Free Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty Page B

Saxon’s aunt for another few days, then we’ll all get the train back together. Celia says hi to you and hi to Ben. The weather is fine.
     
    Best wishes,
     
    Elizabeth

    Cqffs Harbour – A Cloudy Night!
     
    Dear Dad,
     
    Hello, how are you? I’m fine. Just letting you know that I’m still fine. We found the circus where my friend Celia was and we rescued her. So she’s fine. Except a bit sick. I justphoned Mum and told her all about it. I hope you are well. It’s pretty cool here and Saxon’s auntie is still nice.
     
    Well . . .
     
    Hope to see you soon.
     
    Love,
     
    Elizabeth

    Elizabeth Clarry
    c/o Auntie Robbie’s house,
    The second house after the milkbar
    with the two rusty wheelbarrows
    and the broken giraffe head on the front lawn
    Coffs Harbour
     
    Dear Ms Clarry,
    Those postcards to your dad and to Celia’s mum were really wonderful. Very imaginative and perfectly structured.
    No, really. You should be, like, a writer or something?
     
    The Society of Talented and Interesting Correspondents

    Dear Christina,
     
    The rescue mission is complete. Not meaning to blow my own trumpet or whatever, but you know what I am, don’t you? I’m a hero. A HEROINE. I’m probably the best friend ever to live in the history of the world.
    We made contact with Celia in a very clever and trickyway. Okay, this is what we did. First, we dressed completely in green. Saxon said we had to, for camouflage. We got Saxon’s aunt to drop us off about a block away from where the circus was stationed, and then we slipped from tree to garbage bin until we reached the circus gate. We found a rhododendron bush and hid behind that, and we were perfectly silent. Except for when I burst out giggling. Saxon always looked at me solemnly when I did and said he was amazed that I could consider putting the mission into jeopardy with such frivolity. That only made me worse of course.
    Saxon is a big astronomy freak so he brought this minitelescope along, so we could watch what was going on everywhere. We saw people walking along footpaths on their hands, people changing tyres, people singing together and people drinking tea around barbecues. It looked pretty cool actually and I suggested that we dump the whole rescue mission idea and just join up ourselves. Saxon looked even more amazed and said he was beginning to doubt my commitment to the task ahead.
    ‘In a situation like this,’ he said, ‘it is vital , Elizabeth, that we operate as a team – as a well-oiled machine , a perfectly functioning, shiny and silver rocket-ship. Or a vending machine. One that gives change, Elizabeth, one that responds instantly when you touch the button that you want, instantly dropping a packet of barbecue chips into the container below, and pushing another packet forward to replace the ones that you just bought, Elizabeth!’
    I said, ‘I really hate barbecue-flavoured chips.’
    He found this almost as ridiculous as my suggestion that we abandon the rescue mission, and started to demand what could possibly be wrong with me but he had to stop because at that exact moment we saw Celia come out of a caravan.
    Amazing, I know. You don’t have to tell me.
    She was wearing pyjamas and a bathrobe and she had this terrible cough. She sounded like a sea lion.
    Saxon didn’t lose a single second.
    He took the cricket ball that we had prepared (an old one from his aunt’s collection), made sure that our note was wrapped around it carefully, and rolled it straight across the grass towards her . It landed right in front of her feet.
    This may seem unbelievable, that somebody could aim so well, but it’s true, he did.
    I think he was pretty proud about it, actually. I noticed him doing a few kind of imaginary underarm rolls afterwards, looking happy.
    So, we watched Celia stare down at this ball for about half an hour. Then she picked it up, her mouth fell open (Saxon started writhing in agony then, going ‘Celia! Close your mouth! Walk away! The danger!