Kevin missed the good old days when his brother played with him, and family movie nights with snacks were the norm. Now, those times felt gone, but Kevin had an idea to bring them back. Little did he know, one of his pranks would actually help save his family.
Eleven-year-old Kevin sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, toy soldiers spread out in front of him like a battlefield.
He gripped two soldiers in his hands, making them march across the floor as his soft voice narrated their imaginary mission. One soldier barked orders to the other, and Kevin’s mind was alive with a story full of adventure and action.
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He could almost hear the sounds of battle, the explosions, and the cheers of victory. But as much as his imagination kept him entertained, something was missing.
He paused mid-battle, glancing over at his older brother Jake’s bed, where Jake used to join in their games.
Back then, they’d spend hours making up stories, laughing, and turning their room into an action-packed battlefield. But now, those days felt far away.
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Suddenly, Jake walked in, his face buried in his phone. Without a glance at Kevin, he threw himself onto his bed, lying on his stomach with his eyes glued to the glowing screen.
Kevin’s face brightened. Maybe this was the moment they’d reconnect.
“Hey, Jake! Want to play? We could use the soldiers, or maybe we could try a board game like we used to!”
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Kevin’s voice was full of hope, his heart racing with excitement at the thought of spending time with his brother again.
But Jake barely looked up, fingers still tapping on his phone. “Not now, Kev,” he mumbled, his tone distant and uninterested.
“I’m busy. Don’t bother me.”
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Kevin’s smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. His excitement crumbled, replaced by a sinking feeling of loneliness. He looked down at his toy soldiers, suddenly less interested in the game.
Jake hadn’t even looked at him properly. He was too caught up in whatever he was doing on his phone to care.
Quietly, Kevin stood up, leaving the toys scattered on the floor. He walked out of the room, his heart heavy as he made his way downstairs, hoping his dad might have some time for him.
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In the dining room, his father, Norman, was surrounded by a mess of papers and his laptop, tapping away at the keyboard. Kevin hesitated for a moment, then approached him.
“Dad?” he asked softly. “Do you think maybe we could all watch a movie together tonight? Or we could play a board game?”
Norman didn’t even glance up. His fingers flew over the keys, his eyes glued to the screen.
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“Not now, Kevin,” he replied, his voice hurried. “I’ve got a ton of work to do. Find something to do on your own, okay?”
Kevin’s shoulders slumped. It was always the same answer. His father never had time for family stuff anymore.
Feeling even more alone, Kevin turned away and walked toward his mother’s room.
He stopped in front of her closed door and lifted his hand to knock, but then he froze.
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Through the door, he heard soft sobs. His mother was crying. Kevin’s heart ached, but he didn’t know what to do.
He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t want to intrude. So, instead of knocking, he backed away quietly.
Alone again, Kevin retreated to his room. He sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the soldiers on the floor. His mind wandered as he pieced everything together.
Everyone was so wrapped up in their own world—Jake glued to his phone, his father lost in work, his mother crying behind closed doors.
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The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that technology was tearing his family apart.
Back in the day, they used to do things together—watch movies, play games, laugh. Now, it felt like they were strangers living in the same house.
Kevin stood outside, staring at the electricity service panel with determination. His mind raced back to the time his father had shown him how to turn off the main breaker during a storm.
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He remembered the flip of the switch, the way the house went dark, and the quiet that followed. At that moment, Kevin made up his mind. If technology was the reason his family was drifting apart, he was going to do something about it.
He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his decision. This was for the greater good, he thought. With one swift motion, Kevin flipped the switch, cutting off the electricity.
But he didn’t stop there. He hesitated for only a second before pulling the breaker out, making sure it couldn’t be easily flipped back on.
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Smiling to himself, Kevin whispered, “Now, they’ll have no choice but to spend time together.”
Back inside, the hum of electronics and the soft glow of lights vanished. Silence filled the house, followed by confusion. Within minutes, Kevin’s family began gathering in the living room, each of them visibly frustrated.
Jake was the first to burst into the room, clutching his phone.
“What’s going on with Wi-fi? I can’t use my phone! My friends are waiting for me!” he exclaimed, pacing back and forth, clearly agitated.
