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really hard. In fact, Charlie had never actually won anything at the game. A chart on the wall showed the prize list. One coin on a plate got you the smallest-size stuffed animal, which was little bigger than his hand. Two coins won a medium-size critter, one of the monkeys or skunks. Three coins got you a giraffe. Charlie had never seen anyone walk out of the midway games with a giraffe. But who knew, maybe today would be his lucky day.
    He licked his lips, concentrating on the nearest set of plates. Focusing all his attention on the glossy center of the highest one, he took a deep breath and tossed the first coin in a nice soft arc toward the plate.
    There was a loud clack, and the coin bounced upinto the air, twisting and turning, then dropped off toward the floor. Charlie cursed to himself, glancing at Finn. Finn shrugged, and Charlie turned back toward the plates, readying his second coin. He narrowed his eyes, aimed right for the same plate, and clack , again, his coin bounced up into the air, ricocheted off the bottom of one of the hanging giraffes, and disappeared to the floor.
    He didn’t even concentrate on the third throw, he just let fly. The coin clattered from plate to plate like a stone skipping across a lake, then vanished off the edge. Charlie sighed, stepping back. Finn patted his shoulder.
    â€œHey, at least you hit the plates.”
    Finn took Charlie’s place at the counter, and gave him a little wink.
    â€œLike I said, it’s all about perception. To me, those plates are as big as the moon.”
    His right arm shot out, and with a flick of his wrist, he let fly one of the gold-colored coins. The coin arced almost straight up, then came down at a very sharp angle. There was a tiny clack as the coin hit one of the plates—and stopped dead, flat against the porcelain, directly in the center. The two teenagers, still watching from a few feet away, applauded, and the carny gave Finn a smile.
    â€œNice shot, kid. That’s one. Good luck on your second—”
    Before he could finish speaking, Finn’s wrist flicked again, and a second coin flashed through the air. Up, up, up, arcing so high, it seemed to almost disappear into the jungle of stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling. Then it reappeared, heading almost straight down toward the plates. It landed on the same plate as the first coin, just a few centimeters from the center, and stuck just like the other coin, dead flat against the plate. The teenagers cheered. Charlie stared at the two coins, then looked at Finn.
    â€œThat was amazing.”
    Finn laughed.
    â€œWhy, you think it’s hard to hit the moon from a few feet away?”
    He tossed the third coin from his left hand to his right, held it up to show Charlie how it gleamed in the colored lights strewn along the tent struts, then flicked his wrist a third time. The coin shot through the air, again a nearly vertical path, and descended onto the same plate once again, clacking right between the two other coins. It didn’t bounce or ricochet, it just stuck there, planted like a flag on the moon.
    â€œHoly smokes,” one of the teenagers croaked.
    The carny stared at Finn, then reached above his head and pulled one of the stuffed giraffes free from where it was hanging. He crossed to Finn and handed him the stuffed animal. Finn took it with both hands. It was so big, Finn had to crane his neck to see past the thing’s body.
    â€œPleasure doing business with you,” he joked. The carnival worker gave him a steady look.
    â€œEveryone gets lucky once in a while, kid. What’s your name?”
    â€œBilly,” Finn said, smartly. Then he turned and walked away from the counter. Charlie followed.
    â€œHow did you do that? You landed your first three coins. Was that some sort of trick?”
    Finn waited until they were far enough away from the coin-toss game before he leaned past the giraffe, close to Charlie’s ear.
    â€œIt’s