Out of the Blue
Page 10
‘Now?’
‘Five minutes,’ Mr Hunter said, edging his way past his daughter. He was carrying two heavy-looking bags. He winked at Hannah and Sean. ‘Bit of a farewell party happening in the front room.’
‘How long have the others been here?’ Hannah asked, walking up the steps.
‘Oh, only about ten minutes,’ Gabby replied, stepping aside to let them in. Ling stood up and rushed over to Hannah as she entered the living room.
‘Hannah, I’m so glad you made it,’ she said, giving Hannah a hug.
‘So am I,’ Hannah replied, squeezing Ling in return. ‘I was over at Byron’s.’
‘Byron’s?’ E.D. said, reaching out to grab a handful of chips. ‘I would have thought he’d have left town by now.’
‘He’s on his way.’ Hannah recounted their conversation.
‘Crop circles.’ Angus rolled his eyes. ‘In Alice Springs?’
‘Well, that makes sense. Trust good old Byron to be in on it. Anything to do with outer space.’ E.D. stuffed another chip in his mouth, but it was easy to see that his heart wasn’t really in the conversation.
‘I thought you said he’d learnt his lesson?’ Ling said, looking at Hannah.
‘Well, put it this way. I don’t think Byron will be trashing his own home and painting himself in crazy colours again to fake an alien abduction.’
‘This town won’t be the same without Byron,’ E.D. muttered.
‘This town won’t be the same without Gabby and Ling.’ Hannah suddenly felt the tears streaming down her face. She had been determined not to cry and now here she was blubbering away.
‘I’m sorry, everyone, but we’re going to have to make a move,’ said Mrs Hunter from the door.
‘Oh, God, I can’t believe this is happening,’ Gabby sobbed, reaching out to hug Hannah. Ling joined them.
‘Come on, you boys,’ Gabby said, her voice quavering. ‘Group hug.’ Angus glanced at E.D., who was struggling to control his own emotions. The girls moved aside to let the two boys into the huddle.
‘And you, Sean,’ Ling said, smiling in spite of the tears pooling in her eyes. For a few moments the six of them stood quietly, linked together as one. But for a few gentle sniffs and sobs, they remained silent. Then finally, they each stepped back.
‘Wow,’ E.D. gasped, wiping the back of his hand across his eyes. ‘Why didn’t we do that the first time we all met?’
‘That’s it, people.’ Mr Hunter stood at the door, rattling his car keys. E.D. drew Gabby aside.
‘Um, Gab. There’s a bike meeting on in the city next weekend. I was wondering if maybe, you know, you might want to turn up and maybe…’
‘Of course I want to. Ring me with all the details.’ She leaned forwards and kissed E.D. lightly on the cheek. ‘Don’t get your hair cut,’ she whispered.
‘Never?’
‘Well, just make sure I’m there when you do.’
Angus and Ling stood together for a moment. Ling reached out and took Angus’ hand. ‘Maybe you’ll make it to Hong Kong some time,’ she said softly. ‘One of your horses might end up racing over there.’
Angus nodded. ‘You never know. We’ve got a winner in Flash Beauty.’ He looked down. ‘It could be a long time.’
Ling looked sad. ‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘We can keep in touch.’
‘Our blogsite!’ Hannah suddenly remembered.
‘What?’ said Angus.
‘I’ve created a blogsite for us. We can chat on the Internet!’ The smile fell off her face. ‘I know it’s not the same…’
‘But it’s better than nothing,’ said Ling, reaching out to take Hannah’s hand. ‘Thanks, Han.’
‘We’re going,’ called Mr Hunter. ‘Sorry, guys.’
Ling climbed into the car to sit next to Gabby. Angus, E.D. and Hannah stood in a row and watched as the car slowly made its way down the driveway.
‘This changes everything,’ said Hannah.
‘We’ve still got us,’ said E.D. ‘That’s something.’
Mr Mac appeared from behind his truck. ‘Okay then, who wants a ride back?’ he asked.
‘Me!’ Sean shouted. ‘Can I put my bike on the back?’
‘Thanks, Mr Mac. That’d be great,’ E.D. said, suddenly looking determined. ‘Got a big afternoon ahead. Got to get those bikes ready for the city meet next week.’
‘Hannah?’ Mr Mac looked towards her.
‘Thanks, Mr Mac.’
‘Come home with me, Hannah,’ said Angus. ‘We’ll find something to do at our place. Maybe I could teach you how to ride properly at last.’
‘Yeah, and maybe I’ll show you how to use a blogsite.’ Hannah smiled at him.
‘But don’t forget, guys,’ said E.D. as he climbed into the truck. ‘Movie at my place tonight.’
‘Huh?’ said Hannah, puzzled.
‘Didn’t I tell you?’ E.D. grinned.
‘No,’ said Angus suspiciously. ‘What’s on?’
‘Something you’ll really like.’ E.D. was laughing now.
