41 - Bad Hare Day (8 page)

I raised the paper to read what it said. “‘Instructions. To use the magic
top hat…’ No. That’s not what I need right now….”

“Hurry, Tim!” Foz said.

I scanned the paper, searching for anything about rabbits. “Here’s
something!” I announced. “‘The magic carrot…’”

Just then a strong gust of wind blasted across the yard. The paper flew out
of my hands.

“No!” I shouted, grasping for the paper. “I need that!” I watched helplessly
as it flew out of my reach—high up into the sky.

“Get that paper!” I screamed. The wind blew it across the yard. I darted
after it.

Foz zoomed ahead of me, yelling, “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!” The paper
floated within his reach. He dove for it.

Whoosh!
Another strong gust of wind. The paper fluttered away. Foz fell
flat on his face.

I ran past him, following the paper. It blew across my neighbor’s yard.

“Get it!” Foz shouted, racing after me. “It’s headed for the woods!”

The wind died for a minute. The paper settled on the grass.

I pounced on it. But the wind picked up before I landed. The paper blew away
again.

“Rats!” I cried.

“There it goes!” Foz shouted. The paper drifted toward the stream.

The paper floated above the stream, then landed in the water. Foz zipped across the yard to grab it.

“Don’t let it get wet!” I screamed.

Too late. The paper was soaked.

“I’ve got it!” Foz shouted. He leaned over the stream and snatched at the
paper. But the current carried it away.

Foz and I chased it down the stream, panting. But we couldn’t run as fast as
the current.

“It’s getting away,” I huffed. A few seconds later we lost sight of it.

Foz and I collapsed on the ground.

“That’s it,” I groaned. “We’ll never get it back now. So how do I turn Ginny
back into a girl?”

Foz heaved himself to his feet and pulled me up by the hand. “Don’t panic,
Tim. Panicking isn’t going to help.”

Great advice.

We hurried back to Ginny. I hoped maybe she’d magically turned back into a
girl while we were gone. No such luck.

Ginny knew we hadn’t found the instructions. She bounced around the yard,
squealing angry rabbit squeals.

Foz rubbed his short hair as he watched her. “Boy, she’s really stressed,” he
said.

I fell to my knees to talk to her. “Don’t worry, Ginny,” I soothed. “I’ve got
an idea. I’m going to take you to Amaz-O right now. He’ll turn you back into a
girl. I’m sure he will.”

With one of her long rabbit ears, Ginny flicked my nose. She couldn’t say
“Boi-oi-oing.” She didn’t have to. I knew what she meant.

“Let’s pick this stuff up,” I said to Foz. We began to gather all the tricks
off the grass and pile them into Amaz-O’s magic case. “Amaz-O won’t want to help
us if I don’t give him back his magic kit.”

Foz took my bike, balancing the magic kit on the handlebars. I picked up
Ginny. “Come on, little rabbit sister,” I cooed. She let me pull her up by the
back—then nipped me on the wrist!

“Ow!” I dropped her. “Do you want me to help you or not?”

She hopped up and down angrily. I knew what she was thinking. If I didn’t
change her back into a girl, I’d be in as much trouble as she was. I had no
choice.

I reached for her again. “Don’t bite me this time,” I warned her. “Or I’ll
put a muzzle over that little snout of yours.”

She squirmed in my arms but didn’t bite. I set her in the basket on her bike.

“To Midnight Mansion,” I told Foz. We set off, pedaling hard against the
strong wind.

I rode through town in a daze. Ginny’s long white ears waved in my face.

Amaz-O’s words rang in my ears. “Beat it, punk!” he’d said. I wondered if
he’d really help me.

He’s got to, I told myself. He’ll be glad to get his magic kit back.

I’ll make him help, I decided. I won’t give him the kit until he turns Ginny
back into a girl.

We pulled into the parking lot in front of Midnight Mansion. The old castle
looked just as scary in the daytime as it did at night. There were no
floodlights casting shadows on the stone towers. But the gray, vine-covered
walls gave the place a spooky, abandoned feeling.

I skidded to a stop in front of the mansion. Foz carried the magic kit. I
grabbed Ginny out of the bike basket.

“Behave,” I warned her as we climbed the front steps to the mansion.
“Remember, I’m trying to help you. Don’t go biting me or anything.”

She twitched her nose at me. She lifted her little rabbit lips and bared her
tiny rabbit teeth.

