Read Online We Were Only Strawberry Picking by Henrietta Defreitas - Free Book Online Page A

keep him quiet. Alfonso began to hiss as he raised his head up off the table. His shadow illuminated the walls of the dormitory and even though it was well lit, it was still quite a dark place, but in comparison to those unlit tunnels it was indeed bright. Alfonso then began to weave in and out of the crockery on the table heading towards Jack. The meerkats were now huddled together and shaking a little, except for Jack, as Alfonso began to raise the back of his tail off the table, but once again he had forgotten he could not rattle, as he dropped his tail, turned and slithered back to his seat.
    ‘Now do you understand about keeping quiet?’ Jack had got the message as he nodded his head without making a sound, but he only obeyed because he knew somehow these inhabitants were their ticket out of here. Besides Alfonso was a snake and he could take him out any time but he would have to contend with the other inhabitants as he knew he was outnumbered.
    ‘So let’s begin: Why were you in the prohibited strawberry fields, when the sign clearly stated, “ Danger and no trespassing” ?’
    ‘It was my idea, the strawberries looked much bigger and juicier there and I thought what harm would there be to pick a few – no one noticed the first time,’ admitted Henratty.
    ‘Yes, I heard you and one other marching around the field. You both had a lucky escape that day, but then you came back with your tubby friend and his little brother,’ as she glared at Jack suspiciously.
    ‘Yes, only because we needed more strawberries for Mama Katie, Jack and Oscar’s mother, so she could make her special strawberry tart and I promised I would show them the special place where we found the extra delicious strawberries in return for Mama Katie’s recipe – it’s really good,’ Henratty answered exuberantly.
    ‘Um – I see! Was there any other reason for you all being in that field?’ Nora further demanded.
    ‘What other reason could we possibly have, we were only interested in the strawberries … isn’t that why … how you all ended up in this tunnel or were you all looking for something else?’ enquired Henratty.
    Enoch was the first to speak: ‘Well, I got completely lost and did not see the sign in the dark. As you’ve probably gathered my memory is not the greatest and I’m constantly forgetting things.’
    ‘Yeah, we’ve noticed,’ declared Jack.
    ‘I was grabbed by some kind of bird of prey who lost its grip and dropped me in the field and on landing, I rolled down a hole in the strawberry fields and ended up in the mineshaft, be it a little wounded but Nora nursed me back to health. All I have is a tiny scar from the claw of that creature,’ uttered Poppy.
    ‘And Jasper and I were captured by a family looking for pet hedgehogs. Luckily we managed to escape when he fell asleep in his truck, after pulling over at the side of the strawberry fields, and again we tumbled down the mineshaft and what a blessing in disguise that was. This is our home and we would like to keep it that way,’ pronounced Nancy.
    The meerkats then turned to Alfonso naturally expecting him to explain how he had ended up in the mine, but he merely gave them a stone-faced stare. From Alfonso’s frosty reception, the meerkats immediately knew that he would be the one to watch closely, as he had definitely made them feel much more uneasy than the other inhabitants.
    At that point, Escargot popped out of his shell, still half asleep which made the meerkats jump back in astonishment.
    ‘It’s only Escargot the snail,’ said Poppy sweetly.
    ‘What’s all the commotion now, I never seem to be able to sleep of late. And who do we have here?’ as he turned his weary face towards the meerkats.
    ‘These are the little creatures that I heard in the strawberry fields the other day. As I suspected, it was only a matter of time before they ended up down here and here they are,’ announced Nora.
    ‘Bonjour mes petits amis,’ said