The Portal in the Park

by Cricket Casey

  Chapter 1. Movin’ On

  “Ow! That’s mean!” cried Joey as his older brother, Scott, changed the channel on the TV set. It was in the middle of Joey’s favorite program, and Scott slapped him on the head as he did it.

  “Scott! Go to your room until dinner,” his mother ordered. “And I want you to read one of your books about how to be a little nicer to people.” Scott’s mother was losing her patience with his nasty, angry moods.

  Eleven-year-old Scott and six-year-old Joey had recently moved from a large house with a yard in the suburbs to an apartment in the city with no yard at all. Now they were cramped into a small apartment with two bedrooms and a living room, which also served as the dining area, TV room, and playroom. When you fit the contents of four rooms into one room, it can be quite cluttered. You really have to downsize when you’re living in New York City.

  Scott was used to having his own bedroom complete with a computer, an XBox, and his own toys. Joey had a smaller room, but now they had to share a bedroom and everything in it. Scott was not happy with this situation. He resented having to share with Joey and had become selfish and mean. The next day, Joey was going to a birthday party and Scott was relieved that he would have a day to himself.