The Wish List by Eoin Colfer Read Free Book Online

his easy chair. Meg could almost hear his bones creaking.
    â€œNora was my wife. We shared twenty-seven years of our lives.”
    Meg sighed. Happy family stories always made her go mushy. “You’re lucky. To stay married that long.”
    â€œLucky?” snorted the old man. “It’s easy to tell you weren’t married to her. She drank like a barrel of fish and smoked sixty cigarettes a day. Why do you think I live in this dump? That old sponge drank everything we had, including the furniture.”
    â€œI suppose it was the drink that killed her in the end?” Meg said, trying to sound mature and sympathetic.
    Lowrie nodded. “In a way. She came home plastered one night, and drank a bottle of bleach by accident.”
    Now it was Meg’s turn to look for sarcasm. Not a trace.
    â€œAnd I’m just about getting my life in order, when in come you two and that big wolf of yours.”
    Meg thought back to the tunnel. “Oh, we’re paying for our crimes. Believe me.”
    â€œThat other chap. Is he in . . . you know. Down below?”
    â€œYep,” nodded Meg.
    â€œAnd what’s your punishment?”
    â€œI’m here listening to you, aren’t I?”
    â€œOh, ha-ha. You’re a riot. Well, I’m glad you’re taking death so casually.”
    Meg sighed. “I’m still alive. Only different. My life wasn’t any great shakes, anyway.”
    Lowrie nodded glumly. He knew the feeling.
    â€œCan I ask you something?”
    Lowrie nodded cautiously. “I suppose so.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong with you?”
    The old man paled. “What sort of question is that?”
    â€œWell, last night, when we were . . . joined . . . I felt something inside you. I dunno, something sort of bad.”
    Lowrie snorted. “ Sort of bad? Could you give me that in layman’s terms?”
    â€œBad, dark . . . I don’t know. I’m not a doctor.”
    â€œGo on—aren’t you?”
    â€œOh, forget it!” scowled Meg. “I’m sorry I asked.”
    Lowrie rubbed the scar on his leg. “It’s my heart,” he said. “The old pump is giving out.”
    â€œAre you . . .”
    The old man nodded ruefully. “ Yes . Couple of months. Six at the most.”
    Meg squinted at him. “Don’t worry. Blue aura. Straight up to the Pearlies.”
    â€œIt’s not the afterlife I’m worried about. It’s this one.”
    â€œIt’s a bit late for that.”
    â€œYou don’t understand. Youngsters! Would you shut up and listen for once in your life—or death —or whatever.”
    Meg swallowed a retort. Even uncharitable thoughts caused a dozen red shoots to sprout in her aura.
    â€œOkay. I’m listening.”
    Lowrie pulled a spiral notepad from his dressing-gown pocket.
    â€œMy life’s been a disaster. The whole thing. Not one high point to look back on. From marrying that old fish Nora, to getting my leg chewed by that beast.”
    â€œThere must have been something.”
    Lowrie shook his head. “Nope. I’ve made a mess of sixty-eight years. Every single decision I ever made was the wrong one.”
    Meg allowed a big “I doubt it” look to paste itself across her face.
    â€œWipe that look off your face. It’s hard enough explaining what a pathetic human being I am, without you sneering at my every word.”
    â€œWhat do you want me to do? I can’t go back in time or anything.”
    â€œOh,” said Lowrie, disappointed.
    â€œI’ll just help you around the house for a few days until my aura goes blue, and then poof, I’m off.”
    â€œWill you shut up about yourself, and listen! I’m sure God Almighty didn’t send you down here to do the dishes!”
    Meg scowled. Old guys thought they knew everything. Here was this fellow mouthing off about God, and he wasn’t even dead yet.
    â€œIf you were sent