHD so he was always hyper, and that sometimes annoyed Michael very much.

“Are you excited to see Grandma and Grandpa?” asked David.

The Hartley family was  going on a trip to Boca Raton, Florida to visit their grandparents.

Michael looked up from his bowl of cereal. He was not as enthusiastic as David about seeing his grandparents.

The Hartley grandparents were nice and loving, but in Michael’s opinion they were a little too loving.

In the Winter they always made Michael wear both his sweatshirt, and his coat.

“We don’t want you to catch a cold,” his Grandmother would say.

In the Summer they covered Michael in sunscreen from head to toe.

“We don’t want you to get sunburned my boy,” his Grandfather would say.

Michael always told his parents about these things, but they never listened.

Michael put his head down on the table. He wasn’t going to his grandparents no matter what, but how was he going to get out of it? What was he going to do?

Chapter 2

 “Michael! David!” called Mrs. Hartley, “Grab your bags from upstairs and put them into the car! We’re leaving in two minutes!”

Michael and David ran upstairs. They grabbed their bags and lugged them downstairs.

During this, Michael was thinking hard. How was he going to get out of seeing his grandparents? 

When it hit him. No one needs to know he’s not coming.

Michael dashed back into his room. He nabbed a pencil and paper.

He jotted down his plan, and went over it a couple of times.

He took a plastic bag from the cabinet in the kitchen. 

Then Michael rushed downstairs, and headed for the car.

He slid into the back seat next to David. He took a look at his scribbled plan.

“What’s that?” asked David.

 “It’s nothing,” said Michael.

“Let me see,” said David, trying to get a glimpse of the paper.

Michael pulled it away. “No!” 

David frowned, “Why not?” he asked.

Michael didn’t know what to say, should he tell David, should he not. 

Then Mr. Hartley came in and turned on the radio. David was now distracted, and was on to something else. 

“Phew,” said Michael. 

He continued reviewing his plan.

Finally Mrs. Hartley arrived with the bags of food she had packed, and they began to drive.

After a few minutes, Michael quietly crawled into the trunk, and clicked the button to open the hatch.

“What are you doing Michael?” whispered David, and followed after him.

By now Michael, the plastic bag in hand, was at the edge of the car.  Michael looked down at the blurry street below him. Then he jumped. 

Air filled the plastic bag, and Michael floated gently to the ground.

Then he saw David jump from the car. He hit Michael smack in the face.

“Ouch!” the brothers cried.

David glanced behind him. “Oh no!” he said devastated. “Mom and Dad left without us!”

Michael shook his head, “That was the point David.”

“What?” said David, astonished.

Michael looked down at his downcast little brother. So sad and disappointed.

“Com’on little bro, lets have some fun!”

Chapter 3

The brothers ran home, and walked through the unlocked door. 

In the small town of Great Meadows, New Jersey there wasn’t any crime or unsavory characters. That meant that citizens could leave their doors unlocked without fear of break ins.

The two walked inside, they looked around at the empty house, then at each other.

They smiled. They were alone.

The brothers raced to the pantry, and grabbed the cookies Mrs. Hartley had baked a few days before.

They each took a bite.

“Yum!” exclaimed David.

“You can say that again,” said Michael happily.

Then David ran over to a plastic storage container.

He dumped the contents on to the floor and started marching up the stairs.

Michael followed him. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Get in and I’ll show you,” answered David.

Michael aubeyed. He climbed in and settled himself in the large container.

“Now what?” he asked.

David grinned. “This.”

David kicked the container as hard as he could, which sent Michael sliding down the stairs at full speed.

“Woo Hoo!” he cried.

Then he came to a stop.

“My turn!” called David.

Michael pushed the container to the top step.

Then David ripped off his shirt, and shouted “I’m the king of the world!”

Michael then ripped off his own shirt and jumped in after David.

The two brothers shot down the stairs. 

They were having the best time, when the door flew open.

“Boys! Boys! Are you here! Where are you!” It was Mrs. Hartley.

“We’re here Mom!” called Michael.

Mrs. Hartley ran upstairs to find her two sons, shirtless and covered in cookie crumbs.

She hugged them tightly. 

“Never ever, do that again,” she whispered.

“We promise.” said Michael and David together.

Then Mr. Hartley entered the house in a cold sweat.

“Where are they? Did you find them?” 

He started walking up the stairs, stumbling upon the happy trio.

Mr. Hartley joined in the celebration.

They all stood there for a few seconds. Cherishing the moment.

Then they parted.

“It was fun while it lasted,” said David mourfully. “ I wish we could do it again.”

“Why can’t we?” asked Michael.

“What do you mean?” asked David.

Michael looked at his little brother, and winked.

David smiled.

Then he pushed the storage container into a corner.

“See you next time container,” whispered David, “when we’re alone again.”

 The End