Read Online Fabulous Five 013 - The Christmas Countdown by Betsy Haynes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Betsy Haynes
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them?
Melanie wondered. He had helped as much as anybody. Then she realized why Randy
hadn't moved. He would make number thirteen, and Ms. Whitworth had said she
needed twelve volunteers.
Jon noticed it, too, and whispered to his mother again, and
she motioned Randy forward with the others.
Ms. Whitworth arranged them in a semicircle facing the
camera, and when it started to roll, Charles handed each of them one of the
dogs or cats from the cages. Each animal was leashed, and Charles cautioned
them to hold on to the leashes for dear life. Then Marge Whitworth stepped in
front of the group, faced the camera, and began speaking into her microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here at the local animal
shelter today to bring you the story of a dedicated group of students from
Wakeman Junior High who are working hard to save the lives of fifteen dogs and
cats, victims of overcrowding at the shelter, who are doomed to die on
Christmas Eve."
Melanie was holding Rainbow, and she listened to Jon's
mother and stroked the dog's head at the same time. She could feel Rainbow's
little heart beating furiously, and she longed to whisper to her that
everything would be all right.
"With only three days left and only halfway to their
goal of three hundred . . ."
Suddenly the Labrador retriever Matt was holding broke loose
and lunged for the long-haired gray cat in Christie's arms. Christie screamed,
dropping the cat, and pandemonium broke out as a boxer and a Border collie took
off in opposite directions, getting tangled up in each other's leashes, and a
calico cat yowled and swiped a black poodle across the nose. What happened
after that was anyone's guess, Melanie thought later. Dogs were barking, kids
were screeching, and cats were hissing and arching their backs, and Rainbow
snuggled deeper into Melanie's arms.
The only sound heard over the melee was Marge Whitworth's
strong voice calling, "CUT!"
CHAPTER 11
Once order was restored and all the animals were back in
their cages, Melanie approached Marge Whitworth, who was talking to her camera
crew.
"I guess you won't be able to use our story now, will
you?" she asked.
The anchorwoman threw back her head and laughed. "Of
course I will. In fact, I'll use it on both the six- and eleven-o'clock news.
If that wild scene doesn't point up the need for people to help out the
shelter, nothing will."
Melanie passed on the good news to the rest of the kids, who
were congregated outside. Then she hurried home, feeling exuberant. They were
going to get the publicity they needed after all. Now surely the money would
come pouring in as well as offers for homes for some of the animals.
"Guess what!" she called as she raced into her
house and sailed into the kitchen. "We're going to be on the news at both
six and eleven."
"Catch your breath," said her mother, "and
speak more slowly. What are you saying?"
Melanie gasped and then went on to tell her mother about the
dog-and-cat fight during the taping of the TV spot. "But Marge Whitworth
says she's going to run it anyway. She says it will get more attention than if
the animals had all behaved."
"That's great, sweetheart. We'll be sure to watch. In
fact, we'll tape it on the VCR if you'd like."
Melanie nodded and had started up to her room when her
mother called to her.
"I thought you'd like to know that I went over to Mrs.
Miller's today, and on top of everything else that's happened to her, the poor
soul twisted her ankle going down her stairs. The Visiting Nurses Association
is sending a nurse's aide over to help her with her cooking and chores for a
couple of days. I told Mrs. Crenshaw, the nurse's aide, that I'd look in on
Clare this evening. You know, Melanie, I think your idea of getting her another
dog to take her mind off Duchess might just be what she needs. Since Clare
lives alone, she doesn't have anything else to occupy her mind, and now with
the bad ankle, she's awfully blue. This is not going to be a good Christmas
Melanie wondered. He had helped as much as anybody. Then she realized why Randy
hadn't moved. He would make number thirteen, and Ms. Whitworth had said she
needed twelve volunteers.
Jon noticed it, too, and whispered to his mother again, and
she motioned Randy forward with the others.
Ms. Whitworth arranged them in a semicircle facing the
camera, and when it started to roll, Charles handed each of them one of the
dogs or cats from the cages. Each animal was leashed, and Charles cautioned
them to hold on to the leashes for dear life. Then Marge Whitworth stepped in
front of the group, faced the camera, and began speaking into her microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here at the local animal
shelter today to bring you the story of a dedicated group of students from
Wakeman Junior High who are working hard to save the lives of fifteen dogs and
cats, victims of overcrowding at the shelter, who are doomed to die on
Christmas Eve."
Melanie was holding Rainbow, and she listened to Jon's
mother and stroked the dog's head at the same time. She could feel Rainbow's
little heart beating furiously, and she longed to whisper to her that
everything would be all right.
"With only three days left and only halfway to their
goal of three hundred . . ."
Suddenly the Labrador retriever Matt was holding broke loose
and lunged for the long-haired gray cat in Christie's arms. Christie screamed,
dropping the cat, and pandemonium broke out as a boxer and a Border collie took
off in opposite directions, getting tangled up in each other's leashes, and a
calico cat yowled and swiped a black poodle across the nose. What happened
after that was anyone's guess, Melanie thought later. Dogs were barking, kids
were screeching, and cats were hissing and arching their backs, and Rainbow
snuggled deeper into Melanie's arms.
The only sound heard over the melee was Marge Whitworth's
strong voice calling, "CUT!"
CHAPTER 11
Once order was restored and all the animals were back in
their cages, Melanie approached Marge Whitworth, who was talking to her camera
crew.
"I guess you won't be able to use our story now, will
you?" she asked.
The anchorwoman threw back her head and laughed. "Of
course I will. In fact, I'll use it on both the six- and eleven-o'clock news.
If that wild scene doesn't point up the need for people to help out the
shelter, nothing will."
Melanie passed on the good news to the rest of the kids, who
were congregated outside. Then she hurried home, feeling exuberant. They were
going to get the publicity they needed after all. Now surely the money would
come pouring in as well as offers for homes for some of the animals.
"Guess what!" she called as she raced into her
house and sailed into the kitchen. "We're going to be on the news at both
six and eleven."
"Catch your breath," said her mother, "and
speak more slowly. What are you saying?"
Melanie gasped and then went on to tell her mother about the
dog-and-cat fight during the taping of the TV spot. "But Marge Whitworth
says she's going to run it anyway. She says it will get more attention than if
the animals had all behaved."
"That's great, sweetheart. We'll be sure to watch. In
fact, we'll tape it on the VCR if you'd like."
Melanie nodded and had started up to her room when her
mother called to her.
"I thought you'd like to know that I went over to Mrs.
Miller's today, and on top of everything else that's happened to her, the poor
soul twisted her ankle going down her stairs. The Visiting Nurses Association
is sending a nurse's aide over to help her with her cooking and chores for a
couple of days. I told Mrs. Crenshaw, the nurse's aide, that I'd look in on
Clare this evening. You know, Melanie, I think your idea of getting her another
dog to take her mind off Duchess might just be what she needs. Since Clare
lives alone, she doesn't have anything else to occupy her mind, and now with
the bad ankle, she's awfully blue. This is not going to be a good Christmas
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