Kira Dreaming

by Belinda Murrell

  ‘We just finished school,’ I said. ‘It’s Friday afternoon.’

  ‘Thanks for sending me those videos,’ said Dad. ‘Harry and Bella’s magic performance was fabulous. And I was so proud of you. I loved watching you sing with your friends.’

  My heart blossomed with pride. ‘Thanks, Dad. Your suggestions really helped. Charlie and I made ourselves laugh being giant starfish just before we went on stage.’

  I saw Mum watching me. Suddenly I didn’t feel so chatty. I talked to Dad for a minute more and then we said goodbye.

  ‘I didn’t know you sent your dad a video of the concert today,’ said Mum.

  I felt awkward and somehow guilty. ‘I asked Zoe to video us,’ I admitted. ‘I didn’t want to bother you about it.’

  Mum gave me a hug. ‘That was a really special thing to do, Pipkin,’ she said. ‘I should have thought of it myself.’

  Mum’s reaction surprised me. I thought she might have been upset or hurt or even angry.

  ‘You’re not upset with me?’ I asked.

  Mum shook her head. ‘Of course not. I must admit, I’ve been avoiding calls from your father and that was wrong of me. I shouldn’t have, but I was feeling tired and busy with everything going on. And Bella was so upset last time I couldn’t really face it. But it’s important you kids talk to your dad and let him know what’s going on in your lives.’

  That was a relief. I hated the feeling that somehow we had to choose sides between Mum and Dad. I gave Mum a hug. I snuggled in tight, breathing in her familiar warm scent.

  Just then Charlie, Cici and Meg arrived, calling hellos and carrying presents. Cici was carrying an enormous box which was nearly as big as she was. I wondered what it could possibly hold.

  ‘What’s that?’ I asked, burning up with curiosity.

  ‘A surprise,’ said Cici, with a huge grin as she put the box down on the floor.

  ‘Lots of surprises,’ added Meg.

  Charlie and Meg placed their presents on top of the box.

  ‘Presents?’ I asked. ‘Why have you brought presents?’

  ‘For the tower-warming party,’ said Charlie. ‘We wanted to celebrate our new super-quiet, super-special meeting place!’

  I did a little jig of excitement. ‘Let’s go up!’

  ‘I’ve packed a basket of goodies so you can have a picnic upstairs,’ said Mum, handing me a wicker basket covered with a cloth. ‘I thought you needed some extra special treats to celebrate your amazing success today.’

  ‘Thanks so much, Mum,’ I said.

  The four of us went upstairs to my room. Smudge was sitting on the window seat with Harry and Bella, but when she saw the three strangers she ran and hid in her open crate.

  ‘She’s still a little shy,’ I explained to the girls. ‘But she’ll get used to you.’

  The girls oohed and aahed over Smudge as she skulked in her crate, then we climbed the ladder up to the tower, leaving the cupboard door open down below. We had to help Cici haul up the big box, but it was surprisingly light. I carried up the basket that Mum had filled with special treats for our tower-warming party.

  ‘Pippa,’ said Meg, gazing around the tower room. ‘It looks incredible.’

  ‘Doesn’t it?’ I replied with immense satisfaction. I was surprised all over again by how good it looked painted fresh and white. My sea-foam-green fruit-crate shelves were installed around one half of the wall, tied together with brown string. I’d stacked a pile of my favourite books on the shelves and popped some pens and pencils in a jam jar. Another jam jar held purple agapanthus, white orchids and feathery green ferns. I’d thrown a white cloth over my fruit-crate table and spread a faded, round rug in the centre of the room that I’d borrowed from Mimi.

  The girls crowded around me.

  ‘And now for the tower-warming presents,’ said Cici. ‘We each made you something, plus my mum sent a present as well.’

  The first present I opened was from Nathalie. She had made us a set of four puffy, square floor cushions in different fabrics. They were my favourite ocean colours: turquoise, aqua, sea-foam-green and ocean-blue. Now we had something to sit on for our meetings. We each jumped on a cushion and sat cross-legged.

  ‘These are gorgeous, Cici,’ I said, bouncing up and down. ‘Your mum is soooo clever to make these.’

  Cici handed me a tiny parcel. ‘And this is from me. I hope you like it.’

