Over The Top: Make A Wish

He stepped down from the cupboard and dusted his clothes off. He was not even a metre high, and his big, frizzy beard stuck out over his belly and knees.

"My first wish" said Reginald, "Is to get into the big chocolate biscuit factory on the edge of town!"

"And your friend?" asked Shamus, "Will he be coming along too?"

"He might as well," said Reginald.

"I'd better tell Mum where we're going," I said.

"Who cares!" laughed Reginald.

Shamus waved his arms over his head.

"I'll be here when you get back," he said.

"Wait a minute" said Reginald, "Aren't you coming with . . ." but he didn't finish what he was saying because the next moment we were standing in a huge room. It was dark and echoey. The street lights outside the building made patterns on the walls. There was machinery everywhere. Conveyor belts ran the length of the room, and we could smell chocolate. Tons of it.

Reginald went down the room and opened a door.

"They're in here!" he whispered.

"What are?"

"The biscuits!"

"I don't like this," I said, "I feel like a burglar!"

"Don't be such a wimp!"

I heard Reginald ripping open boxes.

"Come on!" he said, stuffing biscuits into his mouth and dropping them all over the floor, "Get into it!"

I couldn't do it. Not that I'm perfect. I've nicked a few things before, but this was different. This was like robbing a bank. And there was something else that bugged me, like where was the leprechaun? Why wasn't he with us? How were we supposed to get home again?

Reginald seemed to have gone mad. He was ripping boxes open and spilling biscuits everywhere. His cheeks bulged. He threw handfuls of broken pieces into the air and crushed them in his hands. He kicked them around. He sat in them and spat them out.