Read Online Three Evil Wishes by R.L. Stine - Free Book Online

me.
    â€œNo!” I wailed.
    I could feel the shock of purple waves that vibrated around him. The woods glowed eerily. We were all bathed in purple light.
    â€œWe won’t go—” Jesse cried, stepping up close to me.
    The genie shook his head. His eyes glowed like giant fireflies. “Hoo. I was afraid of this. I’ll have to make the choice myself.”
    He grabbed me by the shoulders. “Hannah—into the bottle.”
    â€œNo!” I shrieked. With a desperate jerk, I tugged free.
    â€œJesse—run!” I screamed.
    We both turned—and ran.
    But a swirl of purple followed us. The genie floated in front of us.
    â€œThis way!” I cried, spinning my brother around.
    We turned and ran toward a clump of low willows.
    The genie floated easily in front of us.
    He shook his head almost sadly. “Trying to run from a genie? Can you think of a bigger waste of time?”
    Jesse and I ignored him. We leapt over a fallen log and dove behind a thick clump of evergreen bushes.
    But the genie was ahead of us, hovering over the ground. Waiting for us.
    â€œI can turn you to stone,” he threatened, eyes glowing brightly, lips curled in a sneer. “It’s one of my better tricks.”
    Jesse and I huddled together, gasping for breath.
    Stone, I thought.
    Stone.
    Yes. Stone.
    The genie had given me an idea.
    But how could Jesse and I escape in order to try it?
    â€œHannah—” he rasped. “Hannah—it’s time.”
    The genie raised the brown bottle up to me.
    â€œSay good-bye to your brother,” he whispered. “And make it quick. Your new home is waiting for you.”

22

    I stared at the bottle hovering in front of my face.
    I tried to picture myself folded up inside it. Floating. Bobbing in the water. Forever and ever.
    â€œBut I get seasick!” I blurted out.
    The genie didn’t reply. He shoved the bottle closer.
    How can we escape? I asked myself. How can we get to the garage so that I can try my plan?
    No way, I realized.
    Jesse and I were trapped. Defeated.
    It was over. . . .
    â€œHey—yo!” A voice interrupted my terrifying thoughts.
    â€œYo!”
    I turned to see the Burger brothers leap out from behind the evergreen bushes.
    â€œHoo!” the genie cried, as startled as Jesse and I. “It’s the bunny boys!”
    Mike and Roy stopped in shock as they saw the genie.
    â€œWhat are you two doing out in the woods?” I cried.
    â€œLooking for people to scare,” Mike replied.
    â€œWe howl like animals and frighten people,” Roy explained.
    Mike raised a big net. “And I like to capture insects and torture them,” he said. “It’s kind of a hobby.”
    â€œI liked you better as bunnies,” the genie chimed in.
    â€œYo! Get him!” Roy cried suddenly.
    Mike moved quickly. He raised the big insect net—and swooped it down over the startled genie’s head.
    The genie was so surprised—and Mike was so strong—that he pushed the genie to the ground.
    This was our chance. “Jesse—run!” I screamed.
    We both took off toward home.
    I called out thanks to the Burger brothers.
    â€œThanks for changing us back to humans!” Roy called.
    Well . . . they’re almost human, I thought.
    And I’d never been so glad to see them.
    But how long could they hold the genie under the net?
    Could Jesse and I get to the garage in time?

23

    A s we ran desperately through the woods, I tried to explain my plan to Jesse.
    â€œWe’ll keep the garage dark,” I said breathlessly. “I’ll stand my sculpture of you behind the worktable. I’ll tell the genie that you are the one we picked to go in the bottle.”
    â€œHuh? Me?” Jesse gasped, leaping over a tall, round rock. “Why does it have to be me?”
    â€œIt won’t really be you,” I told him, panting hard as I ran. The back of the garage