The Magic Charm (4 page)

We always used to be chatting
, thought Antonia sadly. She wondered if things would have been different if she’d lent Sophie her necklace.

Miss Brown had a new boy with her. He had dark curly hair and smiling eyes.

“This is Cai Pacific,” she announced. “He’s only here for six months so I hope you’ll make him feel welcome. Cai is staying with his great-aunt, Claudia Neal; the lady from the Sea Watch charity.”

Antonia looked at Cai with interest. It surprised
her to learn that Claudia had family. Somehow it made her seem more ordinary.

“Cai has lots of cousins who live in the West Indies,” Miss Brown continued. “So if anyone wants an email friend then ask Cai.”

He didn’t seem to have any problems fitting in with the class. By lunchtime he was joking and laughing with everyone as if he’d known them for ages. The first lesson after lunch was DT. Miss Brown told 5B to work in pairs on their task to build a model Greek temple. Antonia assumed that she would pair with Sophie. But her friend had already agreed to work with Becky, as Lauren was away. Antonia was hurt. She and Sophie always worked together so how could she suddenly decide to pair with Becky, leaving Antonia on her own?

“Who’ll make a three with Antonia?” Miss Brown asked the class.

Antonia forced herself to smile, determined not to show how embarrassed she was. Then Cai shouted out, “She can work with Toby and me.”

Antonia’s face flamed scarlet as she joined the boys. This was awful. She should be inviting the new boy to join her group, not the other way round. But she didn’t stay embarrassed for long. Cai was easy to talk to and fun. His real home was in the city, but his parents had gone to Australia for six months to work so he’d been given a choice of going to boarding school or staying with Claudia.

“I hardly know my great-aunt, but I’d much rather stay with her than go to a boarding school,” said Cai cheerfully. “Aunty Claudia runs Sea Watch from her house. It’s so cool. I spent my first weekend here caring for an injured seal.”

“That sounds fun. I might join,” said Toby.

“Why don’t you join Sea Watch too?” Cai urged Antonia. “You’d love it.”

“I’m going to.”

Antonia really wanted to be a member of Sea Watch and she also needed to speak to Claudia privately. Antonia felt sure that Claudia could answer some of the questions buzzing in her head.

“Why not join today?” said Cai. “Come home with me and I’ll introduce you to Aunty Claudia.”

Antonia glanced over at Sophie. They usually walked home together. How would Sophie feel about her going to Sea Watch after school with Cai? She was about to turn Cai’s offer down when Sophie looked up. The two girls stared at each other, but before Antonia could smile Becky nudged Sophie and whispered something. Sophie snorted with laughter then Becky hissed, “Geek.”

Antonia’s face burned with angry humiliation.
What was Sophie playing at? Couldn’t she see how spiteful she was being? At once she turned to Cai.

“Thanks, Cai. That’d be great.”

Cai grinned.

“Wicked,” he said. “I can’t wait to show you the seal. We’ve called him Splash.”

A
t the end of school, Antonia nipped along to the office to ask her mum if she could go straight to Sea Watch.

“As long as you’re home by five thirty,” said Mum. “Don’t forget you’ve got swimming club tonight so we’re having an early tea.”

“Thanks, Mum,” said Antonia, scooting backwards out of the office and accidentally
bumping into Becky, who was walking down the corridor with Sophie.

“Ouch! Watch where you’re going, clumsy,” said Becky, deliberately throwing her bag in the air so the contents spilt across the corridor. “Now look what you made me do. Well, don’t just stand there, geek. Pick it up.”

“Get lost,” said Antonia.

“Is everything all right, girls?” Mrs Lee popped her head over the office counter to see what all the noise was about.

“Sort of.” Becky’s mouth turned down. “Antonia bumped into me and made me drop my bag.”

“Antonia, you really must be more careful,” Mrs Lee scolded her. “Say sorry and help Becky pick her things up.”

Antonia glared at Becky. “It wasn’t my fault you dropped your bag.”

“It was, wasn’t it, Sophie?” said Becky.

Sophie went pink and said nothing.

“Antonia,” said Mrs Lee, a note of warning in her voice.

“I’m sorry,” snapped Antonia.

