Screen Time Blues

Rohaan's fingers danced across the controller as explosions flashed on the TV screen. His bedroom glowed with fairy lights, but he barely noticed them anymore. The colorful posters on his walls had become background noise to his digital adventures.

"Just one more level," he muttered, squinting at the bright screen. His eyes felt scratchy and dry, like sandpaper.

The bedroom door creaked open. "Rohaan, honey, dinner's ready," his mom called softly.

"Five more minutes, Mom!" Rohaan didn't look away from his game. A dragon was about to attack his character, and he couldn't pause now.

His mom stepped into the room, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore a concerned expression as she watched her son lean closer to the TV. "Your eyes look so red, sweetie. How long have you been playing?"

Rohaan finally glanced up, blinking hard. The real world seemed fuzzy compared to his game. "I don't know. Maybe... a few hours?"

His mom sat on his bed, making the pillows shift. "We need to talk."

The Challenge

Rohaan paused his game and rubbed his burning eyes. His mom sat quietly on his bed, her fingers drumming against her knee.

"I've been thinking," she said, pulling out her phone. "What if I could show you adventures that are even better than your games?"

Rohaan snorted. "Nothing's better than Dragon Quest Seven."

His mom's eyes sparkled with mischief. She opened a weather app on her phone. "Tomorrow's supposed to be perfect weather. Sunny, warm, no rain." She scrolled through something else. "There's a hot air balloon festival just outside town."

"So?" Rohaan turned back toward his controller.

"So, we're going." His mom stood up, crossing her arms. "No screens for the entire day."

"What?" Rohaan spun around. "Mom, you can't be serious! I'm about to defeat the Shadow King!"

"The Shadow King will wait." She walked toward his bedroom door. "Pack a backpack tomorrow morning. We leave at eight."

"But Mom—"

"No buts, sweetie. Trust me on this one." She paused in the doorway, grinning. "I promise you won't be bored."

The door clicked shut, leaving Rohaan staring at his darkened TV screen.