Half-magic

It all begins when Jane finds a strange coin on a sun-warmed sidewalk. And because she and her siblings are having the worst, most dreadfully boring summer ever, she idly wishes something exciting would happen. And something *does*: Her wish is granted.

Or not quite. Only half her wish comes true. It turns out the coin grants wishes—but only by half, so that you must wish for *twice* as much as you want.

Wishing for two times something is a cinch, but other doubled wishes only cause twice as much trouble. What is half of twice a talking cat? Or to be half-again twice not-here? And how do you double your most heartfelt wish, the one you care about so much it must be perfect?