Furiously she picked up Becky’s things. She didn’t know what had got into Sophie, keeping quiet like that, but if that was the way she wanted to play it, fine. She’d not bother to stick up for her the next time she needed help. Antonia left school feeling angry, but she didn’t stay cross for long. Cai was good company; chattering nonstop about Splash and how greedy the seal was for fish. He was so funny, Antonia was laughing out loud by the time they arrived at Sea Watch.

The charity was run from a big wooden shed in Claudia’s large garden that sloped down to the beach. The shed stood right at the bottom with a
low fence separating it from the sand. Sea Watch also owned a rescue boat, which was pulled up on the beach. When they arrived Claudia was checking on a seagull with a broken wing. She was pleased that Cai had enjoyed his first day at school and she seemed even more pleased to see Antonia.

“I remember you. You’re the girl whose poster won the competition.”

Antonia’s heart raced. There were so many questions she wanted to ask Claudia, but not in front of Cai. She hoped she would get a chance to speak privately with her. Claudia put the seagull back in its cage and moved on to a chough, a type of seabird. She spoke gently and the bird didn’t struggle when she lifted it up.

“It’s as if animals know she’s helping them to get better,” Cai whispered.

Antonia thought so too. There was something
special about the way the chough watched Claudia and the soft noises it made to her. It sounded as if Claudia and the chough were talking to each other.

Antonia helped Cai to feed Splash and fell totally in love with the seal. His liquid brown eyes reminded her of a friendly Labrador. He was funny too, nudging her hand with his whiskery nose if she wasn’t quick enough to feed him another fish.

“Claudia says he can go back to the sea soon,” sighed Cai. “It’s where he belongs, but I’m going to miss him.”

There were so many jobs to do–feeding animals, cleaning out their enclosures and tidying up–that the time flew.

“I’ve got to go soon,” said Antonia reluctantly. “I’ve got swimming tonight and I said I’d be home early.”

Cai said he was heading back too. “I’m
going up to the house for something to eat. I’m starving.”

He said goodbye to Claudia, but Antonia hung back meaning to have a private word with her. She was wondering how to start when two girls arrived wanting to join Sea Watch. Antonia recognised them as Eleanor Jacobs and Karen Holmes who were in Year Six. Claudia gave the girls a warm welcome and offered them a guided tour. Antonia didn’t have time to wait for her to finish and tried not to feel disappointed as she walked home. There would be plenty more opportunities to talk to Claudia now she was an official Sea Watch volunteer. Helping out at Sea Watch had been brilliant fun. Antonia thought she might quickly call in on Sophie on the way home, but then she changed her mind. What if Becky had gone round to play? Sighing heavily Antonia began the climb
up Sandy Bay Road. She was halfway up when her skin began to tingle. Seconds later the dolphin charm began vibrating against her chest.

“Spirit,” clicked Antonia, saying his name in dolphin language.

The dolphin charm vibrated more strongly and then began to whistle.

“Silver Dolphin. Come quickly.”

Antonia raced back down the road towards Sandy Bay beach. A handful of people were still soaking up the sun, but most had packed up and gone home for tea. Antonia ran along the sand to the rocks where she discarded her bag and pulled off her shoes and socks. As if urging her to hurry the dolphin charm vibrated faster and the whistling became more shrill. Carefully Antonia clambered over the rocks until she was out of sight of the beach, then stepping across the rock pools she
splashed into the sea. The moment the water reached her waist she thrust herself forward and swam. Her legs melded together as they kicked tail-like through the water. Her school dress flattened against her body so that she was perfectly streamlined. It was exhilarating, slicing through the water as if she was a real dolphin. Antonia couldn’t help herself–in spite of the urgency she leapt out of the water, arching her body like Bubbles. It felt amazing, as if she was flying. Antonia continued to leap out of the sea as she raced towards the open water.

The waves were rougher out here. Antonia stopped leaping and concentrated on finding Spirit. She knew she was nearing the dolphins. She could sense them; her skin tingled with the vibrations in the water as Spirit and his family swam closer.

S
econds later Antonia saw them: Spirit first, followed by Star, with Dream and Bubbles vying to be third. “Well done,” clicked Spirit, swimming alongside Antonia. “You came quickly.”

“You did very well,” agreed Star, stroking her hair with a fin.

Antonia flushed with pleasure.

“How can I help?” she asked.

“There’s a bird in distress, over there on the rocks.” Spirit swung round so his nose was pointing at a jagged cluster of rocks sticking out of the water.

