It's not every day you have to prove your self to the other guys... It's even harder, when you're the runt. But, there were times, at the home, where the older boys got it in their heads that some of us had to do something to prove, yet again, that we deserved to hang around with them. Sighing, I knew that today was one of those days and they'd set an awful task. It was even worse than when we'd had to cross the junk yard and not get caught by the dog.

Some people swore that the house was haunted. Certainly all the older kids at the home did. I gulped, as I thought about what I had to do. "Just go up the steps, and ring the doorbell." They said. Yeah, right. first I had to get through the fence. It'd have been easier if they'd not cut down the tree that used to hang over the wall.

I must have walked past the gate a dozen times, looking for a way. I decided to take the one chance I'd noticed. See, I was a pretty skinny kid and it looked like I might be able to squeeze and scrape myself between the wall and gate, but it wouldn't be fun.

Pushing my head between the bar and wall, I was pleased it fitted. Taking a deep breath, and letting it out, I started squirming my way in. 'Please, don't let anyone walk by!' I thought to myself. Maybe someone was listening, because I managed to get through, without ripping my shirt, though I'd probably end up with a few bruises.

As soon as I was through, I pressed my back to the wall, and looked again at the overgrown path to the steps. "I'm in; I may as well get this over with."

Taking another breath to steady my nerves, I made a quick run to the steps. 'Woah. Those steps don't look too sturdy.' I looked to the sides, but they had vines climbing up. I went up one side, hoping the steps would hold my light weight. They did, just. The creaks and groans really worried me.

Gaining the porch, I looked for a door bell button, but there wasn't one. 'How'm I to ring the bell, when there's no button?' Finally, I looked at the door itself. There were spider webs over it, but there at chest height was a funny knob. 'Is THAT the bell?'

Finally, I couldn't put it off any longer. I reached out and tried to turn it, but nothing happened. So I tried harder.

Suddenly, the door opened. A tall, thin man was standing there. "Come in," his voice boomed.

Too scared to do anything else, I did as directed. 'Is this place really haunted?'

"Madam will see you," his voice boomed again.

He took me to a clean sitting room and directed me to enter. An old lady was sitting there. I heard her gasp when she saw me. "Charlotte?" she whispered, in a shaky voice.

My mother's name! Why would she say my mother's name? I stood there, rooted to the spot.

"I'm sorry, child, I didn't mean to frighten you. But, you look so like my lost daughter. What is your name, young lady?"

'How did she know?' As scrawny as I was and wearing jeans and a t-shirt I'd been accused of trying to be a boy often enough. I didn't expect any one to see ME. Remembering my manners, "Chris, ma'am."

She smiled. "No, I don't think so. You recognized the name I first said, didn't you?" At my nod, she continued. "Was your mother's name Charlotte, my dear?"

'How did she know?' "Y-yes, ma'am."

This brought a large smile to her face.

She pulled the cord: "James, call the home and find out about Chris. I think Charlotte's daughter has come home to us."

Then she gazed at me, standing with my mouth hanging open.

"Close your mouth, dear. It's unbecoming. You want to know how I guessed? You're the spitting image of my long lost daughter."

Nothing was ever the same again after that.