Free My Sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson

her. ‘And my girls,’ he added.
    â€˜The father did his best to protect his little family on their perilous path home, but as they approached the dark mansion, they heard a baying in the distance,’
said Jodie.
    â€˜Jodie! Don’t start now!’
    â€˜Don’t make me scared, I’ll wet myself!’
    She threw back her head and howled like a werewolf, but then got distracted. ‘Look at the
stars
,’ she said, reaching for my hand.
    We stared up at the sky, heads tilted right back.
    â€˜They’re so big and bright and there are so
many
of them. That’s the Pole Star, the big brightest one, but what are all the others?’
    â€˜I don’t know. There’s meant to be a Great Bear and a Little Bear – and a Goldilocks eating their porridge,’ said Jodie.
    â€˜Rubbish! I’ll have to find a book about stars,’ I said.
    â€˜Your new pal Mrs Wilberforce can lend you one,’ said Jodie.
    â€˜She’s a bit odd, that one,’ said Mum. ‘I don’t mean because she’s, you know, in a wheelchair. It’s just like she’s in a daydream all the time. Maybe she’s not quite right in the head.’
    â€˜She seemed fine to me,’ said Dad. ‘It must be awful for her, being so helpless.’
    â€˜I wish she’d let me lend a hand. It seemed dreadful that
he
had to do all the cooking. Well, not that you could
call
it cooking. Imagine, inviting us to dinner and just giving us a ready meal.’
    â€˜Oh, come off it, Shaz, they did their best.’
    â€˜Sharon! No, it’s madness. I bet they paid a fortune for all that chicken, when I could have bought a couple of birds and done them a lovely fancy
coq au vin
.’
    â€˜I thought the chicken was
lovely
. Much much better than anything we ever have,’ said Jodie tactlessly. ‘Pearl, what’s up, you’re walking funny.’
    â€˜I’m very nearly wetting myself,’ I said desperately.
    â€˜Really! You’re not a baby,’ said Mum. ‘Look, nip into the bushes and have a wee there.’
    â€˜I can’t!’ I said, but I realized I’d
have
to, or I really would disgrace myself.
    I dashed into the bushes, praying there wouldn’tbe any werewolves lurking. I fumbled in the dark, just about managing, and then pulled my knickers up. I stepped sideways, caught my foot in a bramble and slipped down a sandy bank. I flung my arms out – and caught hold of someone!
    I opened my mouth to scream.
    â€˜No, please, ssh, you’ll scare him!’ someone whispered.
    He loomed way above me but his voice was light and high, a boy’s voice.
    â€˜Scare who?’
    â€˜The badger! Look!’ he hissed.
    I opened my eyes wide and stared around.
    â€˜There!’
    I could just make out a big mound with tree roots sticking out. There was a dark hole and a face peering out, a long face with a white stripe.
    â€˜I see it!’ I whispered, transfixed.
    We crouched, watching. My heart thumped wildly, wondering who this great tall boy was and whether he’d heard me having a wee. Then the badger ambled right out, its head going from side to side. It was bigger than I’d thought, with a stocky chest and powerful paws. It was the strangest, most magical animal I’d ever seen. I breathed in sharply and heard the boy do the same.
    â€˜Pearl! Where
are
you?’ Jodie shouted, crashing through the bushes.
    The badger retreated rapidly into its burrow.
    â€˜Blast!’ the boy whispered. ‘Who’s that idiot?’
    â€˜It’s my sister,’ I said.
    Jodie yelled for me again, louder now.
    â€˜Oh well. You’d better go to her. What are you doing here anyway?’
    â€˜Our mum and dad are going to be working at Melchester College.’
    â€˜Oh. Right. I’m at the school too. I’m Harley. And you’re . . . Pearl? Look, don’t tell your sister about the badger set, OK? She