“Go ahead—bite me,” I whispered. “See how you like spending the rest of
your life as a rabbit. You don’t even
like
lettuce!”

She closed her mouth and twitched her nose again. It doesn’t matter whether
she’s a girl or a rabbit, I thought. Either way she’s a pain in the neck.

We stopped at the top of the steps.

“Oh, no!” I gasped. “I don’t believe it!”

The sign on the front door read SORRY, WE’RE CLOSED.

“No!” I cried. I banged my forehead against the door.

Foz said, “This place gives me the creeps. It looks like Count Dracula’s
castle.” He shivered. “Let’s get out of here.”

He set the magic case down. “Amaz-O’s magic kit is so heavy. Do you think we
can leave it by the door?”

I glared at him.
“No,
we can’t leave it by the door. And we’re not
going home. Not yet.”

I squeezed Ginny in my arms, thinking. “Okay, so the place is closed. But
Amaz-O could be in there, rehearsing or something. Right?”

“He could be, I guess,” Foz said. “But chances are—”

“We’ve got to take that chance,” I insisted. I tried the front door. Locked.
Of course.

“There must be another way in,” I said. “A back door or something.” I dashed down the steps and around the side of the club.

“Bring the case, Foz!” I ordered.

He followed me, lugging the kit. I kept my eyes peeled for guards.

At the back of the mansion we found a door. I tried it. It opened easily!

We crept inside. We found ourselves in the club’s kitchen. It was long,
narrow, and shiny clean. The lights were off, but we could see by the light from
a window at one end.

Foz paused in front of a huge, stainless steel refrigerator. “I’ll bet
they’ve got some great food in here,” he whispered. “Lemon meringue pie or
something.”

I tugged at his arm. “This is no time for a snack!” I snapped. “Come on!”

We left the kitchen and entered a long, dark hallway. I recognized that hall.
It was the same hallway I’d walked down after my escape from the basement—the
first
time Amaz-O let me down.

“There’d better not be a second time,” I muttered under my breath.

We tiptoed down the dark hall. Up ahead I saw the door to Amaz-O’s dressing
room. It was half-open. A dim light spilled out into the hallway.

Yes! I thought to myself. That’s a good sign.

With Ginny in my arms, I crept up to the door. Please, please let him be in
there, I prayed. Please be here, Amaz-O. Please help us.

I stopped in front of the door. I took a deep breath.

“Mr. Amaz-O? Are you here?”

No reply.

I tried again. “Mr. Amaz-O? Hello?”

“He’s not here,” Foz said. “Let’s go.”

“Shhh!” I pushed the door open and crept into the dressing room. One small
lamp cast a dim pool of light on the dressing table. The great Amaz-O sat on the
couch, his left side facing the door. He was staring at the wall. He didn’t seem
to notice us.

“Mr. Amaz-O?” I said politely. “It’s me again. The kid you made disappear in
your magic show.”

I thought Amaz-O would turn his head to face us now, but he didn’t. He didn’t
do anything. He just sat there.

Man, I thought. He really hates kids. Or he hates his fans. Or he hates all
people. Or something.

When I become a great magician, I vowed, I won’t be like Amaz-O. I won’t let
my fame go to my head. I’ll be nice to people. This is ridiculous.

I didn’t care what Amaz-O’s problem was. I needed his help—badly. And I
wouldn’t give up until I got it.

I stepped farther into the dressing room. “Mr. Amaz-O, I’m sorry to bother
you. But I really need your help. It’s important.”

Amaz-O didn’t move. He stared at the wall. Silent.

“Do you think he’s asleep?” Foz whispered.

I shrugged. I took another breath and crept closer to the couch.

“I know you told me to beat it,” I said. “I wouldn’t bother you if it wasn’t
a matter of life and death—I swear.”

Still no response. I turned back to Foz, who cowered in the doorway. He
looked as if he were ready to run for it. I waved him into the room.

Foz stepped in. He set the magic kit on the floor, shaking.

I stared at Amaz-O. He ignored me. Who does he think he is? I thought
angrily. He can’t treat me this way! I’m not leaving until he helps me turn
Ginny back into a girl.

I steeled myself and approached the magician. He didn’t look at me. I tapped
him on the shoulder.

He toppled over onto his side.
Thunk!

Foz gasped. “Is he—? Is he—?”

I peered at the body on the couch. “He isn’t alive!” I cried. “Amaz-O isn’t
alive!”

