Selby Sorcerer by Duncan Ball Read Free Book Online Page A

about joy. It’s about hiding pimples, getting rid of unwanted hair, changing whole personalities — making people beautiful. Feast your eyes on these.’
    Selby watched as the woman put a stack of House of Mascara Cosmetics Kits on the Trifles’ coffee table.
    ‘Wonderful products,’ Madame Mascara said. ‘Eye cream, toner, foundation, skin cleanser, eyeliner and much much more.’
    Madame Mascara put a dab of moisturiser on Mrs Trifle’s hand. ‘There’s lipstick and nail polish in wonderful colours like black, brown and frog’s bottom green. And everything has been tested so no one will be allergic to it. Look, your hand is already beginning to look like it did when you were ten years old.’
    ‘I hope not,’ Mrs Trifle said. ‘When I was ten I chewed my fingernails and my hands looked horrible.’
    ‘Every day I get letters from people whose lives have been changed by these marvellous products,’ Madame Mascara said. ‘When can you start?’
    ‘I’m sorry but I really don’t think I have the time.’
    ‘Then
make
time. What’s wrong with right now?’
    ‘I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. I’ve just worked all day, cleaned the house, made dinner and now I’m off to an urgent council meeting.’
    ‘Then start tomorrow,’ Madame Mascara said, getting up to go. ‘It’s Saturday. You can spend the weekend selling House of Mascara Cosmetics Kits.’
    ‘I can’t. I’m too busy, even on the weekends.’
    ‘Try to be positive,’ Madame Mascara said.
    ‘No, I really can’t sell your products.’
    ‘Hasty decisions are always wrong,’ Madame Mascara said. ‘Sleep on it.’
    ‘I’m telling you that I absolutely can’t —’
    ‘Shhhh,’ Madame Mascara said, putting afinger on Mrs Trifle’s lips. ‘Never say can’t. Tomorrow.’
    Madame Mascara was out the door and into her limousine in a flash.
    ‘Madame M!’ Mrs Trifle called. ‘Griselda! Your kits! Come back!’
    The second the Trifles were out the door, Selby opened one of the House of Mascara Cosmetics Kits.
    ‘That woman is
soooo
pushy!’ he thought. ‘And Mrs Trifle is too polite. Hmmm, look at allthese bottles and jars and tubes. They are kinda cute.’

    Selby took the top off a perfume bottle and sniffed it.
    ‘I wonder if anyone makes cosmetics for dogs. I’d love one of these little kits. Let’s see: moisturiser, blusher, lippy, hair remover — I’d need a bigger tube than that. Hmmm, what’s this?’
    Selby opened a plastic bag and took out a notepad of rainbow-coloured paper that said
House of Mascara Cosmetics
at the top. He gave it a sniff.
    ‘It smells even better than the scent in those little bottles,’ he thought, rubbing his paw on it.
    Selby put everything away neatly and lay curled up on the carpet. He had his perfumed paw next to his nose so he could sniff it while watching the latest episode of
Roxanna the Sorcerer,
his favourite TV sorcery show.
    ‘I just love that girl,’ he thought. ‘All she has to do is wave that wand and everyone has to do what she says. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to do that?’
    The Trifles arrived back just as the programwas ending. Selby hit the OFF button on the controls just as Dr and Mrs Trifle came through the door.
    ‘Hi there, Selby-welby,’ Mrs Trifle said, giving him a good pat. ‘What a lucky dog you are. While some of us
a-choo!,
work hard all
a-choo!,
day, you just take it easy.’
    ‘Are you coming down with a cold or something?’ Dr Trifle asked.
    ‘A-choo!,
I don’t know,’ Mrs Trifle said, taking out a handkerchief.
‘A-choo!,
I don’t feel sick or anything.’
    ‘Allergy,’ Dr Trifle said. ‘Something in the air.’
    ‘You’re not
a-a-a-choo!,
sneezing,’ Mrs Trifle said, blowing her nose. ‘But I guess that doesn’t mean anything. Some people are allergic to some things when other people aren’t.’
    The next morning Dr and Mrs Trifle were having breakfast in the kitchen while Selby lay on the lounge room floor.
    ‘That