Pearlie's Pet Rescue Read Online Free

when
you
get evacuated,’ he said.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜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.
    â€˜You’re stubborn as a truck in the mud. You just don’t wanna hear the truth, do you?’ Reddy said.
    â€˜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.

A FTER 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.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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