by Duncan Ball
The children were dragged slowly towards the tree as the dangling plane slid down and down. Terry, Emily and Janey were pulled up off the ground.
‘I can’t hang on any longer!’ Terry squealed.
‘Don’t you dare let go!’ Emily ordered. ‘We won the other tug of war and we have to win this one!’
Slowly, the nose of the plane came to rest on the ground. Then the plane settled down on its wheels. Emily, Janey and Terry jumped down to the ground just as Ms Plump and the teachers got there.
‘We did it!’ the kids all screamed.
‘I did it!’ Terry yelled, running around in circles again. ‘I’m stronger than an aeroplane! Me! Me! Me! I’m the strongest boy in the world!’
‘Oh, pleeeeeeeease,’ Janey sighed. ‘Act your age.’
In a second, the man and woman climbed out of the plane.
‘You kids saved our lives,’ the woman said. ‘I don’t know how we can ever thank you. And, especially you,’ the woman added, giving Emily a big hug. ‘You are the bravest little girl I’ve ever met.’
‘How about me?’ Terry said. ‘I’m brave! I’m really brave!’
‘Don’t listen to him,’ Janey Star said. ‘He’s just dumb.’
‘I am not! I’m braver than the bravest person in the world!’
‘There there,’ the woman said, patting him on the head. ‘You were very good, dear.’
Terry was happy with this. He stuck out his tongue at Janey and then starting running again, kicking up dirt as he went.
‘The thing I’d like to know,’ the man said to Emily, ‘is how could you see to tie that knot?’
‘With this,’ Emily said, smiling and holding up her eyefinger.
The man’s and woman’s mouths dropped open.
‘Well, will you look at that,’ the woman said. ‘It’s an eye!’
‘On a finger!’ the man added. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it. I didn’t even know it was possible.’
‘Where on earth did you get it?’ the woman asked.
‘I was born with it,’ Emily said proudly. ‘I think it’s the only one in the world.’
‘That’s our Emily,’ Ms Plump said, giving Emily a big embarrassing kiss. ‘The best little girl in the world!’
2.
Emily and Tizzie Lizzie
Just after Emily and her schoolmates lowered the aeroplane safely to the ground, the Police Rescue Squad arrived. Right behind them was a TV news crew.
The news reporters asked the rescued man and woman lots of questions about what had happened. Then they turned to Emily.
‘You saved their lives!’ one of them said.
‘I just did my best,’ Emily said. ‘That’s all anyone can do.’
The TV news people took pictures of everyone, including Terry Meaney running around the plane saying, ‘Me me me me me!’
‘Could you tell us what happened here today?’ a TV reporter asked Janey.
Janey smiled.
‘Yes, I’d be happy to,’ she said, clearing her throat. ‘We had just finished having a tug of war with the teachers when suddenly, out of the sky, we heard the cough cough cough of an aeroplane in trouble —’
The words began to flow from Janey’s mouth. Her voice rose and fell as she told the reporters about the plane landing in the tree, about Emily climbing the tree as carefully as a cat, and about how Emily’s eyefinger showed her where to tie the rope.
Everyone around Janey fell silent. Students and teachers, and even the Police Rescue Squad stopped talking and gathered around listening to Janey.
‘And if I live to be one hundred and three,’ Janey said, her hands moving slowly in the air, her eyes glaring, ‘I’m sure that I’ll never see anything like the bravery of my dear friend Emily.’
At the end of it, Janey smiled sweetly.
‘Was that okay?’ she asked.
‘It was great!’ the TV reporter said. ‘Watch for it on tonight’s news. What’s your name?’
‘Janey Star.’
‘Star? Did you say, Star?’
‘Yes, and one day I’d like to be a movie star,’ Janey said. ‘In my name is my nature.’
The rescued man stood staring at Janey. His mouth was wide open. Then he said, ‘And you’d be a wonderful actress.’
‘Well, thank you,’ Janey said with a blush. ‘I guess all I need is a big break.’
‘I think you just got it,’ the woman said. ‘My husband and I are actors’ agents. We’re always looking for talent like yours.’ Then she turned to her husband. ‘How do you think she’d do as Tizzie Lizzie?’ she asked.
