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Authors: Malorie Blackman

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BOOK: Girl Wonder to the Rescue
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“It was you two who put me on the right track,” Mum said to Anthony and me.

“Yeah! I’m short-sighted! Mum realized what was wrong, thanks to your silly-stupid-senseless suggestions,” said Edward proudly.

“But our suggestions worked, didn’t they? They couldn’t have been that silly-stupid-senseless if they helped Mum to find out what was wrong with your eyes,” I said smugly.

“Yeah!” agreed Anthony. “It’s just a shame Mum couldn’t fix your head at the same time!”

Anthony and the Rap Attack

“What’s the time, Mum?” I asked, wondering what had happened to our dinner. Mum had given us an apple each to keep us going until our dinner had finished cooking.

“Maxine wants more!

She’s big as a door

And wide as the floor

So it’s half-past four!” rapped Anthony.

I gave my brother a dirty look.

“Maxine, it’s ten past six,” sighed Mum. “Anthony, how much longer are you
going to say everything in rhyme?”

“If I’m a poet,

I’ve got to show it!

But I won’t blow it!

You know it! You know it!” said Anthony.

“Mum, tell him!” said Edward, covering his ears with his hands and pulling a face.

Anthony was driving us all up the wall and on to the roof! For the last three days, all he’d done was talk in rhymes and raps, raps and rhymes. At first it was fun. Now it was getting on every single one of my nerves.

“You’re just jealous,” grinned Anthony.

“Pinch me, someone! I must be dreaming. I thought I heard Anthony say something that didn’t rhyme!” Mum collapsed back on the sofa.

“I just suggest

That I’m the best.

I beat the rest,

So put me to the test!” rapped Anthony.

“How about if I beat you over the head with this cushion?” I scowled at him.

“Mum, tell him!” said Edward.

Mum closed her eyes and put her hand to her temples. She stood up.

“I’m going to my bedroom to read,” Mum said very quietly. “And you three are going to stay down here.”

“Don’t leave us with him,” I begged Mum.

“Yeah, you can’t leave us alone with him,” Edward pleaded.

Anthony started blowing raspberries and patting his cheeks.

“My name’s not Freddy,

The dinner isn’t ready!

It’s got to cook.

Mum’s off the hook.

She’s going to her bed to read her library book!” Anthony told us.

“I’ll see you three when the dinner’s ready,” said Mum, even more quietly than before.

And before I could even blink, she was out of the room. I looked at Edward. Edward looked at me.

“Maxine, do something. Save me!” Edward put a cushion over his head, bending the corners down to cover his ears.

I turned to Anthony. “If you make up one more rhyme, I’ll . . . I’ll . . .”

“I’m off to the loo!

But don’t worry ’bout that.

’Cause before you know it,

I’ll be back!” said Anthony.

And off he went.

“Maxine, do something –
please
,” Edward begged me.

“Come on, Edward,” I said. “This is a job for Girl Wonder . . .”

“And one of the Terrific Twins who’s getting a headache,” Edward complained.

We whizzed-whirled around until we fell over.

“What’s your plan?” asked Edward.

“I haven’t actually got one yet,” I admitted.

“Then think of one – fast,” Edward ordered.

I thought and thought and thought. And at last a plan leaped into my head. I told Edward, just as Anthony came running down the stairs. Anthony burst into
the room, but before he could say a word, I got in before him.

“Until you stop rhyming . . .” I began.

“Yeah, until you do . . .” said Edward.

Then Edward and I said together:

“We’ve decided

Not to talk to you.”

Anthony frowned at us.

“But there’s nothing finer,

Than to be a rhymer . . .” he began.

Edward and I didn’t let him finish. We said again,

“Until you stop rhyming,

Yeah, until you do,

We’ve decided

Not to talk to you.”

“Come on, Edward. D’you fancy playing a video game?” I asked, ignoring Anthony completely.

“Yes, all right,” said Edward.

Edward switched on the telly and put our favourite video game into the game console.

“Me first,” I said, picking up the controls.

“If you’re no good at this

It won’t be much fun.

So let me show you,

How it should be done!” said Anthony.

I looked around the room, puzzled. “Funny! I thought I heard something,” I said.

“So did I,” said Edward. Then he shrugged. “We must be imagining things.”

It was really mean, I know, but Anthony was driving us bonkers!

Anthony looked at us.

“Can I play?” he said at last.

I looked at him. “No more rapping or rhyming?” I asked.

“No more rapping or rhyming,” Anthony said glumly.

“Thank goodness.” Edward breathed a sigh of relief.

“You two just don’t appreciate talent,” said Anthony.

“If you had any, we’d appreciate it,” I answered.

“Hhmm! Well, you’ll both be sorry,” Anthony told us. “You’re going to miss all my rhymes.”

Edward and I fell about laughing.

“You must be joking!” we told him.

And we each took it in turns to play our video game. Our plan had worked. We’d finally got Anthony to shut up!

For the rest of the day Anthony was very quiet. I think he missed making up his rhymes. I didn’t!

But the very next day, Edward and I were forced to eat our words.

The Zappers!

The next morning, the moment we walked into school, we knew that something was going on. Charlotte, my best friend, dashed over to me.

“Have you heard the news?” she asked.

“What news?” I said.

“There are notices like this all over the school.”

“Are you going to try for it, Maxine?” Charlotte asked me, very excited.

“I don’t know. A talent show . . . That’ll be fun,” I said.

“Maxine, we must go for it,” said Edward, excited. “Wow! A talent show.”

“We’ve got to try,” Anthony agreed.

“But what are we going to do?” I said. “Has anyone got any ideas?”

Anthony and Edward shook their heads.

We wandered away from the noticeboard and out into the playground.

“I could sing,” Edward suggested.

“Only if you want us to get booed off the stage.” Anthony wrinkled up his nose.

He was quite right too! Edward sings like a frog with a sore throat! Still, his voice
is
better than mine, so maybe I shouldn’t say much!

“How about dancing?” said Anthony. “We could always do a dance.”

“Ballet dancing?” I asked, doubtfully.

Anthony and Edward started jumping around, their arms waving about in the air like tree branches in a force twelve hurricane.

“How does this look?” asked Anthony, anxiously.

“Yeah, how does this look?” asked Edward.

“Like we need a few more lessons before we dance for anyone else,” I sighed.

“Ballet dancing is hard work,” Anthony gasped.

“Maxine, what
are
we going to do?” asked Edward.

So I said, “That is a job for Girl Wonder . . .”

BOOK: Girl Wonder to the Rescue
2.61Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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