Colin Meets an Emu

By Merv Lambert

Colin the librarian is an unremarkable little man, who one day at work finds a very rare, very unusual book. It does not belong to the library. On opening it he sees the title 'Colin's Book' and inside it is a beautiful blue bookmark with a red phoenix on it. The bookmark gives him extraordinary strength and resolve and leads him and his little dog Sammy into many exciting adventures both in the past and present...

• Language: English
• Publisher: AUK Kids
• Release date: Feb 2, 2011
• ISBN: 9781849893077

Book preview

Jamie

Colin Meets a Fair Maiden & Makes a Strange New Friend

He had not intended to start reading a story so late at night, but as the book, i.e. his special book, fell open at a particular page, whilst he was looking for the photo of Robin Hood and Maid Marion, Colin felt himself drawn into it. Yes, the bookmark was glowing. Sammy had woken up. A quick glance told Colin that he was wearing his usual jeans and sweater, but that was odd! He could hear a guitar being played somewhere nearby and quite badly. He looked around him and realised with a start that he was in the hallway of his Auntie Flo’s house. He recognised the wallpaper, the pictures on the walls and the green and blue carpet on the stairs. Something did not quite seem right. He did not call out to his Auntie Flo, but once again felt drawn to action without knowing exactly why. Quietly he climbed the stairs, clutching Sammy under one arm. The noise seemed to be coming from the second bedroom on the right hand side of the landing. Cautiously he approached it and knocked softly on the door. It opened suddenly and light flooded out.

Come in, Colin. We were expecting you. It was Auntie Flo’s voice.

Hello, auntie. This is Sammy, he said, holding out the little dog so that she could pat it on the head. Sammy woofed happily.

Colin’s eyes were drawn to what was happening in the room. He saw his cousins Jilly and Billy sitting on the bed, and Billy was holding a guitar, an electric guitar linked to two amplifiers. The most amazing thing though was that the guitar was being played by an emu! It was standing on one leg and trying with the other to get the right notes with its toes, whilst using its beak on the strings. It did not stop just because a visitor had entered the room.

By the way, this is M, said Auntie Flo, pointing at the emu.

Hi, Colin, said Jilly. Billy took a hand off the guitar to wave, which made it wobble. He got a glare from the emu.

Come on, M, said Billy. You’re supposed to be playing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and you’re so slow you make it sound like ‘Amazing Grace’ instead!

The emu ignored him and went on playing.

Yes, it is a little bit painful, said Auntie Flo, but he’s only a learner. Not bad for an emu really! It’s our fault for encouraging him. He was getting a little bit bored in the school holidays. Of course you are very privileged, Colin. Not many people can actually see M, as he was computer-generated, but now he seems to have developed a life of his own. We have quite a job trying to control him sometimes. Maybe you could occasionally step in and help.

But I don’t know anything about playing the guitar! protested Colin.

You don’t have to, replied Auntie Flo. Billy and Jilly are staying with me this week.

Yes, and we’re performing at the open-air concert in Thingy Park on Wednesday! interrupted Jilly excitedly.

Jilly is the lead singer and I’m in her backing group on guitar of course, added Billy.

The trouble is, explained Auntie Flo, that Jilly and Billy can’t keep an eye on M, when they are performing. He may well behave himself and be quite content to watch them. On the other hand, he can sometimes be very easily distracted and wander off, when something takes his interest. Normally I would be able to watch him myself, but I’ve been asked to run the Fortune Teller’s booth in the fairground, and as all the money is going to charity, I couldn’t refuse. Would you and Sammy be willing to take over from me for a couple of hours, Colin?

He decided instantly. O.K., he said.

You don’t know what you are letting yourself in for, warned Jilly. He can be a bit of a handful!

Meanwhile Sammy was looking curiously and hopefully at M. Could he see him? Or was he mesmerised by the guitar playing by itself? Auntie Flo glanced across at him and answered Colin’s question before he could ask it.

Oh, yes, he can see the emu. You and Sammy can stay here for a few days. I’ve made the room next door ready for you. There is a beanbag that Sammy can sleep on.

Won’t Mr. Jellysox be annoyed, if I don’t turn up for work tomorrow?

No, just ring in and tell him you’ve been called away to Liverpool on family business. I’ll speak to him myself, if you like. I can be very persuasive, you know.

Yes, I know, said Colin, wondering what he was doing promising to babysit an invisible emu!

Nevertheless he did enjoy his stay there. The next day, Tuesday, Auntie Flo spoke to Mr. Jellysox on the phone and arranged everything, and Colin took Sammy for a couple of walks round Thingy Park. The first time Jilly, Billy and M went with him. The second time they went on their own, as Billy and Jilly were rehearsing for the concert, or rather they went on their own accompanied by M. Sammy was exhausted by the time they got back to the house. He and M had played a chasing game almost non-stop, whilst Colin sat on a bench and watched them. Well, he thought, one day he’s playing with a dragon, and the next it’s with an emu!

Wednesday passed in much the same way, but in the evening they all made their way to the park. Auntie Flo drove Colin, Sammy and the children in her car and left it in the special car-park that had been roped off on the grass. M had loped easily beside the car all the way there. Jilly and Billy were used to this, but Colin couldn’t take his eyes off the extraordinary bird. Auntie Flo had told him all about the things M had done, the curtain-eating, the beating of the school bully, the upheaval in the supermarket, and their holiday in Italy. She had also warned Colin that M’s behaviour became very unpredictable, if he spotted a pretty young woman. And he is extremely strong, she added.

Colin had replied, "Don’t