‘What’s it called, E.D.?’ Hannah said, beginning to giggle, too.
E.D. could hardly talk for laughing but finally Angus and Hannah understood what he was saying. ‘Out of the Blue!’
Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) or Identified Flying Object (IFO)?
The Roswell Incident (USA, July 1947)
The news that personnel from Roswell Army Air Field had recovered a ‘flying disc’ in the New Mexico desert sparked great public interest. After an official announcement that it was actually a weather balloon, nothing more was heard about the matter. Then, in an interview 30 years later, one of the military men involved in the recovery said that the Air Force had covered up the real story. He insisted that an alien spaceship—with dead aliens inside—had been found. Since then, the incident has been surrounded in mystery and many books and films have been made about it.
The Valentich Disappearance (Australia, October 1978)
Twenty-year-old Frederick Valentich disappeared in unexplained circumstances while flying his small plane over Bass Strait. Three witnesses said they saw his plane descending at a steep angle, followed by a large object with flashing green lights. Before he lost radio contact, Valentich reported to Melbourne that a large, shiny object with green lights seemed to be chasing him. No trace of Valentich or his plane was ever found.
The Wales Sightings (UK, June 2008)
A South Wales Police helicopter with three experienced crew on board was hovering above a Royal Air Force base, about to refuel, when they noticed above them an ‘unusual aircraft’—brightly lit and saucer-shaped. The object dived at the helicopter, which veered out of the way and then chased after it. Lack of fuel forced the helicopter to land soon after. No other aircraft had been detected in their vicinity.
Did you know?
Area 51 is the nickname for a high-security military base located in Nevada, USA, which has at its centre a massive military airfield. Aircraft research is carried out there in strict secrecy: in fact, it is regarded as one of the most secretive places in the world. Area 51’s mysterious activities mean that it is often the focus of stories about UFO sightings and crashes. Some people believe that Area 51 hides carefully stored crashed UFOs and dead extraterrestials.
Skylab was the first US space station and the world’s first huge space station. Its purpose was to serve as a laboratory for scientific experiments in space. It was launched in 1973 and between then and 1974 there were three separate Skylab missions in which a group of scientists stayed in the space station. In total, the Skylab workshop was occupied for just under 172 days and nearly 300 separate experiments were carried out.
In July 1979, the unmanned Skylab re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated, with a series of massive booms, scattering burning pieces of the satellite across the Indian Ocean and parts of Western Australia. Luckily, there were no injuries.
A newspaper called the San Francisco Examiner offered a prize of US$10,000 in
return for the first piece of Skylab debris to be delivered to their offices. A 17-year-old boy named Stanley Thornton, from Esperance WA, retrieved some fragments from his roof, took them with him on the next available flight to the USA and claimed the prize.
Famous alien movies
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
This is the story of a loveable alien stranded on Earth who is found by a boy named Elliott. Assisted by his brother and sister, Elliot keeps E.T. safe and helps him to return home.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Decades after some World War II pilots mysteriously disappear, their planes—intact and operational—turn up in the middle of nowhere. Could this be a message? Soon after peaceful aliens arrive in a quiet part of the USA, it appears that some kind of event is about to take place on a remote mountain. The people who are irresistibly drawn there witness the return of the pilots—and many others—to Earth.
Famous alien books
The War of the Worlds (1898) by H.G. Wells
Martians invade England and begin to take over the world but are thwarted by bacteria that proves deadly. Wells’ early science fiction novel has been adapted into film, radio and comics, but the most famous adaptation was the 1938 radio broadcast. Many listeners found it so realistic that they believed an actual Martian invasion was occurring and there was widespread panic.
The Day of the Triffids (1951) by John Wyndham
After an unusually bright meteor shower renders most of the people on Earth blind, the Triffids—plant-like creatures that move about on their ‘legs’—prepare to take over the world. Humanity fights back in a range of ways to try to save the planet from these unwelcome creatures.
Faster than Lightning
MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE AND PAM HARVEY
Thirteen-year-old Angus lives and breathes horses. His father is a horse trainer, and on most mornings before school, Angus is down at the track helping out.
One morning, when Angus is training a skittish new horse on the track, a group of erratic riders almost push Angus and the young colt into the railing. From here the mystery begins.
With the help of his friends, Angus discovers shady and possibly illegal goings-on at the local stud farm. When a horse, Lightning Strikes, appears to be the exact replica of a dead horse, Gale Force, Angus becomes suspicious.
Is the stud involved in a special breeding program, or something more sinister? Is it possible that they could be cloning famous racehorses? Angus and friends must find out before it is too late.
In the Deep End
MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE AND PAM HARVEY
Something is not right in Teasdale. First, Gabby, one of the most talented swimmers in the state, is well beaten in the swimming trials by Andrea Taylor. Second, Hannah, the brightest kid in the school, misses out on the national Whatever, Wherever competition when she loses to her classmate Dave Kelly.
