Free Leona''s Unlucky Mission by Ahmet Zappa, Shana Muldoon Zappa & Ahmet Zappa Page A

hand. What exactly had she done? Something un-Wishlingish, she guessed.
    â€œHow did you open those doors like that and walk right through?”
    â€œUh…” Leona looked back at the doors behind her. “Isn’t that how all doors work?” She knew Wishworld was different…but weren’t all doors simply doors?
    â€œBut you didn’t push? And they’re not automatic. Your hands were down at your sides the whole time….” The woman reached out and yanked hard on the door handle to open it. “See? They don’t just open. They’re heavy. They stick.”
    Leona gulped. She understood. She’d been so focused on finding her Wisher she’d forgotten to be careful not to let her energy work for her.
    Mission 3, Wishworld Observation #3: When on Wishworld, never use energy when you can use your hands. Not only will you conserve energy, you’ll avoid embarrassing questions.
    â€œUm…you are absolutely right,” she told the woman, gazing deep into her eyes. “Those doors are very heavy. That’s why I pushed them very hard—with my hands. And that’s how I got in.”
    The woman’s baffled scowl softened into a friendly, vaguely hungry grin. “You pushed them very hard with your hands,” she repeated. “That’s how you got in. Mmm. Warm apple pie.” She sighed. “I could use a piece right now.”
    Leona sighed, too.
That was pretty easy. Now, back to the mission at hand.
“I’m here for the auditions. Where are they exactly?” she asked.
    â€œYou’re here for the auditions. Of course.” The woman nodded. “They’re in the auditorium, just through there.” She aimed a pen at a pair of double doors. “And your name is…?” she asked.
    â€œUm, Leona…I’m new….I sing!” she added before she could think to stop. “Uh, but I’m really just here to watch,” she went on quickly. “If that’s okay, of course.”
    â€œTo watch?” The woman looked up. Her face was still calm and sweet and stiff. “That’s okay, of course. I was just on my way in myself. I’m Ms. Frasier, the music director. I’m in charge of the auditions.” She shifted her clipboard and held out her hand.
    â€œReally? Nice to meet you!” Leona shook it heartily. “Here!” She ran to the doors to the auditorium. “Let me get the door for you, Ms. Frasier. With my hands, of course!”
    Once they were inside, it all made sense to Leona.
Now, this is more like it!
she thought.
    Her gaze moved down the aisle, along the rows of seats, and up onto the empty stage. No, it wasn’t star-shaped, and the curtains, unfortunately, were rust-colored, with no neon twinkle at all. Still, it was all Leona could do not to run up there, grab the mic, and belt out a rocking song.
    But no, this was not the time. She had to remind herself of that twice. With luck, that would come soon enough, but Leona still had to find her Wisher. Then would come the hardest part of all: identifying the Wisher’s wish.
    She dragged her eyes from the stage and began to scan the auditioners. She saw Ms. Frasier doing the same.
    â€œOkay, people! Let’s do this!” the music teacher shouted as she marched down the aisle toward the first row of seats. “We have a long list of auditions to get through here, so I want you ready when I call your name!”
    Leona quickly counted. There were forty-eight girls in the auditorium, most scattered among the seats. Two sat at the end of the row right next to her. She decided to start with them.
    â€œHi,” she said.
    The first girl turned. It looked like she held a small child on her lap. A strange, tiny little kid.
    The friend turned also, stiffly. “Hi, hello there!” she declared.
    Leona jumped back.
    â€œOh, my stars!” she gasped.
    The first girl dissolved into laughter while her