3. The Magic Crystal

Chapter 3 The Magic Crystal "Do you want to know a secret?" asked Casey. Marvin shrugged. "Follow me," she said. "I'll tell you in the library." She started up the stairs. Marvin followed. He was glad to be going to the library. Maybe he'd get to slide down the fire pole. By the time he reached the fourth floor, his legs were sore and he was out of breath. He was not used to climbing so many stairs. "In here," said Casey. She opened the door to the library. The room was shaped like an octagon. Every wall was covered with bookshelves. The fire pole came up through the middle

of the room. There was a railing around it, so somebody wouldn't accidentally fall through the hole. "Do you know why you came to my house today?" Casey asked him. "Um … no," said Marvin. He didn't want her to think he liked her. "Because of this!" said Casey. She pulled something out of her pocket. "It's a magic crystal. It makes all your wishes come true." She showed it to Marvin. Marvin took it from her and examined it. It was almost transparent, with flecks of green and gold. "It used to be just a normal rock," Casey explained. "Then, last night, it got struck by lightning! And it turned into a magic crystal." Marvin remembered that it had stormed last night. The lightning and thunder had scared his little sister, Linzy. But how would Casey know that the lightning had struck this rock? "I wished that you'd come to my house today," said Casey. "And here you are." Marvin knew that had nothing to do with the rock. The only reason he was here was because Stuart and Nick had

gotten into a fight. "What other wishes have you made?" he asked. "Just two other wishes so far," said Casey. "You have to be real careful with wishes. First I wished that Judy and I would be friends forever." That doesn't prove anything, Marvin thought. "And then," said Casey, "remember when Clarence was bragging about how he can stick a needle through his finger?" Marvin remembered. Clarence was grossing out everybody in class. "I wished he'd be quiet," said Casey. "And he was!" "Mrs. North told him to be quiet," Marvin pointed out. "I wished it right before Mrs. North told him," said Casey. Marvin didn't think that proved anything either. "You try," said Casey. Marvin looked at the rock. "You have to close your eyes and squeeze the crystal as hard as you can, so that it hurts. Then make a wish," said Casey. Marvin tried to think of something to wish for. He felt

silly. He closed his eyes and squeezed the rock so hard it hurt the palm of his hand. "I wish I knew when the book report was due." "That doesn't count," said Casey. "I already told you it was due Tuesday. You have to make a real wish." "Okay," Marvin said, glad that he finally knew when the report was due. He closed his eyes and squeezed the rock again. "I wish I had an ice cream sundae." He opened his eyes. No ice cream sundae. Casey leaned over the railing and screamed down into the hole. "Dad! Marvin wants an ice cream sundae!" Marvin leaned over the railing as well. He saw Casey's father way down at the bottom of the pole. It was a long way down. Marvin wasn't so sure he wanted to slide down it anymore. He felt a little dizzy. "How many scoops?" Casey's father called up. "How many scoops do you want, Marvin?" Casey asked him. "Uh, two." "We both want two scoops!" Casey shouted. She turned back to Marvin. "My dad makes the best ice

cream sundaes." "Well, that doesn't count," said Marvin. "If your dad makes it." "Why not?" asked Casey. "You wished for an ice cream sundae. And now you're going to get one." Still, it seemed to Marvin he would have gotten the sundae even without the magic crystal. But now that he thought about it, he did wonder why he'd agreed to come to Casey's house. "When did you wish for me to come over?" he asked her. "Before or after Stuart and Nick got in a fight?" "Before," said Casey. "That's weird," said Marvin. "I was supposed to go to Stuart's house today. The only reason I didn't was because he had to stay after school for fighting." Casey bit her finger. The door to the library opened and a teenage girl came in. "We're busy," said Casey. "Oh, sorry," said the girl. "I didn't know you were in here." She looked at Marvin. "Is he your boyfriend?" "No way!" Casey exclaimed. "He's just Marvin."

The girl looked at Marvin. "Marvin Redpost?" she asked. Marvin wondered how she knew his last name. The girl stared at Marvin. "Aren't you the boy who turned into a girl?" "Uh … no," said Marvin. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Oh," said the girl. "It must have been a different Marvin Redpost." She laughed, then turned and left the library. "That's my sister, Tanya," said Casey. "She's just stupid." A short while later, Mr. Happleton yelled up that the sundaes were ready. "Let's go," said Casey. She ducked under the railing, grabbed the pole, then disappeared beneath the floor. Marvin looked over the railing. His legs felt very weak. He took a long, deep breath. He still held the magic crystal. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I wish I don't get hurt." He ducked under the railing, took hold of the pole, and wrapped his legs around it. He let himself slide down,