The Haunt of Sandler Lanes

Chapter 1

"Come on we need another strike," Bonnie said to Kim. "Center the ball, concentrate, swing and follow through!"

"Just because her uncle owns the bowling alley, Bonnie thinks she's an expert," Christy said, rolling her eyes.

"And we should just give up. We will never beat the guys."

"Oh yeah?" Kim picked up her favorite TARDIS blue bowling ball and held it in front of her. She took a deep breath, pulled the ball back, and stepped forward. The ball slid off her fingers and went onto the smooth wooden floor.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Omg Kim, do u have to throw the ball down the lane?"

It's going to be okay," Angelina said, watching the ball roll. It wasn't an amazing attempt but Kim's ball moved down the lane and crashed into the first two pins. The others eventually fell over causing the girls to be ahead of the guys.

"Yeah!" Violet cheered clapping. "You did it Kim! We're ahead of the guys!"

Kim smiled and looked over at the boys they were bowling against. Baxter was leaning on the chair and his cocky smile faded away. None of the guys were actually that good, so Kim and her friends actually had a chance to beat them.

Baxter looked at Kim. "That was pretty good," he said, picking up his bowling ball. "But were not done yet." He then confidently picked up a bowling ball and rolled it down the lane. He got a strike.

"That was good too," Kim said, "but the winning team is the team that consistent and we are consistent. You gotta admit we're consistent

"Yeah, Violet throws a gutter by every time," Angelina exclaimed. Violet heard Angelina and turned around frowning at Angelina. "I am trying my best," she said. "This is new to me."

"It's okay, Violet," Bonnie said, giving Angelina a dirty look. "We are only here to have fun. Just do your best. Look at the marks on the floor and use those to get your ball to the center if the lane."

Violet concentrated and swung the ball behind her. Violet was embarrassed when she accidentally let go of the ball and it rolled backwards.

"Wrong way!" Christy laughed. She shoved it in Violet's direction. "Try again."

Violet blushed and grabbed the ball. Kim looked at the screen that showed the scores. They were on the fifth round and Violet was in last place. All her attempts but one had gone in the gutter.

Violet focused very hard and stepped forward. Her ball fell from her finger tips and rolled down the lane. It hit all the pins down perfectly and put a strike mark on the board.

"A strike!" Angelina cheered. "I can't believe it! Violet got a strike!"

Bonnie nodded. "Just do that every time and we will win this game."

"Oh, yeah?" Alex laughed. "We've only just begun."

"Well I'm not gonna play too hard," Christy said, stepping up to the ball return. She held the palm of her hand up and frowned. "I think I broke a fingernail. I just can't do this if I'm going to break my nails."

"Stop complaining and throw the ball," Bonnie said. "The guys are on the eighth frame already. They will finish so far ahead of us they won't care who wins."

As Christy picked up her ball, Kim looked around. The bowling alley hadn't had too many people in it. Probably because it was Monday afternoon. The adult leagues played at night and Bonnie said her uncle usually reserves mornings for birthday parties and bowling lessons.

Sandler Lanes was the smallest bowling alley in the town, with only sixteen lanes and 2 people who worked there. Tyler Sandler and his wife owned Sandler Lanes with his wife, Mary Sandler, who usually fixed broken equipment, operated the counter where people got their shoes and refunded money from broken video games. When Mary wasn't busy she was putting information into the computer.