Contents
Cover
About the Book
Title Page
Dedication
Whizziwig
1. Nothing Scary
2. Whizziwig Appears
3. Down, Tarzan!
4. Flapping at Both Ends
5. It’s Not Me!
6. The Kissing Wish
7. Bicycles
8. Splitter Lawson
9. Splitter Changes
10. Call Out the RSPCA
11. Taking a Risk
12. Thirty Voices, One Wish
13. Whizziwig Says Goodbye
Whizziwig Returns
1. Tap! Tap! Tap!
2. One of Those Days
3. One of Those Days for Mum
4. One of Those Days for Steve
5. Bad to Worse
6. The Quarrel
7. The PE Lesson
8. Worthwhile
9. Dinner at Aunt Dottie’s
10. The Switch
11. A Bad Mood and a Shock
12. Reasons
13. From Bad To Worse
14. Inspiring
15. Overheard
16. The Proposal
17. For the Best
18. Put Yourself in My Place
19. Oh, Yeah!
20. Changes
21. Disguises
22. The Great Escape
23. Results
About the Author
Also by Malorie Blackman
Copyright
About the Book
Two Whizziwig stories in one!
Whizziwig is an alien who has crash-landed on Earth – smack-bang on Ben’s roof. Once Ben gets over his fear of this funny little bouncing creature, he’s excited to learn that Whizziwig is a ‘wish-giver’, able to turn wishes into reality. But there’s a twist: the wishes must be made for someone else . . .
Soon, some very strange (and very funny) things start happening!
Join Ben and Whizziwig as they deal with a nosy neighbour, a pompous popstar and lots, lots more . . .
2 in 1
MALORIE BLACKMAN
Illustrated by Neil Chapman
To Neil and Lizzy, with love
Chapter One
Nothing Scary
‘MUM, DAD, CAN I sleep with the light on? Please. Please,’ Ben begged.
Mum shook her head. ‘Now, Ben, we’ve been through all this before. There’s nothing scary in this room.’
‘But there is. It’s small and furry and it b-bounces about.’ Ben tried to swallow down the lump stuck in his throat. ‘A-And it only comes out after you’ve switched off the light.’
Ben watched as his mum and dad exchanged a glance, their eyebrows raised. They didn’t believe him . . .
‘It’s true. Honest!’ Ben pleaded.
Ben looked around his bedroom. It looked all right now. Perfectly normal. But Ben knew there was something . . . He stood behind his mum and dad at his bedroom door. He didn’t want to go any further into the room. The something might be in there – just waiting to leap out at him.
‘Ben, there’s nothing here,’ Dad said gently. ‘Look, I’ll show you.’
Dad walked over to the bed, where he squatted down and lifted up the duvet which trailed down to the carpet. He peered into the dark shadows beneath the bed.
‘See, Ben. Nothing under there.’
Ben winced as Dad stuck his arm under the bed and waved it about. Then Dad stood up and went over to the wardrobe.
‘And there’s nothing in here either.’ Dad flung open the door.
Ben flinched, but then looked. His dad was right. The wardrobe was full of his clothes, but nothing else.
‘There are no bad things anywhere in your room or this house for that matter,’ said Mum. ‘Nothing bad could get past us.’
‘But—’ Ben began.
‘No buts, Ben!’ Mum interrupted. ‘You’re just having bad dreams.’
‘And you know why, don’t you?’ Dad frowned. ‘This all started last Saturday when you sneaked behind the sofa to watch the late-night horror film.’
Mum nodded as she remembered. ‘Yeah! We didn’t catch you until the film was half over. That’s where all this has come from. Watching that film has given you nightmares.’
‘Mum, it wasn’t the horror film and I’m not having nightmares,’ Ben said. ‘There’s something in this room and it waits till it’s dark and then—’
‘Ben, if you carry on like this, you’ll never get any sleep.’ Mum sighed. ‘OK, we’ll leave the light on – but only for tonight. Do you want Tarzan with you?’
Tarzan was their black-and-white dog with a slobbery tongue.
Ben shook his head. ‘No thanks, Mum.’
