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

came into view. “You hide in the back of the garage. We want the genie to think that the sculpture is you. We want the genie to put the sculpture in the bottle. That way, we’ll be safe.”
    We reached the front of the garage, gasping and panting.
    â€œWill it work?” Jesse asked. “Will it fool him?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I replied, struggling to catch my breath. “Maybe if it’s dark enough, he’ll fall for it.”
    I swallowed hard. “Maybe . . .” I crossed my fingers and prayed for good luck.
    We both hoisted up the garage door.
    I moved quickly to my worktable. I uncovered my life-size sculpture of Jesse.
    The nose still wasn’t right. But it was too late to worry about that.
    Jesse hid behind the cartons in the back of the garage.
    I heard a whisper of wind. Then saw the swirling purple smoke.
    The genie floated quickly into the garage, his robe flowing around him. His eyes flashed purple, like two coals in a dying fire.
    â€œThose bunny boys are strong,” he rasped. “But not strong enough to hold a wisp of smoke.”
    â€œWhat did you do to them?” I demanded. “Did you turn them back into bunnies?”
    He frowned. “That would be a waste of magic. I just left them there in the woods, swinging their net, wondering how I got away. Hoo. They looked very confused.”
    His expression changed. “I needed to save mymagic. It takes a lot of strength to squeeze you into the bottle.”
    He floated closer. I could feel the electric purple waves shooting off his body.
    â€œAre you ready, Hannah?” he demanded, reaching out a hand. “Are you through trying to escape? Are you ready to enter your new home?”
    â€œUh . . . well . . . there’s been a change of plan,” I told him.
    He raised one purple eyebrow. “A change of plan?”
    I nodded. I gestured to the Jesse sculpture, standing so still behind the worktable. “Jesse is going into the bottle,” I announced in a choked whisper. “He—he’s being very brave.”
    I pretended to cry. “Jesse has decided he will be the one,” I told the genie. I let out a sob. I made my shoulders tremble.
    The genie turned to the figure of Jesse. He narrowed his eyes at it, squinting into the deep darkness.
    Would he fall for my trick?
    Would he believe that was Jesse standing there?

24

    I backed up to the full-length mirror. I stopped when I felt the mirror press against my back.
    My eyes moved from the genie to the Jesse sculpture.
    In the darkness of the garage, the sculpture looked so real, so lifelike.
    But it stood so still. As still as a statue.
    How bad was the old genie’s eyesight?
    Would he believe it was Jesse?
    Would he put the sculpture in the bottle? Then go away and never come back?
    I sucked in my breath as the genie floated closer to the worktable. He stared hard at the sculpture. Squinted at it for what seemed like hours!
    â€œIt won’t be so bad, Jesse,” he told it. “It’s a little cramped in there. And there’s no bathroom. But after a hundred years or so . . . you’ll get used to it.”
    It’s working! I thought, crossing my fingers again.
    It’s working!
    The genie lowered the bottle to the garage floor in front of him.
    Then he raised both hands. And began to chant.
    â€œGood-bye, Jesse,” I cried, sobbing loudly. “Good-bye. I’ll miss you. I really will.”
    I pretended to cry loudly. I covered my face with both hands and let out sob after sob.
    But all the while, I had my eyes on the genie.
    As the genie chanted, he swayed from side to side.
    His voice grew louder. Stronger.
    Clouds of purple floated around and around the garage. The purple mist floated around the bottle on the floor. And around my sculpture.
    The genie waved his hands and swayed harder.
    He chanted even louder.
    Then he suddenly