by Bindi Irwin
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Bindi Wildlife Adventures 13: Jailbreak!
ePub ISBN 9781742744148
A Random House book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
First published by Random House Australia in 2011
Copyright © Australia Zoo 2011
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia.
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
www.randomhouse.com.au/offices
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Irwin, Bindi, 1998–
Title: Jailbreak / Bindi Irwin, Jess Black
ISBN: 978 1 86471 830 0 (pbk.)
Series: Irwin, Bindi, 1998– Bindi wildlife adventures; 13.
Target audience: For primary school age
Other authors/contributors: Black, Jess
Dewey number: A823.4
Cover photograph © Australia Zoo
Cover design by Christabella Designs
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Imprint Page
Dear Diary
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Animal Fact File
Bindi Wildlife Adventures Series
Become a Wildlife Warrior!
Bindi and her two friends and co-performers, Tess and Ella, burst through the hotel doors to find that the foyer had been transformed into a sea of swooning teenage girls.
Ella blushed and turned to the others. ‘I didn’t realise we were so popular.’ Ella was thirteen and had shoulder-length brown hair and huge brown eyes. Tess was a mass of blonde curls and at twelve she was already really tall! They were both super-talented singers and dancers and were part of Bindi’s Jungle Girls group.
Bindi nodded earnestly. ‘It’s certainly great to see so many young people who are as passionate about helping the Tasmanian devil as we are!’
‘Ah, girls …’ Robert grinned cheekily as he joined them. ‘I hate to break it to you but this crowd isn’t here to see you.’ He pointed to a good-looking, uber-cool teen in designer clothing and wearing a diamond earring, who was signing autographs in the far corner of the foyer. Bindi recognised his distinctive brushed-forward hairstyle at once.
‘Isn’t that Adam Starr, the actor?’ He was touring all around Australia promoting his latest film, Vacation Camp Musical, but Bindi hadn’t realised he would be a part of the fundraising concert. Suddenly a loud and high-pitched shriek pierced her left eardrum.
‘Ahh!’ Bindi held her hand over her ear. She turned to see a young girl in a frenzied state of excitement, screaming uncontrollably at the sight of Adam.
‘Great,’ Bindi muttered. ‘Now I’m tone deaf.’
Robert gave the girls a wave. ‘I’ll see you later.’
‘Hang on!’ called Bindi, following him. ‘Where are you going? We need to find our room and start rehearsing.’
Robert shook his head. ‘No, you do! I want to see what all the fuss is about with this Adam guy. See ya later, alligator!’
With that he disappeared into the mass of squealing girls. Bindi turned to her friends, who were looking admiringly at Adam.
‘Oh, come on!’ Bindi rolled her eyes. ‘He’s just an actor.’
‘Well,’ shrugged Tess, ‘he is a super-cute, super-talented one!’ And with that, Tess and Ella took off in a bid to get closer to the star.
Bindi went back outside to help her mum, Terri, with the luggage. She found Terri admiring the gorgeous view of Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain– Lake St Clair National Park.
‘This is one of my favourite places in the world!’ exclaimed Terri as her daughter joined her. The surrounding bush of the national park and ancient rainforest was somehow made more beautiful by the icy clear waters of Dove Lake.
‘Well, it’s a lot more tranquil here than inside the hotel!’ said Bindi as she breathed in the fresh mountain air. It was spring but there was a noticeable chill in the air. It was much cooler here than in Queensland at this time of year.
The national park had been heritage listed since 1982 and the craggy peaks of Cradle Mountain in the distance were one of Tasmania’s most recognisable landmarks. This area drew in thousands of tourists and keen hikers who came to take on the 65-kilometre Overland Track each year.
But the Irwins hadn’t travelled here to go hiking. They were staying for the weekend to take part in a charity concert to help raise money for research into Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). It was a type of cancer that was deadly to the Tasmanian devil and, as yet, no cure had been found. The concert was being held to help fund research and raise awareness of the devils’ plight.
Bindi was excited about having a weekend away at such a cool place with both her family and good friends. To top it all off she got to perform for a worthy cause! Bindi grabbed a suitcase. ‘You better prepare yourself, Mum. It’s madness in there!’
Terri smiled and picked up the remaining luggage. ‘Madness for a good cause, Bindi. Remember that!’
They made their way inside. Showbiz was always full of surprises!
Tess and Ella were in danger of becoming completely swept up in Adam Starr hysteria when Bindi found them and finally managed to drag them into the main auditorium. They had just enough time for a short rehearsal and sound check before the concert. Bindi was really excited – it had been a while since she had last performed. The family had been doing lots of overseas travelling recently, having been to both Cambodia to help the Asian elephants and then onto an international climate change conference in Finland. They had been amazing experiences but it was also good to be back on home ground looking out for their native animals.
