Free Rebecca's Rashness by Lauren Baratz-Logsted Page B

loose stone is not a daisy."
    "See if there's a note! See if there's a note!" Zinnia cried with excitement, hands clasped together.
    Rebecca slid the loose stone out, and this time, unlike the last time...
    There was a note back there.
    "Read what it says!" Zinnia cried. "Read what it says!"
    Rebecca did.
Dear Rebecca,
I always knew you were a fiery girl— nice work!
    "'A fiery girl,'" Rebecca echoed. "I rather like that."
    "And I rather like," Marcia said, "that the note leaver isb ack—yippee!"
    Rebecca continued reading.
Thirteen down, three to go.
    "But wait," Marcia said. "I think the math is all wrong this time. Rebecca got two powers: superhuman strength and now this fire thing."
    "You got superhuman strength too?" Will asked Rebecca, his eyes wide.
    "Yes," Rebecca said. "Would you like me to lift something really large for you?"
    "I don't think now's the right time for that," Pete said.
    "But what can this mean?" Marcia said. "Does the note leaver not realize Rebecca now has two powers? Does the note leaver not know about the superhuman strength?"
    "Who cares what the note leaver knows or doesn't know?" Rebecca shrugged.
    "I care!" Marcia was outraged.
    "So?" Rebecca said. "Maybe it's like I said before. Maybe the superhuman-strength stuff is just me being me and not a power at all."
    "Oh no!" Petal cried. "Does this mean that even after July is over, you'll still be Wife-Carrying me?"
    We ignored Petal.
    "I know one thing it means," Zinnia said.
    Now this was shocking: Zinnia saying she knew what something meant without first claiming that one of the cats told her in one of her imaginary Zinnia-to-kitty conversations.
    "It means," Zinnia said, "that Rebecca has managed to hog two powers instead of the usual one." Zinnia crossed her arms, and her lower lip came out. "I suppose when my month finally arrives there won't even be one single power left for me, not even a measly one."
    "Oh, I'm sure that won't be the case," Durinda said, placing an arm around Zinnia's shoulders.
    "Of course not," Jackie said, placing an arm around Zinnia's shoulders from the other side. "I'm sure you'll get a fine power and probably the best present anyone's had yet."
    Zinnia was slightly mollified by all the hugging, but not much. "We'll see about that," she said glumly.
    "Does anyone else see there's a P.S. at the bottom of Rebecca's letter?" Mandy asked.
    "A P.S.?" Zinnia zoomed straight from glum to excited again. "I don't know if we've ever had one of those before. Have we?"
    "That's funny," Annie said, rubbing her chin as though she expected to find a fake beard there even though she'd only ever worn a fake mustache. "Right now I can't remember if we have or not."
    "I hope it's not bad news," Petal said.
    "Read it! Read it!" Zinnia shouted at Rebecca.
    "Perhaps if you'd stop shouting," Rebecca said. "Oh, fine."
P.S. Remember, Rebecca: Always use your power for good, not evil.
    " Ha! " Rebecca said, crumpling up the note. "What a silly note leaver. Of course I'm going to use my power for evil. Why, this is just the beginning of my world domination. I think when I'm done, I'll rename whatever country we live in Rebeccaland. Or maybe I'll rename the whole planet that. The universe even!"
    "Well, you'd better hurry up and dominate then," Georgia said. "July's over in seventeen days, and with it goes your power."
    "You're right," Rebecca said, a dark gleam entering her eye. It was the darkest gleam we'd ever seen there. It scared us all, even Annie. "I'll need to begin right away. Now, what should I set on fire first so I can dominate it..."
    Rebecca left the room then, her ten fingers outstretched menacingly; we could only imagine that she was looking for something to burn and that wherever her cat, Rambunctious, was, the cat had probably set something on fire too. We hoped the cats had their own fire extinguisher. We were certainly going to need ours.
    "Did anyone else notice that the note wasn't signed?" Mandy asked.
    "They never are,"