Family Reading Time

During a hard time John decides to take his family on an adventure. Writer's Cramp Entry.

John and his family had been going through a tough time. His father had recently lost his job as a factory worker at General Motors, and with no steady income, the family’s modest savings quickly dwindled. Bills piled up, stress settled in like an unwelcome guest, and the once cheerful household grew quiet under the weight of uncertainty.

John, the oldest of four siblings, understood more than the others. At just thirteen, he felt an unspoken responsibility to shield his younger brothers and sister from the tension that was slowly unraveling their home. While his parents whispered anxiously behind closed doors; or worse, argued loud enough to echo through the thin walls; John became the guardian of his siblings' peace of mind.

And so, he turned to stories.

At first, it was just a way to distract them. He’d gather his siblings; two brothers and a little sister, into their shared room, pull out a book, and begin reading aloud. One of his favorites was Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. The magical world of Hogwarts, filled with wizards, mythical creatures, and epic friendships, became their nightly escape. The four of them journeyed together into enchanted forests, flew on broomsticks, and battled dark wizards; if only in their imaginations.

John didn’t just read the stories; he lived them. He’d leap into the air with a broomstick in hand, shout spells with exaggerated flair, and dramatically reenact duels and battles with the flair of a seasoned actor. His siblings cheered, laughed, and clapped, their faces lit with the kind of joy that had been missing for weeks.

The noise would often draw their parents out of their room, irritation in their eyes at first; but soon, curiosity softened their expressions. One evening, John's father lingered at the doorway longer than usual. The next night, their mother joined them on the floor, listening quietly. Before long, both parents were helping John perform scenes, voicing characters and creating props from whatever they had around the house.

What began as a distraction turned into a nightly tradition. No matter how long or hard the day had been, everyone rushed home; John from school, his parents from temporary jobs; eager to join the makeshift theater of imagination. They’d huddle close before dinner, the world of magic shielding them from their real world troubles, if only for a little while.

Over time, something remarkable happened. The family, once strained and distant, began to heal. The shared stories rekindled their laughter, their closeness, and their hope. And though the challenges didn’t disappear, their bond grew stronger, stitched together by words, imagination, and love.

Now, John was starting to think beyond just reading stories. He had a notebook tucked under his mattress, pages already filled with sketches, names, and outlines of a new world; one of his own creation. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to tell a story that no one had heard before.

The next afternoon, John rushed home from school, his backpack slung haphazardly over one shoulder and his head filled with ideas. A story had been forming in his mind for weeks now; his own story. He didn’t know how it would end yet, but that was part of the adventure.

John kicked off his shoes at the door and darted past the kitchen, where his mom was hunched over a job application at the table. She looked up with a tired smile, and he gave her a quick wave before disappearing into the bedroom he shared with his brothers.

He flopped onto the bottom bunk, pulled out his notebook, and flipped to the latest page. The margins were crowded with scribbles; names of characters, little sketches of creatures with curling horns and glowing eyes, and dialogue lines he wasn’t sure where to place yet. But the core of it was there.

He began to write, pencil moving fast, almost as if the story had been waiting all day just to be let out. As he wrote, the sounds of the house blurred into the background; the hum of the refrigerator, the creak of the floorboards, even the soft argument his parents were having in the other room. All of it faded.

An hour later, his sister poked her head into the room.

“Is it reading time yet?” she asked, her eyes hopeful.

John looked up, surprised by how much time had passed. “Almost,” he said, then hesitated. “But... actually, do you guys want to hear something new tonight? Something I wrote?”

Her eyes widened. “You wrote a book?”

“Not a book,” John said, grinning, “Not yet. But it’s a story.”

Soon the whole family was gathered, just like always. His parents sat close together on the couch, his siblings sprawled on the floor with pillows and blankets. John stood in front of them, notebook in hand, heart pounding.

He cleared his throat. “Okay...here goes.”

The story began simply enough: a man named Darius, accompanied by his longtime partner Elara, was on the run from a past filled with thievery and charm fueled mischief. A rogue with a knack for trouble, Darius often led them into dangerous entanglements; whether evading enemies or narrowly escaping disaster, usually all in pursuit of gold and glory. Their latest adventure had started the same way as many others in "Drakon Dynasty Rebellion" . As he read, the living room grew quiet, every ear tuned to his words. Even his youngest brother, who usually squirmed during long readings, sat wide eyed and still.

There were laughs. Gasps. And even one “No way!” shouted out during a twist John hadn’t expected to write until the words landed on the page.

When he finished, there was a beat of silence.

Then, applause. Real, honest, enthusiastic applause.

His dad looked at him with something new in his eyes; something proud and maybe a little amazed. “That was...really good, John.”

His mom reached out and touched his arm gently. “You should keep going. That story’s not done yet.”

And John smiled. Because he knew she was right.

Written for: "The Writer's Cramp" 

Prompt: ▼

Tomorrow, April 12, is Drop Everything and Read Day! Write a story or poem about a family choosing something to read together.