Read Online The Invisible Enemy by Marthe Jocelyn - Free Book Online
Authors: Marthe Jocelyn
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into the kitchen.
“Ssst!” I snatched the spoon in midair.
“I’m hungry,” whispered Alyssa, fighting me for the spoon. “I told you that.”
“That’s not supposed to happen!” I whispered back. “If you’re holding something, it’s supposed to be invisible, too!”
“So?”
“So, you didn’t notice that you’re performing magical acts of levitation while my mother is sitting right there? Something’s wrong!”
Maybe the powder was wearing off! Could that happen? What if Alyssa suddenly reappeared? Or worse, what if
part
of Alyssa suddenly reappeared?
The cutlery drawer opened again, hitting my hip. Another spoon flew up and tapped me on the nose.
“Stop it, Alyssa!”
“Billie?” said my mother. “Is something wrong?”
“I had a spill,” I called. “I’m cleaning it up. I’m scolding myself so you won’t have to. In fact—” I suddenly realized the best way to get rid of my mother. “In fact, why don’t you take the night off, Mom?” I poked my head through the doorway. “Jane and I will do the dishes before we watch our video.”
“But I don’t want to do—” Jane started.
“Why, thank you, Billie. That’s a lovely offer.” She gave me her warmest mommy smile. “You really are a wonderful kid, when you put your mind to it.”
“Aren’t I a wonderful kid, too?” whined Jane.
“Of course you are, honey. Now go help your sister.” She got up from the table just as Harry slid the pizza bundle off my chair. I held my breath. “I’ve only got two more chapters inmy book, so I’ll be enjoying a cozy read in my room.”
Harry could have his prize in peace.
I took a breath when Mom’s door closed. “I have to call Jody right away,” I announced. “Jane, you sponge off the table. And put the pizza box into the recycling bin,” I added while I dialed Jody’s number.
“But there’s a piece left.”
Jody’s line was busy, so I hung up.
“Are you still hungry?” I asked Alyssa, opening the box on the counter.
“You bet,” said Alyssa. The slice wobbled out of the box and hovered in space. I watched in astonishment as it shrank, bite by bite.
“It’s magic!” said Jane. She clasped her hands together in front of her. “You’re doing magic!”
“What if you start coming back in pieces?” I spoke my worry aloud. “What if your zazzy hairstyle starts floating around by itself? Talk about scary!”
“Very funny,” said Alyssa. “Is there any more food?”
I put popcorn in the microwave and pushed start.
“You’re not doing any work,” complained Jane.
“I’m making dessert. Maybe Alyssa will do the dishes.”
“Very funny,” said Alyssa. “I already scrubbed your mother’s tables this morning. Just because I’m wearing rubber gloves doesn’t make me the maid.”
“You’re wearing the gloves? The gloves from detention?” It was like a beam of sunshine breaking through the ceiling of the loft! “It’s the gloves! Oh, thank goodness! It’s the gloves! Wait’ll Jody hears about this!”
I dialed Jody’s number again, and this time it rang.
“Hello?”
I remembered her mother’s musical voice with relief. At least Jody hadn’t moved.
“Oh, hello, Mrs. Greengard. This is Billie Stoner calling. May I please speak to Jody?”
“Why, certainly, dear.” It sounded like somebodypracticing scales on a flute. “One moment, please.”
I could hear her calling for Jody, and then she came back on.
“Can she call you in a few minutes, dear? She seems to be in the middle of one of her little experiments.”
“Could you please tell her it’s very important? In fact, could you tell her it’s an urgent emergency?”
“Ooh, that does sound exciting,” said Mrs. Greengard, as if we were sharing an adventure.
I hung up as the drumming inside the microwave dwindled to hiccups. I dumped the popcorn into the yellow bowl.
“Watch this!” said Alyssa.
A piece of popcorn floated up from the bowl, double-somersaulted in the
“Ssst!” I snatched the spoon in midair.
“I’m hungry,” whispered Alyssa, fighting me for the spoon. “I told you that.”
“That’s not supposed to happen!” I whispered back. “If you’re holding something, it’s supposed to be invisible, too!”
“So?”
“So, you didn’t notice that you’re performing magical acts of levitation while my mother is sitting right there? Something’s wrong!”
Maybe the powder was wearing off! Could that happen? What if Alyssa suddenly reappeared? Or worse, what if
part
of Alyssa suddenly reappeared?
The cutlery drawer opened again, hitting my hip. Another spoon flew up and tapped me on the nose.
“Stop it, Alyssa!”
“Billie?” said my mother. “Is something wrong?”
“I had a spill,” I called. “I’m cleaning it up. I’m scolding myself so you won’t have to. In fact—” I suddenly realized the best way to get rid of my mother. “In fact, why don’t you take the night off, Mom?” I poked my head through the doorway. “Jane and I will do the dishes before we watch our video.”
“But I don’t want to do—” Jane started.
“Why, thank you, Billie. That’s a lovely offer.” She gave me her warmest mommy smile. “You really are a wonderful kid, when you put your mind to it.”
“Aren’t I a wonderful kid, too?” whined Jane.
“Of course you are, honey. Now go help your sister.” She got up from the table just as Harry slid the pizza bundle off my chair. I held my breath. “I’ve only got two more chapters inmy book, so I’ll be enjoying a cozy read in my room.”
Harry could have his prize in peace.
I took a breath when Mom’s door closed. “I have to call Jody right away,” I announced. “Jane, you sponge off the table. And put the pizza box into the recycling bin,” I added while I dialed Jody’s number.
“But there’s a piece left.”
Jody’s line was busy, so I hung up.
“Are you still hungry?” I asked Alyssa, opening the box on the counter.
“You bet,” said Alyssa. The slice wobbled out of the box and hovered in space. I watched in astonishment as it shrank, bite by bite.
“It’s magic!” said Jane. She clasped her hands together in front of her. “You’re doing magic!”
“What if you start coming back in pieces?” I spoke my worry aloud. “What if your zazzy hairstyle starts floating around by itself? Talk about scary!”
“Very funny,” said Alyssa. “Is there any more food?”
I put popcorn in the microwave and pushed start.
“You’re not doing any work,” complained Jane.
“I’m making dessert. Maybe Alyssa will do the dishes.”
“Very funny,” said Alyssa. “I already scrubbed your mother’s tables this morning. Just because I’m wearing rubber gloves doesn’t make me the maid.”
“You’re wearing the gloves? The gloves from detention?” It was like a beam of sunshine breaking through the ceiling of the loft! “It’s the gloves! Oh, thank goodness! It’s the gloves! Wait’ll Jody hears about this!”
I dialed Jody’s number again, and this time it rang.
“Hello?”
I remembered her mother’s musical voice with relief. At least Jody hadn’t moved.
“Oh, hello, Mrs. Greengard. This is Billie Stoner calling. May I please speak to Jody?”
“Why, certainly, dear.” It sounded like somebodypracticing scales on a flute. “One moment, please.”
I could hear her calling for Jody, and then she came back on.
“Can she call you in a few minutes, dear? She seems to be in the middle of one of her little experiments.”
“Could you please tell her it’s very important? In fact, could you tell her it’s an urgent emergency?”
“Ooh, that does sound exciting,” said Mrs. Greengard, as if we were sharing an adventure.
I hung up as the drumming inside the microwave dwindled to hiccups. I dumped the popcorn into the yellow bowl.
“Watch this!” said Alyssa.
A piece of popcorn floated up from the bowl, double-somersaulted in the
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