‘Look at that hair,’ her husband said. ‘She’d be perfect!’
‘All right, Janey,’ the woman said, handing her a business card. ‘Get your parents to ring us. By the way, our name is Mr and Mrs Starmaker. Isn’t that funny. You want to act and your name is Star and we’re agents and our name is Starmaker. Life is very strange.’
‘I can’t believe it!’ Janey screamed when the Starmakers had gone. ‘They’re going to make me famous!’
‘I wonder who this Tizzie Lizzie is,’ Emily said.
‘She must be a character in a movie,’ said Janey.
That weekend Janey and her mother flew to the city and went to a studio called Flickering Films. Janey asked Emily to come along too — which she did happily.
The studio was a huge building. When Janey, her mother and Emily arrived, Mr and Mrs Starmaker were already waiting inside. With them in the waiting room were dozens of little girls pacing around, quietly studying pieces of paper.
‘So what kind of a film is this?’ Janey asked the Starmakers.
‘Well, it’s not exactly a film,’ Mrs Starmaker said. ‘It’s for TV. Have you ever heard of Naycha- Care?’
‘Naycha-Care?’ Janey said. ‘It’s a shampoo. Why do they want to make a TV series about shampoo?’
‘It’s not a TV series, it’s a commercial, Janey.’
‘They want me to be in an ad?’ Janey asked.
‘It’s a wonderful opportunity,’ Mr Starmaker explained. ‘It’s a whole series of ads. When they show them on TV you’ll be famous. You won’t even be able to walk down the street without someone saying, “Hi, Janey”. Only they’ll probably say “Hi, Lizzie” because that’s the name of the girl in the ads.’
Janey thought for a minute. She liked the idea of people recognising her.
‘Oh, all right,’ she said. ‘When do I start?’
Mr and Mrs Starmaker looked at each other and then back to Janey.
‘It’s not that easy,’ Mrs Starmaker said. ‘Do you see all these other girls? They all want to be Tizzie Lizzie too. The studio is going to test everyone and see who they like the best. Here, take this,’ she said, handing Janey a piece of paper. ‘First you have to learn these lines.’
Janey took the paper and then sat on the floor in the corner of the room. Emily sat next to her.
‘Are you okay, Janey?’ she asked.
‘No, not really. Some of these girls can probably act better than I can.’
‘Don’t even think about that,’ Emily said. ‘Just learn your lines and try to do your best.’
Emily took the paper out of Janey’s hand and looked at it.
‘It’s simple,’ she said. ‘All you have to do is say these words:
My life can take me anywhere
So my best friend is Naycha-Care
If your hair is getting frizzy
Take a tip from Tizzie Lizzie:
Use Naycha-Care.
Hi there, little Lizzie.’
‘That is easy,’ Janey said. ‘I don’t get that end bit, though. Why’s she saying hello to herself?’
‘I don’t know. Don’t worry about it. Just learn the words.’
Janey was very good at remembering words and in a few minutes she knew them off by heart. She even said them out loud and swung her hair around when she did.
‘Wow!’ Emily said. ‘You sounded like a different person — l
ike a real actor on TV! That gave me goose bumps!’
‘Oh, anyone can do that, Em. It’s really basic. You could do it.’
‘Oh, no, I couldn’t,’ Emily said.
One by one the other girls were called away into the studio. After a few minutes they came out again and were taken home by their parents. None of them looked happy and a couple of them were a little teary.
Finally it was Janey’s turn. Mr and Mrs Starmaker and Janey’s mother stayed behind. But Emily went with Janey to the make-up room where they washed and dried Janey’s hair and made it look absolutely perfect. They put some dark makeup on her face that made it look dirty.
Then Janey and Emily were led away to another room. There Janey got into some old, torn clothes and a big wide hat that looked like it had been run over by a truck.
‘I get it!’ Janey said. ‘Tizzie Lizzie must be an explorer or something!’
Finally, the girls went out into an enormous room, as big as a warehouse. In the middle was the set. It was filled with big plants in pots. If you didn’t look down at the pots it looked just like a jungle.
