There was a boy outside my house today. He was younger, maybe 12. There’s a basketball hoop that goes unused in my driveway and he was bouncing his ball in one spot. I thought about telling him to go away but it didn’t really make a difference to me whether he was there or not. I go back to my couch and continue mindlessly scrolling on my phone I don’t remember when the dribbling stopped, but I assumed he just went home. I continue with my day not giving him another thought.

Later that night I awaken to what I thought sounded like a basketball. I think about investigating, but I look at the digital clock next to my bed instead. 2:36 AM in neon green. I roll over and close my eyes.

There the boy is again today. He’s just bouncing the ball. The ball reaches shoulder height every time. He never shoots it. Maybe he doesn’t even know how. Maybe he’s on the spectrum. I don’t know and I don’t care.

The bouncing continues for another hour. It’s grown to be annoying. I unstick myself from the couch and walk outside. There’s no one there. I’m confused. I just heard the ball. I’ve heard it for the last two hours. I walked over to the side yard and no one’s there. I walk to the other side. No one is there. I retreat back inside to continue doing nothing.

There was no boy last night. Thank god. I’m sure he’ll come by again.

It’s been a week and no sign of the boy. I guess he got bored of just standing their bouncing that ball. Up and down. Over and over.

It’s night again. The first thing is the bouncing. The second thing is the lights. They break through the shades. Red and Blue. No sirens.

I slip out of bed and grab some clothes off the carpet. I’m dressed by the time I reach my front door. The bouncing still pounds into my head, slamming my skull. I open the door and it stops.

The lights are coming from the cop cars parked across the street,diagonally, at my neighbors. Bright red and blue. No sirens. I see a small black bag carted away.

It looked like a little boy.

Moments later my neighbor appears out of his house followed by two police men. I can see their faces. horror. My neighbor has no expression on his face. He looks blank.

The boy never came back to bounce his ball. I look at my watch and see that the time is 2:36 AM. I go inside and sit on my couch.