The Mystery of the No-Name Homework
by Paul Kaddis, age 12
Based on a true story
It all started one frosty afternoon in December. I was sitting on the smaller black sofa in the living room. I was looking over my Science homework for Co-op to make sure everything was finished before Tuesday. That’s when the top right corner of the page had caught my eye. I forgot to write my name on the line provided. I took a pencil from my backpack that was leaning against the couch. Just as I was about to write my name, I dropped my pencil from the startle of noise banging against the roof.
My pencil didn’t seem to make a noise when I dropped it for the noise coming from the roof was louder. As I ran to the front door, I dropped my homework causing it to slide under the couch. I joined my siblings outside as we all sort of peeked at the roof from the porch. We had discovered that the rain was turning into hail! I jolted to my room grabbing my boots, jacket, and gloves. I slipped my arms into the jacked and slid my feet into the boots. As I ran through the hallway, I slid my gloves snugly so that they were hugging my hands.
By the time I arrived back outside, the hail had already stopped. “No use for getting wet for nothing.” I thought. Returning back inside, I turned the corner and entered the dining room. My feet led me to the large window, and I stood there. I scanned the top of our van to see hail fading away from the rain.
And at that moment I remembered my homework. I picked up my pencil then got down on my stomach and carefully slid my hand under the couch looking for my homework. I felt a sock or two, plastic bricks, Ah, my homework! I pulled it out and went back on the couch. After writing my name, I turned the page. That’s when I saw it … Not only was my name and the date erased, but all of the answers to the questions! Angrily, I grabbed my textbook from the white shelf next to me and restudied while writing all of the answers. Even though my mom is the science teacher, I still have to do my work. When I had finished, I told my mom what had happened. I suspected it was one of my two brothers playing another dirty joke. They both denied it.
All of a sudden it starts to hail again. I don’t want to miss the chance to try to make an ICE ball, so I run outside ignoring the fact that my brothers are properly lying. Bothering to get my jacket, I run outside on the porch and stick my hands out. They instantly fill with ice. My hands are freezing so I shove the ice into my mouth and run to the sink and turn on the hot water. Eight hours later it’s 8 o’clock and I’m tired. I lie in bed thinking about the homework, but I’m too tired to bother anyone else about it.
A few years later, I again lie in bed thinking about the no-name homework.
Next (Story: Shem’s Wife) >
< Previous (Story: The Bushfire Rescue)
Image is in the Public domain.
