Scarlet Discovers True Strength by Ahmet Zappa

those others that she had a mean stepmother if she didn’t? And most important, what was her wish, then? To have a
mean
stepmother? No, of course not. Why would any Wishling want that?
    So then what could it be? Scarlet tried to think. She glanced at Ophelia, who was blank-faced, clearly trying to catch up. She wasn’t going to be much help in figuring this out; Scarlet could tell from her frown. Then something else that Scarlet had heard before suddenly popped into her head—something about doctors’ appointments….
    Of course! That had to be it!
    There were no doctors on Starland, of course. There simply was no need. All the positive wish energy on Starland kept Starlings healthy throughout their Cycle of Life, until they began their afterglow. But Scarlet had learned in school about Wishworld doctors and all they did for Wishlings whenever they got sick. She’d also learned about the kinds of wishes that Wishlings often made when doctors couldn’t help. Of course, those were impossible wishes, and maybe that was why Ophelia was having so much trouble. But Scarlet was sure they could help her make a more appropriate one.
    â€œYou’re not well, are you?”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œYou’re sick. Well, don’t worry. We’ll find a way…”
    â€œBut I’m
not
sick. I’m fine. Really. Why?” the girl asked, touching her cheeks. “Do I look bad or something?”
    â€œNo, no. You look good. It’s not that,” Scarlet said. What could she say now? If the Wisher wasn’t sick and her stepmother wasn’t mean, what wishes were left? Had she also said something about a piano recital?
    Or
…could it be that she wasn’t their Wisher at all?
    What a starmendous waste of time!
    Scarlet looked down to check her Wish Pendant. It was still glowing…which was odd. But it wasn’t like this was
her
mission, so maybe it didn’t mean anything.
    â€œOmigosh,” the girl said suddenly, as if a holo-text had just come through. “I get it.” She turned to Ophelia. “You must have heard me talking to Chloe and Sydney.”
    Ophelia’s cheeks filled like balloons as she worked to keep the words in.
    â€œYeah,” Arden went on, not needing a reply. “Some of those things I said back there…they weren’t exactly true.”
    â€œBut
why
?” Ophelia blurted. “It sounded like they needed your help.”
    That was actually a good question, Scarlet thought, so that time she let it go.
    â€œOh…it’s complicated,” said Arden. She sighed and looked away.
    â€œThey’re mean girls,” said Scarlet knowingly. It was a common basis for wishes, unfortunately, but those weren’t too hard to grant.
    â€œNo,” said Arden. “They’re fine. They’re really nice and fun. And I want to be their friend. That’s why I
wanted
to be in their lab group for this science project.”
    â€œOh,” Scarlet said, confused. Was this something Wishlings often did, she wondered—fail to make any sense?
    â€œI didn’t know they’d want to study butterflies….” As she said that, Arden winced.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with butterflies?” said Scarlet.
    â€œAre you afraid of them?” Ophelia asked.
    Scarlet turned to Ophelia and did all she could not to roll her eyes. “Of course she’s not afraid of
butterflies
!” she muttered. Could a Starling be more dim?
    â€œI know,” said Arden. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? But I can’t help it. Do you know, I can’t even look at pictures of butterflies without wanting to throw up? I tried to suggest other topics, but they were so into the idea. And they’d already ordered the caterpillar kit and everything. There was nothing I could say or do. Their minds were totally set.”
    â€œDid you tell them you were scared?” asked Scarlet. That seemed