TTWORBYTES PRESENTS
This Is My Bad Idea
“Six challenges. One week. And apparently saying no isn't one of my options.”
My name is Jake Morrow. I'm twelve years old.
THE STORY
Six Challenges. One Very Bad Idea. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
A comic challenge story about courage, pride, friendship and discovering that being brave is not the same as proving yourself.
Jake agrees to a series of six challenges designed to find out whether he is really as brave as he likes to think he is. Jack acts as invigilator, checking that the challenges are fair and safe.
The challenges push Jake well outside his comfort zone: scorching curry, a memory test, a penalty shoot-out, poetry, a headstand and wrestling. Each one sounds manageable until Jake is the person who actually has to do it.
With Alex, Ruby and Jack beside him, Jake becomes increasingly determined not to give up. But somewhere between courage and pride, he begins to discover that proving yourself can be a very bad idea.
AT THE HEART OF THIS STORY
The Brother Making Sure It Stays Safe
Jake may be the one doing the challenges, but Jack is the person making sure his twin follows the rules.
Jack acts as the invigilator for Jake's challenges. He does not invent them or push Jake into accepting them. Instead, he checks that each challenge is fair and that Jake is not being asked to do something illegal or unnecessarily dangerous.
When a challenge needs proper supervision, Jack makes sure the right adult or referee is involved. His notebook helps him keep track of what has been agreed, while his careful, methodical nature provides a useful counterweight to Jake's habit of agreeing first and thinking about the consequences afterwards.
Jack may take the rules seriously, but his real concern is his twin. He wants Jake to honour the challenges he has accepted without letting pride turn a ridiculous idea into something genuinely unsafe.
Meet the PeopleWHY THIS STORY MATTERS
Brave—or Just Stubborn?
At first, the challenges look like a chance for Jake to show everyone what he can do. Naturally, Jake thinks this is an excellent reason to say yes.
But every challenge asks something different of him. Some require nerve, some concentration, some physical effort—and some simply require Jake to stop panicking long enough to think.
Alex brings his usual humour, Ruby knows more than most about genuine strength, and Jack's careful oversight helps make sure Jake's determination does not turn a challenge into something unsafe.
Underneath the comedy, the question is simple: does courage mean never backing down, or can the braver decision sometimes be knowing when you have nothing left to prove?