The Sugar Mountain Snow Ball Read Online Free

top of being scared, she suddenly remembered the time and didn’t want to get in trouble with her mother for being late. I searched the room for a clock, but before I could find one, Madame M began to hum loudly. She gazed up at the ceiling and stretched her arms over her puffy white head and red feather. Then all at once, she stopped her humming and arm-waving and slapped her hands on top of the table.
    I glanced at Eleanor and could tell she had already forgotten about the time.
    â€œ Maintenant, les filles : You must place your hands flat and lock your thumbs like this.”
    We immediately copied her, our hands shaped like those bird shadows you make on the wall.
    â€œNow, close your eyes tightly and say these words: Stars and moons and worlds that beam, lead me to my deepest drrream! ”
    I had to force myself not to giggle as we repeated the funny chant.
    â€œ Ouvrez! ” she cried, and blew out the candles. “Open!”
    The sweet smoke clouded the space in front of us as Madame M squeezed the top of our bird hands at the same time.
    â€œYou!” she said, studying Eleanor. “Once your creativity is unleashed, there will be no stopping you from realizing your fullest potential and achieving your deepest drrream .”
    Eleanor’s mouth dropped open in amazement.
    â€œAnd you!” she said, facing me. “In order to unlock your deepest drrream , you must go outside your world, to the unfamiliar, reaching far beyond your comfort zone.”
    Now I was amazed, like she really could see into our minds.
    Madame Magnifique lifted her hands and blew across her palms as if scattering magical dust. Then she smacked them together and back and forth like she was trying to wipe off the extra magic.
    â€œAnd girls . . . if this does not come true within four months, come back and see me. I’ll give you a refund.”
    â€œBut it was free?” I reminded her.
    â€œIt was?” said the psychic. “What a bargain!”
    We followed her back through the narrow hallway (that still smelled like warm gingerbread) and stumbled out of the alley door into the late-afternoon light. I felt a little dazed, like I had just woken up from a deep sleep.
    â€œThank you,” we mumbled at the exact same time.
    Madame M smiled as she gave a tiny wave with the tips of her fingers.
    â€œ Rêvez bien! Dream well, Ruby and Eleanor.”

4
    As soon as Madame M shut the door with a thud, my heart began to pound. I was so excited I practically screamed, because I knew exactly what her reading had meant, and I couldn’t wait to get Eleanor’s opinion.
    â€œEleanor! Ohmygosh , ELEANOR!”
    But Eleanor didn’t turn around. She was already darting back across the mounds of snow toward the street.
    â€œYou have to slow down, Eleanor. This snow is way too soft for me.”
    I managed to find my tracks from before, but this time I was sinking even deeper, which made me even slower, and made my breathing raspier from all this crazy rushing around.
    â€œI need to hurry, Ruby—I’m late.”
    Now I could see only the top half of her body behind the snowbank at the end of the alley.
    â€œBut what about our psychic readings? Was that freaky or what? And Madame M was so good; she read my mind like my head was a crystal ball!”
    Eleanor bobbed up and down, glancing back and forth like she was expecting to see her mother leading a search party.
    â€œWe’ll talk tomorrow.”
    â€œBut, El—”
    â€œI really have to go,” she called. “See you at school.”
    And just like that, she disappeared. Our one free afternoon together had ended.
    My orange leggings were so damp and freezing as I walked home that I could barely feel my legs, making my excitement grow colder too. I knew what I wanted to do about Madame M’s dream reading, but I wasn’t absolutely sure without first talking it over with Eleanor. And when I thought about that