roller coaster. The sun had risen, but the sky was still gray. Tad shivered and walked on.
What made it so difficult was that he wasn’t even sure anymore who he was. Was he Tad Spencer or was he Bob Snarby? He looked like Bob. He was beginning to talk like him and to think like him. And (it was only now that he realized it) he was even beginning to enjoy some aspects of being Bob. It was crazy, but that was the truth. He liked being thin. He liked being fit, able to run without wheezing and to climb without trembling. It was true that he had lost all his wealth, his toys, his comfortable house and servants, but in a strange way he felt almost relieved, as if it were a weight off his shoulders.
There wasn’t a lot to admire about Bob Snarby or his background, but at least he was free. Tad wasn’t sure if he was Tad or if he was Bob, but for the first time in his life he felt he was himself.
But what was he going to do?
He couldn’t stay with Eric and Doll Snarby, not if that meant working for Finn. At the same time he had nowhere else to go. And then there was the real Bob Snarby to consider. Tad remembered his meeting with the fat boy in Knightsbridge. Could he allow Bob Snarby to remain in his place? It didn’t seem fair. It didn’t seem right.
He looked up and blinked. Although he hadn’t noticed it before, there was one caravan in the park, an old-fashioned Gypsy-style caravan, that he would have recognized even without the sign above the door:
DR. AFTEXCLUDOR
Your Future in the Stars
Tad stared at it. The caravan was parked next to the ghost train, and even at this early hour the door was open. Tad thought back to his last meeting with the caravan’s peculiar owner. Dr. Aftexcludor had known who he was. He had seemed—at least in part—sympathetic. And he had told some crazy story about wishing stars . . . how they had caused the switch. False name, false story, Tad thought now. Perhaps this was the right time to find out the truth.
Tad went over to the caravan and looked inside. There was no sign of the doctor or his curious Indian friend, Solo. Tad climbed in.
The thick smell of incense filled his nostrils and he was once again amazed by how the caravan seemed so much bigger inside than out.
“Dr. Aftexcludor . . . ?” he called softly.
There was a book, lying open on the table, next to the crystal ball. Tad almost got the feeling that it had been left there for him to find. Moving forward, he turned a page. The paper was old and heavy and really not like paper at all. Tad looked down and began to read.
Two pages were exposed and there was a naked figure drawn on each one, two boys connected by a complicated series of arrows. The figures were surrounded by stars, planets and other astrological devices and some of the arrows pointed up toward these. The book was handwritten, the sentences tumbling into one another and slanting in different directions. Growing ever more uneasy, Tad realized what the book reminded him of. It was like something out of a fairy story. A book of spells.
There were two words written in red, but the ink was so old that it had lost most of its color. Tad ran a finger across them. “The Switch.” Underneath, a line of writing twisted in a curve. “Janus. The star of change. Invoking its power. To effect the switch between two personalities . . .” Tad didn’t understand all of it, but he understood enough. Anger exploded inside him along with shock and disbelief. He picked up the ancient book and was about to throw it across the room when . . .
“Master Snarby! How nice to see you again.”
Tad whirled around. He hadn’t heard anyone come in, but now Dr. Aftexcludor was standing right behind him, dressed in a dark green velvet jacket and baggy pantaloons. The Indian, Solo, was with him, standing in the doorway, blocking it.
“I’m not Bob Snarby!” Tad snarled. “I’m Tad Spencer. You know that. You’re the one who did
What made it so difficult was that he wasn’t even sure anymore who he was. Was he Tad Spencer or was he Bob Snarby? He looked like Bob. He was beginning to talk like him and to think like him. And (it was only now that he realized it) he was even beginning to enjoy some aspects of being Bob. It was crazy, but that was the truth. He liked being thin. He liked being fit, able to run without wheezing and to climb without trembling. It was true that he had lost all his wealth, his toys, his comfortable house and servants, but in a strange way he felt almost relieved, as if it were a weight off his shoulders.
There wasn’t a lot to admire about Bob Snarby or his background, but at least he was free. Tad wasn’t sure if he was Tad or if he was Bob, but for the first time in his life he felt he was himself.
But what was he going to do?
He couldn’t stay with Eric and Doll Snarby, not if that meant working for Finn. At the same time he had nowhere else to go. And then there was the real Bob Snarby to consider. Tad remembered his meeting with the fat boy in Knightsbridge. Could he allow Bob Snarby to remain in his place? It didn’t seem fair. It didn’t seem right.
He looked up and blinked. Although he hadn’t noticed it before, there was one caravan in the park, an old-fashioned Gypsy-style caravan, that he would have recognized even without the sign above the door:
DR. AFTEXCLUDOR
Your Future in the Stars
Tad stared at it. The caravan was parked next to the ghost train, and even at this early hour the door was open. Tad thought back to his last meeting with the caravan’s peculiar owner. Dr. Aftexcludor had known who he was. He had seemed—at least in part—sympathetic. And he had told some crazy story about wishing stars . . . how they had caused the switch. False name, false story, Tad thought now. Perhaps this was the right time to find out the truth.
Tad went over to the caravan and looked inside. There was no sign of the doctor or his curious Indian friend, Solo. Tad climbed in.
The thick smell of incense filled his nostrils and he was once again amazed by how the caravan seemed so much bigger inside than out.
“Dr. Aftexcludor . . . ?” he called softly.
There was a book, lying open on the table, next to the crystal ball. Tad almost got the feeling that it had been left there for him to find. Moving forward, he turned a page. The paper was old and heavy and really not like paper at all. Tad looked down and began to read.
Two pages were exposed and there was a naked figure drawn on each one, two boys connected by a complicated series of arrows. The figures were surrounded by stars, planets and other astrological devices and some of the arrows pointed up toward these. The book was handwritten, the sentences tumbling into one another and slanting in different directions. Growing ever more uneasy, Tad realized what the book reminded him of. It was like something out of a fairy story. A book of spells.
There were two words written in red, but the ink was so old that it had lost most of its color. Tad ran a finger across them. “The Switch.” Underneath, a line of writing twisted in a curve. “Janus. The star of change. Invoking its power. To effect the switch between two personalities . . .” Tad didn’t understand all of it, but he understood enough. Anger exploded inside him along with shock and disbelief. He picked up the ancient book and was about to throw it across the room when . . .
“Master Snarby! How nice to see you again.”
Tad whirled around. He hadn’t heard anyone come in, but now Dr. Aftexcludor was standing right behind him, dressed in a dark green velvet jacket and baggy pantaloons. The Indian, Solo, was with him, standing in the doorway, blocking it.
“I’m not Bob Snarby!” Tad snarled. “I’m Tad Spencer. You know that. You’re the one who did
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