Pearlie's Pet Rescue Read online

  Tinto pushed his head into Pearlie’s neck and made contented beeping sounds.

  ‘Stay here, Rusty, while I get some food for you.’

  Mum and Dad were asleep in bed, unaware that she had been out. She tiptoed quietly around the kitchen, looking for something a dog might like.

  She came across a bowl of leftover rice, and as soon as she put it on the ground by the back door, Rusty gulped it down. She got out some old sacks for him to sleep on, gave him a pat, then went inside with Tinto tucked into the crook of her arm.

  THE next morning, Pearlie woke up still tired from the adventure of the night before.

  Mum was shouting, ‘What’s this dog doing in our backyard?’

  Oh peanuts, Pearlie thought. I should’ve left Mum a note about Rusty. ‘Stay here, Tinto,’ she said.

  Rusty stood on the back step. When he saw Pearlie come into the kitchen he lifted his head and wagged his tail.

  ‘That’s Rusty, Mum. He used to belong to the Tompkins. Nobody’s looking after him so I brought him home.’

  Mum let out an exasperated sigh. ‘You just can’t go bringing home every stray animal you find, Pearlie,’ she said. ‘We barely have money to feed ourselves, let alone a dog. I want you to take him back to where you found him.’

  ‘But Mum, he’ll starve to death! And you said I could have a dog if I saved up for one.’

  ‘You already have Tinto. One pet’s enough. Hurry up and get dressed. It’s already nine o’clock and you still haven’t done your chores. You’re becoming so lazy now that you don’t have school.’ Mum turned to feed Joey.

  Pearlie stood staring at Mum’s back. It’s not fair, she thought. Then she heard Dad calling her from the shop.

  She went through the curtains.

  ‘Your mother’s been under a lot of strain lately, Pearlie,’ Dad said, not lifting his head from the sewing machine.

  The whirr of the motor calmed Pearlie.

  ‘The war has put everyone on edge, especially now with people being forced to evacuate.’ He looked up. ‘I’ll talk to her about the dog.’

  ‘You will? Oh thank you, Daddy.’ Pearlie threw her arms around him and they hugged.

  ‘I made you something,’ Dad said, holding up the thing he had been sewing.

  It was a lovely pouch made from a patchwork of leftover fabric and it had a long shoulder strap. But it was rather small. She couldn’t fit a book inside it, maybe just a snack or two. Pearlie wondered what it was for.

  ‘I made it for you to carry Tinto around in,’ Dad said. ‘Then your hands will be free to carry other things.’

  Pearlie looked at her father. ‘Oh, Daddy. I love it. And I know Tinto will, too. Thank you.’

  Pearlie went to her bedroom. Tinto was in the cot playing with Joey’s toy trucks. ‘Look, my little one,’ she said, opening the top of the pouch and showing Tinto.

  At first when Pearlie put him inside, Tinto wanted to climb straight out. But Pearlie stroked and talked softly to him.

  It didn’t take long. He was a fast learner. Soon Tinto grew used to being carried around on her hip.

  ‘And now we’re off to see Mr Spiros,’ Pearlie said as she got dressed. She put the pouch over her head and across her shoulder with Tinto inside. How cute he looks, she thought, with his little head poking out the top and two tiny hands holding onto the sides.

  ‘Tinto, let’s just pray that Beake has left Darwin for good.’

  Pearlie walked up to Mr Spiros’s shop but stopped in the doorway. Strange, she thought. The place was in a mess. Unless Mr Spiros was rearranging the shelves, he always kept it neat and tidy. Something was wrong.

  ‘Mr Spiros!’ Pearlie called as she walked through the shop to the living quarters at the back. She heard Mr Spiros’s younger children in one of the upstairs rooms. They were both crying. And there was the voice of Mrs Spirou, trying to comfort them.

  A man’s voice came from the yard. It sounded stilted and strange. That can’t be Mr Spiros, Pearlie thought. She slowly pushed open the back door.

  The rifle in Mr Spiros’s hands was the first thing Pearlie saw. The next was Goliath, sitting at Mr Spiros’s feet looking up at him with trusting brown eyes.

  In a flash, Pearlie realised what was about to happen. The rifle was pointed at Goliath’s head!

  Sick with horror, she rushed forward screaming, ‘No!’ and pushed the barrel of the rifle away just as Mr Spiros pulled the trigger.

  The bullet struck the fence. Goliath ran for shelter under the back porch, tail between his little legs.