  Inside was a length of beautiful bunting in similar sea shades that Cici had sewed onto white ribbon. The triangles of fabric were in solid colours and a variety of patterns – stripes, polka dots and stars. Cici had also brought some brass hooks.

  ‘We can screw the hooks into the wall up high and drape the bunting above the windows,’ she suggested. She held the bunting up wide so I could see how it would look.

  ‘I love it,’ I said.

  ‘I made you something too,’ said Meg. I tore the wrapping off. Meg’s present was a photo board covered in pale-green fabric, pinned with a collection of square photographs that Meg had taken of us having fabulous fun together. There were photos of us kayaking, playing with Summer, riding skateboards, pulling silly faces with Ruby Starr and even one of us dressed in our tutus from the concert this morning. Meg had glued on shells and starfish to give it a beachy feel.

  We all gushed over the photos. ‘This is so special,’ I said. ‘And you’ve even included my favourite photo of us at the opening of the cafe.’

  I propped the photo board up on the top shelf of my bookcase. The last present was from Charlie.

  ‘Careful. It’s a bit delicate,’ she said.

  Charlie had made me a mobile from drift-wood, string and a variety of seashells including pipis, cockles, clams and scallops.

  ‘It’s exquisite,’ I said, holding it up to see how the shells spun in the breeze.

  ‘And Mum helped me make this,’ said Charlie. It was a rustic sign made from fence palings with our Sassy Sisters’ motto painted in large letters:

  Charlie propped the sign against the wall and hung her mobile from an old hook on the ceiling. Cici draped the bunting across the window. We stood in the middle of the tower room and spun around. Our tower room was truly beautiful.

  Charlie sat down on her cushion.

  ‘As President of the Sassy Sisters, I vote that we tackle some very important business,’ she said.

  ‘What’s that?’ I asked, taking my own cushion and gazing around once more at the trans formation we’d wrought.

  ‘Afternoon tea,’ said Charlie. ‘I’m starving.’

  Meg took the cloth off the top of the basket. Nestled inside was a two-tiered plate stand laden with chicken-and-lettuce finger sandwiches, raspberries, lemon tarts and caramel cupcakes. There were also four jam jars of Mango Madness smoothie with the lids screwed on to stop them spilling.

  I lifted the cake stand out of the basket and onto my fruit-crate table. Meg handed everyone a jam jar.

  ‘Tada,’ I said. ‘Afternoon tea is served.’

  Just then a little black-and-white head popped up through the hole in the floor.

  ‘Look, it’s Smudge,’ I cried. ‘She climbed up the ladder all by herself. Clever kitty-kins.’

  Smudge looked at us with her big green eyes and mewed.

  ‘Aaww,’ said Charlie. ‘She’s adorable.’

  Smudge mustered up the courage to come the rest of the way up the ladder. She scampered over to my lap and snuggled into my arms, purring loudly.

  ‘Time to celebrate,’ announced Cici. She screwed the lid off her jar of Mango Madness and raised it in a toast.

  ‘Here’s to us – the Sassy Sisters, our amazingly gorgeous tower room and our newest member, Smudge!’

  Meow, said Smudge.

  ‘The Sassy Sisters,’ we all cried, as we laughed and clinked our jars together.

  At about the age of eight, Belinda Murrell began writing stirring tales of adventure, mystery and magic in hand-illustrated exercise books. As an adult, she combined two of her g
reat loves – writing and travelling the world – and worked as a travel journalist, technical writer and public relations consultant. Now, inspired by her own three children, Belinda is a bestselling, inter nationally published children’s author. Her previous titles include four picture books, her fantasy adventure series, The Sun Sword Trilogy, and her seven time-slip adventures, The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Ivory Rose, The Forgotten Pearl, The River Charm, The Sequin Star and The Lost Sapphire.

  For younger readers (aged 6 to 9), Belinda has the Lulu Bell series about friends, family, animals and adventures growing up in a vet hospital.

  Belinda lives in Manly in a gorgeous old house overlooking the sea with her husband, Rob, her three beautiful children, Sammy the Stimson’s python and her dog, Rosie. She is an Author Ambassador for Room to Read and Books in Homes.

