In some stories you may hear about kids getting to another world by some portal or magic carpet. Then there is Jacob’s story which is much more different.
Jacob Brandon, age twelve, lives in a small house with an attic and a basement and it’s located on a cul-de-sac. Jacob’s schedule is pretty basic during the school year. Each morning he would wake up around 6:30-7:00, eat breakfast, and get dressed in time to catch the bus. Once they’re in school they have to put everything in their locker and get to their homeroom in time for roll call. They have just about the worst teacher in the whole school. Her name is Ms. Roberta Bulmer. She always seems to be giving everyone extra homework. Also never let her catch students passing notes to their friends or else she’ll make them stand up and read it out loud, and on top of that they’ll have to polish her desk and sharpen every pencil in the class room after class.
After they were through with class, Jacob and his best friend Brian Gerald went to Jacob’s house and play either videogames or one-on-one basketball. “Extra homework again,” Jacob and Brian both said to they mom as they came inside. “Why do we have to get this much homework?” he asked his mom. “Well it’s always good to learn more, Jacob,” she said. His mom works at a bank and his dad works at a restaurant as a chef. They’ve been looking for a bigger home to move into, with his mom wanting to start a bed and breakfast. She said that she would call it “Kim’s Bed & Breakfast”. “So how’s the home search going?” Jacob asked. “Pretty good. We’ve seen a few that we like but we found one that’s just the right one,” she said. Jacob was sad when he found out that they were moving but it just so happens that Brian’s dad has been looking for a new job and found one in the same town that Jacob’s family is moving to. They also found out that they’re going to be living in the same neighborhood on the same street. So Brian’s house is only a short walk away. “…. there is also a creek and some woods for you guys to run through and play in.” From the look on Brian’s face Jacob could tell he was excited about what they could do together.
Summer break is coming up and Jacob’s family has already seen the house they’re going to move into. The next week Jacob’s family is moving to their new home and the week after they move Brian’s moving, so they were already packing up for the big move. “Have you got all your things, dear?” Jacob’s mom asked him. “Yep!” he called from his soon to be old room. It was a big change for all of them, Jacob’s family and Brian’s family. Summer Break finally came and it was the day of the move. As Jacob and his mom were driving in the car, he looked outside and saw his new neighborhood. Jacob’s mom was right; there were a whole lot of woods. Everywhere Jacob looked there were quite a few woods between each house. Then they came to the house. It looked very rusty and old and even kind of creepy. Jacob’s mom told him that Brian is moving into the house across the street from us. Jacob was glad every thing worked out for him and Brian. But the real problem was how they were going to make new friends in the neighborhood.
The next week as planned Brian’s family moved over into the house across the street from Jacob’s family. Jacob decided to go over there and help them move in. “Hey Jacob” Brian said as Jacob went over “What’s up?” “I was wondering if I could help you with your things.” “Well sure,” Mr. Gerald said. “We could always use extra hands. Here you could help Brian take his stuff up to his room while my wife and I move some of the pots and pans to the kitchen.” “Sure,” Jacob replied. So we moved everything in and at around dinnertime we were finished. “Do you all want to come to my place for dinner?” Jacob asked them. “Sure,” Mr. and Ms. Gerald said. “We would love to, if it’s alright with your parent’s.” “They actually told me to invite you guys over for dinner,” Jacob replied. “Good, then, it’s settled, dinner at the Brandon home,” said Mr. Gerald.
After dinner that night, the Geralds went home to unpack their things. The next day Jacob and Brian went to explore the woods next to Jacob’s house. “Man!” Brian exclaimed. “These are some cool woods and, look, a creek!” Right there was a small creek flowing through a little ditch. Then we saw a tree with a rope hanging from it. “Let’s try to get across” Jacob said. “Are you sure about this?” said Brian. “I’m positive,” Jacob said, and then he took hold of the rope and threw himself across and into some bushes on the other side. “Jacob!” Brian called. “I’m in here,” Jacob called out from the bushes. “Just swing over on the rope.” Brian took a firm hold on the rope, and threw himself across the creek. Brian found Jacob in a clear area surrounded by trees. Jacob was looking around marveling at the trees. “They’re so tall,” Jacob exclaimed. “With long branches” added Brian. “How much longer do we have until lunch?” Jacob asked Brian. “About two and a half hours,” Brian said looking at his watch. “Good, that should give us enough time,” Jacob said. “To do what?” asked Brian. “To explore the woods,” said Jacob. They went on and on exploring the woods looking at tree after tree, plant after plant. It started to rain, but that didn’t stop them. Then it quit and grew hot and quiet until it got sort of misty and foggy to where it felt like something was breathing hot air down your neck. Then Jacob saw something --well he thought he saw something-- then he heard a rustle behind the bushes, but it was just a squirrel. “Let’s get out of here,” Jacob said. “Right!” said Brian. They ran all the way to Jacob’s house, where his mom had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and crackers waiting for them. That night when Jacob got in bed he thought he heard a door creak. He sat up and looked around his new room. Then he searched his closet and nothing indicated that it was moved. So, he went out of his room and followed the creaking noise down the stairs and into the spare room, which so happens to be the old servants room. He looked inside the old key hole. All looked clear until a great, big, beady yellow eye looked in from the other side and a soft low grumble came from the other side of the door. Jacob ran screaming into his parents’ room. He didn’t need to shake them or call for them for they both were awakened at the sound of the screaming. “What’s wrong honey?” said Jacobs mom. “Are you alright” “well, I heard a… a creaking door… so I…I…I went downstairs to see what it… what it was, and.” He took a gulp of air to continue his story. “I searched the house until I… I came to the spare bedroom.” He took another gulp. “I looked through the keyhole…and…and….” “Go on,” urged his dad. “And I saw this…this big yellow eye look through the other side of the keyhole.” Once he finished his story he looked up at his parents who were astonished and looked as if they didn’t believe a word he said. “Must’ve been a nightmare,” his mom said. “No! I saw it with my own two non-sleeping eyes,” Jacob argued. “Well, if you’re that upset about it we’ll come check the room out with you,” said Jacob’s dad. “Good!” said Jacob, and they went downstairs to the same place that Jacob had fled. They all went downstairs to the spare bedroom, and Jacobs’s dad slowly turned the door knob and pushed lightly. The door opened with a creak --the very same creak that Jacob had heard just minutes ago-- and they looked inside. All was very dusty and gray. They searched the entire room, but nothing showed any sign of anyone or anything or even any big yellow eyes being there anytime earlier. “Well I don’t see anything around here,” said Jacob’s dad. “Must’ve been a dream,” said his mom. “Let’s go back to sleep it’s been a long night.” Jacob couldn’t argue with that.
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