"Abracadabra!" Jeremy exclaimed and waved the old wand he had found in the old magician's chest.
The mean pitbull that had been chewing and slobbering on Jeremy's backpack and homework was gone in its place was a stuffed animal, and the backpack and papers were restored to their previous unshredded state.
"It really works!" Jeremy said with an elated voice.
"What really works, twerp?" a deep voice called from the hallway, and then his bedroom door swung open. It was his stepbrother Ken.
"Uh, the magic trick, I'm preparing for the talent show," Jeremy replied quickly.
"You seen Spike? I was going to take the dog to the park to pick up chicks," Ken explained as he threw himself down on Jeremy's bed and began to make himself comfortable.
"Uh, no haven't seen Spike. Maybe he's out back with Kurt or Kevin?" Jeremy suggesting that Ken join his two brothers.
"Well, he'll turn up. So you're doing a magic act, huh? Why don't you perform for me. I mean since the Talent Show is to raise money for athletic equipment, I have a vested interest as one of the top jocks at the school," Ken said flexing his biceps.
"Yeah, sure," Jeremy shrugged.
He started with a simple card trick, and after identifying Ken's card. All he got in response was "Boring!"
"Okay, how about a disappearing trick?" Jeremy said. He darted out the door.
About a minute later he returned with a canvas sack that he had gotten from Ken's room.
"Was that the trick? Running out of the room?" Ken asked, "Hey, that's my equipment bag, where's all the stuff that was in it?"
"For this trick, I need a volunteer from the audience. How about you, sir?" Jeremy said pointing at Ken.
"Me?"
"Yes, please come up here and climb into this sack."
"So, you're going to make me disappear?" Ken chuckled.
He obliged and squatted down inside the canvas bag, as Jeremy pulled the strings closing the bag.
"Now, Ken, think of what you wish this bag was filled with most. Concentrate on it. You're concentrating?"
"Yeah, I'm concentrating," Ken snapped.
"Abracadabra, transform this man into what he is wishing for!"
The bag slumped for a second in his hand as if it was empty, and then it swelled up bigger than Ken had filled it.
"Ta da!" Jeremy said as he opened the bag, and then he gasped as he saw what was inside. Instead of the expected athletic equipment, Jeremy found....