  ‘You could have been killed!’ Mr Spiros yelled. ‘Go home, Pearlie!’

  Pearlie was too shocked to speak. She saw tears in Mr Spiros’s eyes.

  Goliath peeped out from between the slats, whimpering and shaking in fear.

  ‘We are being evacuated,’ Mr Spiros said with a sigh. ‘And we’re not allowed to take Goliath with us so . . .’ He looked towards the upstairs window. Pearlie followed his gaze. The two children and Mrs Spirou were watching them.

  ‘I’ll look after him,’ Pearlie said in desperation. ‘Goliath knows me. I’ll take good care of him.’

  ‘It’s not that simple, Pearlie,’ Mr Spiros replied.

  ‘But I know how to take care of dogs. I’ve watched you do it and I’m looking after the Tompkins’ dog, Rusty, because that horrible man Beake let him almost starve to death.’

  Mr Spiros shook his head and laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘Soon everyone will be forced to leave Darwin – you too. A Japanese attack might happen any day. Eventually only those people who are in the army or running essential services like the post office will be able to stay. Do you understand what I am saying, Pearlie?’

  Pearlie shook her head. She stared at Mr Spiros but her mind had gone out of focus.

  ‘You have a kind heart, Pearlie,’ Mr Spiros said gently, ‘but it is much kinder on Goliath if I do this now.’

  Goliath crawled out from under the porch wagging his tail, not sensing the danger he was in. When Tinto saw him, the monkey jumped to the ground. They were good friends and began playing their favourite game of pounce and chasey. They somersaulted and tumbled over each other.

  ‘Pearlie!’ Mr Spiros boomed. ‘Take Tinto and go!’

  Pearlie scooped Tinto up in her arms, trembling. She paused, then ran through the shop and out into the hot humid air, brushing her tears away furiously. ‘No, no, no . . .’ she kept repeating. She wanted to get as far away from there as possible.

  Then she heard the rifle shot.

  She stopped in the middle of the street and closed her eyes, holding Tinto close to her chest. Her body felt as if it was made of melting ice. She began to fall but someone caught her.

  It was Eleni, Mr Spiros’s eldest daughter. ‘What’s wrong, Pearlie?’ she asked.

  ‘Your dad . . . he . . . Goliath . . .’ were the only words she could push out between sobs.

  Eleni sighed. ‘It’s over, then. I couldn’t stay home to watch . . .’

  Pearlie nodded. ‘I hate the war.’

  ‘Frankie and me . . . we were getting married,’ Eleni said softly, as if she was talking to herself. ‘Now I have to leave and he has to stay. I don’t know when I’ll see him again.’ Tears began to run down her cheeks in rivulets of grey eye make-up. ‘Ha, look at me crying like a baby. And in public, too.’ She brought out a handkerchief and wiped her cheeks.

  Suddenly Pearlie’s mind focused like a newly sharpened pencil. She remembered what she needed to ask Mr Spiros. ‘Eleni, you know that man Beake?’ she said.

  ‘Yeah, I never liked him. He was creepy. Glad he left.’

  ‘You mean left Darwin?’ Pearlie said. She could feel the muscles in her body relax.

  ‘I heard he left on a boat to Singapore. Good riddance is all I can say.’

  ‘Oh, thank you, thank you,’ Pearlie cried and threw her arms around Eleni.

  ‘What’s this all about?’ Eleni asked.

  ‘You’ve given me the best n
ews ever!’ Pearlie replied.

  ‘You’re a good kid, Pearlie. Look after yourself . . . and stay safe.’

  Pearlie sat on the back step with Tinto sleeping on her lap. Rusty lay twitching and snoring beside her. She was watching the Girls peck about the yard and thinking of Goliath. Poor little Goliath. I’m never going to leave Darwin, she thought. I don’t care what the government says. And that’s when an idea began to swell inside her.

  Later that day, Pearlie was at the kitchen table surrounded by coloured pencils and paper. She lay her pencil down and stood up. ‘What do you think Tinto?’ Pearlie said, holding out one of the signs she’d made.

  LEAVING DARWIN?

  NEED SOMEONE TO LOOK AFTER YOUR PET?

  THEN PEARLIE CHAN CAN DO THE JOB.

  PEARLIE’S PET RESCUE

  (Cavenagh Street, Chinatown)

  Tinto blinked twice, then went up to the sign to sniff at it.

