KEVIN’S COMPLAINTS

• Gabriela Rodriguez, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2008

BEEP, RING, DONG! Oh great, this new $50 alarm clock has gone all weird again, Kevin you could have bought that special edition Nintendo DS game but nooooooo you just had to buy that $50 alarm clock, that was gonna break anyway! Kevin was one of those ‘needs to complain about everything’ kids and after his daily regret for buying the alarm clock he would go to school and then complain about how the lunch breaks are always too short and how the homework takes up too much time to do.
That night as Kevin got into his bed he set his alarm clock like always and fell asleep ready for school in the morning. The morning that followed Kevin did not wake to the badly programmed beep, ring and dong of the $50 alarm clock. Instead he woke up on the ceiling, or what looked like a ceiling. As he got out of bed he then realised that the room was just placed to seem like it was on the ceiling...still it shouldn’t have been placed that way thought Kevin. As he looked around to see where he was, a strange boy suddenly came in the room and started pulling at his elbow.
“Hey stop it kid!” Kevin was now struggling to pull his arm free.
“No time!” Said the kid, “I have to show you all around town before you wreck it anymore!”
“What?” Said Kevin, “this has to be a huge mistake I don’t even live in your crazy town.” “Well it wasn’t crazy when you where 10,” screamed the kid.
“Okay now I think that you are officially crazy,” screamed Kevin. After saying that he started complaining about everything in the town and with every word it seemed to get even worse.
“Stop it!” Said the kid in horror. “Don’t you get what is happening? We are in your mind.”
“That is completely impossible” screamed Kevin.
“No it’s not” said the Kid. “When you where 10 you had a bet with a stupid boy remember? He said if you could complain about everything you see he will give you $100 and ever since then your mind can’t think straight. All you know how to do is complain; if you don’t believe me complain about something right now.”
“Ok,” said Kevin and he complained about the buildings and then the buildings came crashing down.
“What shall I do?” said Kevin with a worried tone in his voice.
“Just think positive and try not to ever complain again, it will take us some time to get things fixed up over here.”
“Alright” said Kevin “each day I will say something positive instead of complaining.
Hey kid, I was wondering if you knew the meaning of life?”
“I do,” said the kid. “The meaning of life is...” BEEP, RING and DONG. “Aarrrrrrrrggggggggghhhh, wait, what happened?” said Kevin and as he looked at his clock it was time for school.