As I stared at Judith, I saw absolute worship in her eyes!
She was the best foul shooter on the team. And here she was, begging me to show her how to shoot the klutzy way I did it!
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll try to help you,” I told her.
“Oh, thank you, Sam!” she cried gratefully. “You’re such a pal! And do you think I could borrow your social studies notes later? Mine are such a mess.”
“Well …” I said thoughtfully. My notes were so bad, even I couldn’t make them out.
“I’ll copy them over and get them right back to you. Promise,” Judith said breathlessly. I think the weight of two backpacks was starting to get to her.
“Okay. You can borrow them,” I told her.
We started walking to class. Several kids stopped to stare at Judith, lugging two backpacks on her shoulders.
“Where did you get your Doc Martens?” she asked as we entered the room. “I want to get a pair just like yours.”
What a laugh! I thought, very pleased with myself. This is an absolute riot!
The change in Judith was simply hilarious. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing.
Little did I know then that my laughter would quickly turn to horror.
24
It started to get really embarrassing. Judith wouldn’t leave me alone.
She hung around me wherever I went. When I got up to sharpen my pencil, she followed me and sharpened hers.
My throat got dry during a spelling test, and I asked Lisa if I could run out to the water fountain to get a drink. As I was bending over the fountain, I turned and saw Judith right behind me. “My throat is dry like yours,” she explained, faking a cough.
Later, during free reading, Lisa had to separate Judith and me because Judith wouldn’t stop talking.
At lunch, I took my usual place across the table from Cory. I had just started telling him about Judith’s new attitude — when she appeared at our table.
“Could you move down a seat?” she asked the kid sitting next to me. “I want to sit next to Sam.”
The kid moved, and Judith dropped her lunch tray onto the table and took her seat. “Would you like to trade lunches?” she asked me. “Yours looks so much better than mine.”
I was holding a mushed-up tunafish sandwich. “This?” I asked, waving it. Half the tunafish fell out of the soggy bread.
“Yum!” Judith exclaimed. “Want my pizza, Sam? Here. Take it.” She slid her tray in front of me. “You bring the best lunches. I wish my mom packed lunches like yours.”
I could see Cory staring at me across the table, his eyes wide with disbelief.
I really couldn’t believe it, either. All Judith wanted from the world was to be exactly like me!
A few tables away, near the wall, Anna sat by herself. She looked really glum. I saw her glance over to our table, frowning. Then she quickly lowered her eyes to her lunch.
After lunch, Judith followed me to my locker. She helped me pull out my books and notebooks and asked if she could carry my backpack.
At first, I thought this was all really funny. But then I started to get annoyed. And embarrassed.
I saw that kids were laughing at us. Two boys from my class followed us down the hall, snickering. I heard other kids talking about Judith and me in the hall. They stopped when Judith and I walked by, but I saw amused smirks on their faces.
She’s making me look like a total jerk! I realized.
The whole school is laughing at us!
“Are you getting braces?” Judith asked me as we made our way back to the classroom. “Someone told me you were getting braces.”
“Yeah. I’m getting them,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes.
“Great!” Judith declared. “Then I want to get them, too!”
After school I hurried to the gym, expecting to have basketball practice. In all the excitement over the wishes, I had forgotten that we had an actual game that afternoon.
The girls’ team from Edgemont Middle School was already on the floor, warming up by shooting layups. Most of their shots were dropping in. They were big, tough-looking girls. We had heard that they were a really good team — and they looked it.
I changed quickly and hurried out of the locker room. My teammates were huddled around Ellen for last-minute instructions. As I jogged over to them, I crossed my fingers on both hands and prayed that I wouldn’t make too big a fool of myself in the game.
Judith grinned at me as I joined the huddle. Then she practically embarrassed me out of my Reeboks by shouting, “Here she is! Here comes our star!”
Anna and the others laughed, of course.
But then their smiles quickly faded when Judith interrupted Ellen to announce, “Before the game starts, I think we should name Sam team captain.”
“You’re joking!” Anna cried.
A few girls laughed. Ellen stared at me, bewildered.
“Our best player should be captain,” Judith continued in all seriousness. “So it should be Sam, not me. All in favor, raise your hand.”
Judith shot her hand up in the air, but no one else did.
“What’s your problem?” Anna asked her nastily. “What are you trying to do, Judith — ruin our team?”
Judith and Anna got into an angry shouting match over that, and Ellen had to pull them apart.
Ellen stared at Judith as if she had lost her mind or something. Then she said, “Let’s worry about who’s captain later. Let’s just go out and play a good game, okay?”
The game was a disaster.
Judith copied everything I did.
If I tried to dribble and tripped over my feet, Judith would dribble and trip. If I threw a bad pass that was intercepted by the other team, Judith would throw a bad pass.
When I missed an easy layup under the basket, Judith did the same thing, deliberately missing the next time she had the ball.
It was one flub after another — doubled because of Judith copying me!
And the whole time, she kept clapping and shouting, cheering me on. “Way to go, Sam! Nice try, Sam! You’re the best, Sam!”