A very friendly woman came up to Janey and led her to the front of the set. All around her were people with lights and cameras. There was even a big fan. Emily stayed out of the way and watched.
The woman told Janey just what to do. At first she’d be hidden behind the plants. They played a tape of a lion roaring. A man, lying on the ground, shook all the plants. Then Janey was supposed to step out and say her lines.
Emily watched as Janey did it perfectly. The lion roared. The plants shook. Then out came Janey smiling and holding a bottle of Naycha- Care shampoo.
‘My life can take me anywhere,’ Janey said. ‘So my best friend is Naycha-Care.’ Janey smiled and held the bottle next to her face, pointing to it with her other hand. ‘If your hair is getting frizzy, take a tip from Tizzie Lizzie: Use Naycha-Care.’
With this, Janey turned her head quickly to one side and then back again. Her hair swung around and then back.
‘Cut!’ the director yelled. ‘That was perfect … what’s your name again?’
‘Janey. Janey Star.’
‘That was perfect, Janey. I loved the way you pointed to the bottle. And I loved that hair swirl at the end,’ she then turned to the rest of the crew. ‘I think we’ve got our Tizzie Lizzie, guys,’ she said.
‘You mean I’ve got the job?!’ Janey squealed.
‘I think so. But let’s do it again — this time with the lizard.’
‘Lizard? What lizard?’ Janey said. ‘Nobody told me about any lizard.’
Janey stood in front of a branch. At one end was a man with a cage. He opened the cage and out came a lizard. It ran up the branch and then stopped just in front of Janey.
‘Get him away from me!’ Janey screamed.
‘He’s harmless,’ the director said. ‘He’s tame.’
‘I hate lizards!’ Janey said. ‘Oh, yuck!’
‘But that’s part of the ad,’ the director said. ‘Right at the end after you say “Use Naycha- Care” the lizard comes up the branch and stops in front of you. Then you pick him up and say “Hi there, little Lizzie”.’
‘You mean I actually have to touch him?’
‘Of course.’
‘Can’t we cut that part out? Do we have to have a lizard? What do lizards have to do with hair, anyway? They’re completely bald.’
‘It’s because he’s a lizard and you’re Lizzie. It’s a little joke. People will love it.’
‘I won’t love it because I won’t do it.’
‘Then I guess we’ll have to get another Tizzie Lizzie. Sorry, Janey. Okay, send in the next one!’
Janey just stood there for a moment. Emily could see tears forming in her eyes. Suddenly she thought of something.
‘Excuse me,’ Emily said, ‘but I have an idea.’
‘You do?’ said the director. ‘Who are you?’
‘I’m Emily and I’m a friend of Janey’s. Maybe I could pick up the lizard. I love animals.’
‘I’m sorry, but I don’t think we can use you,’ she said. ‘You’re … you’re not the right height. And your hair’s all wrong.’
‘I don’t want to be Tizzie Lizzie,’ Emily said. ‘I want to pick up the lizard for Janey.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘I’ll stand behind her and reach around her and pick up the lizard. It will look like she’s doing it.’
The director thought about this for a minute.
‘It’s a good idea,’ she said, ‘but how will you pick him up? You’ll be behind Janey. How will you see him?’
‘With this,’ Emily said, holding up her hand and showing the director her eyefinger.
‘Goodness me!’ the woman cried. ‘Where did you get that thing?!’
‘It’s not a thing, it’s an eye. I was born with it. It’s nothing to be scared of.’
‘I’m not scared,’ the director said, having a closer look. ‘I’m just … interested. It’s very interesting.’
‘Then can I try picking up the lizard?’
‘What do you think, Janey?’
‘It’s okay with me,’ Janey said. ‘Just don’t put it too close to my face. If you do, I’ll scream.’
The TV crew got everything ready and Janey and Emily went into the plants and waited. The lion roared. The man shook the plants. Janey stepped through the plants with Emily so close behind that it looked like they were glued together.
Then Janey said her lines: ‘My life can take me anywhere. So my best friend is Naycha-Care.’ She held up the bottle with one hand. This time it was Emily’s hand that pointed to the bottle because Janey had put hers behind her back. Emily curled her fingers so the camera couldn’t see the eye.
