[Graded]An odd encounter

[Hooot]

One morning Hayate was sitting at home when a few of his friends came over. They knocked on his front door and his mother answered. There were three children, one was chubby with red cheeks and yellow hair. One was really skinny with defined cheekbones and dirty blonde hair. The third kid had a jacket on and the hood up, his eyes seemed afraid and timid, and he wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone. When Hayate’s mother opened the door she looked to the friends and smiled. Hayate’s mother was a tall woman with long brown dark hair, the slightest hints of wrinkles on her face. She had deep blue eyes which Hayate inherited. She ushered the boy inside and then gave them a few snacks while she went to get Hayate. All of his friends sat down and with great gusto they began eating the snacks. They grinned and laughed. It was already noon, Hayate had a hard day of training before. He still hadn’t woken up. When Hayate’s mom came into the room she gently opened the door and saw Hayate. His hair was a mess his eyes closed and he was quiet as a mouse, the only movement in the room was the gentle motion of his chest rising and falling.
She walked over to the bed and sat down, she then pushed him a few times. Nothing, he didn’t even stir. He always was a heavy sleeper even as a baby he would worry her for sleeping for half days without the slightest peep. She then plucked him on the nose, then which his whole face wrinkled and then he wiped his nose. She flicked it again and his eyes open lazily, when he noticed his mom. He pulled his pillow of his facing and used it as a shield “Mom…. Stop...” she then rolled her eyes and she said “You have friends waiting outside, go get dressed.” She then walked out of the room leaving the door open so the light would flood right onto his face.
Hayate perked up, his friends hadn’t visited in a while. He was beginning to think they were jealous that he was a ninja. It was starting to bother him really. He quickly got out of bread and through on a shirt and slipped into a pair of light shorts. When he walked into the dining room, where his friends had just finished eating. They all said “Finally Hayate, we’ve been waiting forever!” they all then got out of their seats and headed for the door. Hayate was about to follow then his mom stopped him, she then handed him a piece of toast and smiled. She then said “Have fun.” Then Hayate was out the door, when he walked down the porch his chubby friend named Akio said “Hayate where have you been, every time we come over your mom says you’re out training or something!” Hayate’s face turned red slightly and scratched the back of his head “Sorry guys, you know the ninja thing, it just takes a lot of time.” They all groaned in unison except the nervous looking boy, whose gaze was still focused at his feet. Hayate then looked at his shy friend and said “Isamu still nervous as ever?” to which his remaining friends nodded two said in unison “You know it.”
Akio said “We’re going to go scare the old witch, you coming?” Hayate always had fun scaring her, she was this older lady who always yelled and shouted at the kids when they walked past her property. She was easily frightened though, place a doll at her window, or make a few ghost noises near her door and she would get more frightened then a mouse. “Always!” Hayate said. They then walked down the path towards her house, it was a small building, it looked like someone was doing repairs, the fenced looked new and the leaves were piled up. She never did this many chores he thought.
His friends didn’t notice anything. They opened her gate just enough for them to slip through. Though Akio got stuck, and they had to open it more. As they crept towards her house, Hayate noticed the windows were cleaned and the porch had new seats. He went to tell Akio something when suddenly a large shadow towered over them. Hayate and the others quickly turned around, it was a large man with a bald head, thick eyebrows, and a rough beard. “What are you doing!” his large hands quickly went to grab at their collars. Akio then yelled “Scatter!” all of the boys ran in separate directions except Hayate. The man was directly behind him, and grabbed Hayate by the collar. Hayate struggled and shook but the man’s grip stayed firm. He obviously had worked his whole life. He then lifted Hayate higher until their eyes met then which the man yelled into his face “Do you think its funny breaking into people’s homes?” Hayate was frozen in fear who was this, what happened to the old lady? The man then dragged him to the porch and tossed him into the old porch swing. The man then shouted “What were you doing?!” the door then opens and the old lady steps out a rotten scowl on her face “So you guys finally caught that little rat?”
Hayate turned his attention to his feet and didn’t want to face them. Then the big man grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him violently. Hayate began to tear up as the two adults took turns yelling at him. After about a minute, which felt like forever to Hayate. They stopped yelling. “You know, my mom doesn’t like you guys. Now you’re going to be punished.” He then let go and grabbed a broom leaning against the porch’s ledge. He then tossed at Hayate who caught it barely. The man then pointed at the ground and said “You’re going to sweep this ten times.” Hayate meekly grabbed the broom and started sweeping. He wiped some of the tears on his arm and continued to sweep. The man leaned against one of the supports and watched him. His brow furrowing occasionally. After Hayate swept it for the third time he looked over to the man and said “I- it’s clean.” The man’s face turned red again and said “Two more times!” Hayate continued to sweep the spotless porch over and over.
After he was done, the man forced him to go feed the cows and harvest some rice. He continued to do that for hours until the man came up to him and picked him up by the shirt and said “You better come tomorrow, or I’m telling your parents.” Hayate nodded and started sprinting for the gate then the man called “You better lock that gate.” Hayate quickly did, and ran all the way home. When he returned neither of his parents were home. He was exhausted and needed to get there early so he went to sleep immediately.
For the next two weeks that man forced Hayate to do the chores. With the constant threat of telling his parents. Hayate did everything, from cleaning dog poop, to harvesting potatoes. Hayate hated every moment of that, the man would yell and shout if he did something wrong though one day it all changed. Hayate was bring in water from the well at the edge of their property, when he got to the porch he tripped and spilled the bucket. Hayate quickly scrambled to pick it up, but the man yelled and went to kick the bucket, but instead hit Hayate’s hand. Pain shot through his arm, he yelped and stood up quickly. The man looked at him and said “Pick up that bucket!” Hayate’s gaze was red now.
He went to the bucket and kicked it across the field then shouted “Go pick up your own bucket!” The man looked surprised then his face instantly filled with anger. He grabbed a rake leaning against the porch and lifted it high in the air “Speak back once and I’m going to whack you kid!” Hayate clenched his fist and then hopped back very fast. The man didn’t know he was a ninja. The man looked bewildered at how far the boy jumped but started to charge him with the rake. When he got into swinging distance he brought it over his head and tried to slam down on Hayate. Hayate stepped to the side quickly and while he swiped down the rake Hayate kicked him in the upper leg. The man fell down to his knees and gripped his leg, his whole face was red, even his bald head. He slammed his fist into the ground and stood up. He then said “You one of them ninjas?” Hayate nodded “Yeah, and I have a lot more than that.” Hayate then paused a bit and said “Shit head.” The man then through the rake at him. Hayate turned and ran, he didn’t want to hurt the man. Not really. Hayate wanted to hurt him, but he knew better. If he used any techniques on a normal man, he would be punished forever. When he got back home it was dark and his parents seemed to be asleep. He went into his bed and tried to fall asleep. Right before his eyes closed he remembered “If you don’t come back tomorrow, I’m going to tell your parents.” Hayate sighed, he wasn’t going to return. When he woke up that morning he went and sat outside. He was watching, making sure that man never showed up. He never did. Though to this day, Hayate is still worried that man will come and tell his parents. Occasionally he’ll see him walking down the road. The two will make eye contact, and he will scowl. Then Hayate will look away and get back to whatever he was doing.