The three girls were working on the dance moves they had choreographed for their number. They were going to perform ‘Jailhouse Rock’, the song made famous by Elvis Presley, in cute little convict outfits. The theme of the charity concert was black and white, in keeping with Black and White Day that was held annually and raised funds for Tassie devils. And, of course, the theme also tied in nicely to the state’s convict history.
The steps were a little complicated as they broke out from a chain gang into some pretty funky dance moves. Everybody just rock! The girls worked the number through twice but each time their timing was a little off.
‘Let’s try it one more time,’ suggested Bindi. She moved to the
part of the stage where the number began. They started with their heads down in a line as if they were marching along in an old-fashioned prison chain gang.
‘One, two, three!’ Bindi began the slow stomping march of the chain gang only to realise she’d lost the rest of her gang. Where were they? She looked up to find the girls standing at the front of the stage, staring out at the auditorium.
Bindi approached her friends. ‘Um, this isn’t part of the choreography, is it?’ asked Bindi. She received no reply. Bindi followed her friends’ gaze.
‘I should have guessed!’ she muttered. Ella and Tess were staring at Adam Starr, who was busy talking with the lighting technician.
Bindi peered closely at the young heart-throb. ‘What is he wearing?’
‘Pretty cool, huh?’ Tess turned to Ella, who nodded enthusiastically.
From a distance it looked as if Adam’s costume was made of diamonds it sparkled so brightly, but then Bindi realised it was a black-and-white-striped suit made entirely from sequins. Trust him not to want to wear a plain old prison uniform. Bindi checked her watch. They were running out of time to get this number right!
Just then a young man in khaki overalls entered the room carrying a cage in each hand. The cages were covered with cloth but it wasn’t too difficult for Bindi to work out that he was carrying a pair of Tassie devils.
‘All right!’ cried Bindi. ‘The real stars of the show have arrived.’
Her exclamation drew Adam’s attention to the cages and to Bindi. He gave Bindi an amused look and sauntered over towards the keeper.
‘Excuse me,’ Adam called out, making sure that Bindi could hear. ‘I’m pretty certain I’m the star of this show.’
The keeper smiled and gently placed the cages on the floor. He held out a hand to Adam. ‘G’day, I’m Chris.’ He took a look at Adam’s costume and grinned. ‘That’s some outfit you’ve got there.’
Adam posed. ‘Totally random, hey?’
Chris nodded, still grinning. ‘It sure is.’
Adam kneeled down next to one of the cages.
‘Don’t get too close, they don’t know you,’ warned Chris.
But before Chris could stop him, Adam had peeled away the covering.
Tasmanian devils are mainly black in colour but with a few white markings. They have a strong squat build with a large head and a thick short tail. Startled by the sudden light and unfamiliar face, the devil in the uncovered cage lunged at the wire, growling and baring his teeth.
Adam backtracked fast, almost falling over a lighting cable. He was flustered but tried his best to cover it up. ‘Euggh, so that’s what they look like up close!’ Chris secured the cover back over the devil, grimacing, but said nothing to Adam.
‘Hey, Adam, you should be careful around these guys,’ said Bindi as she moved over to their cage. ‘Devils are scared of bright light. They’re nocturnal animals.’
She smiled at Chris and shook his hand. ‘I’m Bindi. Nice to meet you.’
‘Awesome. Bindi Irwin,’ said Chris enthusiastically.
‘Chris,’ said Adam smugly, ‘I think you’re meant to say Crikey, it’s Bindi Irwin!’
Bindi ignored him. She was more interested in making sure Chris and the devils would be comfortable in their temporary home.
‘Come on, Chris. I’ll show you the main dressing room. It’s the one they set aside for the big stars.’ Bindi picked up one of the cages and Chris followed with the other.
Adam couldn’t help but react. ‘Main dressing room? But that would be mine, right? I’m the star – I mean, everyone knows that. Even my name’s Starr!’
Bindi turned back to him and nodded. ‘We’re one big happy family in showbiz, isn’t that right, Adam?’ She gave him a cheeky wink. ‘Don’t worry. We’ll have a devil of a time all packed into the smaller dressing room together!’
Adam pulled out his mobile and began hastily punching in some numbers. ‘I’m calling my publicist and my agent. This is not what I signed up for!’
Bindi chuckled quietly to herself. Maybe having Adam around would be entertaining after all.
Later that afternoon Terri, Robert and Bindi were seated behind a long table draped with a white tablecloth. It was piled high with stickers, badges, and information about the Tassie devil, Devil Facial Tumour Disease and Wildlife Warriors. Dressed in their black-and-white- striped convict costumes, they were also promoting the charity auction that would be held later that night.
‘You look good dressed as a convict, Mum,’ noted Bindi.
