1. Dare Jo to climb the tree outside my window.
"Well, why not?" Maggie grinned at her cousin. "C'mon. I dare you. There's nothing unsafe about it. I use it to sneak out all the time."
Jo went white, then red, then a delicate shade of green. "Um, I can't I have this-Ah-botany homework."
Maggie made a face. "You don't take botany."
"Well then, I need to go help dad plant cabbage."
"He finished two weeks ago. Jo, if you're afraid of hights, you don't have to pretend you're not. I won't tell anybody, I promise."
Jo sighed. "Yeah, I'm afraid of hights. Don't rub it in."
"I promise I won't dare you again."
2. Climb into the air vents and moan like a ghost when my sister Hannah's suitors arrive.
Bored.
Maggie was so bored, she thought she might die. But then, a thought struck her. Hannah's first suitor ever was arriving today, and she had spent all day with mother, getting ready. Maggie scowled. No one had even bothered to ask her how her day at school had gone, they were so busy doting over Hannah. Hannah, her perfect, pretty, fifteen year old sister. Who cared about suitors, anyway? Maggie already had a list of 101 ways to get rid of them. But when she turned over from lying on her stomach, the air vent above her bed grinned back at her. There it was. Perfect. Down went the vent cover, and up went Maggie. Crawling about on her stomach, she had an idea. Nobody expected her to show up when Hannah's suitor from Terralain arrived. She just had to be there for supper. After a few wrong turns that ended her up in the kitchen-scaring Gort half to death-then the drawing room, but finally, she was above the great hall. And, just in time, too. Mother, Father, and Hannah were greeting the visiting party, and now the fun was about too begin. She moaned and groaned, until every one of the people in the great hall were wide-eyed with terror, except for Hannah, who looked furious, and Father, who was obviously not buying it. As quietly as she could, she made her way back to her bedroom, and dropped onto the bed. Just as she was replacing the cover, her mother opened the door. Maggie paled.
"I can explain."
"You'd better."
watch?v=HskbtYsZGY4
Click Here to listen to Vince Garauldi's Graveyard theme, my inspiration for this!
3. Ask Gort to cook a frog that I found.
From in the royal kitchen came shouts, and laughter.
Out popped Maggie, carrying a terrified looking frog in both hands, and then moments later, Gort followed, a ladle in hand, face red.
4. Tell Edward the ghost story I read for a bedtime story.
Three year old Edward's face grew horrified with every word Maggie read him, until all that could be seen underneath the blue-sky comforter was a trembling lump.
"That's too bad," She sighed. "Uncle Jo didn't like it either."
5. Climb onto Uncle Picket's roof so I can find the Starstick.
The moment Weezie exited the back door to empty the compost, she had the feeling she was being watched. The feeling was still there when she called the younglings in for baths.
"Aunt Weezie?" Maggie grinned sheepishly. "I couldn't find the Starstick, but, I got stuck. Can you help me?"