Neither Andrea nor Dave has posed any threat to the girls before, so who—or what—is helping them to win?
As Gabby, Hannah and their friends investigate, the clues point towards an unexpected villain.
And when Gabby finds herself trapped and in real danger, the kids set out on an urgent mission to rescue her and finally uncover what’s been going on.
Ghost of a Chance
MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE AND PAM HARVEY
School’s finally out and Ling and her friends head for a beach holiday looking forward to fun, excitement and exploring the derelict lighthouse around the bay. They soon find out, though, that their holiday destination was the scene of a tragic boating accident years ago.
At night, Ling is haunted by the image of a girl who whispers words, then fades away. During the day, a gang of hostile local kids searches the island for lost treasure. And in the background, the story of the orphanage and the children who lived there threads its way into the mystery.
Attempting to find out the truth from the locals only leads to frustration…and raises more questions. Why is Ling the only person who can see the ghost? What really happened all those years ago on the island? And why has the man who ran the orphanage—the frightening Mr Jamison—returned to his home town?
Ling and her friends must brave stormy seas and stay one step ahead of the other kids in a daring mission to uncover the truth and help restore peace to those who have been left behind.
Taking the Chequered Flag
MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE AND PAM HARVEY
E.D. is the youngest of three brothers, all of them motocross fanatics. He’s always been the support crew, fixing up his brothers’ bikes, rather than racing. But this time, after losing a bet with his brother Tony, he’s reluctantly competing in a race.
It doesn’t seem as if the race track is a level playing field, though. There’s a mysterious rider on a lime-green bike who doesn’t play fair, and a whiff of high-tech cheating going on around the nearby motorbike shop, which seems to have developed into a thriving business in a suspiciously short time.
When a serious crash puts Tony in hospital, E.D. must step up and compete on his behalf, even though he knows he doesn’t have much chance of getting through to the Inter Club Meet. But E.D. proves once again his capacity to surprise everyone—in an unexpected way.
Into the Fire
MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE AND PAM HARVEY
Fire is threatening Teasdale!
Gabby and Ling are in the library for the opening of the Hidden Treasures exhibition. As fire officers burst in to evacuate the building, a theft is discovered: a priceless Viking brooch is missing. In the panic, Gabby disappears. Where is she? Who stole the treasure?
Ling finds Hannah and Sean at the community centre, and the girls slip out to search for Gabby.
The fire reaches the racecourse while Angus and his dad are still moving the last horse to safety. They have a lucky escape, but when a horse bolts towards the mountains, Angus takes off after it.
The De Lugio family are preparing to defend their home from the bushfire. When E.D. spots a distant figure among the smoke, he jumps on his quadbike and goes to investigate…
Action! Drama! Mystery! Can the friends beat the flames?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Lisa Berryman, Liz Kemp and Anne Reilly at HarperCollins for their valuable contributions, enthusiasm and support. Without good editors, authors can really flounder!
We’d also like to thank our ever-suffering families for putting up with us being away with the fairies while writing.
Pam says thanks to Michael for having UFIs (unidentified flying ideas) and Michael says thanks to Pam for having UFWFs (unidentified flying writing fits).
About the Authors
MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE is the author of the bestselling Toby Jones cricketing adventure series. He lives in Geelong, Victoria. His main interests include a wide variety of sports, music, reading and keeping fit. He has worked as a teacher for just over twenty years and currently teaches part-time at Geelong College.
Visit Michael’s website at www.michaelpanckridge.com.au
Pam Harvey lives in Bendigo with her husband, two children, two dogs, two goldfish, two ducks, fifteen chooks and a ghost horse. Pam works as a lecturer in medical education and writes whenever she can get to the computer. She’s enthusiastic about a lot of things—including books, chocolate and getting up in the morning—and wears a bracelet made out of spoons. Pam has been writing since 1993.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
By Michael Panckridge
Toby Jones and the Magic Cricket Almanack
(with Brett Lee)
Toby Jones and the Secret of the Missing Scorecard
(with Brett Lee)
Toby Jones and the Mystery of the Time-Travel Tour
(with Brett Lee)
Toby Jones and the Timeless Cricket Match
(with Brett Lee)
Toby Jones and the Clash with Father Time
(with Brett
Lee)
Shielding the Truth (League of Legends, Book 1)
(with Laurie Daley)
Live Action (League of Legends, Book 2)
(with Laurie Daley)
On the Whistle (League of Legends, Book 3)
(with Laurie Daley)
By Michael Panckridge and Pam Harvey
Faster than Lightning
In the Deep End
Ghost of a Chance
Taking the Chequered Flag
Into the Fire
Copyright
Angus&Robertson
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, Australia
First published in Australia in 2009
This edition published in 2010
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
www.harpercollins.com.au
Copyright © Michael Panckridge and Pam Harvey 2009
The right of Michael Panckridge and Pam Harvey to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.