Free My Epic Fairy Tale Fail by Anna Staniszewski Page B

the sky!” His face fell. “Now it’s not growing at all. It doesn’t even have any beans on it.”
    â€œWho knows,” I said. “When the magic comes back, maybe the beanstalk will get so big that it really will go all the way up to the sky.” My friends and I exchanged knowing looks as Jack’s face lit up again.
    â€œI hope so!” he said. “Just think how many beans would grow on it then. We wouldn’t be hungry at all!”
    â€œEspecially if you like golden eggs,” Melissa chimed in.
    Jack’s face scrunched in confusion. “What?”
    I elbowed Melissa. There was no need to spoil Jack’s future adventures for him. “Jack,” I said. “Do you think you could do me a favor and share this food with your brothers?”
    I reached in my bag and almost yelped as Leonard nipped my finger. Luckily, I managed to pull out my remaining granola bars with all my digits still intact.
    Jack’s big eyes got even wider. “You’re giving us your food?”
    I nodded and put the granola bars into his hands. “And don’t worry,” I said. “You won’t have to be turned into a pig again. I’m going to fix things. I promise.” There I went again, promising things. I was a promise-a-holic.
    Jack grinned and turned to run back to his brothers on his skinny legs. As I watched the kids tear into the granola bars like they were the best things in the universe, I knew I had to keep my promise. No matter what.

Chapter Fifteen
    When we got to the lake, the three of us let out a collective “ew.” The water was so thick and green that it reminded me of split pea soup.
    Near the edge of the lake, I noticed an older man sitting in a rowboat that was perched in the bushes. He was swinging an oar around like he was trying to push the boat through the air.
    â€œHey there!” I said, going over to him. This man didn’t appear completely sane, but maybe he could give us a hint about our task. “What are you doing?”
    â€œIt won’t move,” he said, huffing as he kept swinging the oar through the air. “Every day I come out here, hoping it’ll work again, but it won’t.”
    â€œWhat won’t?” I said as Melissa and Trish came up beside me.
    â€œThe boat. It used to bring me out onto the lake every morning and float around to all the best fishing spots. Now it just sits here, useless.”
    â€œDid it used to run on magic?” Trish asked.
    The man stopped swinging the oar and frowned at her. “Of course,” he said. “How else would it work?”
    The three of us exchanged looks. “By putting it in the water and rowing it yourself?” Melissa said slowly, as if she were explaining the idea to a toddler.
    â€œBut what would protect me from the monster?” The man looked at us like we were crazy.
    â€œThere’s a monster in the lake?” Trish’s cheeks flushed with obvious excitement.
    The man shook his head, pursing his already-wrinkled lips. “It’s best not to speak of the creature, or it will come.”
    â€œBut what kind of monster is it?” I asked. “What does it do?”
    The man stumbled out of the boat looking ready to run, as if he expected the monster to appear at any second. “It lures you in,” he whispered. “And then it eats you.” He turned and hurried away, leaving his boat behind.
    â€œYou don’t really think the monster eats people, do you?” said Melissa after the old fisherman had disappeared down the path.
    â€œProbably not,” I said, not wanting to scare her.
    Instead of looking relieved, Melissa looked disappointed. “I’ve never met a flesh-eating sea monster before.”
    â€œWe still might,” said Trish, clearly trying to cheer her up.
    Obviously, my friends still didn’t understand how dangerous missions could be. They were