  Pearlie grinned. ‘And if people leave me money to feed their pets, then Mum won’t mind. It’ll be like a job. And I’ll get Reddy to help as well.’

  She called out to Rusty, ‘What do you think, boy?’

  Rusty lifted his head lazily and thumped his tail. With all the good food Pearlie was feeding him, the kelpie was gaining his strength. Even his coat was beginning to get a lovely chestnut sheen.

  ‘Come on, Tinto, into the pouch you go. It’s time to put these up around town.’

  As she was attaching her first sign to a telegraph pole using drawing pins, Reddy strolled up to her.

  ‘What ya doing?’ he asked.

  She excitedly handed him one of the notices to read.

  When he didn’t say anything, Pearlie looked at him. ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘Just thinkin’,’ he said.

  She frowned.

  ‘Well, what’s going to happen to the pets you save when you get evacuated,’ he said.

  ‘I’m never going to leave Darwin,’ Pearlie said, her temper flaring. She wanted Reddy to like the idea as much as she did.

  Reddy shrugged. ‘You won’t have a choice,’ he said. ‘Once people get the order, they gotta go, like it or not.’

  Pearlie could feel that she was about to cry. ‘Goliath . . . he’s . . .’ She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘He’s dead. Mr Spiros killed him because they’re being evacuated and they can’t take him with them. It was horrible . . .’ She turned away.

  ‘Geez,’ Reddy said, putting his hand to his forehead.

  Pearlie tapped a drawing pin into each corner of the notice. ‘That’s why I’m gonna save as many pets as I can. Besides, you don’t know anything. My dad will never leave the shop. People always need clothes made – even in war,’ she said. ‘I thought you were my friend, Reddy Hart.’

  ‘I gotta say it, Pearlie, ’cos it’s like you’re in a dream or something. Think about it. The soldiers are forcing people to leave at gunpoint.’

  ‘Fine then. If you won’t help me, I’ll do it myself.’ She felt the heat rising in her body.

  He rolled his eyes. ‘Pearlie . . .’

  Pearlie pounded the pin into a corner of the sign, missed and hit her thumb instead. ‘Ow,’ she said, sucking the blood. ‘Now look what you made me do.’ She scowled at him.

  ‘You’re stubborn as a truck in the mud. You just don’t wanna hear the truth, do you?’ Reddy said.

  ‘I’m busy right now.’ Pearlie’s tummy was twisting in a knot as she shoved the stack of notices under her arm and pushed past him. Reddy was wrong, thought Pearlie. I’m never going to leave.

  AFTER pinning up notices all around town, Pearlie went home. She was still seething with anger at Reddy for all the things he’d said. How could she let animals like Goliath suffer if she could do something about it? No, he was wrong, and heartless.

  It began to rain and Pearlie ran for shelter under the shop verandahs. When she looked up the street she blinked, then blinked again, thinking she must be imagining what she saw.

  Is that Dulcie? Impossible. ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead in Chinatown because of the filth and smell! I don’t know how you could live there,’ she had once said to Pearlie.

  As Dulcie ran to get out of the rain, Pearlie saw she was carrying something covered with a cloth. What’s she up to? Pearlie wondered. She was surprised at how scruffy Dulcie looked. She wasn’t wearing her hat and now her wet hair was plastered to her scalp.

  She walked up to Pearlie and said hesitantly, ‘Hello, Pearlie.’

  The pinging of rain on the iron roof was so loud, Pearlie had to take a step closer to hear her properly.

  ‘This is Santa, my cockatiel,’ Dulcie went on. She took off the cloth. A bird sat in a white cage. He had soft grey wings, orange cheeks and a crest of feathers on the top of his head. He chirped and sidled up to Dulcie, who tickled him through the bars.

  ‘I saw one of your notices . . .’ A sob welled up inside Dulcie and she gulped it back. ‘About your pet rescue service.’ She looked away. ‘I know you hate me, Pearlie, but . . . we’re . . . being evacuated tomorrow.’ Tears began to course down her cheeks.

  Pearlie stood staring at Dulcie and shaking her head. How could she forget all the horrible things Dulcie had said to Naoko? ‘Sorry, I can’t,’ she said simply.

  Dulcie lifted her gaze from the cage and looked at Pearlie in disbelief. It was as if it was the first time anyone had ever said ‘no’ to Dulcie McBride. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. ‘Oh, but you have to. I don’t know what to do otherwise. Daddy said I should let Santa go free. But do you know what will happen to him if I do?’ She took a long shuddery breath. ‘He’ll be pecked to death by the wild birds, that’s what will happen. Can you imagine a worse way to die?’

