by Cliff McNish
‘No, you’re not,’ Rachel whispered into her ear. ‘I’ll never let you fall off!’
The girl gripped her neck, so happy to be paid attention by a child with magic.
For a while Rachel took directions from the brother and sister about what to do. They wanted to transform, so Rachel shifted halfway across the world. Soon the little girl and her brother were disguised in Asia, creeping in tangled forests, sneaking up on tiger cubs.
Finally, after Rachel had exhausted them with many kinds of magic, she took them back home. ‘I’ll come here tomorrow, if you like,’ she said.
The girl sucked her thumb. ‘Will you?’
‘Promise.’ Rachel fixed a time.
She left them with a wave and shifted back to the nursery, where she found Eric scowling. ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ he said. ‘I’m stuck out here, left like a twit by the kiddy swings. You said we were going to find the prapsies!’
‘We are, we are. Stop moaning and climb on.’ As Eric scrambled onto her back some of Rachel’s favourite spells, her shifters, eased forward into her mind. She felt her whole body supercharging with exhilaration as they loosened up all their tremendous power.
Eric saw her eyes light up: a thousand glistening shades of blue.
‘Get ready,’ she told him, balancing on her toes.
‘Oh-oh,’ Eric said. ‘A big trip, then. Where are you dragging us off to?’
‘Wouldn’t be a surprise if I gave it away.’
‘How far? Come on. Just tell me.’
‘Everest!’
‘Oh no, not the flipping Himalayas again!’ He seized her collar.
‘Are you ready or not?’
‘Yeah, yeah, I suppose.’ Eric took a deep breath and half-shut his eyes. ‘But you’d better keep me warm. I’m warning you, Rach. Last time we went there you nearly froze off my –’
Rachel launched into the chilly sky.