Terri laughed. ‘Thanks, Bindi. I just wish I hadn’t been jailed for stealing a loaf of bread to feed my family.’ She was really getting into character!
Robert pretended to hold a phone to his ear and said, ‘Hey, Bindi, it’s a Mr Zebra for you. He says he wants his stripes back!’
Bindi laughed. ‘I’ll give you stripes. Fifty lashes for you, convict!’ She rolled up a flyer and held it out menacingly.
‘But Judge …’ pleaded Robert to Terri, ‘I’m innocent!’
Terri scrutinised her son and made a stern face. ‘I find the prisoner guilty of teasing his sister. Twenty lashes!’
Bindi pretended to deal out the punishment and they broke into a fit of giggles, but it wasn’t long before they were kept really busy. As Adam Starr was nowhere to be seen, they quickly drew quite a crowd of Adam’s fans, who were still waiting around to see their idol again.
‘Excellent!’ cried Bindi. ‘New recruits! Surely all these guys would love to know more about Tassie devils and support Black and White Day.’
Robert struck up a conversation with a girl named Clara. ‘Did you know that devils have a jaw strength as strong as a tiger? They’re real bone crunchers!’
‘Uh huh?’ Clara didn’t look that interested. She was busily reapplying her lip gloss while gazing at her reflection in a compact mirror.
Robert tried again to grab her attention. ‘And did you know that they’re Australia’s largest surviving carnivorous marsupial?’
This piece of information didn’t seem to be having the desired effect on Clara either. Then Robert had an idea. ‘We also have a charity auction tonight with proceeds going to help Tassie devils.’
‘What are the prizes?’ Clara asked, without taking her eyes off her mirror.
Robert picked up the list of prizes that people could bid on and began to read.
‘You could bid on a VIP Platinum Adventure Tour to Australia Zoo. Or you could spend the day in historical Port Arthur with Adam Starr. Or you could –’ but Clara cut him off before he could continue.
‘How do I bid?’ she cried, now fully focused on Robert.
‘Wow, you must really like Adam Starr,’ he noted.
Clara’s whole face lit up. ‘Yeah! What’s not to like? I mean, he’s a really good actor. He was so scary in Mad Dog Creek.’
Robert nodded.
Clara continued enthusiastically. ‘And he’s really cute.’
Robert was not sure about this one, but went with it anyway. He noticed Bindi listening in. He continued. ‘Yeah, I think he’s a bonza bloke.’
Clara added, ‘And he obviously really likes animals or he wouldn’t be supporting such a good cause.’
Bindi couldn’t stop herself from commenting. ‘He likes animals, you say?’
‘Yeah!’ nodded Clara emphatically. ‘Like, totally.’
Robert turned to his sister, grinning. ‘He sounds like a great guy, hey B?’
Bindi shook her head. ‘The jury’s still out, convict!’
Just then Robert’s mobile phone rang. He answered and after listening for a few seconds, jumped up.
‘Be right there!’ Robert hung up the phone.
Bindi looked at him, bemused. ‘Since when have you had your own mobile phone?’
Robert grinned. ‘Since now.’ He stood up. ‘My sister will look after you, Clara. I’ve got to go!’
And with that he was off. Bindi frowned. What was going on with her little brother?
Early that evening, as Bindi made her way down the corridor backstage, she could feel her tummy give a flip. Her pre-performance butterflies had arrived. Small or large, she never failed to get them. Bindi had even categorised them into actual butterfly species. Tonight’s butterflies, she decided, were the lemon migrant, a favourite species of hers, which was found in tropical Australia.
‘Come on, guys,’ she whispered to her tummy. ‘Give us a good performance!’
The corridor was abuzz with pre-show preparation. Singers were warming up their voices, technicians were hastily preparing last minute details, producers and organisers were racing around, consulting clipboards and speaking in low voices into their walkie-talkies.
Bindi caught sight of Tess and Ella at the door of the change room. They were dressed and in make-up and looked fantastic in their convict costumes.
Tess gave Bindi a wave. ‘I’m so excited!’
Bindi smiled. ‘Me too. You guys look fantastic, but look at me. I better get a move on!’ She hurried past her friends into the change room only to find it empty. When she was last in the room it had been full of all the props and costumes the performers would need.
‘What’s going on?’ Bindi muttered to herself.
Just then Adam entered the room and took a seat at the mirror. ‘There’s been a change of plan. I’m not big on sharing and, after all, the star has certain expectations, even when I turn up to small-time events like this.’
Bindi’s mouth dropped wide open. ‘You’re kidding?’
Adam began doing his hair in the mirror. ‘No, I’m perfectly serious.’ He pointed further down the corridor. ‘You’ll find your new change room further down the hall.’
Bindi stared at him and looked as if she was about to argue when Tess grabbed her by the arm. ‘Come on! We’re running out of time.’
