The Person Controller by David Baddiel

Author:David Baddiel [Baddiel, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2015-10-07T23:00:00+00:00

“OK. So. Change me back to normal,” said Ellie, looking at herself in the mirror in the playroom. The bracelet, on her right wrist, was flashing.

Fred poised his fingers on the Controller. “Right … do you want to say goodbye to it?”

“To what?”

“To … that look. That version of you.”

Ellie turned to him. “Well. For now.”

Fred’s fingers remained poised. “What do you mean?”

“Well, obviously, I might want to look like this again … at some point.”

“What point?” said Fred.

“I don’t know. Whenever.”

“Ellie. We can’t keep using the Controller like this. The Mystery Man was clear. If we carry on using it and using it the power will run out.”

Ellie narrowed her eyes at her brother. “So … what are we saving it for then?”

Fred looked shocked. “Me!”

Ellie laughed out loud. “You?”

“Yes! When I play in the final of the Bracket Wood and Surrounding Area Inter-school Winter Trophy! That the scout from Chelsea is coming to watch me play in!”

“When we got this, who decided that what you want is more important? It’s my Controller!”

“In what way is it your Controller?”

“I’m the one who’s better at video games! I’m the one who wanted a new controller! I’m the one who does all the controlling!”

Fred held up the Controller. “Apart from now. And any other time you need me to make you look like Cinderellie!”

Ellie stared at him. She took a deep breath. “Look. It’s both of ours. Of course! But just change me back to normal for now – because we have to, because we know it’s using up the power – and we’ll work it all out later! OK?”

Fred thought about it. He wasn’t sure. He felt they hadn’t really talked about it properly. But he agreed that, as long as Ellie looked like Cinderellie, energy was draining out of the Controller. So he nodded, then very quickly ran his fingers over the buttons, and Ellie’s hair, lips, height, skin colour, teeth and clothes all returned to normal.

She looked at herself in the mirror. “Great,” she said, although to Fred she didn’t sound like she actually thought it was.

“Now what?” he said.

“Let’s leave it here and make sure we don’t use it until the day of the game.” She took the bracelet off and put it on the floor of the playroom.

“OK,” said Fred. “Good idea.” He laid the Controller down next to it.

There was a pause as they looked at the Controller and the bracelet flashing together in time.

“What shall we do now?” said Fred.

Ellie thought for a moment. “Maths homework?”

Fred looked at her, in her glasses, and V-neck, and braces, and smiled. “Yes!” he said. And they both ran out of the playroom.

A few minutes later, Eric came into the playroom.

“Fred? Ellie?” he said. He looked around. Kids, he thought. When you don’t want to see them – like when you’re watching Jamie Oliver tell you a fantastic bacon sandwich recipe on YouTube – they turn up (and steal the computer!). When you do want to see them

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