lock, shock, and barrel ( complete )

4. Unmet Expectations (and burnt macaroni)

Shock stared at the microwave and watched her mac and cheese cook. It seemed to be taking forever. Lock was collapsed on the couch in the room with the elevator. Barrel had taken knives from the kitchen and was throwing them at pictures of Jack. It was an old hobby of the kids. Shock banged her head on the table.

"Cook, you stupid cup of macaroni!" she yelled.

"Screaming at the microwave won't make it cook you know," said Barrel throwing a knife lamely and having it clang to the floor like all the others. 

"Will you stop whining?" asked Lock. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Shut up," said Shock. There was a smell of burning.

Lock sat up. "What's that? Is the house on fire?" he asked drowsily.

"SON OF A JACK O' LANTERN!" Shock screamed from the kitchen.

"HEY!" said Barrel. "Watch your phraseology."

"Did you forget to put water in the cup again?" asked Lock.

"No," said Shock.

"She did," said Barrel. He threw another knife. It collapsed to the floor. "Oh come on! Now I have to get up and grab them!"

Shock came into the main room where Lock and Barrel were and grabbed a bucket of water.

"Is that for your macaroni?" asked Lock.

Shock stared daggers at him. "Zip it you idiot. It's for the microwave. Which has burning macaroni in it."

"Shock!" said Barrel. "Could you grab the knives?"

Shock ignored him and rushed into the kitchen.

"Seriously?" said Barrel.

There was a splash from the kitchen.

"Did it work?" asked Barrel.

Silence. A trickle of water flowed into the room.

"I will take that as a no," said Lock.

Shock entered the room again an threw the empty bucket on the floor. "Well the macaroni is out. But the microwave is completely fried."

"Are we throwing it out the window?" asked Barrel.

Shock held up the microwave by the cord. "Yep." She walked over to the window and whirled the microwave out. It landed with a smash on the ground.

"Third one this week," said Lock.

"Ouch," said Barrel looking out the window. "Poor microwave."

"Whatever," said Shock walking away.

"Oh look, it's the food guy!" said Barrel.

Lock sat up quickly. "Seriously?"

"Yeah!"

"Wow," said Shock walking over. "He is fat."

Lock walked over. "Oh look! He brought a new microwave!"

"Aww!" said Shock. "He knows us so well!"

The doorbell screeched. Barrel, Lock, and Shock raced over and pulled the elevator up and took the food out. There was a giant box as well. Barrel lifted the new microwave, Shock rummaged through the food, and Lock tried to shove the box.

"'Microwave Pro'," Barrel read. "'Newest and best microwave. Warning: flammable'."

Shock froze.

Barrel hugged the microwave. "From now on Shock, Lock and I make your macaroni."

"Good idea," Shock said and continued to rummage.