To tell the truth, Ben was a bit frightened of Tarzan too. When Tarzan got excited, he would whirl about and leap up at people.
No, as long as the light was left on then Ben would be all right. That way the something couldn’t leap out and bounce about and surprise him.
But he still had to get across his bedroom to his bed. Ben took a deep breath, then another. Then he sprinted across the room, his feet barely touching the carpet. He leapt into his bed, pulling the duvet up to his nose.
‘Goodnight, Mum, goodnight, Dad,’ Ben said.
Ben’s mum and dad kissed him goodnight. They left the bedroom, shutting the door behind them but remembering to leave the light on. Ben could hear them talking although he couldn’t make out the exact words. The sound faded as they walked downstairs.
I bet I know what they’re talking about, Ben thought sadly. I wish I was more like Splitter Lawson at school. He’s not afraid of anything. I’m afraid of everything, even my own dog.
Ben felt totally miserable. If only he was brave and fearless – like Splitter. Then he would stand in the middle of his bedroom and demand that the bouncy something show itself.
Slowly, Ben looked around. The room was brightly lit and still. Maybe . . . maybe he was imagining things? Maybe he was just having nightmares . . .?
Ben shook his head. He remembered the night before when the light had been off but the curtains weren’t completely drawn, so that silvery moonlight streamed in through the window. Ben was just nodding off when the something had woken him up by bouncing and bouncing and BOUNCING around the room – until Ben screamed for his mum and dad. Then the bouncy something disappeared. That wasn’t a dream. Ben was sure it wasn’t.
‘Ben . . . Ben . . .’
Ben sat up at once. Something was calling him. Something from inside his bedroom . . .
Chapter Two
Whizziwig Appears
‘WHO . . . WHO’S THERE?’ Ben squeaked.
‘My name is Whizziwig. I’m sorry if I frightened you. I didn’t mean to. I would have spoken to you before, but it has taken me this long to learn all the spoken languages on this planet.’
Ben looked here, there and everywhere, but he could see nothing. Whatever it was, it spoke with a soft, low, echoey voice that made Ben’s ears tingle. His heart hammered and he felt perspiration running down into the corner of one of his eyes, but he was too scared even to wipe it away.
‘Where are you?’ he whispered.
‘On top of the wardrobe,’ the voice answered. ‘Can I come down now?’
Ben stared at the top of the wardrobe. All he could see was the suitcase used whenever he and Mum and Dad went on holiday or when they went to stay with Gran.
‘Are you behind the suitcase?’ Ben asked.
‘That’s correct. Can I come down now?’ the voice asked again.
‘Er . . . I suppose so,’ Ben said slowly.
He wasn’t too sure if he want
ed the whatever-it-was to come down. But before he could change his mind, something that looked like a small globe covered with golden brown fur edged out from behind the suitcase. It had tiny arms like handles coming out of its sides, two silver-coloured eyes and a round, fur-covered mouth.
The strange something bounced down from the top of the wardrobe and started bouncing towards the bed. Ben squealed with fright and drew back against the wall, pulling his duvet with him.
Whizziwig froze in mid-air. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘D-Do you have to bounce around l-like that?’ Ben whispered.
‘But that’s how I move,’ said Whizziwig, puzzled.
‘Couldn’t you move a bit slower then? Just until I get used to you,’ Ben said.
‘OK.’
Whizziwig moved slowly, oh so slowly, through the air before coming down to rest at the foot of Ben’s bed. Ben and Whizziwig sat watching each other, until Ben couldn’t stand the suspense any longer.
‘What are you?’ Ben asked.
‘I’m an Oricon,’ Whizziwig said. ‘What the people on your world would call a wish-giver.’
‘Are you from outer space then?’ Ben leaned forward eagerly. ‘Are you from Mars?’
‘Hardly,’ Whizziwig sniffed. ‘I’m from a lot further away than that.’
Ben’s eyes narrowed. ‘So what’re you doing in my bedroom then?’
This couldn’t be one of Splitter Lawson’s tricks – could it? Splitter Lawson was in Ben’s class and he liked to show people up by playing stupid jokes.
