Pearlie's Pet Rescue Read Online Free Page A

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.
    â€˜Please, Pearlie. I’m begging . . .’
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜He won’t hurt Santa, will he?’ Dulcie said.
    â€˜They’ll get used to each other,’ Pearlie replied.
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜Did you teach him?’
    â€˜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.’
    â€˜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?
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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