Power goes out, kids are whining about having nothing to do. And whine even louder when the parental says, "Well, at least we have books." -- Anon Guest
Rennie took three deep breaths as Kody and Vince continued their howling. Of course, being forced to do reading was tantamount to homework and therefore the worst torture in the world.
"The other option is housework," said Rennie, immediately calming the boys down about their immediate future. "We can make it fun."
Kody and Vince looked suspicious of hir claims.
"Go on. Try me. Any book in the house. I can make it entertaining."
They conferred in the hallway, and ran to the study to fetch back one of the thicker hardcovers in there. They obviously didn't bother to read the spines.
They picked out hir treasured hardcover of The Neverending Story.
Ze got them together in the Comfy Corner and turned to the first page. "Rebnaeroc barnoc l'rac. Skoob d'lo." Ze waited for the kids to quit giggling. "This inscription could be seen on the glass door of a small shop..."
It wasn't reading that made them complain. It was being forced to read in a class environment. A place in which none of the kids being forced to read knew how to read with any kind of performance in mind.
Read anything in a dull monotone and it would suck the enjoyment out of it. It would drain the heart of the work, too, and make it abominable. Rennie had hir boys clenching and squeaking through Bastion's theft, and the resulting getaway. Gasping in hushed horror as the fictional boy skipped his classes and went hiding in a neglected area of his school.
They were agog at the Rock Troll and the Racing Snail and curious about the Nothing that was eating the world of Fantastica.
Rennie's tongue wore out and ze needed a large cup of tea, care of the small primus in their house. That was when a small miracle happened.
Kody and Vince started to argue about whose turn it was to try reading it next.
Rennie sipped hir tea and insisted the boys resolve things peacefully or ze'd put the book away. It was super effective.
[Photo by Brandi Redd on Unsplash]
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