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Their mother, Kate, appeared next. Her eyes were red, and though she tried to hide it, Kevin could tell she’d been crying. She didn’t seem angry, just sad and exhausted.
Finally, Norman came inside, his face grim.
“The breaker’s damaged. We won’t have any electricity until morning,” he said, glancing around at everyone.
“I called the service, but they can’t fix it until tomorrow.”
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Kevin, fighting to hide the excitement bubbling up inside him, quickly ran upstairs to fetch his favorite board game. As he passed by his mother’s room, he noticed her door was slightly ajar. Curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked inside.
What he saw made his heart drop.
There, on her desk, were divorce papers. Tear stains dotted the pages, making it clear that his mother had been crying over them.
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Kevin’s heart pounded as he realized the gravity of what he had stumbled upon. His parents were considering splitting up, and he hadn’t even known.
Shocked, Kevin quickly pulled away from the door. He didn’t want to believe it.
Without touching anything, he hurried back downstairs, his mind swirling with worry.
Holding the board game in his hands, Kevin walked into the dimly lit living room where his family sat together in the soft glow of candlelight.
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His excitement from earlier was dampened, but he wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
Kevin burst into the living room, holding his favorite board game with a big, hopeful smile.
“Since we don’t have electricity, how about we play this?” he asked, looking around at his family. For a moment, no one responded.
Jake groaned, slouching on the couch.
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“I can’t even text my friends,” he muttered, clearly unhappy with the situation.
Norman sighed, glancing at his laptop as if already missing the work he couldn’t do without power.
But with nothing else to do, they agreed. Kevin’s excitement grew as Kate got up to light a few candles, creating a warm, cozy glow around the room.
She brought out snacks from the kitchen, and Norman and Jake grudgingly helped set up a space on the floor with bean bags and pillows.
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The room started to feel more relaxed, and for the first time in a long while, everyone was together.
As the game began, Kevin could sense the mood slowly shifting. What had initially seemed like a forced activity soon turned into something much better. Laughter filled the room as they played.
Even Jake, who had been glued to his phone earlier, was finally getting into the game, joking with Kevin and teasing him over silly mistakes.
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Norman, who usually spent his time focused on work, joined in too, making everyone laugh with his playful competitive side.
Kate smiled as she watched her family, remembering the days when they used to spend time together like this more often.
She caught Norman’s eye across the room, and for a moment, there was a spark of the connection they used to share. Kevin noticed too, feeling a surge of happiness.
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His plan had worked. His family was together again, laughing and enjoying themselves as if all their problems had melted away.
But just as they were all caught up in the fun, there was a knock at the door. An electrician stood outside, explaining that the issue with the breaker had been an easy fix.
He had decided to come late and resolve the problem, so the family wouldn’t have to go through the night without electricity.
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Kevin’s heart sank as the lights flickered back on. He glanced around, fearing that the return of power would mean a return to the distractions that had kept them apart.
But before anyone could reach for their devices, Kate calmly walked over and switched the lights back off.
“I think we’re fine with just the candles for tonight,” she said with a soft smile.
Norman, Jake, and Kevin exchanged looks, their smiles returning. They all sat back down on the floor, ready to continue the game. For the first time in months, Kevin felt like his family was whole again.
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The next morning, Kevin woke up earlier than usual, feeling a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt in a long time. As he made his way downstairs, the quiet house seemed different—warmer, more peaceful.
While heading to the kitchen, something in the trash can caught his eye. Curious, he peeked in and saw small, shredded pieces of paper.
His heart skipped a beat as he bent down to look closer. It was the divorce papers, torn into pieces.
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Kevin’s face lit up with a smile. His drastic move to cut off the electricity had not only led to a fun family night but had also unearthed something much deeper. The thought of his family splitting up had been unbearable, but now, there was hope.
Maybe, just maybe, things weren’t as broken as they had seemed. Kevin felt a surge of optimism. His family laughed and played together like they used to, and for the first time in months, they looked happy.
He knew there was still work to be done, but for the first time in a long while, Kevin felt certain they could heal and be truly happy again.
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