Wasting no time Antonia struck out towards them. The sea was even rougher here, slapping the rocks with angry fingers. Carefully Antonia swam towards a flattish rock with knobbly sides. She could feel the dolphins watching her as she reached out and clambered up the slippery barnacle-encrusted rock edge until she was able to pull herself on to its surface. She saw the bird immediately. A young seagull, its feathers still grey, staggering around on clumsy feet. A length of twine hung from its mouth and there was blood on its feathers.

“Peep!” it shrilled.

“Steady,” whispered Antonia. “I’m here to help you.”

She held out her hand. The seagull fixed her with beady eyes, but didn’t move away. Slowly Antonia stepped closer until she could see the bird’s pounding chest.

“Here, let me look.”

Antonia stretched out her hand for the twine and followed it up to the seagull’s beak. Gently she prised its beak open, gasping in horror at what she saw. A fish hook was lodged inside the bird’s mouth in a tangle of twine and blood.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Antonia spoke softly and the young bird cocked its head to one side as if it were listening to her.

“I’m going to get this out for you. It might hurt a little, but you’ll feel much better once it’s gone.”

Slowly Antonia untangled the fishing line until she could see where it joined the hook. The bird’s mouth was a mess and she used the hem of her
school dress to dab away the blood. Then with gentle fingers she took hold of the shaft of the fish hook and, pushing it down, she unhooked it from the seagull’s mouth. All the while the bird trembled, but didn’t try to fly away.

Antonia wound the twine around the hook and put it in the pocket of her dress.

“Peep,” said the bird. It opened and closed its beak then ruffling its feathers it flew up into the air.

“Peep,” it called down to her.

“You’re welcome,” said Antonia.

She climbed back down the rock and splashed into the sea.

“Thank you,” said Spirit. “It would have died if you hadn’t rescued it.”

Antonia felt elated. She loved being a Silver Dolphin. She didn’t know why she’d been chosen for the role, but she was extremely glad she had.

“Can we play now?” asked Bubbles. “Please, Dad?”

Spirit opened his mouth in a smile.

“Yes, go and enjoy yourself.”

“Bubbly!” clicked Bubbles. “Let’s play Sprat. You’re it.”

He darted away before Antonia had a chance to catch him.

“Will you play too?” Antonia shyly asked Dream.

For a second Dream looked as if she might say yes, then Bubbles whizzed past them causing a mini tidal wave.

“Bubbles!” whistled Dream crossly. “No, thanks. I’m not playing with him,” she added and swam after her parents.

Antonia was disappointed until Bubbles clicked, “Come on, Flipper Feet. You’ll never catch me at
that speed,” and forgetting Dream she raced after him.

Antonia loved playing Sprat with Bubbles. Her dolphin-like swimming skills were now so good that she almost believed she was a real dolphin. She raced through the water tagging Bubbles with her nose each time she caught him. After they’d played Sprat, Bubbles showed her a move he called the twister that involved leaping from the water and turning a circle on his tail. Antonia was hopeless at first and kept crashing down in a belly flop.

“If it’s Splash you want to play then why didn’t you say so?” clicked Bubbles, smacking the water with his tail to splash Antonia in the face.

“Eeeek!” she screamed, and splashed him back.

The water fight lasted until Antonia, gasping for breath, called a truce. It was getting late and
although she could hardly bear to tear herself from the water she knew she had to go home. Mum would worry if she wasn’t back by five thirty. Bubbles swam a little way with her, but he didn’t want to get too close to the shore.

Antonia rubbed her nose against his, marvelling at how lucky she was.

“See you soon,” she clicked.

“Bye, Silver Dolphin,” Bubbles whistled back.

Bursting with happiness Antonia swam back to the shore. She wished she could share her amazing secret with someone. Sophie was good at keeping secrets, but Antonia wasn’t sure she wanted to confide in her right now. Also she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to tell anyone about being a Silver Dolphin. It was one of the things she somehow felt sure that Claudia would know the answer to.

I’ll go to Sea Watch after school tomorrow
, she decided, determined to get some answers soon.

As Antonia stepped out of the sea the water cascaded from her, leaving her clothes completely dry. As before, the only thing to show she’d been swimming was her damp hair. She stood for a moment wondering how that happened. It had to be a very special sort of magic.