And then I had an idea so big it took my breath away.

How about this: what if I wished that everyone on Earth was nice all the time?

People being polite and kind and generous to each other all the time. All over the world. Think about it. No more wars, no more violence, not even anyone being snippy or snarky or snitty or sarcastic any more.

That was certainly a pretty big idea. But as soon as I’d had it, I had another idea, and it was even more colossal, and took my breath away even more than the first one.

What if I wished that no one would die ever again?

Let’s face it, the fact that everybody does have to croak it sooner or later is a major downer. But without death – no more funerals, no more orphans, no more grieving and mourning . . .

Plus everyone being nice . . .

That would be heaven on Earth, wouldn’t it?

I didn’t stop to think. ‘I wish everyone on Earth was as nice as possible to everyone else all the time. And I wish people would stop dying.’

After that I felt a bit tired. It had been a busy day. So I wished my teeth were cleaned and I was lying in bed in silk pyjamas. I couldn’t wait for the next day to see how my wishes had changed the world.

I closed my eyes, wished myself pleasant dreams, and wished to fall asleep in ten seconds.

Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘Good morning, Sam. You look good today!’ Maeve said.

‘Do I?’

‘Yeah, really handsome.’

‘Thanks, you look really pretty.’

‘You both look lovely!’ Mum said.

‘You all look absolutely wonderful!’ said my dad.

‘So do you, Dad,’ said Ben. ‘And you don’t just look wonderful, you are wonderful!’

I chipped in. ‘You’re wonderful too, Ben!’

‘We’re all wonderful!’ said my mum.

‘Everyone in the world is wonderful!’ Maeve said – and at that precise moment, and I hadn’t even wished for this, the radio started playing that old song by Louis Armstrong, ‘What a Wonderful World’, and we all burst out laughing.

The doorbell went ping and it was Evan. ‘Hi Sam. It’s so good to see you! You’re my best friend and I really, really like you!’

‘I really, really like you too, Evan!’

‘Actually, I really like everyone!’

‘So do I, ’cause everyone’s really nice!’

‘They are, you’re right, that’s totally correct.’

‘So really, everyone’s our best friend!’

‘You’re right, Sam! That’s an incredibly perceptive comment.’

‘Thanks. And you’re incredibly perceptive too, Evan.’

On the way to school, total strangers kept smiling at us and calling out ‘Good morning!’. We passed two drivers who were arguing, in the nicest possible way, about who should have a parking space – each one was trying to insist that the other one should have it.