It was so obnoxious!
And I could see the girls on the Edgemont team snickering at us, and laughing out loud when Judith fell headfirst into the bleachers just because I had done it a few plays before.
Anna and the other players on my team weren’t laughing. Their expressions were glum and angry.
“You’re deliberately messing up!” Anna accused Judith about halfway through the game.
“I am not!” Judith replied shrilly.
“Why are you copying that clumsy ox?” I heard Anna demand.
Judith grabbed her and knocked her down, and they began wrestling angrily on the floor, screaming and tearing at each other furiously.
It took Ellen and the referee to stop the fight. Both girls were given a harsh lecture about sportsmanship and sent to the locker room.
Ellen made me sit down on the bench. I was glad. I really didn’t feel like playing anymore.
As I watched the rest of the game, I couldn’t concentrate on it at all. I kept thinking about my third and final wish, and how I’d blown it again.
To my dismay, I realized that having Judith worship me was much worse than having her hate me! At least when she hated me, she left me alone!
I had made three wishes, and each of them had turned into a nightmare. Now I was stuck with Judith following me around, hanging on my every word, constantly praising everything I did, fawning over me like a lovesick puppy — and, mainly, being an unbelievable pest!
I actually longed for the days when she had made fun of me in front of the whole class, when she had followed after me, calling, “Byrd, why don’t you fly away! Why don’t you fly away, Byrd!”
But what could I do? My three wishes were up.
Was I going to be stuck with Judith for the rest of my life?
We lost the game by fifteen or sixteen points. I didn’t pay much attention to the score. I just wanted to
get out of there.
But when I trudged into the locker room to change, Judith was waiting for me. She handed me a towel. “Good game!” she cried, slapping me a high five.
“Huh?” I could only gape at her.
“Can we study together after dinner?” she asked with pleading eyes. “Please? You could help me with my algebra. You’re so much better at it than I am. You’re a real genius when it comes to algebra.”
Luckily, I had to go with my parents to visit my aunt after dinner. That gave me a good excuse not to study with Judith.
But what would be my excuse the next night? And the next, and the next?
My aunt wasn’t feeling well, and the purpose of our visit was to cheer her up. I’m afraid I didn’t do a very good job. I barely said a word.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Judith.
What could I do about her? I could get angry and tell her to leave me alone. But I knew that wouldn’t help. I had wished for her to think I was the greatest person who ever lived. Now Judith was under an enchantment, under the power of the Crystal Woman’s spell.
Telling her to go away wouldn’t discourage her in the least.
Could I just ignore her? That woudn’t be easy since she was constantly in my shadow, asking me a million questions, begging to wait on me like a servant.
What could I do? What?
I thought about it all the way home. Even my parents noticed I was distracted.
“What’s the problem, Sam?” my mother demanded as we drove home.
“Oh, nothing,” I lied. “Just thinking about schoolwork.”
When we got home, there were four phone messages on the answering machine for me, all from Judith.
My mother stared at me, curious. “That’s funny. I don’t remember your being friends with her before,” she said.
“Yeah. She’s in my class,” I told her. I didn’t want to explain. I knew I couldn’t explain.
I hurried up to my room. I was totally exhausted, from all the worrying, I guess. I got changed into a nightshirt, clicked off the light, and climbed into bed.
For a while, I lay staring up at the ceiling, watching shadows of the tree outside my window weave back and forth. I tried to clear my mind, tried to picture fluffy white sheep leaping over fluffy white clouds.
I was just drifting off to sleep when I heard the floorboards creak.
Opening my eyes wide, I saw a black shadow move against the darkness of my closet.
I uttered a choked cry as I realized that someone was in my room.
Before I could move, a hot, dry hand grabbed me by the arm.
25
I tried to scream, but the hand slid up over my mouth.
I — I’m going to choke! I thought, frozen in panic. I can’t breathe!
“Shh — don’t scream!” my attacker whispered.
The light clicked on.
The hand left my mouth.
“Judith!” I rasped, my voice catching in my throat.
She smiled at me, her green eyes flashing with excitement, and raised a finger to her lips. “Shhhh.”
“Judith — what are you doing here?” I managed to cry, finding my voice. My heart was still pounding so hard, I could barely breathe. “How did you get in?”
“Your back door was unlocked,” she whispered. “I hid in the closet to wait for you. I guess I fell asleep for a little while.”
“But why?” I demanded angrily. I pulled myself up and lowered my feet to the floor. “What do you want?”
Her smile faded. Her mouth formed a pout. “You said we could study together,” she said in a little-girl voice. “So I waited for you, Sam.”
This was the last straw. “Get out!” I cried.
I started to say more, but a knock on my door startled me into silence.
“Sam — are you okay?” my dad called in. “Are you talking to someone?”
“No. I’m fine, Dad,” I said.
“You’re not on the phone, are you?” he asked suspiciously. “You know you’re not supposed to call people this late.”
“No. I’m going to sleep now,” I told him.
I waited till I heard his footsteps on the stairs. Then I turned back to Judith. “You have to go home,” I whispered. “As soon as the coast is clear —”
“But why?” she demanded, hurt. “You said we’d study our algebra.”