“Oh, no!” Foz was wringing his hands in terror. “Oh, no! He’s dead! He’s
dead! Help!”

“He’s not dead,” I said. “He’s a dummy!

“Amaz-O is nothing but a big wooden puppet!”

How could it be possible? I stared at the puppet on the couch. I couldn’t
resist touching its cheek—then pinching it—just to be sure.

Oh, wow!

It was true. Amaz-O was made of wood.

Foz sputtered, “But—I saw him on TV. He looked totally real.”

“And I saw him live,” I said. “On stage. I stood right next to him, and he
made me disappear!”

How can this be? I wondered. How can the greatest magician in the world be a
puppet?

“This can’t be the guy you saw,” Foz insisted, poking at the dummy. “This is
probably just a dummy he keeps around for fun. The real Amaz-O has got to be
around here somewhere.”

Rabbit Ginny squirmed angrily in my arms. “Calm down,” I ordered, trying to
pet her.

She growled. I’ve never heard of a rabbit growling before. Only a
Ginny-rabbit would growl.

Amaz-O, my idol, I thought bitterly. What a fake he turned out to be. Not only was he a jerk to me—he’s not even a real
person! He’s a puppet!

“What are we going to do?” Foz asked.

I shook my head. I had no idea. “Now I’ll never get Ginny changed back into a
girl,” I said. “Mom and Dad are going to
murder
me.”

“Why don’t you tell them she ran away?” Foz suggested. “They’ll never believe
you turned her into a rabbit, anyway.”

“Why would she run away?” I demanded. “She was their little darling. She
could do no wrong.
I’m
the one who should run away.”

Foz lifted the Amaz-O puppet’s head, studying it. “I wonder how this thing
works….” he said.

A low voice suddenly growled, “Hey, punk—I told you to beat it!”

I froze. “Did you say something, Foz?” I asked.

He shook his head, eyes wide. He’d heard the voice, too.

“So beat it! Get out of here!” the voice growled.

I glanced around the room. I didn’t see anyone.

“Did the puppet talk?” I asked Foz.

“I—I don’t think so,” he stammered. “The voice came from the other side of
the room.”

“The puppet didn’t talk, dummy,” the voice grumbled. I turned to find it. I
gazed across the room. Amaz-O’s white rabbit sat on a chair in front of the
dressing table.

“I told you to get lost. Now get lost!” the rabbit growled.

“Tim—did—did you see that?” Foz stammered. “I think that rabbit talked.”

“Of course I talked, stupid,” the rabbit snarled.

“You talked?” I echoed in amazement.

“I guess that thing on the couch isn’t the only dummy in this room,” the
rabbit snapped. “I can do lots of things. I’m a magician.”

Foz and I stared at the rabbit, stunned. Even Ginny stopped squirming in my
arms.

“You’re not a magician,” Foz said. “You’re a rabbit.”

The rabbit’s ears twisted. “Duh. You guys are really quick. You know that?”

“You don’t have to be so mean,” I protested.

“You
don’t have to be so stupid,” the rabbit replied. “I may
look
like a rabbit. But so does your little sister. Am I right?”

“He’s got a point,” Foz admitted.

“I am the great Amaz-O,” the rabbit announced. “In person. That dummy on the
couch is a puppet I had built to look like me—the old me.”

My jaw fell open.
“You’re
Amaz-O? What happened to you?”

The rabbit sighed. “It’s a long story. Let’s just say I had a rival—a real
powerful one. A sorcerer, actually.”

Foz gasped. “A sorcerer? Do they really exist?”

“I’m telling you about one, aren’t I?” the rabbit shouted.

“Yes, but—”

“So be quiet and listen to the story,” Amaz-O, the rabbit, grumbled. “If
you’d stop talking you might learn something.”

Amaz-O sure was a grouch.

“Anyway, long story short,” Amaz-O went on. “This sorcerer guy—Frank—”

“A sorcerer named Frank?” I cut in. I didn’t mean to interrupt. It just
slipped out.

The rabbit glared at me.
“Yes,
a sorcerer named Frank. You got a
problem with that?”

I shook my head.

“Can I finish talking now? You got any more stupid questions?”

Foz and I both shook our heads.

“This guy’s named Foz—” Amaz-O gestured toward Foz “—and you want to make
fun of a guy named Frank.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to make fun of Frank.”

“He’s a very powerful guy,” Amaz-O said. “I’m proof of that.”