The Girl With Death Breath and Other Naughty Stories for Good Boys and Girls Read Free Page A

Steven muttered. ‘And some food. Everything’s so expensive. All I’ve done is buy a bit of lunch, some dry food for Woof and a few lollies and the money’s half gone.Well, a fair few lollies, really, but a bloke gets hungry.’
    At last, Steven and Woofer reached the middle of the city.Which was a bit of a worry, really, because once you’re standing in the middle, it’s hard to think where else to go. It was getting dark, so no good looking for a job until the next day. And it was getting cold, too. Poor old Woofer was a bit scared.
    â€˜Don’t you worry, Woof,’ said Steven. ‘You’ll be right with me. We’ll stick together, OK, Woof?’
    Steven would never admit it to Woof, but he was scared too. And cold and wet. Woofer didn’t look all that flash either. Time to find somewhere to sleep.
    Steven had read in the papers that some poor street kids have to sleep under bridges. With newspapers for blankets. But he didn’t fancy that too much – especially when the kids he saw under one bridge looked pretty tough.

    So, Steven and Woofer walked. Anywhere, everywhere, just to keep warm, until finally, Steven’s little legs just wouldn’t take him any further. He lay down in a park, cuddled into Woofer and fell into a long, shivery sleep.
    People saw them still huddled up together the next morning, and of course they called the police. It wasn’t very long at all before Steven was back home again. As quickly as his big adventure had started, it was over.
    But it ended just as it had begun. With a note. From his brother Anthony, hidden under his pillow.
    This is what it said:
    DEAR STEVE,
    BECAUSE I'M YOUR BROTHER AND A BOY, I CAN'T SAY MUSHY STUFF TO YOU SO I DECIDED TO WRITE IT DOWN. YOU KNOW HOW MUM AND DAD SAID THEY MISSED YOU REALLY BADLY? WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU BELIEVE THEM OR NOT, BUT THEY DID.
    YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? I MISSED YOU TOO. WORSE THAN YOU'D EVER BELIEVE. YOU'RE THE BEST BROTHER A KID COULD HAVE.
    DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S STUPID? I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE MUM AND DAD'S FAVOURITE. NOT ME. EVERYONE LIKES YOU, STEVE. EXACTLY AS YOU ARE. BUT ME, I'VE GOT TO TRY ALL THE TIME. I'VE GOT TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE ME. BY BEING GOOD AT THINGS. YOU KNOW, FOOTY AND SCHOOLWORK AND STUFF.
    YOU'RE THE LUCKY ONE. I'D DO ANYTHING TO SWAP. I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT SECRETLY MUM AND DAD RECKON I'M THE LOSER. THAT'S WHY THEY SAY NICE THINGS WHEN I DO WELL. TO BUILD ME UP.
    DON'T EVER RUN AWAY AGAIN, STEVE, I COULDN'T STAND IT. YOU'RE THE ONLY REAL FRIEND I'VE GOT.
    Â Â Â Â  ANTHONY
    Steven tiptoed to his brother’s room and whispered, ‘You awake?’
    â€˜Yeah,’ said Anthony.
    â€˜Thanks for the letter,’ said Steven.
    â€˜That’s OK,’ Anthony said.
    â€˜I am your friend,’ said Steven. ‘Always. And you know how true friends should be able to say anything to each other?’
    â€˜Yeah,’ said Anthony.
    â€˜If I’m the only real friend you’ve got,’ said Steve, smiling, ‘then you’re a total loser.’

‘OK,’ said Mr Jenkins,‘I want you all to write a story, no more than a page, on what you did during the holidays.’
    â€˜What if I don’t feel like it?’ said Anne Spinks.
    â€˜I beg your pardon?’ said Mr Jenkins, more than a little surprised.
    â€˜I don’t want to do your stupid story,’ said Anne.
    Mr Jenkins couldn’t believe his ears. Anne Spinks was by no means the best-behaved student in class, but she had never been downright rude before.
    â€˜What has got into you?’ asked Mr Jenkins.
    â€˜I should be asking what has got into you,’ said Anne. ‘ A monkey?’
    â€˜Right, that’s enough!’ yelled Mr Jenkins. ‘Stand outside!’
    â€˜No,’ said Anne.
    â€˜What?’ thundered Mr Jenkins.
    â€˜No,’ repeated Anne. ‘N-O, no!’

    Poor Mr Jenkins. He knew he couldn’t