Free Edie Amelia and the Runcible River Fever by Sophie Lee Page A

symptoms of what was previously called “Runcible River Fever” was a sort of short burst of superhuman strength, agility and speed; allegedly a symptom which comes shortly before falling over and not being able to get back up. Apparently the sewers did the hundred-metre hurdles in record time on
their
way to the hospital,’ Michaelmas replied.
    â€˜But how could a whole town believe a Fever Dog was responsible for a virus when the Fever Dog didn’t even exist?’ Edie asked.
    â€˜Well, dear, a lot of us were misled by what was reported in the newspaper. Say something false often enough and people will believe it,’ said Michaelmas.
    â€˜Trudy Truelove didn’t check her facts, did she?’ said Edie thoughtfully. ‘I wonder if it was her dog Snuffles that bit the schoolteacher, and to avoid getting into trouble she made up a story about a scary Fever Dog and blamed it.’
    â€˜I think you’re on to something there;I could see the police questioning Ms Truelove when we arrived.’
    Edie reached under the stretcher and found her notebook.
    â€˜So, Dad, my theory was right!’
    â€˜Yes, indeed, a pleather allergy explains everything.’ Michaelmas gently ruffled her bob. ‘As you know, the Blank Marauder has been offloading pleather garments left, right and centre. They may have been in mint condition, but a lot of people have proven to be allergic to the chemicals used in their manufacture. I did extensive tests on that swatch of fabric. These chemicals were toxic enough to cause a cough, sneezing, rash, temperature, memory loss, all of that.’
    Cheesy burst through the plastic door, followed by her mother.
    â€˜How’s Mr Chompster?’ asked everybody at once.
    â€˜Much better,’ said Cheesy.
    â€˜Of course,’ said Edie, smiling sympathetically at her friend, ‘all that time your dad spent around pleather must have given him the worst pleather allergy ever, which explains all his bonkers behaviour.’
    â€˜If anything proves that we should all be wearing organic cotton, then this is it,’ said Cinnamon, bending over her daughter and stroking her hair.
    â€˜Mum, shouldn’t you be working on your book?’
    â€˜Book schmook! Nothing is more important than family, darling.’
    â€˜I couldn’t agree more,’ said Cheesy’s mum. ‘With all this Fever nonsense I’ve been neglecting my own.’
    â€˜We’ll miss you when you go back to Scotland, Mrs Chompster,’ said Edie.
    â€˜Go back?’ she said. ‘We’ll not go back now it’s safe. After all, we couldn’t possibly leave our friends.’
    â€˜And Dad never meant to
steal
those things,’ said Cheesy, ‘he was only
borrowing
them in what he sincerely believed was a good cause.’
    â€˜You are not to worry for a second, Charisma,’ said Michaelmas.
    He went on to explain that he had taken his allergy theory to Doctor Proudfoot, who in turn had incorporated the study into hisown research. Doctor Proudfoot confirmed that Runcible River Fever was indeed an allergy to pleather and easily cured by removing all pleather from the environment. So the police were not going to charge Hogmanay, who couldn’t be held responsible for his actions because of an especially bad case of allergy (of which ‘law-breaking behaviour’ was recognised as a symptom).
    Mister Pants ran through the flapping plastic doors and gave Edie’s hand a lick in what surely must have been an act outside of hospital policy.
    â€˜Well, I do declare, this dog looks odder than ever,’ said Michaelmas. ‘Has he gone cockeyed?’
    â€˜Er, yes, Dad,’ said Edie with fingers crossed behind her back. ‘But Doctor Stuart said she’d fix him
for free.
By the way, I hope she isn’t too mad at the Blank Marauder.’
    â€˜I hope not,’ said Michaelmas. ‘They’re getting