  Pearlie shivered and thought of Goliath. A tiny bit of her heart began to soften. If she didn’t take care of Santa, wouldn’t it be like she had killed the little bird herself? It’s not his fault his owner is so mean, she thought. And she was a pet rescue service.

  ‘Please, Pearlie. I’m begging . . .’

  ‘All right. But I’m not doing it for you, I’m doing it for Santa,’ Pearlie said.

  Dulcie flung her arms around Pearlie’s neck as if they were long-lost friends.

  Pearlie untangled herself from Dulcie’s embrace and stepped away. ‘You better come back to my place and show me what to do. I’ve never looked after a bird before.’

  Dulcie lived in the best part of town, in a big white house on stilts surrounded by a garden. As Pearlie led her through Dad’s dim shop and into the living area at the back, she wondered what Dulcie would think of the place Pearlie called home.

  She lit the kerosene lamp, closed the door and let Tinto jump out of his pouch.

  ‘You’re so lucky, Pearlie Chan,’ said Dulcie. ‘I wish I had a pet monkey. Come here, Tinto.’

  But Tinto was more interested in the feathered creature inside the cage. He peered warily through the bars.

  ‘He won’t hurt Santa, will he?’ Dulcie said.

  ‘They’ll get used to each other,’ Pearlie replied.

  ‘Allo, allo,’ Santa said. ‘My name Santa.’

  Tinto ran behind Pearlie for protection.

  Dulcie smiled. ‘He can say lots of words like bicycle, Mummy, Daddy, I want a biscuit. He knows fifty words.’

  ‘Did you teach him?’

  ‘Yes, but he’s really smart. I take him out once a day when I get home from school,’ Dulcie said, scratching Santa’s head through the bars. ‘You know . . . we’re really a lot alike, you and me.’ She looked up at Pearlie.

  Pearlie jerked her head back in surprise. ‘No, I don’t think so. Well, maybe ’cos we love our pets, but that’s all.’

  ‘You cut off my ponytail. I never thought you could do a thing like that, but you did and I kind of admire you for it now.’ Dulcie shrugged. ‘If I was around longer, if there wasn’t a war, we might’ve been friends.’

  We’d never be friends if we were the last two people on earth, Pearlie thought. Dulcie
had Santa perched on her finger and she was talking softly to him. Was there a different side to Dulcie?

  ‘I have to go,’ Dulcie said, kissing Santa on the beak and putting him back inside the cage. ‘Even though it’s a luxury American liner we’re leaving on, we’re still only allowed to take one suitcase and I have to decide which of my dresses I want to pack.’

  Nope, back to the same old show-off, Pearlie thought. But somehow she couldn’t hate Dulcie as much anymore. ‘Merry Christmas, Dulcie,’ she said.

  ‘Merry Christmas, Pearlie. Good luck. Oh . . . wait.’ Dulcie dug into her pocket and pulled out a small purse. ‘This is all my pocket money I saved for a year. For his food and things.’ She dropped the purse onto Pearlie’s bed and said goodbye to Santa.

  When she’d left, Pearlie hung Santa’s cage in the window at the front of the shop. ‘That’s a good place for you. Maybe I can teach you to say hello to Dad’s customers when they come in.’ She slowly put her hand inside the cage. ‘Don’t be scared. This is your new home now with Tinto, Rusty, the Girls and me.’ But the little bird moved away from her and sat hunched in the corner.

  The next morning, Pearlie watched from the beach as the big luxury ship, President Grant, sailed out of Darwin Harbour for Brisbane. On board were Dulcie, Mr Spiros and their families.

  Pearlie felt tired. She’d been awake most of the night having imaginary conversations with Reddy and telling him all the reasons he was wrong. Stupid Reddy. But he’s the only friend I have left in Darwin, she thought. She lay back in the sand and looked up at the gathering storm clouds, wondering what was to become of her. In three days’ time it would be Christmas and she had never felt so alone.

  MUM roasted a magpie goose for Christmas lunch, but the air-raid sirens began to wail just as they sat down to eat.

  ‘Quickly, to the trench,’ said Dad, lifting Joey out of his high chair.

  The trench was a new addition to their backyard. Dad had finished sandbagging it only days before in case Japanese warplanes attacked Darwin.