“Okay, let’s go,” I say, jumping out of bed. I pretend I don’t see the painting for my mom on my desk, wrapped in tissue paper. I wish I didn’t have to give it to her. Not only is it terrible, but it reminds me of what I did to Penny’s painting.

I look at my closet. Should I change? Nah. I’ll leave on my flannel pajamas in case Maryrose wants to take us into The Princess and the Pea. If we do end up there, I could take a nap on one of those twenty mattresses. I yawn. That nightmare did not leave me feeling well rested.

Jonah’s wearing his flannel pajamas, too.

“You stay here, Prince,” I say, and try to close my door with him inside my room.

He barks.

“Shh!” I say. “Come on, Prince, you caused us a lot of problems last time we went through the mirror!”

Going into fairy tales is really fun, but can also be dangerous. And there’s no reason for Prince to come along and wreak havoc.

He barks again. Loudly.

“He’s going to wake up Mom and Dad,” Jonah says.

Uch. He is. I open the door. “Okay, fine,” I say. “Let’s go. Jonah, do you even remember where Prince came from?” I ask.

Jonah’s forehead wrinkles in concentration. “Did we get him from the shelter?”

“Not even close. A fairy in Sleeping Beauty waved her wand, and Prince appeared.”

“Sure he did,” Jonah says. Even in the dark, I can see him rolling his eyes as we head down the steps.

“Ready?” I ask after I’ve closed the basement door and positioned myself in front of the mirror.

“Yup,” Jonah says. “Just tell me when we’re done and can play flying crocodile.”

I sigh. He really doesn’t believe me.

I knock once.

Hissssssss.

Oh! Oh oh OH!

The mirror is hissing, the mirror is hissing!

“Jonah!” I yell. “It’s working! Do you hear?”

His eyes are wide open.

“It’s hissing!” I knock a second time. A warm light radiates from the mirror. A warm, purple light. “See, Jonah?” I turn back to him, and now his jaw is hanging open. He looks like a cartoon of a frog with eyes bulging out of its head. “See?”

“I see!” he says, his voice high-pitched and excited. “It’s purple! And hissing! Just like you said!”

Prince barks twice.

“I know!” I exclaim. “Get ready!” I knock a third time and the inside of the mirror starts to spin, faster and faster. Our reflections look as if we got trapped in a washing machine.

“It’s spinning!” Jonah squeals.

“Told you so!” I say in a singsong voice. I know I’m gloating, but I’ve earned it. “Hold my hand and we’ll go inside.”

“Inside the mirror?” he asks incredulously.