  Find out more about Belinda at her website: www.belindamurrell.com.au

  BOOKS BY BELINDA MURRELL

  Pippa’s Island

  Book 1: The Beach Shack Cafe

  Book 2: Cub Reporters

  Book 3: Kira Dreaming

  The Locket of Dreams

  The Ruby Talisman

  The Ivory Rose

  The Forgotten Pearl

  The River Charm

  The Sequin Star

  The Lost Sapphire

  The Sun Sword Trilogy

  Book 1: The Quest for the Sun Gem

  Book 2: The Voyage of the Owl

  Book 3: The Snowy Tower

  Lulu Bell

  Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn

  Lulu Bell and the Fairy Penguin

  Lulu Bell and the Cubby Fort

  Lulu Bell and the Moon Dragon

  Lulu Bell and the Circus Pup

  Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle

  Lulu Bell and the Tiger Cub

  Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party

  Lulu Bell and the Christmas Elf

  Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey

  Lulu Bell and the Arabian Nights

  Lulu Bell and the Magical Garden

  Lulu Bell and the Pirate Fun

  The students in class 5M are heading off to school camp. Pippa has never been away on camp before, at least not to a deserted tropical island! The Sassy Sisters are looking forward to five blissful days together exploring Shipwreck Island’s beaches and lagoon. But when the teams get regrouped, Pippa has to learn to cooperate with Olivia and the other girls.

  Mrs Marshall promised challenges and adventure, but she forgot to mention the pranks. After one too many of the boys’ tricks, the girls decide to take their revenge.

  Will class 5M survive Camp Castaway?

  AVAILABLE APRIL 2018

  Read on for a sneak peek!

  It was eight o’clock on a sunny Monday morning and we were waiting for a sailing boat to take us off on an amazing adventure. Meg, Charlie, Cici and I huddled together on the esplanade, jiggling up and down with excitement. Other kids from year five were gathered around in groups, giggling and chatting. Everyone was wearing casual clothes; shorts, T-shirts, caps and runners. Piles of backpacks, sleeping-bags, boxes, surfboards and packages were scattered among the parents and family members waiting to see us off.

  The twenty students of 5M at Kira Cove Primary School were heading off for our school camp. The only other time I’d been on a school sleepover back in London, we’d slept overnight in the school hall, eaten pizza and watched movies. Things couldn’t be more different here. This time our school camp would be on a deserted island located in the middle of the ocean, more than an hour north of Kira Island by boat. And we would be away from home for five whole days.

  ‘Seb said it’s the best fun,’ said Charlie, hugging her guitar in her arms. Her step-brother was in year six, so he’d been on the camp last year. ‘There’s no one else there.’

  ‘Jack said they saw some incredible wildlife, like turtles and dolphins and stingrays,’ added Meg. ‘The island is quite small. You can walk all over it. And you do lots of really fun activities – like snorkelling, bushwalking and playing games.’

  ‘It sounds brilliant,’ I said, but I felt a familiar fluttering in my tummy. I was a teensy bit nervous about going away on my first real school camp. I’d never been away from my family for more than a night at a time.

  A large white catamaran skimmed towards the wharf, its sails billowing in the breeze. Two crew members in navy shirts ran back and forth on the deck, hauling ropes and pulling down sails. The captain was at the helm, turning the chrome steering wheel and calling orders. One of the crew jumped onto the wharf and tied a thick rope to the pylon. We all surged towards the jetty leading out over the water.

  Mrs Marshall stood in front of us with a clipboard. ‘Good morning, 5M,’ she said with a warm smile. ‘Our trusty sailing vessel, the Wandering Albatross, has arrived. So it’s time to say goodbye to your families, gather your belongings and go aboard.’

  There was a loud babble of noise as everyone rushed to say goodbye to their parents. I saw Olivia hugging her mum, who was wearing a smart trouser suit and high heels. A younger boy stood by, with similar dark hair and blue eyes, who must be her brother.

  Our four families were standing together chatting. Mum was holding our puppy, Summer, by her red lead. Summer jumped up and down with delight to see me. It was as though I’d been gone for days rather than just a few minutes. I wondered how she’d react when I came home on Friday afternoon after nearly a week away.

  I said goodbye to Harry and Bella.

  Bella was wearing her fluffy green dinosaur tail over her denim shorts. She squeezed me hard around my waist as though she didn’t want to let go.

  ‘Don’t go away, Pippa,’ said Bella, her voice muffled. ‘I want you to stay here with us.’

