The Wish List by Eoin Colfer Read Free Book Online Page A

back, it must be to do something special.”
    A nervous feeling growled in Meg’s spiritual stomach. “Like?”
    â€œLike help me sort out my life.”
    You had to laugh. So Meg did. “Sort out your life. What life? You’ve only got half a year left.” It was the sort of thing Meg Finn did. Blurted out a mean statement like that, and then felt guilty for months.
    â€œWell, I didn’t mean . . .” she stammered.
    â€œNo. You’re right. What life? That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” Lowrie’s eyes were lost in past memories. “If only . . .”
    He shook himself back to the present. “Too late for if onlys . Time to do something about it.”
    He opened the spiral pad. “So, I’ve made a list.”
    Ah! Point on the horizon, Captain. “What sort of list?”
    â€œI’ve divided my life into a series of mistakes. Things I didn’t do when I had the chance. It wasn’t easy, I’m telling you. There was a lot to choose from. But I’ve narrowed it down to four.”
    The old man tore a page from the pad and handed it to the reluctant spirit. Page , thought Meg, and took the sheet. The surface was covered with barely legible scribbles. It didn’t matter. The words sang out to Meg before she even attempted to read them. Even the squiggles were bursting with emotion. The pain of compiling this list swirled from the page in ropy, moaning memories.
    There were at least twenty items on the list, most of which had been crossed out. That didn’t matter to Meg. Their images leaked out through the inklike ghostly reminders. Lowrie wasn’t exaggerating. His life had been a disaster. Marrying an alcoholic, living with her mother, not getting fire insurance for his first house. Arriving for a holiday in Yugoslavia on the day war broke out. It went on and on. These were things that couldn’t be addressed. There was no helping them. But four items were circled and numbered. Meg read them slowly, not believing what the spectral images told her.
    At last, a puzzled soul looked up from the page. “I don’t get it,” she said simply.
    â€œIt’s not too late for these,” said Lowrie, his face shining. “They can still be done.”
    Meg snorted. “You’re not serious.”
    â€œOh, but I am, young lady. Regret is a powerful incentive.”
    â€œI don’t even know what you’re talking about. I’m only fourteen, you know.”
    Lowrie rubbed his scarred calf. “With your help, I can accomplish these things. I never could before. But when you . . . possessed me yesterday, I felt young again. Ready for anything.
    â€œBut these! I mean, what’s the point? It’s crazy.”
    Lowrie nodded. “To you, maybe. To everyone else on the planet. But these were my greatest failures. Now I have a chance to put them right, even if no one cares but me.”
    Meg was running out of arguments. “But what will it change, running around the country like a crazy man?”
    â€œNothing,” Lowrie admitted. “Except my opinion of myself. And that, young Meg, becomes very important to a person as they grow older.”
    Meg felt scowl wrinkles settle across her forehead. She hated that “you’ll understand it when you’re older” chestnut. Especially now, as she wasn’t getting any older. Ever.
    She waved the flimsy sheet at him. “It has to be this? We have to travel the length and breadth of Ireland to complete four idiotic tasks? Nothing else will do you?”
    â€œThat’s it,” replied Lowrie. “That’s the deal. That list is the only way to heaven,” he paused pointedly, “for either of us.”
    Belch was back. Sort of. Sort of Belch, and sort of back. Confused? He wasn’t. Myishi had downloaded a complete “virtual help tutorial” module into his memory. Now all he had to do was think of a