The Crooked Tree

Chapter Two

Elliot
The run to our neighborhood was as quick as we could make it. We didn't dare look behind us, even if there wasn't any crunching of leaves or screaming and yelling at us for finding a secret base. I kept pushing up my glasses as we ran to make sure they didn't fall off. Carter was out of breath as he slammed the front door of my house closed. We panted while looking wildly around. Terrified that someone would break through a window and kill us. I let out a huff of a laugh and looked up at Carters wild eyes "What are you laughing at?!" He yelled with a twinge of anger in his voice "We could have maybe possibly died maybe!" I smirked and threw off my book bag and walked to my fridge.

   "Dude," I said, "We just stumbled across a secret base, underneath a tree, and we both want to go back. BUT! We can't because we might die." Carter nodded and took another sip from his Sprite. I let out a groan and rubbed my eyes beneath my glasses, "We're going back tomorrow." I said with authority
   "Fine." I knew Carter already was planning on going back. He said this, looking back down at his math book. But still, Yes! This was all I needed! I loved things like this! I was a nerd. Not book smart nerd, but video game nerd. I turned back to the fridge and looked it down for the 9th time since we had gotten back and still found nothing that looked appetizing. The pantry looked just as bland as the fridge  "There is nothing to eat." I groaned, Carter glanced up at me for a split second and shook his head. I went back to the island and slammed his math book shut "What the heck man?" He exclaimed
   "Let's play video games."
   "I have so much homework to do."
   "But video games are more fun, and the homework will still be there when you get back." Carter shrugged at my indisputable logic and jumped out of the bar stool and headed to the basement.

   "What exactly are we going to be looking for when we go down into the tree." After asked while still focused on the game
   "Idk. Maybe some weird mutants, might find the fantastic four, maybe some anime characters come to life," I said, equally focused "Wait." I said pausing the game "Will we have to go through a day of school?" I looked over to see Carter squinting at me
   "Hmmm." He thought for a moment "Yes." He said, nodding and reaching over to unpause the game.
   "Hmmmm. How about we just go in the morning and skip." I said, pausing the game
   "No." Play.
   "Yes." Pause.
   "No." Play.
   "YES." Pause.
   "NO." Play. 
   "YES!" Pause.
   "NO!" Play.
   "NO!" Pause
   "YES!" He glared at me and reached over to play the game. We ended up wrestling each other for the controller until my mother got home.
   "Ellie!" My mother yelled down the basement steps. Carter grinned evilly. I just rolled my eyes and ran up the stairs to the kitchen. Carter followed me quickly,
   "Hey mom, what's up?" I said "Hey Thalia." She looked up from the pizza she was aggressively eating and waved for a second before returning to her food.
   "There is some pizza left Ellie, Go ahead and help yourself too Carter." She said motioning towards what little was left of the pizza. Carter grabbed a price and sat down at the island. I grabbed a piece and began eating quickly "Hey-mom?" I asked between bites "Can- we eat- in the- base-ment?" My mom nodded and I grabbed another piece of pizza and practically dragged Thalia into the basement with Carter in tow.
   "What?" She asked sternly, like the ball of condensed rage she was. I looked at her with excited eyes and began speaking quickly "OKAY. SowhilecarterandIweretakingtheshortcutthrughthewoodsandwecameacrossatreeandweaccidentlyopenedasecretdoorintoanoldgnarledoaktreeandpeoplecamerunningupandweranandtomorrowwearegoingtogobackandgodownthereandiwantyoutocomewithokay?okay!" Thalia looked at me with a confused look and turned to Carter to explain
   "We found a secret door in the woods and we are going to go back tomorrow." Thalia nodded
   "I am so coming with." She wiped off a piece of pepperoni from her 'I want to believe' shirt that all of us had. After both had my friends left, I ran upstairs and quickly tried to fall asleep in the excitement of what we would be doing tomorrow.
I ended up staying awake until 5 in the morning and only got one hour of sleep, but I was super pumped and excited that I was able to live of no sleep for like ever.