"Internet Story” by Ping Wan: Apr. 2024 1st Place

“Dad, the internet is not working!”

“You are right, Ryan! I can't seem to load my page on the computer either.”

Both Dad and I are puzzled as to why our internet has refused to work. I joined my dad in his room to see if he could help us fix the problem. He tried to reboot the computers and reset our internet… The lights in the room blinked a couple of times and suddenly, it went dark!

“What’s happening, Dad? What did you do? I can’t see a thing!”

As we struggled in the dark, Mom barged into the room with a flashlight. “I thought we might all need this.”

She grinned with two other flashlights under her arm. “It seems that a severe snowstorm has caused a statewide power outage”. Luckily for us, we just stocked up on food and water. I helped Mom start the old rusty fireplace. It warmed the house in no time.

“Since we have nothing else to do, shall we play Crazy Eights?”

I looked everywhere in my room and finally found it under my bed covered in dust bunnies. I tried to blow the dust off the box and inhaled some of the dust at the same time. Cough cough!

Together as a family, we sat near the fireplace and had a great time playing Crazy Eights. We laughed like hyenas when Dad lost his cards and had his face drawn like a dog. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. I had forgotten the joy of playing together with my family.

The end.