28 - The Cuckoo Clock of Doom Read Online Free PDF Page A

gasped with laughter. I sat up and wiped the frosting from my eyes.
    Mona leaned over the table, laughing harder than anybody.
    The second time was more embarrassing than the first.
    I sat on the floor, my face covered with cake, thinking, how could I have
been so stupid?
    Why did I have to make that wish?
    I’ll never wish for anything ever again.
    I cleaned myself up and managed to survive the rest of the party. When I went
to bed that night, I thought, at least it’s over.
    I switched off the light and pulled the covers up high.
    It’s over, I repeated. I’ll go to sleep, and everything will be back to
normal in the morning.
    I shut my eyes and fell asleep. But in my dreams, all night long, I saw
scenes from my horrible birthday party. The nightmare party became a real
nightmare.
    There was Tara, telling Mona that I liked her. Mona’s face loomed up large in
my dreams, laughing, laughing. Ceecee and Rosie and the guys, all laughing right
in my face.
    I tripped and fell on top of the cake, over and over again.
    I tossed and turned. Each dream was scarier than the last. Soon my friends
looked like horrible monsters. And Tara was the most horrible of all. Her
features melted into a blur as she laughed and laughed at me.
    Wake up, I told myself. Wake up!
    I dragged myself out of the nightmare world. I sat up in bed, in a cold
sweat.
    The room was still dark. I glanced at the clock.
    Three o’clock in the morning.
    I can’t sleep, I thought miserably. I can’t calm down.
    I’ve got to tell Mom and Dad what happened. Maybe they can help.
    Maybe they can make me feel better.
    I climbed out of bed and hurried down the dark hall to their room. Their door
was open a crack.
    I pushed it open.
    “Mom? Dad? Are you awake?”
    Dad rolled over and grunted, “Huh?”
    I shook Mom’s shoulder. “Mom?”
    Mom stirred. “What is it, Michael?” she whispered. She sat up and grabbed the
clock radio. In the clock’s dim blue glow I saw her squint, trying to read the
time.
    “It’s three o’clock!” she cried.
    Dad snorted and sat up suddenly. “Huh? What?”
    “Mom, you’ve got to listen to me!” I whispered. “Something creepy happened
today. Didn’t you notice it?”
    “Michael, what is this—”
    “My birthday,” I explained. “Tara ruined my birthday, and I wished I could
have it all over again. I wanted to make it better. But I never thought the wish
would come true! Then, today, it was my birthday again! And everything happened
exactly the same. It was horrible!”
    Dad rubbed his eyes. “That you, Michael?”
    Mom patted him. “Go back to sleep, dear. Michael’s just had a bad dream.”
    “No, Mom,” I cried. “It wasn’t a dream. It was real! My birthday happened
twice! You were there, both times. Don’t you understand?”
    “Listen, Michael,” Mom began. I heard impatience in her voice. “I know you’re
excited about your birthday, but it’s two days away. Only two days to go—then
it will be your birthday at last! Okay? So go back to bed now and get some
sleep.”
    She kissed me good night. “Only two days till your birthday. Sweet dreams.”

 
 
9
     
     
    I staggered back to bed, my head spinning.
    Two days until my birthday?
    Hadn’t I just lived through my birthday—twice?
    I switched on the reading lamp and stared at the date on my watch. February
third, it said.
    My birthday is February fifth. My birthday was two days away.
    Could it be true? Was time going backwards?
    No, I thought. I must be going nuts.
    I shook my head hard. I slapped myself a few times. Going back in time. I
laughed at the idea.
    It’s impossible, I thought. Get a hold of yourself, Michael.
    All I did was wish to celebrate my birthday over again— once.
    I didn’t wish to repeat my twelfth birthday for the rest of my life!
    But if that’s what’s happening, why is it now two days before my
birthday? Why isn’t it just the night before?
    Maybe time really is going backwards, I thought.