‘I was passing your planet four days ago on my way to visit my auntie, when some space debris hit my ship and I had to make an emergency landing on your roof,’ said Whizziwig.
‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ asked Ben.
Whizziwig sounded a bit like a girl, but he couldn’t be sure.
‘We don’t have boys and girls on Oricon in the same way that you do on Earth,’ Whizziwig tried to explain. ‘But if it helps you, I suppose I’m closer to a girl as you would know it than anything else.’
‘Oh, I see,’ said Ben, not sure that he saw much at all. He sat back. ‘Where’s your ship now? Can I see it?’
‘It’s still up on your roof. It will have to stay there until I can fix it.’ Whizziwig sighed. ‘I’ve been bouncing around this immediate area ever since I arrived and I have yet to fix a single thing.’
‘I’ll . . . I’ll help you fix your ship if you like,’ Ben offered. He wasn’t quite sure how he’d get up on the roof but he really wanted to see Whizziwig’s spaceship.
‘Are you a wish-giver too?’ Whizziwig asked hopefully.
‘No. Should I be?’ asked Ben.
‘I’m afraid so,’ said Whizziwig. ‘It will take wishes to fix my ship.’
‘I don’t understand,’ said Ben, not holding on quite so tightly to his duvet any more.
‘As I said, I’m a wish-giver,’ said Whizziwig. ‘And I can only fix my ship by giving people whatever they wish for.’
‘So if I wish for a new bicycle, will you give me one?’ Ben asked excitedly.
‘It doesn’t quite work like that—’ Whizziwig began.
‘Oh, please can I have a new bike? I wish I had a mountain bike,’ Ben pleaded. ‘My bike is ancient and it’s only got a measly eight gears.’
Whizziwig rocked to the left and then to the right.
‘Nope!’ she said.
‘But you said you were a wish-giver,’ Ben argued.
‘I can only grant wishes if you make a wish for someone else,’ Whizziwig said.
‘Oh!’ Ben slumped back against the headboard. He thought long and hard.
‘How about if I wish for a mountain bike for Dad but in my size?’ Ben asked hopefully.
‘Nope! It does not work that way either,’ said Whizziwig. ‘It has to be unselfish wishing.’
‘But that doesn’t make sense.’ Ben frowned.
The Oricon put out her hands. ‘That is the way it works. I am an accidental wish-giver.’
‘I don’t get it,’ said Ben.
‘There are different types of Oricons. Some make dreams come true, others make day-dreams come true, some give you exactly what you want, some give you the exact opposite of what you want. I grant wishes – but only those made for someone else,’ Whizziwig explained.
‘That’s a bit strange, isn’t it?’ frowned Ben.
‘Very!’ Whizziwig agreed. ‘But that’s my job. It is tough, but someone has to do it!’
‘So what about my mountain bike?’ Ben said.
‘It’s not going to happen! I cannot comply. Sorry! You see—’ But Whizziwig got no further.
At that moment, the door handle began to turn.
‘Quick. Get under my duvet,’ said Ben.
With one bounce, Whizziwig was at the top of the bed. She rolled under the duvet just as the bedroom door was opened.
Mum came in and before anyone could stop him, Tarzan the dog bounded into the room and raced straight for the bed.
Chapter Three
Down, Tarzan!
‘MUM! MUM! STOP him!’ Ben called out. Tarzan’s front paws were up on the bed and he barked madly, his tail wagging like a flag in a strong wind. Ben knew that Tarzan wasn’t barking at him. Tarzan had smelt or sensed that Whizziwig was under the duvet and was trying to get to her.
Ben put himself between Whizziwig and Tarzan. Frantically, he tried to push Tarzan down as the dog leapt up onto the bed.
‘MUM!’ Ben shouted.
‘Tarzan! Down, Tarzan! Bad dog!’ Mum came over and took hold of Tarzan’s collar, dragging him off the bed.
Tarzan carried on barking at the top of his voice.
‘Tarzan! Behave yourself!’ Mum said sternly. ‘And you should know better than to jump up on the bed!’