‘If your hair is getting frizzy. Take a tip from Tizzie Lizzie: Use Naycha-Care.’
The man with the cage put the lizard on the branch and let it go. It ran across in front of Janey and stopped. Emily picked it up with her eyefinger hand, again making sure the eye was towards Janey and not towards the camera.
‘Hi there, little Lizzie,’ Janey said.
‘Cut!’ the director yelled. ‘That was perfect! Okay, you’ve got the job, Janey. And you were terrific, Emily. You’re a great team, you two.’
‘Thank you,’ Emily said. ‘But I have a suggestion.’
‘What is it?’
‘Could you change the lion’s roar to something else? Lions don’t live in jungles. They live on grassy plains.’
‘Is that so? Okay, we’ll change it. You must know a lot about animals.’
‘I love animals,’ Emily said, gently stroking the lizard. ‘Don’t I, little Lizzie?’
Janey smiled at Emily.
‘Thanks Em,’ she said. ‘We’re a team.’
3.
Emily and the Snow-Mice
‘Mum! Dad!’ Emily cried. ‘Guess what Malcolm Mousefinder gets to do for his birthday?’
‘I can’t guess,’ Mrs Eyefinger said.
‘His dad’s taking him for a helicopter ride.’
‘Goodness me,’ Mr Eyefinger said. ‘That sounds very expensive. We could never afford to do anything like that for your birthday.’
‘I know, but I don’t mind,’ Emily said. ‘And guess what?’
‘You know I’m not much good at guessing, Emily,’ her mother said.
‘Neither am I,’ her father added. ‘I think you’d better tell us.’
‘Malcolm’s father said I could go too. Is it okay?’
‘Is Professor Mousefinder going to fly the helicopter himself?’ Emily’s mother asked.
‘No, a helicopter pilot will fly it.’
‘Then you can go.’
‘Great! I’m supposed to wear my warmest clothes because it gets very cold up in a helicopter.’
On Saturday morning, Mrs Eyefinger drove Emily to the airport where they met Professor Mousefinder and his son Malcolm. Malcolm had a big thick jacket, a hat, a scarf and the thickest mittens
that Emily had ever seen.
Emily gave Malcolm a present. It was a video game and Malcolm was very happy. But then he said, ‘I’m worried, Emily.’
‘You should be happy, Malcolm. You’re going up in a helicopter.’
‘Dad’s got a strange look on his face. And when Dad gets that look, terrible things always happen.’
‘Maybe he’s excited about the helicopter ride. I know I am.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Malcolm said glumly.
‘Come along, Malcolm and Emily,’ Professor Mousefinder called. ‘We’re all packed and the pilot is ready to go.’
The three of them scrambled on board. In a minute they had lifted off and were flying towards some snow-covered mountains.
‘Aren’t they beautiful?!’ Emily exclaimed, as she took a photo. ‘They’re like big ice-cream cones. I want to put my tongue out and lick them.’
Soon the helicopter was circling the tallest mountain.
‘Just look at that snow!’ the professor yelled. ‘Have you ever seen so much snow?’
The professor signalled for the pilot to take the helicopter down to the peak.
‘Dad, where are we going?’ Malcolm asked.
‘I just want to stop off and do an errand.’
‘An errand? What kind of errand?’
‘You’ll see,’ Professor Mousefinder said.
‘I knew he was up to something,’ Malcolm whispered in Emily’s ear.
The helicopter touched down and the three of them piled out into the snow. The pilot then pulled a backpack and a big package out of the back of the helicopter. The package was all wrapped in plain paper and tied with string.
Professor Mousefinder lifted them down onto the snow just as the helicopter flew away.
‘Hey! Where’s he going?’ Malcolm yelled.
‘Never mind about him,’ the professor said, searching in his backpack.
‘But how will we get back? We’re on the top of a mountain, Dad!’
‘It’s fine. Aren’t you going to open the package?’
Malcolm untied the string and took off the paper.
‘Great,’ he said flatly. ‘I don’t even know what it is.’