  I hugged her back then gently peeled her arms away.

  ‘I’ll be back soon, Bella-boo,’ I said. ‘Look after Summer and Smudge for me.’

  I crouched down and took our puppy in my arms, stroking her velvety ears. ‘Be a good girl while I’m away, Summer,’ I whispered. ‘I’ll miss you.’ Summer licked me gently as though to say ‘I’ll miss you too’.

  Then Mum hugged me long and tight. ‘Have the most wonderful time, my darling Pipkin,’ she said. ‘I love you to the moon and back again.’

  ‘Love you too, Mum,’ I said.

  ‘Goodbye, Pipkin,’ she said, kissing me on top of my wild, curly hair.

  ‘Bye, Mum,’ I replied, giving her a last-minute squeeze. I felt a prickle of tears. Harry was already kicking a ball around with some other kids, while Bella had dashed off to play a chasing game with Charlie’s little sister Daisy.

  Mum stroked my cheek and gave me a mischievous smile. ‘You’ll have the most amazing fun – and there might be a little surprise on board.’

  ‘What surprise?’ I asked, immediately super-duper curious. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I’m not telling,’ said Mum, shaking her head. ‘You’ll have to wait and see.’

  The other girls had already said goodbye to their families and were waiting for me over by the wharf. Meg was carrying her surfboard.

  ‘Pippa, come on,’ called Charlie. ‘If you don’t hurry, we’ll sail off without you.’

  I hoisted up my heavy backpack and trudged over to join the girls. Lots of people were already on board while others queued across the gangplank, carrying their bags and chattering madly. Rory and Sam were just in front of us with Alex, nursing a set of homemade bongo drums. Alex grinned at me and rapped out a rhythmic drum beat with his knuckles.

  Towards the front of the cabin there was a familiar-looking girl with red hair tied back in a ponytail. She was directing the kids to stow their luggage in a huge mound in the corner.

  ‘Zoe!’ I cried, dropping my backpack on the floor. ‘What are you doing here?’

  The girls and I crowded around her, calling out greetings. Zoe grinned at us, her silver hoop earrings swinging. ‘Hello, girls. I’m your new camp supervisor.’

  ‘Wh
at do you mean?’ I asked. ‘What about the cafe?’

  ‘Last night I had a phone call from Nigel asking me if I could fill in for my friend Lisa, who’s come down with a nasty stomach bug,’ explained Zoe. ‘Nigel and Lisa usually help run the camp.’

  Zoe waved her hand towards an older man who was hoisting the heavy eskies into a neat block. It was Nigel, the Kira Beach surf lifesaving patrol captain and a regular customer at the cafe. He waved back at us.

  ‘I rang your mum to ask if it was okay for me to have the week off and she said yes straight away. She was so excited I’d be helping out on your school camp,’ continued Zoe. ‘Nigel is running the water safety program for the camp and I’ll be running the land-based activities.’

  I looked around at the other girls with delight. We all loved Zoe, the bubbly, eighteen-year-old barista at the Beach Shack Cafe who looked after us so well.

  ‘You must be the surprise that Mum was telling me about,’ I said. ‘It’s a shame Lisa is sick but I’m so glad you’ll be with us on camp.’

  ‘That’s so cool,’ said Charlie, lying her guitar down on a seat.

  ‘And that means we can chill out and relax,’ said Cici. ‘My brother says the camp supervisors can be really tough.’

  Zoe’s green eyes twinkled with humour. ‘Oh no you won’t, Cecilia Mee-Shen Lin. I’ll be the toughest camp supervisor ever.’

  We all giggled with disbelief. Zoe was kind, caring and warm-hearted. None of us could ever imagine her being strict with us.

  ‘Okay. Everyone up on deck,’ instructed Mrs Marshall. ‘It’s time to cast off.’

  We all scurried up the stairs and onto the deck. Mrs Marshall introduced us to Captain Bellamy and the Wandering Albatross crew, George and Hannah. Captain Bellamy stood with her legs apart, one hand on her hip as she directed us where to sit. We perched on the cabin roof. Our parents and families crowded on the wharf, waving and calling farewell. All twenty of us waved and shouted back.

  ‘Bye, Mum. Bye, Summer. Bye, Harry and Bella.’ I waved until my arm ached.