A Dare that turned wrong

Never was afraid of anything before, not like tonight anyways. I never thought my friends would are me to go inside, but they did. Not wanting them to think I was chicken or "yellow", I accepted the dare. I hated "Haunted" houses, everybody knew that even my twin sister, Christina, she never turned down a dare and nor had I. Our neighborbood had 2 haunted houses as far as the teenagers and younger kids knew. But the adults seem to believe that every house was, supposedly our whole neighborhood was build on some graveyard for people who had died in war, we never did learned waht war, just a war is what adults always told us and would change the subject so we quit asking. I never believed our house was haunted, but my little brother, Taylor did, begging our parents to move since he was 7, claiming there was a ghost in his room but my parents never listened and finally at 15, he just quit all together, probably knowing that the ghost wouldn't hurt him. I felt like daring Chrstina to go with me, but I knew if she did, she'd make fun of me till the day i died. I can just hear it now, "Oh Zackary, you're such a chicken, you never were afraid till you were dared to go into that haunted house, which you never did." If i die before her, she'll say that at my funeral and burial. I was to go into the house in less than two days, my mind tried very hard to make up an excuse that was believable, but never found one. I was dared to go into the house and I'll go, probably. How bad could it be? I have a pretty bad feeling now. I figured I would just go to bed and not think about it tomorrow.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Well, tonight is the night, less than two days since I was dared and still no excuse that my friends would believe. My sister's soccer game? No, that's in the morning. No luck, maybe I should just stop trying to make an excuse and just do it and get it over with. Lucky me, I wasn't dare to stay the weekend in that house like a friend of mine, Jake was. Never was the same when he got out, last I heard, he was driven insane and he had to be locked up. That was six months ago. Never heard from him or his family again. It's about noon now, time for lunch, can't decide on what to have..... hamburgers or cheeseburgers.... tough one there. I stood therhinkhinking about life, my family and friends and other things in general. I could die at 17 and my friends would feel REALLY bad, probably wishing that I never took the dare and they never dared me. I really didn't feel like having a cheeseburger so I just made my brother, sister and myself a burger, don't know where they are right, I know if Christina was here, she'd probably be making fun of me. Which I think I just found her, listening to her "Barbie" song cause of her nickname. I figured my brother was in his room, like he usually is, he barely comes out, only to get food and use the bathroom. I decided to knock on his door, first waiting about 5 seconds till i either hear "Come in" or the door open itself, which the door opened, and like always he's sitting at his computer, probably trying to better himself somehow. He looked at me like I was insane for "soiling" his perfect-looking room, nothing out of place like Christina's or mine. I never did ever find a spot of dust or anthing to do with dirt in his room, everything white expect his pens and jeans, he'd probably would have white pens, if he could find some. He had white plants but Christina and I took them a while back and wouldn't let him get white pants again so now he wears blue or black.

"What do you want? Come to make fun of your nerdy brother?" was his reply, killing my train of thought.

"No, thought you might be hungry?" I said.

"Kinda..... alrighhat hat do you want?" He asked.

"Nothing, i made one for each of us." I said.

"Oh... thanks..." He said, taking the plate.

"No sweat, lil bro." I replied and headed for the door.

"Zack?" He said.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Glad you're my brother." He said.

"Glad you're mine too, now bud, get a tan, man, with a tan, girls will be all over you." I said, jokingly.

"You think?" he asked.

"Dude, come on, you've got that Carter sexy-looking gene. Just get out more and meeopleople and you'll be fine." I said.

"Thanks, I will." he said.

"see ya at dinner?" I asked.

"Of course." He said. I turned to leave and he said "Thanks again."

"No sweat, that's what big brothers are for." I said. And I left.

"That was kind of you, didn't know you had in you." said my sister.

"Just coming to see you." I said.

"I see and a peace offering?" she asked.

"Very Funny, haven't done anything as far as i know." I said, trying to think "Ri "Right." she said, heading back to her room.

"Don't want it?" I asked.

"I guess, since you went to all the trouble to make it." She said, taking the plate.

"You're welcome." I said after her.

"Thanks, oh yeah.... Zack?" she said.

"Yeah?" I said.

"Good luck tonight, you might need it." She said.

"Yeah, thanks. I said, uneasily.

"Don't mention it." She said and went back to her room.