Be a Genie in Six Easy Steps by Linda Chapman Page A

groaned Michael behind her. “I can see the sewers. I can see rats in the sewers! I can see what the rats have been eating in the sewers. Urrrgh…”
    Toffee met a crowd of people walking along the pavement. Slowing down, he flattened his ears and lunged for a businessman’s arm. The man staggered back with a cry and fell into a workmen’s tent with a noisy clatter.
    â€œCall the police!” someone roared.
    â€œGot you!” cried Milly triumphantly, grabbing hold of Toffee’s lead rope, but the pony was too alarmed by the shouts of pedestrians and the honking of horns to hold still. He set off down a side street, with Milly hanging on.
    Jess rushed after her and grabbed the lead rope too, but Toffee was too strong to be stopped.
    â€œHelp us!” Jess yelled as Toffee towed her and Milly out of the side street, toward the main road.
    Michael had stopped to be sick down a drain, but Jason managed to lend his strength to the pony’s lead rope. With three of them pulling, Toffee came to a stop.
    â€œWe’ve got to get away from here,” said Jess. “To the park.”
    â€œThere’s a crosswalk over there!” Jason pointed, and a Nestlé Crunch bar fell out of his sleeve. “Come on!”
    Between the three of them they pulled and coaxed Toffee farther up the street while Michael followed weakly behind. Drivers in cars stared. A motorbike courier veered off the road and crashed into a concrete pole.
    â€œWe’re going to cause a real pileup!” Jason fretted. On the other side of the road there was a line of tall trees. “If we could only find cover…”
    â€œSeems to me Toffee had the right idea,” Michael muttered. “Let’s go with his first plan—just run !” So saying, he grabbed a handful of Toffee’s tail, shut his eyes tight, andthwacked his hand against the horse’s backside.
    Toffee tore free of Jess, Milly, and Jason and plunged across the road toward the trees, dragging Michael along behind. “Who needs a guide dog!” Michael yelled, clutching tightly to the pony’s tail. Cars skidded to a halt on either side of the crossing, blaring their horns.
    â€œMichael, you lunatic!” Jess yelled.
    Then the pony pushed through the tall trees, and with a yelp Michael crashed through after him.
    Jason led the way over the crossing in pursuit. They battled through the trees and emerged in a large park. Luckily, there weren’t many people about, and those who looked over ignored them. Toffee was standing in the shade of a willow tree, calmer now that he was away from the traffic, and Michael was slumped against the tree trunk.
    Jess marched over. “That was so dumb, Michael. You and Toffee could have been hurt!”
    â€œI could see through those trees,” he told her. “I knew there was a park on the other side. Maybe I could have been hurt—but I didn’t want to risk anyone else getting injured on the road because they were staring at us!”
    â€œOh,” said Jess. She had to admit the explanation sounded pretty sensible. But she was still feeling cross, so she didn’t say so. Instead she kicked at the pile of Milky Ways growing up around Jason’s feet. Toffee nosed oneaside as he began to graze, flicking his tail.
    â€œI want to go home,” said Jason quietly. “Back to Moreways Meet.”
    â€œThat stupid house isn’t a home; it’s just the place we all live.” Michael sighed. “Even so, I wish we were back there too—”
    â€œShush.” Milly waved her hands, suddenly concentrating. “I can hear…”
    â€œSirens,” Jess concluded. She could hear the electronic wail now too.
    They all looked at each other in alarm.
    â€œLet’s hide!” said Jason.
    But Michael shook his head. “No point. The cops will just follow the trail of chocolate, sick, and horse poo.”
    â€œToffee hasn’t