Girl Wonder and the Terrific Twins Read Online Free Page B

upstairs.
    “We’ve saved energy everywhere,” the twins said proudly.
    “So have I,” I said. “Goodnight Anthony, goodnight Edward. See you in the morning.”

    Mum read to the twins first, then she came into my bedroom and read me a fairy story. I love fairy stories.
    “Goodnight Maxine.” Mum smiled, and she switched off the bedroom light and closed the door behind her. Then Ifell asleep, dreaming of the ways I could save energy.
    “MAXINE, ANTHONY, EDWARD – GET DOWN HERE! THIS MINUTE!”

    I rubbed my eyes. It was morning but I was still sleepy.
    “MAXINE! EDWARD! ANTHONY! NOW!”
    I didn’t like the sound of Mum’s voice. It sounded crosser than cross. I hopped out of bed and walked down the stairs behind the twins.
    “What’s the matter?” I whispered to them.
    “I don’t know,” Anthony whispered back.
    “Nor do I,” Edward mouthed.
    We walked into the kitchen where Mum was. Her hands were folded across her chest and her eyes were glaring at us.
    I knew we were in BIG TROUBLE.
    “Which one of you ninnies switched off the fridge last night?” Mum asked.
    I looked at the twins. They looked at me. No one spoke.
    “I’m waiting for an answer,” Mum said. “I’ll have you know that all the ice in the freezer has melted because one of you three pulled out the plug for the fridge. The ice cream has melted all over my mince and the fridge is one great big sticky mess. It’s full of water and there’s water all over the floor.”
    Still no one said a word.
    “And which one of you twits switched off the washing machine when it was in the middle of washing my jumpers?” Mum raged. “Now all my jumpers have shrunk. They’re ruined.”
    The twins and I looked at each other. We stayed silent.
    “And which one of you pea-heads pulled out the plug for the set top box? I wanted to record a late night film and I MISSED IT!”
    Anthony started to sniff, then to sob.“I . . . I pulled out the plug for the fridge. I was only trying to save energy like Maxine said. And I was . . . I was the one who pulled out . . . pulled out the plug to the set top box.”

    Edward started to howl. “I pulled out the plug for the washing machine. I was only trying to save energy like Maxine said we should.”
    “I never told you to pull out every plug in the house,” I protested. “Mum, that’s not fair . . .”
    “That’s enough. Right then.” Mum’s hands were on her hips. “All three of you are going to clean up this kitchen until it’s spotless. And all three of you will get no more pocket money until you’ve paid for my ruined jumpers.”
    And Mum marched out of the kitchen.
    We got out the mop and some squeezy-cloths and started mopping up the floor.
    “It’s all your fault,” Anthony said.
    “Yeah,
all
your fault,” Edward agreed. “You were the one who came home and said we should save energy.”
    “It was your idea to check and make sure we’d saved energy before we went to bed,” I told the twins.
    “But it was all your idea in the first place,” Anthony said.
    “I’m not talking to you two,” I said in a huff.
    “And we’re not talking to you either,” Anthony whinged. “Your idea was mega-super-duper-ginormous-galactic stinky. We didn’t save
our
energy. My arms are killing me.”
    “Mine too,” Edward agreed, giving me a dirty look.
    Huh! Sometimes being a superhero is no fun!

Beware the Park Bench
    We were going to Aunt Joanne and Uncle Stan’s house.
    Their house is neat and clean and . . . really boring! They don’t have one single book on the floor. They don’t have any comics on the chairs. Their kitchen never has dirty forks and spoons lying about in the sink. It’s not like our house at all.
    We always have to dress up in our best clothes when we visit Uncle Stan and Aunt Joanne. Even Mum dresses up.
    As it was a sunny day, Mum decided that we could walk through the park. Our aunt and uncle live just on the otherside of the park. So off we went.
    “Maxine,