Mum had to drag Tarzan out of the room. The dog obviously didn’t want to leave – his gaze never once left Ben’s bed. Mum put Tarzan out into the hall, shutting the door firmly behind him.
‘What has got into that dog?’ Mum muttered. ‘Are you all right, Ben?’
Ben nodded and asked, ‘What’s the matter, Mum? Why did you come into my room?’
‘I was outside the door and I thought I heard voices,’ Mum frowned.
‘I . . . I was just talking to myself,’ Ben replied.
‘Hhmm! Well, fascinating as the conversation might be, I think you should leave the rest for tomorrow morning. It’s time you were asleep,’ smiled Mum.
‘OK,’ Ben said. ‘Goodnight, Mum.’
‘Goodnight, Ben.’ Mum left the room, shutting the door behind her.
Whizziwig rose upwards to hover about thirty centimetres off the bed.
‘I can see that Tarzan creature and I are not going to be best friends,’ Whizziwig sniffed.
Ben sighed with relief. ‘I was worried there for a minute. I thought Tarzan would get you for sure.’
‘Not if I have anything to do with it!’ Whizziwig scoffed. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll shut down for a while. It’s been a very busy day and that Tarzan creature has drained the last of my primary energy.’
‘Shut down?’ Ben asked.
‘I think you humans call it sleep,’ said Whizziwig.
‘Oh, all right,’ Ben said, disappointed. ‘I was hoping you’d tell me about your planet – what’s it called? Oricon? And about some of the wishes you’ve granted. And all about—’
‘Some other time,’ Whizziwig said. ‘If I don’t shut down now, I won’t be in a fit state to fix my ship.’
Whizziwig started to bounce towards the wardrobe.
‘I hope you don’t mind if I sleep here again tonight?’ she asked. And with one bounce Whizziwig was on top of the suitcase, on top of the wardrobe.
‘But it might not be safe,’ Ben said, worried. ‘Mum or Dad might find you. Tarzan might bark up at you until Mum takes down the suitcase to see what he’s barking at.’
‘Oh! Where should I sleep then?’ Whizziwig asked.
Ben
looked around his room. What would be a good hiding place? The chest of drawers? No, they wouldn’t do. Mum was always putting things in them. Inside the wardrobe? No. The same problem. Behind the chair? No, Tarzan might get Whizziwig then.
‘I know!’ Ben bounced up and down on his bed. ‘You can sleep under my bed. No one will look for you there and Tarzan can’t get under there – he’s too big.’
‘Hhmm! Are you sure?’
‘Positive,’ Ben smiled.
Whizziwig bounced once, bounced twice, then bounced onto the floor, before rolling under the edge of the duvet and out of sight. Ben flung the duvet aside and turned upside-down to stick his head under the bed. It was shadowy and he could only just see Whizziwig in the corner by the wall.
‘Goodnight, Whizziwig,’ Ben said.
‘Goodnight, Ben,’ said Whizziwig.
Ben straightened up to lie flat, his hands folded behind his head. Should he sneak out of the room and tell Mum and Dad about Whizziwig? Ben finally decided against it. From the films he’d seen on television, sometimes grown-ups acted very strangely when they met aliens from other planets.
But I was right. I knew there was something in my room, Ben grinned to himself. I just knew it!
Suddenly he had a thought.
There was one wish, one special wish that Ben wanted more than anything else in the world – even more than a mountain bike.
‘Whizziwig, if I wish a special wish, will you make it come true? It’s not for me – not really. And it’s really important. If you make this one wish come true, I promise I won’t wish for anything else ever again and I’ll help you mend your spaceship.’
Ben stuck his head beneath the bed again. Very softly, very carefully, he made his wish. Silence.
‘Whizziwig? Are you awake . . .?’ Ben whispered.
But there was no reply.
Chapter Four
Flapping at Both Ends
WHEN BEN WOKE up the next morning, the sun was shining, he could hear birds singing and it was Sunday – the best day of the week! Ben lay still for a moment, trying to remember something important.