025-The Eighth Wish

The Eighth Wish

The children stood around Huey’s well without speaking . They had agreed to make two wishes each. Only Panther had one wish left. “ Are you going to stand there all day?” Huey said, sounding irritated. Cy nudged Panther. “ It’s your turn, ” he said.

Panther nodded but didn’t say anything. “ Are you running out of wishes?” Huey asked. Panther still did not speak. Bobby let out a loud sigh. Jane tapped her foot. Cy kept turning his head. Clearly they were all annoyed. But no one said a word.

“ I wish everyone would say what they are thinking, ” Panther blurted out. Huey’s fins started to open and close. Panther put her hand over her mouth. “ No, Huey. That wasn’t a wish, ” she cried. “ But you wished it, ” Huey said, his fins turning purple and blue.

“ What I meant was . . . ” Panther tried to explain. But it was too late. Huey granted her wish. “ Now go away, ” he said. Cy placed Huey in the bucket. As he lowered him down, Cy muttered, “ I’m sick of doing this every time. ”

His siblings stared at him. Cy slapped a hand over his mouth . “ Why did I say that?” he said in a surprised voice. “ That’s because you’re mean, ” Jane cried out. She, too, then covered her mouth. The children suddenly felt uneasy with each other. “ I think we should go home, ” Panther suggested.