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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Digital Detox (04/24/14)
High Cost
“This is going to be pure hell!" Lyndie complained to Jennifer while they pulled books and backpacks from their lockers.

“What is?” queried Jennifer. “What’s going on?”

“Last Saturday night, I went to the movies with Conner, Jamie and Jeff. After the movie, we went to get pizza and just sat and talked for quite a while. Anyway, by the time I got home, it was really late, and my parents were so upset because I hadn’t called to say we were going for pizza after the late show. They said they would have been fine with that if they had just known where I was. Well, what made matters worse was that I was late coming in the weekend before too.”

“Sooo, what happened?” Jennifer asked with her face scrunched into a wondering expression.

“I have been cut off from the whole world! I cannot use my cell phone, or the internet. No ipad, no kindle, no Facebook, no Twitter, no texting, no NOTHING! I don’t know how I will survive this! It is so extreme!!!”

“Wow, you did get spanked!” Jennifer agreed. “You can use some of my stuff while we are at school if you want to.”

“Thanks, Jen. I really appreciate that, but if my parents found out I cheated on this punishment, and I know they would, somehow; they seem to know any and everything I do, I might never be allowed out of the dark ages! I mean, they could torture me like this for months! Or maybe years!”

“Lyndie, I am so sorry they are being so hard on you. I don’t know what I would do if I were in your shoes. I think I might just dry up and die!”

“I am going to have to hunt down anyone I want to talk to and get right in their face. I won’t even know where to find anybody but you. I only know where you are when we are at our lockers or in a couple of classes together. Ohhhh, this is the worst thing that has ever happened to me!”

“How long did you say this punishment is for?”

“Maybe I haven’t said. It is until next Sunday evening – one whole week plus a day. I have never gone one hour without texting you and a bunch of other friends. How am I going to go a whole week?” Lyndie groaned.

“Do your parents hate you or something?” Jennifer asked.

“No, I know they really love me. It’s just that they worry when they don’t know where I am and when I don’t come home when they think I should. My older sister, Liz, really spoiled them. She just thought to call them whenever her plans changed or she wanted to stay out later. She still calls them from college if she is going somewhere for the weekend or something and when she gets back too. She has made this part of my life miserable. I just don’t think about calling until it’s too late, and I’m in trouble . . . again.”

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing that you know they love you, even if they do make your life miserable sometimes."

“Yeah, I guess you’re right about that. Some parents make their kids miserable because they don’t love them. I suppose I will survive. I just don’t know how at this point.”

Five days later, Lyndie again met Jennifer at their lockers when the bell had rung to dismiss school for the weekend.

“What are you doing this weekend?” Jennifer asked her friend.

“You know, Jen, this week hasn’t been all that bad – not near as bad as I thought it would be. It’s been kind of fun, actually talking to people instead of texting them. I can see their expressions and have an idea what they really think of something just from their expressions. Conner asked if we could go to a movie again this weekend, and when I reminded him I was grounded, he made a face that told me he really was disappointed. If I had texted him the answer, he probably would have come back with something like, ‘Too bad, you’ll miss out on a lot of fun!’ Then I would have thought he didn’t care that I couldn’t go. I just might have learned a bigger lesson this week than just ‘phone home.’”
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This article has been read 437 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
05/02/14
Great job with the topic. This piece offers the reader an enjoyable read with a good message.

Nicely done.
God bless~
Toni Babcock 
05/04/14
Great story. I think it would be fun to take it a step further and have your protagonist decide digital-detoxing has been so illuminating as to cause her to start a personal campaign and see if she could get her friends to try detoxing for a whole week and then see what would happen...lot's of interesting story fodder here!
Lollie Hofer 
05/05/14
This was a fun story to read. I like how your mc expressed her opinions without going overboard with dishonoring her parents and such and that she did learn a valuable lesson in the end.
Larry Whittington
05/05/14
I liked the characters of your story. They came to life in such a short time. With just a few more descriptive phrases like- "with a nod of her head her long brown tousled hair fell onto her shoulder - we would have a picture of them.

The girl took her punishment/discipline well and ended up with a blessing in disguise.