Bad Dog. Really Bad Dog.

chapter 2 - 3 (edit)

I didn't move
I couldn't move
I stared at the ceiling. Listening. Listening to the raspy breathing under my bed. Calm down. Its probably your imagination. Playing tricks on you again.
The breathing got louder.
Raspier.
I covered my ears and shut my eyes tight. Its nothing. Its nothing. Its just an old house. I thought, still covering my ears, old house have to breathe
Don't they?
Or, what is it that mom said? Settling? Yeah, that's what it must be. The house settling. Or maybe its the pipes. We have pipes in our old apartment in the city, and they made crazy noises all the time I bet thats what it is
The pipes
I lowered my hands
Silence now.
No settling.
No pipes.
No breathing
I must be losing my mind.
If I told Connor and George about this one, they'd really laugh their heads off. And then the breathing started again. Raspy and wet. Hoarse. Like a sick animal. I couldn't just lie there. I had to see what it was.
I swing my legs out of bed. I took a deep breath. Then I lowered myself to the floor. Carefully, I lifted the blanket from the bottom of the bed. Then Carefully, carefully, I lowered my head. Thats when the hands darted out and grabbed me. Two strong, cold hands
Slowly tightening their grip around my throat.

I screamed
So loudly, I surprised myself. My attacker must have been surprised too, he quickly let go of my neck. I clutched my throat and sputtered for air. "Bunny, will you keep it down?" A voice whispered.
         " you'll wake mom and dad!"
Huh?
Oh, man.
It was Mickey. My totally obnoxious older brother.
"Mickey! You jerk!"
I cried."you scared me to death!"
Mickey slid out from under the bed and wiped some dust off his pajamas.
"No big challenge," he muttered.
"Shut up," i snapped, rubbing my sore neck. In the mirror I could see where Mickey's hands had grabbed my throat. Dark red blotches circled my neck."look what you did!" I cried "You know I bruise easily!"
"Oh don't be such a baby! I got you, man!" Mickey cried, grinning.
I stared furiously at my idiot twin brother. I wished I could wipe that grin off his face. And not get in trouble for it.
"You're a jerk!" Was all I could think to say. "Grow up!" Mickey shot back. He headed for the door, then turned around." Would bunny like a little night light next to his bed?" He asked in a tiny baby voice.
That's when I lost it. I leaped on his back and pounded his head with my fist.
"Hey!" He screamed, trying to shake me off. "What do you think your doing? Get off me!"
Mickey legs buckled under him, and he fell to the floor. I clung to his back. I kept pounding him with my fist.
Mickey is a lot bigger then me. But I had him in the right position, and landed a few good punches. Then he shifted to the right. And started pounding me back. Luckily, he got in only one good wallop before mom and dad ran in to break it up.
"Bunny! Mickey! Whats going on in here?"
"He started it!" I called out, trying to duck mickey's fist. My father reached down and pulled mickey off me.
"I dont care who started it!"
He said angrily
" this is no way to act on the first night in your new house Mickey, get back to your room!"
"But, dad he---"
" never mind who started it! Because if there is a next time you'll both start off the school year grounded!"
Grumbling, Mickey stomped out off the room. But not before sticking his tongue out at me. Mickey was the baby not me.
"Really, Dad, Mickey started it," i said when he was gone.
" and your totally innocent, right?"
My father asked Rolling his eyes.
"Yes!" I insisted
Dad just shook his head. "Go to sleep, bunny"
When my parents left the room, I paced back and forth, rubbing my neck. I was so steamed! It wasn't the first time mickey pulled something like this. For as long as I could remember, Mickey has played tricks on me. Trying to terrify me.
He usually succeeds, too.
Once, when mom and dad went away for a weekend, he his a tape recorder in my room. It played horrifying screams all night long.
And another time he didn't come to get me after soccer practice. He left me standing there, all alone. While he hid and watched me panic. But hiding under my bed was the worst. He has come to be one of the biggest jerks alive.
I had to think of a way to get Mickey back.
What can I do hide behind his bathrooms shower curtain and jump out while he is using the bathroom?.
No too dumb. It would have to be something totally excellent. Something so creepy it would scare me. Even though I was the one doing it. I watched the spooky shadows move along my wall and ceiling. And listened to the frightening noises of my new house--- noises I would have to hear for the rest of my life. The pipes rattling. The dogs barking. Wait a minute.
Dogs?
I sat up. We don't have dogs. And there isn't another house around here for miles.
Bit I definitely heard a barking dog.
I listened closely. The dog biking again. Then started to howl.
I sighed nad pulled out of bed. Then it hit me.
Mickey!
This had to be another one of my brothers stupid tricks.
He was an excellent dog Barker. He practiced it all the time. Smiling i setted back on my pillow. I wouldn't get up. I wouldn't go to the window. He wasn't going to get me this time. No way. I payed there listening to Mackey make a fool of himself. Howling and barking like a big old dog.
What a jerk
Then, suddenly, I sat up again. Whoa. I heared two dogs howling now.
Even Mickey couldn't pull that off.
The howling turned into piercing cries
So close, right under my window. As said, I made it through a whole day with out being scared. But, boy, was I making up for it tonight! For the zillonth and thired time, I slowly crept to the window. I could hear them clearly. Two dogs. Wailign and howling. For the zillions and third time, I gazed out the window.
But for the first time I couldn't belive what I saw.