Just A Game

Chapter 1

"3...2...1..." I finish off counting and uncover my eyes. "Ready or not, here I come!" I shout out into the dark, green forest. If I can find this twat in a timely manner, I can make it back inside to do my chores before mother arrives home.
I start out, peeking around trees, in search of my little brother. My head jerks to the right when I hear the sound of leaves moving. Hah! Jokes on him, he can't even stay still for a whole minute! I jog to the bushes on my right, and separate the leaves quickly screaming "Hah! Gotcha!"
But, to my surprise, there is no human figure behind this wet, green bush, only a wild chicken. "Ah, shoo! Out of here!" I shove him away. Mother knew there had to be some creature attacking our garden, and I believe I might've just cracked the case.
"Boc, boc!", the chicken frolics away.
Continuing my search, I move every little leaf in the area designated as our land to the side hoping to see a tiny body behind them. Moving past the fence separating my family's land from our neighbor's land, I come to the conclusion that the little butthead must've gone past as well, knowing it was not allowed.
"Damon! You know we're not allowed out here!" I shout out, just loud enough for anyone in the forest to hear, but not loud enough to reach our grumpy neighbor's trailer.
My eyes scanning the horizon, I notice a dirty baseball laying against a tall oak tree. I walk over and pick it up, tossing it back and forth in my hands. We lost that last fall while teaching Damon how to hit. He obviously wasn't too good, considering we lost it. I chuck it across the forest back into our yard. Mother always said I should try out for the softball team with that good pitching arm I've got, but baseball has always been Damon's dream and I would never take that from him.
As the sun starts to set, I search harder. Mother will be home any minute and I still haven't gotten any of my chores done, let alone found my brother! Moving frantically through the leaves and trees, I search for the brunette brat. I only agreed to play this idiotic game in order to mute his whining, and now I'll be grounded because I'll never have enough time to finish my chores before mother returns.
Thank god I live out in the country because I could never be caught as a tenth grader playing hide and go seek.
"Damon, you freak! Where the hell are you? I've been looking for over thirty minutes! Mother will be home in no time and I haven't even started my chores yet! I give up! You win! Come out, come out wherever you are!" I listen closely for a response, but when none comes, I begin to worry.
As the dark grows, I'm become glad I keep a flashlight keychain on my lanyard. Flashing it through the trees, I still see no sign of my little brother.
Behind me, car headlights light up the forest, leaving me with no choice but to go home and come clean to my mother.