Energy of the Imagination
an excerpt

Ricky stabbed the last piece of baby corn on his plate with his chopstick. His little brother eyed it hungrily. Ricky slowly lifted it to his mouth, teasing him. The eight year old's eyes got bigger.
"You promised, Ricky!" he protested. "You said I could have it if I took those books from your room!"
Ricky's mother and Grandfather suddenly forgot their conversation and fell quiet as they turned to stare at Ricky.
Little brother with a big mouth, softly said, "Oops."
Ricky lowered the corn and started trying to cover his butt. "It's not like I don't read. I like books, but those look boring. Can't I have some new ones? You know - not bought at a garage sale; and ones I'm interested in?"
As if on cue, the lights in the house blacked out. The chopstick in Ricky's hand was yanked away and something could be heard scuffling away. Grandpa mumbled something and Mom made a motherly disappointed noise, that same sound she uses when she finds dirty socks hidden in the curtain.
Ricky squinted, trying to see in the dark. "Barry, give me back my corn!"
"No, it's mine!" a nervous voice yelled from multiple feet away.
The fridge made a whirring sound and the lights flickered back to life. Barry's eyes got wide when he noticed Ricky glaring at him. He threw Ricky's chopstick and raced up the stairs. Ricky jumped up to follow but felt his mom's eyes dig into him.
"You promised him your corn, let him go."
Ricky growled and slowly walked towards the stairs. Ricky's mom called after him, "And don't chase your brother!"