Ted, Billy, Jessica, Bob and I were running around the streets of our neighborhood. Down the street there was a house. Not just a house, but an old house. The Nightmare House, as we used to call it, especially Jessica.

It was an old house, built during the World War II or older. Earlier an old lady lived there, but she passed away a long time before this spring. It was apparently empty. Some of the kids in the town said that the house was haunted. They were talking about ghosts.

Jessica told the rest of us this story that day:

“A couple of days ago I passed by the nightmare house. It was dark. The trees were throwing their shadows around the house. And you know what the house looks like in darkness, guys.”

“Yeah,” we all said as we were the choir in the church.

“I was really scared that night,” Jessica said anxiously, “Did any of you guys hear something about a new owner of the house?”

“No,” we agreed, “why, Jess?”

Jessica looked like she wondered if she should tell us or not. But she did.

“I think I saw lights in the windows,” she said, “not the kind of light from a lamp. More like a flash light.”

Billy looked around. First at Jessica, then Ted, Bob and as the last part he looked at me.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said.

“What idea?” Ted asked.

“We could check it out.”

“How should we do that?” Bob asked.

“By playing spies,” Billy said, “we are going to watch if somebody goes in the house.”

“Are you sure that is a good idea?” Jessica asked.

“Don’t worry, Jess,” I said, “we are with you. Nothing is going to happen.”

“Thanks, Jake,” Jessica said and smiled at me, which almost made me blush.

Jessica was the most nice and beautiful girl of the neighborhood.

“Are you with me?” Billy asked.

“I’m in,” I said.

“Ted? Bob?” Billy asked.

They nodded their heads.

“And what about you, Jess?” I asked.

She nodded. But somewhere beneath her “yes” I – and I guess Billy too – could see a nervous reaction that could have made her say no.

Billy’s plan on playing spies on The Nightmare House was totally accepted, and we started planning how we were going to do it the right way.

“We are going to be the best spies of the neighborhood,” Ted said.

“Come on, Ted,” Jessica laughed, “We already are. There are no other spies here.”

“And what makes you so sure about that, young lady?” Bob joked.

“I never met any other spy like you, Bobby,” she laughed.

“Of course not, Jess,” Bob answered, “there is only one like me.”

“Yeah,” Jessica said, “and thank god for that. One Bob is enough as long as it is the right Bob.”

Bob smiled. Actually when Bob smiled he looked so charming. And he was the joker of our little gang. He was funny and charming.

Billy was – I don’t want to call him our leader – but he was the one who had the ideas. He was good at planning things. He was good at the mathematics and logical thinking.

Jessica was – well, do I have to say it – a very cute and beautiful girl. She was my first love. She was the nervous kind of girl. Not that she was totally scared of everything. The only thing I really heard and saw her be scared about was The Nightmare House. Her father was a police officer and her mother used to be a cleaning lady at the school, until they got divorced.

Ted was the cautious type. He really didn’t like going out at night because you never really knew what you would meet out there. And somehow he accepted Billy’s plan, but I’m not really sure he liked it that much.

And now, as the weakest link, I – Jake – was the creative thinking guy of the gang. Actually I wasn’t good at anything but being creative. I was the reading nerd. I liked books and music, while all my class mates liked soccer. They talked about Manchester United, Aston Villa and so on, while I talked about books and music. My favorite author was Stephen King. Actually it still is. Jessica also used to say that I was one of the most carrying and understanding friends she had ever had.

Billy pulled out a piece of paper from his notepad.

“Now,” he said, “we need to find a new place to hide. A place near the house, we are going to watch on.”

“Where should that be?” Jessica asked.

“We could hide in one of the trees,” Bob suggested.

“No, we can’t,” I said, “the trees are naked and dead. We would be spotted at once.”

“Jake is right,” Billy said, “No, I think maybe in the big tree in the playground of the kindergarten.”

“Isn’t that illegal?” Jessica asked, “Isn’t that a break in?”

“Guess that was the officer’s daughter speaking,” I said and smiled at Jessica, “but I guess it’s the best place to hide. And from back there we can see more than from the garden of the house.”

“Maybe you’re right guys,” Jessica said, “but I just hope we don’t get caught.”

“We’re not getting into trouble because of that,” Ted said, “are we?”

Billy and I looked at each other.

“No,” I answered.

After being thinking for a couple of seconds, Billy asked:

“Jake, do you still have your father’s old binoculars?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Jess?”

“Yeah,” Jessica answered as she just woke up from a dream.

“Do you still have your camera?” Billy asked.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Do you think you could bring it?” Billy asked.

Jessica nodded.

“Okay,” Billy said, “we’re going for it tomorrow evening. That should be perfect, because then it’s Friday.”

We stood in a circle and shook hands when they were in a position as a five edged wheel. And after that we all went back home.

When I came home, my mother was in the kitchen.

“Is that you, Jake?” She called.

“Yeah,” I answered, “It’s just me.”

I went into my room and sat down by my writing desk. I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote this:

“I’m in love with the neighborhood’s princess

And the name of the girl I’m talking about is Jess.

I hope that she will be mine someday

But I don’t know what to say

When she’s right there by my side

I think of her day and night.”

I hardly finished the last line before my mother called from the kitchen:

“Jake, Time for dinner.”

“I’m coming,” I answered, “Just a second.”

I had to hurry up and find somewhere to put the letter. And finally I found something; an envelope. Perfect. I put the poem in the envelope and closed it.

When I sat there by the dinner table and had my dinner, my mother asked:

“What have you been doing all day?”

“I was at school,” I answered.

“Yeah, I know,” she answered, “but I mean from you left school today and till now.”

“I was with some friends of mine.”

“Sounds good,” she said, “What did you do then?”

“We just played around.”

After finishing dinner, I went to my room to do my homework, while my mother just sat in the living room watching TV.