Journal Entry
Peter Reid

It was an afternoon only a few days before my sixteenth birthday. As I headed home from the park I bounced my basketball. I listened to music on my walkman and I thought about my birthday.

I couldn't wait for my party. My mom had ordered a big chocolate ice cream cake. All my friends were coming. It was going to be great.

There was just one problem, Tara, my little sister. Tara's five and she's a real brat, but there was no way to keep her out of the party.

I kept walking and bouncing the basketball. Maybe Tara will get the chicken pox or something. I thought then she would have to stay in bed. I smiled and bounced the ball again. It was a bad bounce. The ball came down on a sprinkler and rolled under a hedge. As I bent down to pick it up I got a weird feeling. It was as if someone was watching me. I turned and saw a gun in my face. Then bang......