“I did not!” I cried. “Anyway, it’s too late. You have to go home. Your parents must be going nuts worrying about you, Judith.”
She shook her head. “I sneaked out. They think I’m asleep in bed.” She smiled. “But that’s so great of you to worry about my parents, Sam. You really are the most considerate girl I know.”
Her stupid compliment made me even angrier. I was so furious, I wanted to tear her apart with my bare hands.
“I love your room,” she gushed, glancing around quickly. “Did you pick out all the posters yourself?”
I sighed in total exasperation.
“Judith, I just want you to go home — now,” I snarled slowly, one word at a time, so that maybe she would hear me.
“Can we study together tomorrow?” she pleaded. “I really need your help, Sam.”
“Maybe,” I replied. “But you can’t sneak into my house anymore, and —”
“You’re so smart,” Judith gushed. “Where did you get that nightshirt? The stripes are terrific. I wish I had one like it.”
Motioning for her to be silent, I crept out into the hall. All the lights had been turned off. My parents had gone to bed.
Tugging Judith by the hand, I led the way downstairs, tiptoeing silently, taking it one step at a time. Then I practically shoved her out the front door and swung it closed with a soft click behind her.
I stood in the dark entryway, panting hard, my mind racing.
What can I do? What can I do? What can I do?
It took me hours to get to sleep. And when I finally drifted off, I dreamed about Judith.
“You look tired, dear,” my mom said at breakfast.
“I didn’t sleep very well,” I confessed.
When I headed out the front door to go to school, Judith was waiting for me by the driveway.
She smiled at me and waved cheerily. “I thought we could walk to school this morning,” she chirped. “But if you want to ride your bike, I’ll be happy to run alongside.”
“No!” I shrieked. “No! Please — no!”
I totally lost it. I just couldn’t stand it anymore.
I dropped my backpack and started to run. I didn’t know where I was running. And I didn’t care.
I just knew I had to run away from her.
“Sam — wait! Wait up!”
I turned to see her chasing after me. “No — please! Go away! Go away!” I screamed.
But I could see her pick up speed, her sneakers thudding against the sidewalk, starting to catch up.
I turned into someone’s yard and ran behind a hedge, trying to lose her.
I didn’t really know what I was doing. I had no plan, no destination. I just had to run!
I was running through backyards now, across driveways, behind garages.
And Judith followed, running at full speed, her short ponytail bobbing as she ran. “Sam — wait! Sam!” she called breathlessly.
Suddenly, I was running through woods, a thick tangle of trees and tall weeds. I weaved through them, first this way, then that, jumping over fallen branches, plunging through thick piles of dead brown leaves.
I’ve got to lose her! I told myself. I’ve got to get away!
But then I stumbled over an upraised tree root and fell, sprawling facedown on the carpet of dead leaves.
Typical klutz move.
And a second later, Judith was standing over me.
26
I glanced up from the ground and saw to my shock that it wasn’t Judith.
Clarissa hovered over me, her red shawl tight around her shoulders, her black eyes staring intently.
“You!” I cried angrily, and started to scramble to my feet.
“You are unhappy,” she said softly, frowning.
“Your wishes have ruined my life!” I cried, furiously brushing dead leaves off the front of my sweater.
“I don’t want you to be unhappy,” she replied. “I was trying to repay your kindness.”
“I wish I’d never met you!” I cried angrily.
“Very well.” She raised the round red crystal ball in one hand. As she raised it, her dark eyes began to glow, the same scarlet color as the crystal. “I will cancel your third wish. Make one final wish. Since you are so unhappy, I shall grant you one more.”
I could hear the crunching of the leaves close behind me. Judith was catching up.
“I — I wish I’d never met you!” I cried to the Crystal Woman. “I wish Judith had met you instead of me!”
The crystal glowed brighter until the red light surrounded me in its glare.
When it faded, I was standing on the edge of the woods.
Whew! I thought. What a relief! What a great break!
I’m so lucky!
I could see Judith and Clarissa standing in the shade of a wide tree. They were huddled together, talking intently.
This is the perfect revenge! I told myself. Now Judith will make a wish — and her life will be totally ruined!
Chuckling to myself, I strained to hear what they were saying. I was dying to know what Judith would wish for.
I’m pretty sure I heard Judith say, “Byrd, why don’t you fly away!”
But that didn’t make any sense.
I was so happy! So deliriously happy!
I was free, totally free!
I suddenly felt so different. Lighter. Happier.
Let Judith have her wishes! I thought gleefully. Let her see what it’s like!
Tilting my head, I saw a juicy brown earthworm poke its head up from the ground. All of a sudden, I was feeling pretty hungry. I jabbed my head forward and caught the end of the worm. Then I ate it.
Very tasty.
I fluttered my wings, testing the wind.
Then I took off, flying low over the woods.
The cool breeze felt so refreshing against my feathers.
As I fluttered my wings harder, swooping higher into the sky, I glanced down and saw Judith. She was standing beside Clarissa.