Читать книгу Darcy Dolphin and the Best Birthday Ever! - Sam Watkins - Страница 10

WHALESDAY

‘Can I help you today, Mum?’ I pleaded at breakfast. ‘I really need Help Points.’

Mum started twitching again.

‘I know, why don’t you see if Ozzie’s mum needs any help?’ Dad said quickly.

I decided to call for Myrtle first, and then we swam round to Ozzie’s shipwreck, The Lucky Gull. Ozzie’s mum had gone out.

‘She’s helping gran with her shopping,’ Ozzie said.

DING! I had a tidal brainwave.

‘WE can help old ladyfish with their shopping! We’ll wait outside the supermarket and carry their bags home for them!’

Myrtle and Ozzie wanted to wait for Ozzie’s mum. I reminded them that I was Shoal Leader and they had to do what I said.

We swam to Fishco, the biggest supermarket in town. As we got there I saw Reggie Ray hovering around by the doors, with two more Sea Trouts.

‘What are the Guppies doing here?’ I said crossly.

Ozzie gulped. ‘I have a bad feeling about this –’

At that moment a little old ladyfish came swimming through the doors, carrying two full shopping bags.

‘Minnows – GO!’ I shouted, diving towards the ladyfish. But Reggie was quicker.

‘Can I help you with those bags, madam?’ said Reggie.

The ladyfish blinked in surprise.

‘I’ll help you!’ I said loudly, darting round Reggie and grabbing one of the bags.

‘Hey!’ Reggie tried to grab it off me. Suddenly the other Guppies dived in, all of them trying to grab the bag. Then . . .

‘OW!’

The old ladyfish whacked me on the head with the other bag!

‘I’ll have that back, thank you!’ She scurried away, muttering some not very ladyfishlike things under her breath. The Guppies swam off too, sniggering.

‘Darcy! Are you okay?’ Ozzie and Myrtle dashed over. Ozzie had turned a shocking pink (he changes colour when he gets stressed).

I groaned. ‘My head hurts! Is there a giant lump?’

Myrtle said she couldn’t see one. Then Ozzie said that old ladyfish were too dangerous and we should go back to his shipwreck and wait for his mum.

‘Well, all right,’ I said. ‘But it’s . . . wait – look over there!’

An old turtle was waiting to cross a road.

‘Darcy, is this a good idea?’ Ozzie said.

‘Yes! Come on!’

I zoomed over to the turtle, keeping an eye out for lurking Guppies.

‘We’ll help you, sir!’ I took the turtle’s flipper. He looked a bit startled, but I had to be quick in case Reggie Ray showed up. Streams of fast-moving fish were whizzing along the road in both directions.

‘After this one . . . GO!’

I yanked the turtle out into the road.

HOOOOONK! A whale shark swerved to avoid us. Then SCREEEEECH! A school of mackerel coming the other way screeched to a halt. Behind me I could hear Ozzie and Myrtle saying ‘Sorry, really sorry . . .’

When we got to the other side of the road the turtle collapsed in a quivering heap.

‘There you go,’ I said, cheerily. ‘Safely across the road!’

The turtle looked up at me. ‘But I didn’t WANT to cross the road,’ he quavered. ‘I was just having a rest!’

Aaaargh. No Help Points there, then. ☹

This helping thing is harder than I thought!

Thought of the Day: Just because a turtle is waiting by a road doesn’t mean he wants to cross it.